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September 27, 2008 by editor.
It is fitting that the wild card representative for the National League come down the last game of the season. The Mets and Brewers each have an opportunity to defy the odds and make their way into the post-season, and wiping away a painful and tumultuous September.
The problem is only one of them will make it. Looking at both of these teams they are more alike than different and pretty much share the same issues. For long stretches this year they have both looked like playoff teams, dominating the competition. They have also gone long periods where they looked inept and can’t hit or pitch their way out of a paper bag. Hitting has not been the issue. Both teams have had their droughts, but are capable of scoring a lot of runs. Pitching has been the issue.
If it wasn’t for the Mets issues with their bullpen we would hear a lot more about the Brewers shortcomings. Theirs is not as bad as New York’s pen, but they have been guilty of coughing up a lot of late leads as well. Eric Gagne has been a bust as a Brewer, and even though Solomon Torres is better than anything the Mets can throw out there to finish off a game, that doesn’t excuse Milwaukee from letting their closer of a year ago, Francisco Cordero, escape to the Reds. They would have been well served to pay him what he wanted.
The Mets’ bullpen woes have been well chronicled. Billy Wagner going down with an elbow injury didn’t help, and just made a bad situation worse. New York doesn’t have a reliable long reliever, set-up guy, or closer. It’s just hit or miss. When a starter goes out for the Mets it gives confidence to their opponent because they know they will score runs. It is amazing that the Mets are in this position at all.
Aaron Heilman has no confidence left and looks lost, and their closer, Luis Ayala is a castoff from the Washington Nationals. What amazes many is the fact that the Mets didn’t really try to improve their bullpen and they knew it was an area of need. Not even at the trade deadline did they try to make a deal, which to me was absurd given the state of their relievers. How or why Omar Minaya got an extention at this time doesn’t make sense either. Maybe it is because he has shown “evident progress” like Isiah Thomas did for the Knicks, or maybe it is a New York thing. Pay the executive before the collapse.
At least Milwaukee went out and got a difference maker during the year for their staff. Adding C.C. Sabathia to the rotation has been even bigger given Ben Sheet’s injury problems.
It would be fitting for both teams to win their last game of the year, and have to decide the wild card by a one game playoff. Milwaukee has a big edge. Sabathia will pitch for the Brewers on three days rest, and Oliver Perez, who couldn’t protect a four run lead against the Cubs this week goes for the Mets. One of these teams will experience redemption, while the other will be left to figure out how they collapsed two years in a row.
Should the Mets lose to the Marlins it will be a repeat performance of last year when they had a chance to make the post season with a win and Dontrel Willis turned them away with a win. They now have a chance to erase that memory.
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August 24, 2008 by editor.
The race in the National League East has heated up and will be a dogfight the rest of the way. The Marlins took the early lead but were over-taken by Philadelphia for most of the first half of the season. New York has over-taken both of them by finally playing up to their capabilities. Now, only a few games separate all three teams. They all have trouble areas on their respective teams that could keep each of them out of the post season.
To the extent they are able to overcome those weak areas will go a long way in determining whether they go to the post season.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have had problems scoring runs on a consistent basis. Even though Ryan Howard has been very productive hitting home-runs and driving in runs, but is only hitting in the .230’s. Chase Utley struggled after the All Star break, and is now starting to come around. He has still been very productive, (31 home-runs, 85 RBI), but he threatened to run away with the MVP award in the National League in the first half.
It is no surprise that they started having problems at the plate when he tailed off. Jimmy Rollins has been injured and has not performed up to his MVP status. That has hurt as well. Hitting .258 with only 8 home runs is below his standards. Jason Werth has done a pretty good job, but I believe this team misses Aaron Rowand. He got a lot of big hits for them last year, and they miss his clutch bat.
With their ballpark and the talent they have they should turn it around. The pitching is another matter. For the first half of the year their bullpen statistically was the best in the National League, but they have been vulnerable there of late. They cannot afford that because they have some serious issues with their starting pitching, and if they over use their bullpen that would be disastrous.
The pressure is on Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer to have quality starts almost every time out because Kyle Kendrick and Joe Blanton are wild cards. You don’t know what you are going to get from start to start. If Philadelphia doesn’t win the division it will be because of their starting pitching. Brad Lidge has to stay healthy as well. He is perfect in save opportunities and gives the Phillies a decided advantage over the Mets, who currently don’t have a closer.
Playing .500 ball as they have been lately isn’t going to cut it though.
Florida Marlins
Very few want to acknowledge that the Marlins are in this race to stay. They have fallen behind by five games in the standings, they are by no means out of it. They are currently slumping at the plate and the home run barrage by their infield has slowed down some in the second half of the season.
What also haunts the Marlins is their pitching. They have given up 633 runs so far this year, as opposed to the Mets and the Phillies who have given up 575 and 540 respectively. If Florida’s starters don’t deliver they are in deep trouble.
As the Marlins are finding out that you can’t hit your way out of every situation. The pitching inconsistencies got magnified when their torrid power hitting fell off after the All Star break. Florida is hitting .239 and slugging .398 in August as a team. Only Philadelphia and Cincinnati are hitting worse for average in the same time period.
If Florida’s bats don’t get hot soon they will find themselves out of the race. As it stands now New York and Philadelphia are very streaky and can be caught, but time is running out on the Marlins.
