Results tagged ‘ Cliff Lee ’
6 divisions in 6 days, Day 1 …
Leading up to Opening Day, I’ll roll out an All-Star team for each of the six divisions in baseball — that includes a manager, a starting nine (with a DH also for the National League), three starters and two relievers. One catch: Each team must have at least one representative, and the skipper doesn’t count. Feel free to submit your own lineups below. I’d love to see how yours differ.
Day 1: NL East
Team-wise, perhaps the deepest division in baseball. But there are a lot of players I’m counting on bounceback years from (and that’s not even including Chase Utley)
Manager: Charlie Manuel, PHI
Lineup
Jose Reyes, SS (MIA)
Hanley Ramirez, DH (MIA)
Ryan Howard, 1B (PHI)
Mike Stanton, LF (MIA)
Brian McCann, C (ATL)
David Wright, 3B (NYM)
Danny Espinosa, 2B (WAS)
Jason Heyward, RF (ATL)
Shane Victorino, CF (PHI)
Rotation
Roy Halladay, PHI
Cliff Lee, PHI
Stephen Strasburg, WAS
Bullpen
Jonathan Papelbon, PHI
Craig Kimbrel, ATL
– Alden
Starting pitcher extensions?
OK, so Howard Kendrick has already agreed to terms on a four-year extension (physical pending), and general manager Jerry Dipoto previously indicated that he’d also like to lock up Kendrick’s middle-infield partner, Erick Aybar.
But what about the starting pitchers? More specifically, what about Dan Haren and Ervin Santana?
The Angels have some leeway with both because they hold 2013 club options in each case. But as you all know, teams love locking up quality starting pitchers long term (though the Angels may not be able to fit that into their agenda this offseason). So let’s take a closer look at each of their cases …
Haren
Basics: He won’t be 32 until Sept. 17 and is heading into the final guaranteed season of a four-year, $44.75 million contract. For next year, the Angels hold a $15.5 million option — nearly $3 million more than what he’ll make in 2012 — with a $3.5 million buyout.
Numbers: Haren has been remarkably consistent and durable in his first seven full seasons, averaging 226 innings, 34 starts, 14 wins and a 3.49 ERA while making three All-Star teams and finishing Top 5 in Cy Young voting once (in 2009). In that 2005-11 span, the Monterey Park, Calif., native ranks sixth among qualifiers in WHIP (1.15, just ahead of Jered Weaver‘s 1.16 mark) and second in strikeouts (1,368, trailing only CC Sabathia‘s 1,417). He does allow a lot of fly balls — his groundball-to-flyball rate was tied for 57th in that same span — but Haren has never been on the disabled list. Not once!
Comparables: We’re probably looking at a five-year deal here — the same thing Cliff Lee, A.J. Burnett, John Lackey and C.J. Wilson got at around the same age. Wilson got $77.5 million last month and had only been a starter for two years. Burnett and Lackey each signed for $82.5 million (Burnett heading into ’09, Lackey heading into ’10), but Haren’s numbers and durability have topped both. Then there’s Lee, who got a $120 million contract to return to the Phillies last offseason. Lee already had a Cy Young Award in his back pocket by that point, but his cumulative numbers paled in comparison to Haren’s — 99-57, 3.88 ERA, 1,346 1/3 innings, 1.258 WHIP and 1,035 strikeouts over the previous seven-year span.
Santana
Basics: He turned 29 on Dec. 12 and is heading into the final guaranteed season of a four-year, $30 million contract (signed just before his fifth season). The Angels hold a club option for 2013 at $13 million — nearly $2 million more than he’ll make in 2012 — with a $1 million buyout. They have not yet begun extension talks with Santana, a source said.
Numbers: Santana has been rather inconsistent through his first seven seasons, which has seen him combine for an 87-67 record, a 4.22 ERA, a 1.305 WHIP and an average of 185 innings and 148 strikeouts per season. In that span, he ranks 38th among qualifiers in strikeout-to-walk ratio and 85th in groundball-to-flyball rate. His walk total has been up the last two years, but Santana is coming off one of his best season in 2011, when he threw a no-hitter, posted a career-low 3.38 ERA, his second-lowest WHIP (1.220), his second-highest strikeout total (178) and his most ever innings (228 2/3).
Comparables: The four-year, $56 million contract Mark Buehrle signed with the White Sox in July 2007 (which paid him $14 million every year from 2008-11) may be a good gauge here. Buehrle had a bit better numbers through his first seven full seasons — 103 wins and a 3.79 ERA while averaging 225 innings and 129 strikeouts — but the rise in starting-pitcher contracts since that time may put Santana’s on par, or perhaps even slightly higher.