New York Mets
The Mets have taken over first place in the division with their stellar play in the second half. In spite of a rash of injuries to their pitching staff (Billy Wagner and John Maine) they continue to be one of the best teams in the National League over the last two months.
One reason has been the turnaround at the plate of Carlos Delgado. He has hit for power, and in key situations, which has taken the heat off of David Wright and Jose Reyes. When Delgado has it going their line-up is very formidable.
The biggest problem for New York is their very leaky bullpen. Aaron Heilman has been a disaster, and Duaner Sanchez has not been the same coming back from injury last year. Billy Wagner may not be able to close a game for the rest of the season, and the rest are up and down at best.
This is the biggest hurdle the Mets have to jump over. If you can’t depend on your bullpen to hold one or two run leads late in games, you are in trouble. It is really amazing that they have been able to overtake Philadelphia considering the amount of games they let get away in the later innings.
This really puts a lot of pressure on the starters to go late into games. The only starter who can be counted on to do that consistently is Johan Santana.
Philadelphia is probably in the best shape to overcome their issues. Their line-up should get hot and carry them at least for a stretch in September. They have a reliable closer, and their bullpen is good enough to get by in their division. They are not a lock, but if their starting pitching holds up they have the best chance.
True or not, the perception now is that the Phillies are the better all around team, even if they have not played up to their capabilities. They can’t count on New York handing it to them like last year, they have to go out and win it.
Florida will have to count on the Mets and Phillies coming down a bit, and their bats heating up to the level they were on before the All Star break. Short of that happening I don’t think they will be there at the end.
It just doesn’t make sense that New York can hold up untill the end of the season with their bull pen in shambles. Relief pitching is too important in this day and age to operate with one that actually puts confidence in the opposing team when they are called upon. They can hit, and their starting pitchers as a group are good enough. It will be a minor miricle in my view if they make it to the post season.
The Mets will have to perform well when they play Philadelphia head to head, and pad their record against teams like Atlanta and Washington if they want to put themselves in position to win the division.
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July 26, 2008 by editor.
The Yankees crept closer to Boston in the standings by beating them at Fenway 10-3. New York has won the first two games of this pivotal series and remained undefeated since the All Star break. Andy Pettitte led the way by pitching six effective innings after a rocky start where he had problems finding the strike zone.
Robinson Cano continued his torrid hitting with three hits including a home-run off of knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. He also added a two run double in the eighth inning. Four Yankee pitchers combined for three scoreless innings to to finish the game.
The Yankees added to their roster by acquiring outfielder Xavier Nady and reliever Damaso Marte from the Pittsburgh Pirates for the New York’s top outfield prospect Jose Tabata and three minor league pitchers, Dan McCutchen, Jeff Karstens, and Ross Ohlendorf. Nady was in the starting line-up against Boston on Saturday and Marte faced one batter.
The move was necessitated by injuries to Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui, and it adds a right-handed presence to a lefty dominated line-up. To make room on the roster the Yankees optioned Brett Gardner to Scranton/Wilkes-Bare, and designated reliever LaTroy Hawkins for assignment.
New York pulled to within 2.5 games of first place with the win and will go for the sweep on Sunday. Sidney Ponson will take the ball for the Yankees, and Jon Lester will be on the mound for the Red Sox. Lester is 8-3 on the season with a 3.20 ERA, and Ponson is 6-1. The loss by Boston was only the third time this season they have lost two in a row at home.
Boston has reason to be worried because New York is peaking, and showing no signs of letting up. They are getting solid pitching and their bats have come alive. Bolstering their line-up and bullpen with this last trade didn’t hurt either. The race in the American League East is far from over.
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July 23, 2008 by editor.
Mike Mussina won his thirteen game of the year as the Yankees extended their home winning streak to 10 games by besting Glenn Perkins and the Twins 5-1. In the process New York stretched their home winning streak to 10 games.
Minnesota gift wrapped this win for the Yankees with a crucial mental error in the fifth inning. Second baseman Alexi Casilla took a throw to force a runner out at second base and started running off the field thinking it was the third out instead of turning the double play and getting out of the inning.
The next batter, Justin Christian, promptly doubled home two runs and the Yankees never looked back. New York is now eleven games over .500 and trail the first place Rays by 3.5 games, and Boston by just 3. This sets up a three game show-down with the second place Red Sox beginning Friday the 25th.
Friday’s match up features Josh Beckett vs. Joba Chamberlain. Beckett pitched a complete game in a loss to the Angels and Chamberlain pitched six good innings versus the A’s and got a no decision.
Andy Pettitte takes the ball for the Yankees versus Tim Wakefield on Saturday. In their last outings Pettitte pitched very effectively and beat the A’s while Wakefield lost to Angels. Wakefield has a no decision in his only start versus New York this year.
Jon Lester will pitch in game three on Sunday. The Yankees have not announced who they will start. Lester has pitched well and is 4-1 this year at Fenway. His last effort was against the Mariners where he held them scoreless for 7 1/3 innings.
The Yankees added Richie Sexton to their roster as a much needed weapon against left handed pitching, which they have struggled against. It will be interesting to see how he fits in. Jorge Posada elected not to have season ending surgery on his throwing shoulder, opting to do rehab instead. New York is hoping that Johnny Damon’s injury woes are over.
Over-all health will be a critical issue for the Yankees as hope to continue their winning ways. They need all of their bats. The pitching has been solid in every way, so it looks like they will be in the race for the long haul.