– Alden
A week of moves — and non-moves
At 2 p.m. ET, as I sat in my seat just before a 2 1/2-hour flight from New York to Chicago (I’ll be covering the Yankees in the South Side this week), I shut off my phone and immediately started thinking about what would await me once I had service again. The non-waiver Trade Deadline was only two hours away. Where would Heath Bell go? What will the Yankees do? Who will land B.J. Upton? Then I touched down at O’Hare Airport, and realized all of that was a non-story.
Bell was the guy that was sure to be pitching elsewhere the rest of this season, the Yankees — as is their custom — were sure to make some sort of splash, and Upton was sure to be dealt after having his name in rumors for so many years. But none of that happened, Hiroki Kuroda didn’t waive his no-trade clause, James Shields stayed put in Tampa Bay, and the White Sox held on to Carlos Quentin.
That’s right, the biggest thing I’m taking away from the Deadline is what actually didn’t occur.
Now, on to the obligatory post-Deadline-winners-and-losers story. I know that in trades there really aren’t supposed to be any “winners” or “losers” (Neither side makes a deal if they don’t feel they’re “winning,” too, right?), but certain teams simply make out better than others.
Here are the three biggest winners and three biggest losers among the contending teams. And as always, we’ll get the bad news out of the way first …
Losers
Yankees: As MLBTradeRumors.com pointed out, this was the first time since 1999 that the Yankees went through an entire July without making a trade. And even though they’re 22 games above .500 and nurse a 6 1/2-game lead in the American League Wild Card race, they needed to add two pieces that they didn’t get: A starter and a lefty reliever.
Perhaps J.C. Romero, currently pitching for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, will work out for them, and veteran relievers can usually be had in August. But I was in the minority in thinking they should’ve dealt their prospects for Ubaldo Jimenez, who they were reportedly in on. I would’ve given up two of either Ivan Nova, Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances, and one of either Jesus Montero and Austin Romine. Whether or not that would’ve been enough to get the deal done, I don’t know, but it doesn’t seem the Yankees were willing to come anywhere close to doing that.
The Yankees’ hope is that just one of those three arms becomes the quality of starter Ubaldo currently is, and if you have a chance to get an arm like that now — when he’s expandable, when he’s under club control for a while and when he’s extremely affordable — you do it. Right now, the Yankees have the great CC Sabathia, and then four guys they don’t know what they’ll get out of on a nightly basis. Not good enough.
Diamondbacks: The D-backs have a real shot at winning the National League West, but they didn’t do enough to get it done. Jason Marquis and Brad Ziegler were nice and necessary additions to their rotation and bullpen, respectively, but they needed to upgrade their offense to somehow shorten the gap separating them from the Giants. Instead, San Francisco added a bat, and Arizona didn’t.
I get that the D-backs didn’t expect to compete this year and they prefer to hold on to their top prospects. But had they gone after a big bat, they would’ve had a good shot at superseding the Giants. Now? I can’t see it happening.
Tigers: I understand their hesitancy to give up a prospect like Jacob Turner, but frankly, I would’ve liked to see the Tigers do more for their rotation than just Doug Fister. Maybe one more mid-level starter like that for a team that ranks 14th in the AL in starting-pitcher ERA.
Winners
Cardinals: Fans didn’t seem too happy that they dealt an asset like Colby Rasmus and didn’t really get any long-term pieces in return. And I get that. But I give general manager John Mozeliak a lot of credit for going all in on this season — a year that could be the final one with Albert Pujols at first base and Tony La Russa as manager.
They got a necessary arm in their rotation in Edwin Jackson, who’s an impending free agent who won’t clog up their payroll and, thus, hurt their chances of resigning Pujols; they got righty Octavio Dotel and lefty Marc Rzepczynski for a needy bullpen; and they were able to pluck away from a position where they have a suitable replacement in Jon Jay.
Perhaps they could’ve waited to deal Rasmus — a guy who definitely needed a change of scenery — when his stock rose again, but then they wouldn’t look this good right now. And right now, they look like the best team in the NL Central. The Rafael Furcal acquisition is fine; I’m just not sure how much he has left.
Phillies: There was no more perfect fit for the Phillies than Hunter Pence. With him, their offense now looks on par with that vaunted rotation because they have that right-handed bat that was so critical to their production in years past. This past offseason, the Phillies added Cliff Lee to give them a ridiculous starting staff, but they lost Jayson Werth to the Nationals and missed that right-handed bat to hit behind lefties Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.
Now, they have that right-handed bat again in Pence, and they have him in the books until 2013. Pence is having a fine season, and he came into Philadelphia with an .865 OPS. He’ll get plenty more chances with runners in scoring position now. And Phillies fans will love his energy. The Phils had to part ways with their two biggest prospects, but Domonic Brown and Vance Worley stayed put. That’s another positive.
Indians: Yeah, they did give up a big chunk of their farm system to get Ubaldo. But I just love the spirit of this trade, especially from a team that has so far only been known for parting with aces — from Lee to CC. This has been a magical season in Cleveland, and somehow they’re still in it despite a shaky rotation. It doesn’t look so shaky anymore.