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July 16, 2008 by editor.
The New York Yankees limped into the All Star break losing three out of four games, (one to Pittsburgh and two out of three to Toronto) and face some daunting questions as they look to make up ground in the American League East in the second half of the season.
Hideki Matsui still has injury problems, and there is a chance he may not make it back this year. Johnny Damon is still out and the Yankees have been plugging the holes with their youth. They probably still have enough fire power in their line-up despite those injuries, but they need to stay relatively injury free if they are going to catch the Red Sox and the Rays.
A-Rod and Jorge Posada have spent time on the disabled list also.
The biggest injury for New York has been to their ace, Chien-Ming Wang. If it wasn’t for Mike Mussina coming through with an unexpectedly good first half, the may not be over five hundred. The bullpen has been surprisingly solid, and Jose Veras and Kyle Farnsworth have been effective setting up for Mariano Rivera. That has made Joba Chamberlain’s transition to the rotation seamless.
The Yankees first series after the break is against a surprising contender, the Oakland A’s. They are six games back of the Angels and and will try to make up ground. Joe Blanton will start for the A’s against Mike Mussina in Yankee Stadium on Friday. Blanton has been up and down in the first half and has twelve losses.
New York needs to jump on Blanton quickly and set the tone for the series. The Yankees have beaten him already this year so they hope to continue that trend. Mussina has a winning record lifetime against Oakland so this match-up favors New York. Look for the Yankees to start quickly and win this first series coming out of the gate.
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June 22, 2008 by editor.
When we talk about which sport has the best athletes, we have to define what it means to be a good athlete. The ability to sustain speed, strength, and agility simultaneously in competition, displaying the skill to excel at more than one sport.
Jim Thorpe comes to mind when we talk about men in the sports arena that were head and shoulders above everyone else. He won gold medals in the pentathlon, and decathlon in the 1912 Olympic games in Sweden, and played professional football and baseball.
His accomplishments landed him on the 1911 and 1912 All American football teams. Thorpe was considered the greatest athlete of his time. Who are the greatest athletes of our time? Every sport boasts good athletes, but which sport has the best?
For one, we can eliminate baseball players. While there are some studs that are in the major leagues, you don’t necessarily have to be in top physical shape to play. There are quite a few pitchers that are overweight and sport oversize midriffs, but it doesn’t inhibit their ability to throw or hit the baseball.
This doesn’t mean that they aren’t considered athletes, it just means that a lack of fitness doesn’t preclude them from doing their jobs. Add to that the fact their game is not very fast, and if you are not pitching, catching, or hitting you are basically waiting around for something to happen. For the most part they would not be good candidates for other sports like basketball and football.
Let’s compare football players and basketball players. Football players have to be in excellent shape to play. Lineman, linebackers, defensive backs, running backs, all have to be in tip top shape to compete. Their combination of strength, agility, and speed that is necessary to excel is unparalleled.
You have defensive lineman that are 250 plus pounds running down quarterbacks and running backs who are supposed to be faster. The players on a whole are much faster than they were in the 70’s and 80’s, and it is not uncommon any more for receivers, backs, and defensive backs to post forty yard dash times of 4.3 and below.
It’s not just all about the speed. Agility and quickness is evident at almost every position. Many defensive lineman (especially defensive ends) over match their counterparts by being too quick off the edge, or shooting the gaps. Offensive lineman may be the most un-athletic of the bunch, but the better ones are strong and quick, with good feet.
Bo Jackson and Deon Sanders come to mind. Both excelled at football and played professional baseball. Jackson stared with the Oakland Raiders and played baseball for the Kansas City Royals, and Sanders won super bowls with the 49ers and Dallas in the NFL, and played in a world series with the Atlanta Braves. They were football players first, baseball players second.
You don’t see baseball players transitioning to football, but we have seen football players play baseball. Many college football players have played on their school’s basketball teams as well. Regardless of their size their athleticism translated over well to the hardwood.
Charlie Ward of the Florida State Seminoles won a Heisman Trophy playing football, and was the starting point guard for their basketball team. He elected to play professional basketball and was a serviceable point guard for New York. His athleticism allowed him to choose between the two.
Outside linebackers may be the most athletic bunch of all, because they have to be strong enough to shed blockers and offensive lineman, fast enough to cover and run down backs and receivers, as well as quick and agile enough to get after the quarterback.
Looking at basketball players, their athleticism can’t be denied. They have to have more body control than the other athletes in the major sports because so much of their time is spent in the air. Having jumping ability is one thing, but being creative and agile while in the air is something totally different.
We have become used to watching the exploits of Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, Dominique Wilkins, Julius Erving, and many others as they have defied gravity and done the unimaginable with no tera-firma to support them. No other sport requires as much in-the-air time as basketball.
What makes them special is the fact that they are very vulnerable while in that position, but have to focus on scoring, shooting, blocking a shot, and executing dunks. From a strength standpoint there are quite a few players coming in the NBA now that are not physically mature due to their age. You can get away with it if you are very talented (see Kevin Durant), but you can’t get away with it in the NFL.
Hakeem Olajuwon is a good example of a professional basketball player that was an exceptional athlete. His nickname was the dream, because there was no one you could compare him to with his cat like quickness, assortment of low post moves, and rare physical ability. At six feet and ten inches tall, he was constantly among the league leaders in steals, which was unheard of for a center.