The others
Braves: Michael Bourn is the perfect fit for that team; gives them their first leadoff hitter since Furcal.
Brewers: Francisco Rodriguez was a big pickup, and they got some insurance at second base. But they’re crossing their fingers that Rickie Weeks returns to full health soon.
Pirates: They got a couple of bats in Ryan Ludwick and Derrek Lee – two guys who know the NL Central well — and didn’t give up much.
Reds: Was surprised they were in on some of the big guys, but they have a rather large deficit, and that may have played a part in them standing pat.
Giants: Zack Wheeler is a good prospect, but Carlos Beltran is a good middle-of-the-order bat that should fit in perfectly in due time.
Red Sox: They got a nice rotation arm in Erik Bedard and a utility man in Mike Aviles; not flashy, but effective.
White Sox: I’m just glad they didn’t sell off all their pieces; they still have a shot.
Angels: Did nothing, which was pretty surprising.
Rangers: Got two big pieces for the back end of their bullpen in Koji Uehara and Mike Adams.
– Alden
** Filed this week: Pence trade fills Phils’ need for a righty slugger; Cards, Giants take on win-now modes with deals.
Yeah, um, Roy Halladay is, uh, pretty good
OK, so maybe you didn’t need me to tell you Roy Halladay is a good pitcher. But it was interesting to see just how much of a throwback he is.
Pitchers, as you know, rarely pitch entire games anymore, and “durability” usually means 200 innings. Not for Halladay. The Phillies’ ace (and, yes, even though they signed Cliff Lee, he is the unquestioned ace on that team) is essentially unmatched in terms of complete games over the last few years.
Consider:
* From 2003-11, Halladay has notched the most complete games in baseball with 54. The No. 2 man on that list? CC Sabathia, with 28.
* The 54 complete games by Halladay is more than the total for 26 teams.
For that eight-plus-year span, Halladay has 134 wins (first in the Majors), 1,743 2/3 innings (fourth), 1,333 strikeouts (sixth), a 3.03 ERA and a 4.79 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The 33-year-old right-hander’s last complete game came Wednesday against the Nationals, giving up two runs and striking out nine in the process. He has given up just three runs in 22 innings this year and has 22 strikeouts with only three walks.
Yeah, The Doc is pretty good.
And he’s actually pretty funny, too. This ad was a good one …
– Alden
* What I wrote this week: The Rockies are doing what they never have; turning a double play can be a dangerous game; MLB family honors Jackie Robinson.
My predictions for the 2011 season …
I was asked recently by the higher-ups at my company to submit my predictions for the 2011 season in several different categories, which was tallied up among several others to produce this. With Opening Day here, I thought I’d share my specific picks with a short explanation.
Here it is …
AL East: Red Sox (too good — everywhere)
AL Central: White Sox (great offense; but Jake Peavy needs to be good)
AL West: Athletics (great pitching and defense)
AL Wild Card: Tigers (solid at every aspect)
AL champion: Red Sox (again, too good)
NL East: Phillies (rotation enough to make up for injuries)
NL Central: Brewers (solid everywhere, but can’t afford injury)
NL West: Rockies (most well-rounded club in the division)
NL Wild Card: Braves (probably most well-rounded team in MLB)
NL champion: Braves (if young guys come through — which they should — they’ll prevail)
World Series champion: Red Sox (Braves have no lefty starters, Sox have great lefty hitters — Boston has the edge)
AL surprise team: Athletics (young, dynamic pitching staff and great defense on low payroll)
NL surprise team: Marlins (their rotation and offense can compete with anybody’s)
AL surprise player: A.J. Burnett (looked great this spring, and health wasn’t a factor in rough 2010 season)
NL surprise player: Juan Miranda (forgotten in Yankees system, but has good power and showed good signs this spring)
AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera (he’s motivated and is the best hitter in the AL; he’ll prove it)
NL MVP: Albert Pujols (easy — best player in baseball is in a walk year)
AL Cy Young: Jon Lester (this is the year he takes it to the next level — especially with that defense and offense behind him)
NL CY Young: Cliff Lee (happy and motivated)
AL Rookie of the Year: Jeremy Hellickson (can’t wait to see him in a full season)
NL Rookie of the Year: Freddie Freeman (everybody absolutely raves about this kid)
AL Manager of the Year: Ozzie Guillen (has a great team, peace with Ken Williams and contract stability)
NL Manager of the Year: Charlie Manuel (yes, he has a great team, but he’ll get them through injury woes)
Breakout Player of the Year: Mike Stanton (almost won Rookie of the Year in 100 games last season; now the world will see how special he truly is)
Executive of the Year: Billy Beane (“Money Ball” at its finest playing out right now)
– Alden
* Here’s my Opening Day preview and the nine storylines I have my eye on this season.
** Other stuff to get you primed for the start of the season: A look at first-year managers in the Grapefruit League; previews for the AL East and NL East; and a glimpse at five players we can’t wait to see.
Star gazing as we approach vernal equinox
NOT FLORIDA — I won’t make it down to Florida for Spring Training until early March, but I’m sure the Grapefruit League will be fine without me. A lot happened this offseason, and there’s a lot to watch this spring, especially among the upper-echelon guys. So, I thought I’d put together an easy-to-follow guide. Print it out, fold it up and put it in the back pocket of your Bermuda shorts as you weave through camps this spring. Here goes nothin’ Coming back from injury Star players whose 2010 seasons ended on the shelf * Chipper Jones (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.):
* Stephen Strasburg (Viera, Fla.): * Jason Bay and Johan Santana (Port St. Lucie, * Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby * Jake Peavy (Glendale, Ariz.): * Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan (Fort Myers, * Brandon Webb (Surprise, Ariz.): * Grady Sizemore (Goodyear, Ariz.): * Kendry Morales (Tempe, Ariz.): New in town Notable offseason pickups and their new homes * Dan Uggla (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.):
* Lee (Clearwater, Fla.): OK, so Lee (pictured left) is not really new. But * Jayson Werth (Viera, Fla.): One of * Rafael Soriano (Tampa, Fla.): * Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez (Fort * Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez (Port * Vladimir Guerrero (Sarasota, Fla.): * Adam Dunn (Glendale, Ariz.): The * Victor Martinez (Lakeland, Fla.): * Lance Berkman (Jupiter, Fla.): * Zack Greinke (Phoenix, Ariz.): The * Matt Garza (Mesa, Ariz.): Garza * Miguel Tejada (Scottsdale, Ariz.): * Adrian Beltre (Surprise, Ariz.): * Vernon Wells (Tempe, Ariz.): It Back to elite status? Elite players who had a down year — by their standards — in 2010
* Hanley Ramirez (Jupiter, Fla.): By his * Carlos Pena (Mesa, Ariz.): Pena * Justin Upton (Scottsdale, Ariz.): * Matt Kemp and Jonathan Broxton (Phoenix, * Sandoval (Scottsdale, Ariz.): Can * Chone Figgins (Peoria, Ariz.): Maybe there was just something in the water in Seattle last year that caused everyone to struggle at the plate. Nonetheless, Figgins had a rather unimpressive showing in his first year with his new team, sporting career-lows in batting average (.259) and on-base percentage (.340). Now, he’s dealing with trade rumors. * Jose Reyes (Port St. Lucie, Fla.): An assortment of injuries limited Reyes the last few years and greatly diminished his production. Now, he says he’s feeling good, and he’s entering his walk year. Big year for the speedy shortstop. * Derrek Lee (Sarasota, Fla.): Lee hit .310 and averaged 26 homers and 84 RBIs from 2005-09. But a bad back limited him to a .260 batting average, 19 homers and 80 RBIs in 2010. Now, he’s in Baltimore on a one-year, $7.25 million contract. * Phillies’ middle infield (Clearwater, Fla.): Chase Utley (.275 with 16 homers and 65 RBIs) and Jimmy Rollins (.320 on-base percentage and eight homers in 88 games) are coming off down years. They’ll need to step up now that Werth is gone. * Red Sox starters (Fort Myers, Fla.): Mainly, the two veterans — Josh Beckett and John Lackey. Regardless of all the moves the Red Sox made on offense and in the bullpen, starting pitching always wins out (see: 2010 Giants). So, the success of this 2011 team will ultimately begin and end with the effectiveness of that staff. Beckett (6-6, 5.78 ERA) and Lackey (14-11, 4.40 ERA) need to be better. * Yankees infield (Tampa, Fla.): Well, at least three-quarters of it. All eyes are on Derek Jeter, who’s 36, coming off his worst year and recently signed to a three-year, $51 million contract with a fourth-year option. Rightfully so. But Alex Rodriguez (career-low .270 batting average) and Mark Teixeira (career-low .256 batting average) need to be more efficient to help make up for a shaky rotation in the Bronx. – Alden Gonzalez ** Check out my take on why greed shouldn’t be to blamed in the situations of Albert Pujols and Young. *** And check in next week, for a look at the most important Spring Training position battles. **** Photo credit above: The Associated Press 
…
It looked like Chipper’s career would be over when the 38-year-old tore his ACL
in August, but now he’s aiming
to be ready for Opening Day. If he’s healthy and contributing — even if it’s not at an
All-Star level — the Braves are title contenders. 
Strasburg’s meteoric rise came to a screeching halt with the dreaded Tommy John
surgery in August. He won’t be ready until September, but he has already been tossing a ball, and Tommy John has a pretty good
track record with regards to comebacks.