Originally from Nigeria he excelled in soccer and played collegiately with Clyde Drexler at Houston (Phi Slama Jama). Olajuwon didn’t play basketball until he was seventeen years old but loved it immediately and realized that was the sport for him. He is generally regarded as one of the best to ever play his position.
Soccer professionals are good athletes, but we have not seen a professional soccer player cross over to another sport successfully. You have to use your hands well when it comes to the major American sports, and soccer players don’t use their hands.
Hockey pros are known for their skating skill and speed on the ice, in addition to their fighting. Their creative abilities on the ice are excellent, but don’t necessarily mean they are naturally athletic. The primary abilities needed in hockey are not needed in other sports, so they really stand alone as a sport.
Raphael Nadel is probably the most athletic of all the tennis players, with all due respect to Roger Federer. He shows his strength, speed and agility every time he plays, especially on clay. The women’s game boasts some good athletes as well, but the percentage is not that high if you look at tennis players as a group.
There are great athletes in all sports and we applaud them, but I believe football players for the most part are the best athletes in the world. It is a close call, but our gridiron professionals exhibit all the necessary attributes to make that claim. Their speed, strength and agility is demonstrated more on the football field then any other arena.
Posted in Baseball, Basketball, Football | Print | No Comments »
May 24, 2008 by editor.
Officiating professional sports has always been a controversial subject because a fair outcome of the game depends on them doing a good job and enforcing the rules. The point of the officials being there is to make sure that the players themselves decide the outcomes, not them.
Why then, are there always questions about rule interpretations, strike zones, fouls, penalties, and the like? Simply because it is not that easy to officiate the sports we love. The rules are intricate and many times the same rule is interpreted differently from game to game, and official to official.
Which sport is the most difficult to officiate? It has to be professional football. To understand why you have to understand all the moving parts that go into keeping control of a game.
First of all, you need a team of seven individuals to work the game, and they each have different functions:
Referee- he gives the signal for all fouls and makes all the penalty calls. He is responsible for all the rule interpretations that occur in the game, and keeps track of what happens to the quarterback on pass plays as well as the legality of the snap. He is normally about ten yards behind the line of scrimmage and checks for illegal motion, and on plays involving kickers, he determines whether illegal contact has been made. Think that is a lot? There is more.
Umpire - watches the offensive and defensive lines for false starts, legal contact, and also ensures that lineman don’t move down the field early on pass plays and that receivers are not illegally held up on screen plays. The Umpire also assists on legal and illegal pass receptions.
Head Linesman - works with the Referee to make sure down is correct, and that the chain crew effectively does their duties. The Head Linesman also watches for illegal contact with receivers on his side of the field after the five yard limit, and has full responsibility for ruling on out of bounds plays on his side. He has to rule on forward progress, pass interference, and any action involving any receiver on his side, in addition to watching for possible scrimmage line infractions. Not exactly a walk in the park with the amount of pass happy teams in the NFL.
Line Judge - he straddles the line of scrimmage opposite the Lineman, and keeps the time on the field as a back-up. Along with the Linesman he is responsible for offsides, encroachment, and other infractions on the scrimmage line prior to the snap. He also has to make sure the passer is not beyond the line of scrimmage on pass plays, and has to rule whether a pass is a lateral or forward pass. On punts, the Line Judge has to make sure the end men go down-field until the kick has been made.
Field Judge - Operates on same side of field as Line Judge, twenty yards deep. Keys on wide receiver on his side. Concentrates on path of end or back, observing legality of his potential block(s) or of actions taken against him. Will call holding or illegal use of hands by end or back or on defensive infractions committed by player guarding him. Has primary responsibility to make decisions involving the sideline on his side of field, such as inbounds/out of bounds calls.
The Field judge also rules on catches, recoveries, and illegal touching of the ball.
Side Judge - operates on the same side of the field as the Linesman twenty yards deep, and keys on the receiver on his side. He will rule on blocking irregularities by the receiver and actions taken against him such as illegal use of hands, and holding, and pass interference. The Side Judge also assists in covering actions by a runner with the football and blocks by teammates. He has direct responsibility for out of bounds plays on his side.
Back Judge - he is positioned twenty five yards down-field and for the most part keys on the tight end and follows his path. The Back Judge will watch for holding and other illegal acts by the tight end as well as infractions against them in the passing game. In addition he will rule on fair catch infractions, clipping on kick returns, and together with the Field Judge, whether or not field goals and extra points are good.
The Back Judge will also time the interval between plays, and keep track of the time between the two periods of each half.
Not only does each official have to remember their responsibilities, but they all have to work together as a team. It has to be a coordinated effort, even though some of their responsibilities overlap. The game itself has gotten faster which necessitated the need for instant replay, but there is no doubt that it is the most difficult.
There are almost too many things happening on every play. You can have illegal motion, an illegal forward pass, pass interference, a personal foul, a hold, and a touchdown on the same play. If you compare the other major sports there are not as many moving parts to keep track of.
Take baseball, for instance. The home-plate umpire for most of the game is focused on calling balls and strikes. Bang-bang plays at the plate and fly balls headed toward the foul pole don’t occur very often, so most of the time the home-plate umpire is dealing with the ball and strikes, and the other umpires are standing around.
You can make a case for the first base umpire being busy because of the plays at first, but most games move along without any major intervention from the umpires.
With professional football, you know holding goes on every play, but the rules say if the lineman’s hands are inside, then they are fine. The interpretation of a lineman’s hands being inside could vary from crew to crew. Every play in the NFL has to be scrutinized by the whole crew, whether there are penalty’s or not. Things happen underneath piles that have to be sorted out, in addition to the spot of the ball being so important.
For the NBA, it is easier to keep track of ten players on a basketball court than it is to keep track of 22 players on a football field. I am not saying the NBA, and the NHL are easy, just easier than the NFL.
As far as having the most influence over a game, that has to be the home plate umpire. If they give a pitcher like Tom Glavine, or Greg Maddox the outside part of the plate (really off the plate) then that will make the difference between them being effective and being almost unhittable, or being ineffective and giving up five plus runs.
Most of the game of baseball is about the pitchers and the batters, which involves the umpire calling the balls and strikes. If they are calling a bad game with a wide strike zone, hitters will swing at pitches they normally wouldn’t swing at. If they are calling a tight strike zone, the hitters have the advantage.
However you slice it, the umpire behind the plate has a lot of influence over the game, but as far as difficulty goes, there is no doubt that NFL football is the most difficult. Sometimes they get it wrong, most of the time they get it right, but it is not easy (see the Motor City Miracle, Troy Polamalou interception in Colts vs. Steelers playoff game, Patriots vs. Raiders ”Tuck Rule” playoff game).
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April 6, 2008 by editor.
The American League Central will be pretty competitive this year. Let’s see how the teams shape up.
Cleveland Indians
Cleveland comes into this year looking to not only make the playoffs, but go deeper than they went last year. If that is to come to pass, they will have to do it on the backs of their pitching. They will need repeat performances from C.C. Sabathea, and Fausto Carmona, who were dominant last year. Even though they logged a lot of innings last season, they should be solid again.
The rest of the rotation is full of question marks. Jake Westbrook was injured last year and posted a 6-9 record and a 4.32 ERA, which is below his standards. He has been great this spring and I look for him to bounce back and really bolster the rotation.
Paul Byrd should be fine as a four in the rotation. He tends to be up and down. He can put together some dominant outings, but when he is bad, he is really bad.
Cleveland’s starting rotation has potential and should post good numbers. What I believe will put the Indians over the top is their bullpen. Joe Borowski led the American League in saves last year, and Raphael Bentancourt had a 1.47 ERA as the set-up man. It doesn’t end there either as left-hander Raphael Perez had an ERA under 2.00 in 44 appearances.
Their bullpen has a lot of depth and flexibility and if they pitch as they are capable of, there is no reason they can’t win the division.
The everyday lineup will be potent enough to give their pitchers plenty of run support. Travis Hafner will be looking to bounce back after a sub par season for him. He still drove in 100 runs but only hit 24 homers.
Grady Sizemore will provide his normal all star caliber play, and Victor Martinez will be counted on to anchor the middle of the lineup. Veteran Casey Blake will continue to supply his steady play and leadership.
Cleveland is very well balanced as a team. They can hit, the top of the rotation is excellent, and they have a solid bullpen with some young live arms. No weaknesses on this team.
Projected finish - 1st place.
Detroit Tigers
This division figures to be a two team race, and Detroit has made some off-season acquisitions that they think will put them over the top. Miguel Cabrera comes over from the Marlins, and gives them a murders row feel to their lineup. Dontrel Willis, also from the Marlins, will add depth to their starting pitching, and Edgar Renteria takes over at shortstop and brings his .332 average over from the Braves.
You have to believe that some of Willis’ struggles last year were due to playing on a team that had no chance of winning. I can’t see him posting an ERA of over 5 again with Detroit. He did struggle this spring, so it will be interesting to see how he does. If he continues to struggle there will be talk concerning whether he is done as a top to middle of the rotation pitcher.
The rest of their rotation is pretty set, with Justin Verlander, their ace, (18-6) last year and Kenny Rodgers, who is hoping to log more than the 63 innings he pitched last year, at the top of the rotation. Nate Robinson and Jeremy Bonderman had some pretty hefty ERA’s last year (4.76 and 5.01 respectively) so they will need every bit of the run support they will get from the hitters.
Todd Jones closes, but he is by no means automatic. He saved 38 games in 2007 but he had and ERA over 4.00. I count this as a weakness. They have young and untested arms in their bullpen as well. Yorman Barzado had an ERA of 2.28 last year, but he only pitched 23 innings. Bobby Seay and Zach Miller are the most consistent relievers they have that are healthy, but there is not much after that.
Denny Bautista will get a chance to be the set up man until Fernando Rodney comes back from injury, which is not a positive in my book. Joel Zumaya is also injured, recovering from shoulder surgery. Until then, it will be hit and miss with their bullpen. Edge, Cleveland.
If Dontrel Willis can be effective, it makes their rotation a very good one. I don’t think it is as good as Cleveland’s though.
Along with Cabrera and Renteria, Jacque Jones came over from the Cubs and has been under the radar. There are no easy outs in this lineup. Maglio Ordonez will try to duplicate his all star season of last year, while Carlos Guillen will be his usual productive self. Gary Sheffield’s challenge will be to stay healthy and play more than 133 games this season. Detroit has plenty of difference makers in the lineup, but that doesn’t always translate into playoff appearances.
To start the season, Detroit will be minus Curtis Granderson due to injury, but as their lineup is so stacked, they will not miss him.