Fla.): Bay’s rough first season in Queens was put out of its misery
when a concussion ended his season in late July, and now the right-handed power
hitter must prove he could succeed within the spacious dimensions of Citi Field. Santana’s
season was cut short last year because of left shoulder surgery and he isn’t
expected back until midseason, though he has
begun throwing at his Fort Myers, Fla., home. The Mets need Santana to return to full health, since he’s still owed at least $77.5 million over the next four
years.
Ellsbury (Fort Myers, Fla.): The healthy returns of Youkilis
(thumb), Pedroia (foot) and Ellsbury (ribs) will be key if the Red Sox are
going to cash in on widespread expectations of an American League crown
(including from me). Youkilis and Pedroia both say they’re feeling good,
and Ellsbury is expected to be ready to go from the jump. But can they continue
to produce at the same level?
Injuries have limited Peavy to 33 starts the last two years, and shoulder
surgery knocked him out in early July last year. Peavy (pictured above) is pushing
to be ready by Opening Day, but the White Sox will be cautious — because they know that
even with all the success they’ve had this offseason, Peavy may still be the key in
2011.
Fla.): Even without their biggest run producer and closer — and
thanks to the services of Jim Thome
and key bullpen additions — the Twins were the first team to clinch a playoff
spot last year. This year, the comebacks of Morneau (concussion) and Nathan (Tommy John surgery) will be vital
for success in an improved AL Central.
Nobody is expecting him to fill the void of Cliff Lee, but it’d be nice if Webb could retain some of what made
him one of baseball’s best pitchers two years ago and help shore up a pretty
questionable Rangers rotation. Webb, coming off shoulder surgery, has made
exactly one Major League start since the end of the ’08 season.
This is a big year for Sizemore, who was one of baseball’s best center fielders
from 2005-08 but has been derailed by injuries the last two seasons. An Opening
Day return still seems possible. But can he return to form after knee surgery?
That offensive spark the Angels sought this offseason could be fixed by the
healthy return of Morales, whose season ended in late May after an awkward
landing at home plate caused a serious leg injury. He is expecting
a full recovery.
Love Dan, but I feel like the Braves will regret that five-year, $62 million
extension down the road (and I know I’m not alone). Still, he’s the
right-handed power hitter they sought this offseason, and he helps make them a force. 
he’s back in Philly (or, for now, Clearwater). And thanks to him taking less
money — though nobody’s bringing out the violin for a $120 million player –
the Phillies have arguably the best rotation foursome in baseball history.
the most scrutinized contracts of the offseason was the seven-year, $126
million one signed by Werth. Now, he’ll try to prove he’s worthy of being one
of the highest-paid players. It’ll be interesting to see if he can without the benefits
Philly brought him — a star-studded lineup loaded with lefty sluggers and a
hitter-friendly park (though Nats Park isn’t bad for hitters, either).
Soriano was a great closer for the Rays last year, and now he’s a $35 million
setup man. That’s pricey, but the Yankees have the eighth and ninth locked down
now.
Myers, Fla.): Nobody had a more successful offseason than the Red
Sox, which added Crawford (seven years, $142 million) and Gonzalez (extension
pending) and now have one of the game’s best offenses. Fenway Park should prove
very friendly for both.
Charlotte, Fla.): I don’t know about Manny and Johnny making the
Rays elite again, but they’ll surely make things entertaining in St. Pete. And
they were cheap (Damon at $5.25 million, Ramirez at $2 million).
Quietly, the Orioles look to have one of baseball’s best offenses. The addition
of Guerrero – signed to a one-year, $8 million deal – as the designated hitter is just one of many reasons why.
White Sox needed a big lefty bat for the middle of the order, and they got one
in Dunn — signed to a four-year, $56 million deal. Dunn should thrive in U.S.
Cellular Field, especially while hitting in such a dangerous lineup.
V-Mart, a switch-hitting catcher who can also play first base and DH, was a
nice pickup for the Tigers at four years and $50 million. They should be in the
hunt in the AL Central all year.
Berkman was an interesting signing for the Cardinals, especially at $8 million
guaranteed. If he reverts to pre-2010 form, it’s a bargain. If he doesn’t, it’s
a mistake signing at a time when the club can’t really afford any (see: Albert Pujols extension).
Brewers, thanks to the acquisition of Greinke, now boast one of the deepest and
best rotations in baseball. The best part about it is they didn’t really give
away any premier prospects in the process.
may not be an ace, but he’s a solid pitcher who’s been very consistent the
last few years. He gives the Cubs significant depth in their rotation.
The defending champions will have a 36-year-old manning shortstop. Tejada gives
them a bit more punch than Edgar
Renteria and Juan Uribe
– maybe — but a left side of the infield with Tejada and Pablo Sandoval will be, ahem,
interesting to watch.