At least starting out, Detroit’s bullpen will be their weak point. To the extent they overcome that, will determine how far they go this year.
Projected finish - 2nd place.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox will be looking to rebound from a disappointing 2007 season where they finished in 4th place in the division. They have made changes in the off-season in an attempt to sure up a leaky bullpen, and to inject life into a team that looked like they were sleepwalking last year.
Chicago added Octavio Dotel and Scott Linebrink to stabilize their bullpen. It remains to be seen what Dotel has left because of the myriad of injuries he has had the last couple of years. Linebrink has always been a steady performer out of the pen with Milwaukee and San Diego, and his addition will definitely help.
Orlando Cabrera comes over from the Angels and will make an immediate impact. He scored over a hundred runs and hit over .300 as well.
Jose Contreras needs to have a repeat performance of his 2006 year for this team to contend. He needs to be that solid number 2 behind Buehrle to make their starting rotation formidable.
They also need their young starters to pitch well in order to take the pressure off their bullpen. If John Danks and Gavin Floyd do well, then Chicago will be a factor in the division again. Closing games will not be a problem with Bobby Jenks around.
It remains to be seen whether or not the White Sox will be big run producers this year. They have power, but they will have to manufacture runs to win.. Alexi Ramirez will get the start in center-field as a rookie, Nick Swisher will be in left, Juan Uribe will start for now at second, and Joe Crede will start at the hot corner. How they perform will go a long way toward determining their sucess scoring runs.
The usual suspects, Paul Konerko, Jim Tome, and Jermaine Dye will be relied on heavily to drive in runs.
The White Sox have a chance to surprise this season and contend. I like their balance and I believe their starting pitching will be better than advertised. If their relievers hold up, there is a chance they could finish second in the division.
Projected finish - 3rd place.
Kansas City Royals
Even though Kansas City finished last in the division in 2007, there is still hope. Their rotation is actually pretty good and they do have an ace in Gil Meche. The question has always been whether he, and the other starters will get run support. Brian Bannister is a number 2-3 rotation guy when effective, and Zach Greinke pitched well last year.
The back side of their rotation has issues, but their top 3 pitchers should be good enough to compensate for that.
Joakim Soria will close. He had 17 saves in his rookie year (2007) with a 2.48 ERA. The Royals do have viable middle relievers in their bullpen. Ron Mahay pitched well in relief last year between Texas and Atlanta, posting ERA’s less than 3.00. Jimmy Gobble will be a factor as a set up man and has pitched well.
Leo Nunez adds depth, and they are looking for good things from Yasuhiko Yabuta, their right-handed import from Japan. His assortment of pitches and the way he attacks the strike zone has make Kansas City believe he will be special.
If that turns out to be true, then Kansas City’s bullpen will be the strength of their team and will keep them in a lot of games.
The question is whether or not they will score enough runs to compete. There is not much power in their lineup. Jose Guillen is one of the only true long ball threats they have. Here is where they will struggle.
What will help them is the fact that Minnesota is rebuilding and will not be much of a threat.
The Royals have a rookie manager, Trey Hillman, and a team that will have to manufacture runs without hitting home runs all the time. Even though the pitching should excel, they don’t have much margin for error. They may not win the division, but won’t be an easy out either.
Projected finish - 4th place.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins will be somewhat of a mystery this year as they enter their rebuilding mode after trading Johan Santana and losing Tori Hunter. Their staple over the years have been pitching and defense, which they will look to continue under Ron Gardenhire’s management.
The strongest part of the team will be their bullpen. That won’t be the case if they are over-used because the starters can’t go deep into games. They are led by their all star closer Joe Nathan (37 saves last year) who is almost a sure thing. Matt Guerrier was a workhorse last year and logged 88 innings with a 2.35 ERA. Pat Neshek pitched well in 2007 and Dennys Reyes adds additional depth.
The big question is their starting pitching. The Twins picked up Livan Hernandez and he is an innings eater. Other than Hernandez they don’t know what they will get from their young pitchers. Boof Bonser and Nick Blackburn will need to pitch well to solidify the rotation. If they don’t, it will be a long season for Minnesota.
Eventually their young pitchers will pay dividends, but probably not this year. Their offense will be anchored by veterans Justin Morneau, and Joe Mauer. Carlos Gomez replaces Tori Hunter in center-field, and it will be a learning process as he tries to find his way at the plate and in the field. Mike Lamb comes over from Houston to man third base and provide leadership.
With so many young players, the Twins will have a better idea of where they are in the middle of the season. They need to find out who their future stars will be and let them get experience now so they can contend in the future.
Projected finish - 5th place.
The American League Central is shaping up to be a two team race, with the White Sox looking to crash the party.
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March 16, 2008 by editor.
Let’s take a look at the NL Central division and see how the teams stack up for the 2008 season as Chicago tries to defend their division crown.
National League Central
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs’ pitching rotation will be anchored by their ace Carlos Zambrano. Zambrano can be somewhat temperamental and may not be a favorite in the clubhouse, but he can pitch. They need him to perform well for them to contend and defend their title. Ted Lilly and Rich Hill pitched well last year and will add depth to their rotation. Lilly won 15 games and Hill won 11, and they both finished with ERA’s under 4.00. The 4 and 5 spots in the rotation are up for grabs this spring as Lou Piniella decides between Jason Marquis, Jon Lieber, Sean Marshall and Ryan Dempster. Marshall pitched pretty well last year and is left-handed, so if he pitches well this spring he has a good chance to get in the rotation. However it shakes out, Chicago will be left with some depth in their starting pitching in case of injury.