The Beltre signing — for five years at $80 million — gives the Rangers an
instant upgrade at third base (at least defensively). But does it make them a better team overall? Not
if it ends up costing them Michael
Young.
was seen as a desperation move in many circles, and it surely is costly. But if
Wells — still owed $86 million the next four years — can repeat his 2010 performance, the Angels can stay in
the hunt in the AL West. 
standards, Ramirez’s 2010 — .300 batting average, 21 homers, 76 RBIs, 32
stolen bases and one public bout with his manager — was a down one for the
star shortstop. Could Hanley (pictured
right) return to being the National League’s best shortstop, or has Troy Tulowitzki permanently taken that
crown from him?
has averaged 36 homers and 102 RBIs over the last four seasons, but last year’s
.196 batting average was an embarrassment. Perhaps being reunited with his old
hitting coach, Rudy Jaramillo,
in Chicago can make a difference.
Is this the year Upton finally proves he’s a franchise-type player? Last year,
when he hit .273 with 16 homers and 79 RBIs, he wasn’t, and it led to new general
manager Kevin Towers listening to offers for his right fielder.
But Upton has all the tools, and he says he’s ready
to have a big year.
Ariz.): Broxton’s 4.04 ERA in 2010 was by far his highest in five full seasons in the Majors, and Kemp’s .249 batting average was a big
shock. Perhaps a new skipper could do the trick?
he return to being the “Big Panda” of 2009, the one who hit .330 with
25 homers and 90 RBIs? The Giants will need him to in hopes of repeating. And it
seems he feels
the same way.
Too early for MLB power rankings? …
1. Boston Red Sox (89-73): The Red Sox have the best lineup in baseball after adding Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez (pictured right, by The Associated Press), they have a very good bullpen after key offseason additions, and their rotation is very deep. But they’ll have to stay healthy — something that didn’t happen last year.
2. Philadelphia Phillies (97-65; lost in NLCS): The old saying says, “You’re only as good as your next day’s pitcher.” If that’s the case, put the Phillies in the World Series right now. Lee, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels is arguable the best rotation foursome in baseball history. And their offense is still scary. But the bullpen, as usual, is a question mark.
3. San Francisco Giants (92-70; won WS): They’re the defending champs, and their pitching staff is as good or better than anybody’s in baseball. But can their spare-parts offense carry them deep like it did last year? Hard to believe they can repeat without a more-consistent bat.
4. Texas Rangers (90-72; lost in WS): Not being able to get Lee hurts, especially when considering pretty much everybody in that rotation outperformed last year. But their starting staff is still solid, their bullpen is very good and, after the addition of Adrian Beltre, they have one of the best offenses in baseball.
5. Atlanta Braves (91-71; lost in NLDS): Filling the big shoes of Bobby Cox is a whole lot easier when inheriting a team like this one. Fredi Gonzalez has a dynamic lineup, especially with the addition of Uggla – though they’ll regret that extension — plus a solid rotation and a really good bullpen.
6. St. Louis Cardinals (86-76): I expected the Cards to be a lot better than they were last year, and I don’t expect them to disappoint again this year. Lance Berkman could end up being a liability in right field, but if healthy, he can give them a big middle-of-the-order bat. Regardless, two dynamic duos — Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, and Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright — should lead to title contention.
7. Milwaukee Brewers (77-85): It took a major toll on the farm system, but the additions of Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum give the Brew Crew one of the best 1-thru-5 rotations in baseball. And Prince Fielder is still there. The Brewers will be legitimate title contenders.
8. Colorado Rockies (83-79): The Rockies have a bright future with Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez and possibly Ubaldo Jimenez – if he agrees to an extension after the 2011 season — locked up. Their present looks very good, too. They have great depth, a solid rotation and a good lineup. Lots to be excited about in the Mile High City.
9. Chicago White Sox (88-74): Looks like the South Siders are going for it all this year after signing Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko – or perhaps they’re setting it up so that Ozzie Guillen is the main culprit if they don’t win it all in 2011. Regardless, they have a power-packed offense and some nice arms. It’s up to Ozzie to bring it all together.
10. New York Yankees (95-67; lost in ALCS):
The Yankees have issues, yes — they’re aging, they have holes in the rotation and the bullpen is spotty. But they’re still the Yankees. And as long as Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and Mariano Rivera are there, they’re a major threat.11. Cincinnati Reds (91-71; lost in NLDS): The Reds were a surprise team last year, but I don’t think they did enough this offseason to stay on top. Their pitching staff is still deep and talented, but they needed to make bigger moves this offseason — mostly on offense — to take the next step, especially when considering how much better the teams in their division got.
13. Minnesota Twins (94-68; lost in ALDS): The Twins always seem to find a way, and they’ll be fine again if they resign Carl Pavano and Jim Thome (as expected). A healthy Justin Morneau will be huge, too. But their bullpen took a major hit, and while the White Sox and Tigers got better, they really didn’t.
14. Oakland Athletics (81-81): This is my surprise team of the year. Billy Beane has established a phenomenal young pitching staff and a great defensive team. If only they could’ve acquired a couple of the big bats they needed. (I give their stadium a lot of the blame for that.)
15. Chicago Cubs (75-87): The Cubs sure look like they’re going for it by trading for Matt Garza, signing Kerry Wood to a two-year deal and giving Carlos Pena $10 million. On paper, they look good. But that seems to be the case a lot in the Windy City, and somehow it never comes to fruition. Why should I believe otherwise now?
16. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (80-82): It has been a very disappointing
offseason for Angels general manager Arte Moreno, who lost out on Crawford and Beltre despite badly needing offensive help. They have potential in their rotation and a good bullpen that will be great if they get Soriano. But it seems they took a step back this offseason.
17. Los Angeles Dodgers (80-82): The Dodgers still have pieces in that lineup that can do some things, as well as a deep rotation. Don Mattingly will keep them relevant in his first year on the job.
18. San Diego Padres (90-72): This was the kind of reality Padres faithful expected, even after a surprising 2010 season that should’ve led to a playoff berth. No Gonzalez, and Heath Bell is a very likely Trade Deadline chip. But they still have a great pitching staff and a very good defensive team. I just don’t know where their offense will come from.
19. Tampa Bay Rays (96-66; lost in ALDS): It’s a different Rays team now, with no Crawford, Soriano, Benoit, Pena or Garza. But that’s a savvy front office, and their array of young players give them a great future once again. But it’s a retooling year in Tampa Bay. And they won’t be as relevant in the AL East as they have been.
20. Florida Marlins (80-82): The Marlins needed bullpen help, a catcher and another arm for the rotation this offseason and got all of that. They also have a great bunch of young position players and two franchise-type guys in Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson. But it looks like another .500 year in South Florida. Nothing more, nothing less.
21. New York Mets (79-83): The Mets have toiled in obscurity this offseason, and maybe that’s a good thing. This is a year about finding out their identity and improving for the future — not competing.
22. Washington Nationals (69-93): Mike Rizzo lost out on Lee, and he overpaid enormously for Werth. But they vastly improved their defense (with Werth and Adam LaRoche), have a nice lineup and boast a few nice, young pitching arms. D.C. is still on its way to becoming a place where free agents will actually want to be at some point.
23. Baltimore Orioles (66-96): O’s look to have a pretty impressive lineup, but they need a lot more pitching — especially in the bullpen — to compete in baseball’s toughest division.
24. Toronto Blue Jays (85-77): They’re another team that had its bullpen get completely stripped, and I don’t expect Jose Bautista and Vernon Wells to equal their 2010 season and keep them competitive. Not a bad rotation, though, and Alex Anthopoulos has made some nice forward-thinking moves thus far.
25. Houston Astros (76-86): Brad Mills led the Astros to an impressive second half last year, but they have a long, long way to go.
26. Seattle Mariners (61-101): The M’s were a big disappointment last year, and they will struggle once again in 2011.
27. Arizona Diamondbacks (65-97): Kevin Towers has gone to work on retooling that dreadful bullpen, but there’s a lot more work to be done in Arizona than that.
28. Cleveland Indians (69-93): Indians are still waiting for the young players they got back from trading two Cy Young Award winners (Sabathia and Lee) to come through. Until that happens, they’ll go nowhere.
29. Kansas City Royals (67-95): With the pieces they have in their farm system and in the big leagues, the Royals seem set up to be a competitive team as soon as 2012. But not in 2011.
30. Pittsburgh Pirates (57-105): The Pirates have issues. Their Major League roster is unimpressive, and their farm system isn’t great. All they can hope to do is avoid another 100-loss season.
– Alden Gonzalez
Some notable additions to the free-agent pool
All the Hot Stove attention, of course, is drawn towards
free-agent targets Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth, and possible
trade chips like Zack Greinke and Adrian Gonzalez. But not every team is
willing to hand out nine-figure salaries or unload their farm
systems. Every team, however, has a couple million to spare for a potential
bargain pickup.
And that’s what makes this year’s non-tender list so intriguing.
After baseball’s non-tender deadline came and went on Thursday night, 52 players were added to the free-agent pool. Here’s the gist: A player who is under club control — meaning he doesn’t have a set contract and hasn’t reached six years of service time — and is not tendered a contract by the deadline hits free agency.
Most of the time, clubs don’t tender a player a contract because they don’t want to pay him what the Basic Agreement forces them to (no less than 20 percent of a player’s salary from the previous season can be cut), or because they’re worried about what he’ll get in arbitration. The most famous non-tender signing, perhaps, is David Ortiz by the Red Sox in 2002. And last year, the Nationals got a bargain when they signed closer Matt Capps after he was non-tendered by the Pirates.