A big storyline for the Cubs is whether Kerry Wood will be durable enough to handle the closer duties this year. Lou Piniella is also considering Kevin Hart for those duties as well. Carlos Marmol, Bob Howry, and Michael Wurtz pitched well last year out of the bullpen, and they shouldn’t have problems getting through the middle innings.
Settling their closer situation and the back side of the rotation is key for Chicago.
There is no shortage of power in their lineup as Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramiriz, and Alphonso Soriano pack a lot of punch. Lee will have to find a way to stay healthy and return to his 2005 form where he hit 46 home runs vs. 22 last year.
Everyone is anxious to see how their new right field import from Japan does in his first year in the majors. Kosuke Fukudome has displayed good defense and a good bat this spring and it will be interesting to see where Pinella puts him in the every day line up. He was a career .305 hitter in Japan.
The Cubs have some unsettled issues with their starting pitching, and the closer role. If they get those settled in a positive manner they should be fine.
Projected finish - 1st place.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals hope to bounce back after finishing 6 games under .500 last year. They will look to Adam Wainwright and Brandon Looper to bolster the top of the rotation. After that, they have a lot of question marks. Matt Clement is still not all the way back yet and didn’t pitch last year, and Joel Pineiro has shoulder problems and is coming along slowly. Brad Thompson and Todd Wellemeyer are in competition for a spot in the rotation. Wellemeyer pitched 63 innings last year with a 3.11 ERA. Their rotation is thin in general, and Wainwright and Looper are really not solid number 1 and 2 guys.
Jason Isringhausen will close this year and be effective as he normally is. Ryan Franklin and Russ Springer are their best middle to late inning relievers, and there is not much depth after that.
The main question for the Cards with regard to their every day lineup is the health of Albert Pujos. They can’t do without his regular production if they expect to contend. Scott Rolen is gone, and Troy Glaus takes his place at third base.
He only played 115 games last year and has had injury problems in the past, just like Rolen did, so it remains to be seen how effective he can be.
Cesar Izturis takes over at shortstop for David Eckstein, and Rick Ankiel is slated to be the everyday centerfielder. If Ankiel can put up the same numbers he did in 47 games last year on a consistent basis throughout the season, it will make a huge difference in their lineup.
Skip Schumaker will get an opportunity to be the everyday right fielder and has done well this spring.
The Cardinals will have to have a healthy Albert Pujos and their lineup will have to exceed expectations and stay healthy in order for them to protect their pitchers and contend. I don’t think they can do that over the whole season.
The rotation is average at best, but their bullpen isn’t bad; so if their starters can keep them in the game, they can win quite a few close ones.
Projected finish - 4th place.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers come in to this season knowing that if they can get steady starting pitching, they can win their division. Jeff Suppan disappointed last year coming over from the Cardinals, Yovani Gallardo is recovering from knee surgery and was one of their most consistent starters, and Dave Bush’s, and Chris Capuano’s ERAs were both over 5.
Ben Sheets is a legitimate ace and is the one sure thing in their rotation, if he can stay healthy, which he didn’t last season.
There will be competition for rotation spots as Manny Parra and Claudio Vargas try to win a spot as well as young righty Carlos Villanueva, who is considered a favorite.
Milwaukee will probably have an excess of starters when the season starts and may use them as trading chips to plug other holes.
Eric Gagne will close and it remains to be seen whether he can be effective throughout the year; so there are questions there. David Riske comes over from the White Sox and will help sure up their bullpen.
They also picked up Guillermo Mota to add depth, but I consider that a negative given how he did with the Mets last season.
There are no questions about the Brewers as far as their hitters go. Prince Fielder, J.J. Hardy, and Bill Hall round out a pretty good infield. Corey Hart and Ryan Braun supply a lot of power in the outfield. Braun hit 34 homers in 113 games last year and hit over .300, and Hart hit 24 dingers and batted .295 in 140 games.
In between them is Mike Cameron, who is a very good centerfielder and will help their defense.
I don’t think the Brewers’ pitching is good enough from top to bottom to win the division, but they can contend for a wild card. They have the bats, and their fielding should be better as well. They were close to the bottom of the league in that category.
Projected finish - 2nd place.
Houston Astros
The Astros are trying to improve on their 4th place finish of last year and have made changes to their team. Roy Oswalt is unquestionably the ace of the staff and they are hoping that Brandon Backe (only 43 innings pitched last year) and Wandy Williams can improve and give them more stability in their rotation. They are also expecting Chris Sampson to improve from his 4.59 ERA from last season.
Jose Valverde saved 47 games for them in 2007, so they are set there. Doug Brocail, Oscar Villarreal, and Geoff Geary will handle the rest of the relief duties. Brocail is the best of the group, and if Villarreal and Geary can be better this year, their bullpen will be set.
Miguel Tejada joins Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee to make a formidable middle of the lineup for Houston.
Ty Wiggington will occupy third base, and they will go with youngsters Hunter Pence (.322 avg., 17 homers and 69 RBI’s in 108 games) and Michael Bourn in the outfield. How that pans out over the course of the season will have a big effect on Houston’s record.