This year, the opportunity to strike gold with non-tenders seems plentiful. Here are some of the more-notable names (listed by 2011 age) …
Career: 3.40 ERA, 1.206 WHIP, 173-199 SV, 329 G
Jenks became perhaps the most notable non-tender on Thursday, when the White Sox decided they weren’t willing to give their long-time closer a raise from his $7.5 million 2010 salary. Jenks has had back-to-back down years since putting up a 2.63 ERA and converting 30 saves in ’08. Now, he joins a free-agent crop of closers that boasts Rafael Soriano at the top, but then drops off rather considerably with guys like Kevin Gregg, Brian Fuentes, Kerry Wood, Trevor Hoffman and Frank Francisco. Expect Jenks, who has made no less than 52 appearances since 2006 and put up a 2.70 ERA from 2007-08, to get a fair share of interest, and perhaps even sign an affordable multi-year deal.
Russell Martin, C, 28
2010: .248/.347/.332, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 97 G
Career: .272/.365/.396, 54 HR, 300 RBI, 667 G
It wasn’t too long ago that Martin was considered one of the top catchers in the game. But after hitting .286 with a .380 on-base percentage, one Gold Glove and 32 home runs from 2007-08, Martin has struggled the last two years. He hit just .250 in 142 games while battling a bad back in ’09. Then, last year, he hit .248 in 97 games before being deemed out for the year with a broken right hip in early August. The market for free-agent catchers started rather deep but is quickly thinning, and about six teams have reportedly showed interest in Martin. Hard to see him as anything more than a platoon mate right now, though.
Edwin Encarnacion, 3B, 28
2010: .244/.305/.482, 21 HR, 51 RBI, 96 G
Career: .258/.336/.453, 100 HR, 337 RBI, 652 G
The Athletics made Encarnacion a free agent weeks after they claimed him off waivers from the Blue Jays, mainly because they wanted to keep Kevin Kouzmanoff on board and because they’re still reportedly going after Adrian Beltre. Encarnacion is not very good defensively (a -1.5 UZR last year, according to FanGraphs.com), and he doesn’t really hit for average. But he can drive the ball out of the ballpark and could be a serviceable everyday player. When given 582 plate appearances in 146 games in ’08, he hit 26 home runs. And in 139 games in ’07, he hit .289 with 16 home runs. Perhaps he can be a backup plan for the Red Sox if they don’t resign Beltre. General manager Theo Epstein is more comfortable with Kevin Youkilis playing first base.
Jack Cust, DH/OF, 32
2010: .272/.395/.438, 13 HR, 52 RBI, 112 G
Career: .245/.378/.452, 102 HR, 300 RBI, 603 G
The A’s also dumped Cust, who made $2.65 million in 2010 and would’ve likely doubled his 2011 salary through arbitration. Cust is sure to draw a lot of interest. He’s a left-handed hitter who averaged 28 homers and 76 RBIs from 2007-09, and even though his power numbers diminished this past season, he did hit for a career-best batting average while starting the vast majority of his games as a designated hitter. Cust can also play both outfield corners. Problem: He’s a .182 hitter with no home runs in 58 career plate appearances as a pinch-hitter.
Chien-Ming Wang, RH-SP, 31
2010: N/A
Career: 55-26, 4.16 ERA, 109 G (104 GS)
Remember when Wang was a back-to-back 19-game winner and put up a 3.67 ERA from 2006-07? That seems like a lot longer than three years ago. Wang wound up making just 15 starts in 2008 and hasn’t pitched in the Majors since July 4, 2009. Wang didn’t even pitch in the Minors in 2010 while recovering from shoulder surgery. He won’t get anything more than a Minor League deal, and shoulder surgery is a tough thing to come back from — much tougher than Tommy John. But who knows? It’s worth a shot.
Keep your eye on these guys, too: George Sherrill (formerly of the Dodgers), Hideki Okajima (Red Sox), J.P. Howell (Rays), Matt Diaz (Braves), Tony Gwynn Jr. (Padres), Ryan Rowland-Smith (Mariners) and Dustin Nippert (Rangers).
– Alden Gonzalez
The offseason, from the defending champs’ POV
The Giants beat the Rangers in five World Series games, but you can beat that shortly after the champagne dried in the visiting clubhouse at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, both respective general managers went right to work on the 2011 season.
Elvis and the Texas Two Step
NEW YORK — There isn’t really much country music in Elvis Andrus‘ native land of Venezuela. “Not really,” the Rangers’ budding shortstop said. But here, in the U.S., country music has been Andrus’ key to quickly learning English, which in turn has allowed him to have the kind of calming influence he’s having on his teammates.
Alden Gonzalez
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