I think the Astros will surprise some this year and win more games than expected. They have some young talent mixed in with their veterans, and although their pitching should be better, they probably won’t win the division.
Projected finish - 3rd place
Cincinnati Reds
The Reds come into this season looking to improve upon their 5th place finish of last year. For that to happen Bronson Arroyo has to have a bounce back season, and Aaron Harang has to pitch like he did last year to strengthen the top of their rotation.
After that, the pitching is weak. Jeremy Affeldt probably won’t get a spot following an awful spring. Josh Fogg and Matt Belisle both had ERA’s over 5.00 last year, and there is really no one else that is proven.
If Harang and Arroyo don’t perform, then they are in trouble once again.
Francisco Cordero is a proven closer, and David Weathers will handle a lot of the set up duties. Weathers was pretty effective closing last year so they do have some insurance in case Cordero goes down. After Jered Burton, they are pretty thin and untested in the bullpen.
Once again they will depend on the bats of Ken Griffey Jr, Adam Dunn, and Brandon Phillips to bail them out of anything their pitchers get them into, which has not been a winning formula.
The Reds just don’t have the pitching depth to get over the hump, and their relievers will not be able to bridge the gap in the middle innings over the long haul to make up for that. They will need surprising performances from players I am not expecting it from in order to improve.
Projected finish - 6th place
Pittsburg Pirates
The Pirates hope to avoid the cellar this year, and they will be depending on some of their young arms to make sure that doesn’t happen again. Tom Gorzelanny heads up the rotation and he was 14-10 with a 3.88 ERA. Ian Snell pitched well and logged over 200 innings with a 3.76 ERA.
They need Zach Duke and Paul Maholm to step up and be more effective than they have been. Matt Morris returning to the form he had in St. Louis in 2005 would help also.
Matt Capps did an adequate job closing last year. Demaso Marte posted good numbers out of the bullpen and looks to build on that. After that they will need some of their young and inexperienced arms to come through. This is the weakest part of their team and it has to improve if they are going to finish higher than last year.
Their lineup is actually pretty good. Jason Bay looks to be more of a force this year as his numbers tailed off last season. Jack Wilson and Freddie Sanchez are solid, and Adam Laroche won’t hurt them at first base.
Another speedy youngster, Nyjer Morgan, looks like he will get his shot in centerfield. Technically it is a competition between he and Nate McLouth, but Morgan should prevail as the starter, and he looks like he is going to be a good major leaguer.
If the Pirates get a little pitching, and I think they will, they can avoid the cellar; but I don’t think they will do much better.
Projected finish - 5th place
On deck, the AL Central Preview
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March 7, 2008 by editor.
Toronto BlueJays
Toronto finished last year 4 games over .500, good for 3rd place behind the Yankees and Redsox. They are not that far away from really contending in their division, and they add a couple of new faces that will go a long way toward helping them get there. David Eckstein is their new shortstop, and Scott Rolen is their new third baseman. The question is whether Rolen can stay healthy enough to stay in the line-up on a regular basis. His well documented injury problems prevented him from being a difference maker 2 out of the last 3 years with St. Louis. David Eckstein still gets on base at about a .350 clip so he will be a spark plug for Toronto. Alex Rios had a good year last year but Vernon Wells is looking to have a bounce-back season after hitting just .245 and posting an on base percentage of .304, which are far below his standards. Factor in Frank Thomas as the DH and their lineup has a lot of power. The big question for them is whether they can stay healthy.
Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett anchor the starting rotation, and are a good 1, 2 combination. Burnett finished 10 - 8 the last 2 years with an ERA under 4.00. They need to get more innings out of him for the money they put up to get him in free agency. His health will be key. Jesse Litsch and Shaun Marcum are adequate back-of-the-rotation guys. Marcum won 12 games last year and Litsch finished with an ERA under 4. B.J. Ryan will continue to close, and they have a very deep bullpen. Scott Downs, Jeremy Accardo, Casey Janssen, and Brian Wolfe all pitched effectively last year coming out of the pen, so they shouldn’t be pressured to over use their starters.
If Toronto stays reasonably healthy and pitches like they are capable of, it is not inconceivable that they could finish second in the division and challenge for a wild card spot. Everything has to fall right for them, or they will be an also ran, just like previous years.
Projected finish - 3rd Place.
Tampa Bay Rays
If the Rays finish at, or close to the bottom of their division this year it won’t be because they don’t have an interesting lineup. Akinori Iwamura is likely to lead off with Carl Crawford hitting second. If they get on base at a good clip, Carlos Pena and B.J. Upton are going to drive in a lot of runs. They will be looking for Pena to at least duplicate his production from last year (46 homers and 121 RBI’s) in order for them to score a good amount of runs. He supplies most of the power. Cliff Floyd is with the Rays via the Cubs and he should be able to supply some power if he can stay healthy, which is a long shot. He has a history of frequent trips to the DL.
Scott Kazmir continues to work his way back from injury and is the ace of the staff. James Shields and Matt Garza will try to hold down some of the starting duties, but their rotation is pretty thin overall. Troy Percival is penciled in as the closer, and he should be ok, but the rest of their bullpen is pretty much hit and miss. They have some experience, but they didn’t perform well last year and unless that changes, they won’t be a security blanket for their starters this year either. Their hitters will be the most exciting part of this team. Unless they suprise on the mound, it looks like a long season again for the Rays.
Projected finish - 4th Place
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