Well with the 2011 Season set to get under way this week and a ton of down time, why not hand out some pre-season awards. Like College Basketball has their Pre-Season All Americans, why not have Pre-Season All Stars. So without further ado, here are the Pre-Season All-Stars from each division.
NL East All-Stars:
C: Joe Mauer (NYM)
1B: Joey Votto (CIN)
2B: Chase Utley (PHI)
SS: Elvis Andrus (CIN)
3B: Evan Longoria (CIN)
OF: Josh Hamilton (PHI), Jason Heyward (ATL), Andrew McCutchen (CIN)
Starting Rotation:
Roy Halladay (ATL)
Cliff Lee (ATL)
Tim Lincecum (CIN)
Justin Verlander (CIN)
Cole Hamels (PHI)
Closer: Joakim Soria (NYM)
NL West All-Stars:
C: Buster Posey (SF)
1B: Prince Fielder (COL)
2B: Dan Uggla (COL)
SS: Jose Reyes (SF)
3B: Casey McGehee (SF)
OF: Carlos Gonzalez (LAD), Jay Bruce (LAD), Justin Upton (ARI)
Starting Rotation:
CC Sabathia (SF)
Ubaldo Jimenez (LAD)
Clayton Kershaw (COL)
Jered Weaver (LAD)
Clay Buchholz (ARI)
Closer: Mariano Rivera (COL)
AL East All-Stars:
C: Mike Napoli (BOS)
1B: Miguel Cabrera (TB)
2B: Robinson Cano (NYY)
SS: Troy Tulowitzki (NYY)
3B: Alex Rodriguez (NYY)
OF: Ryan Braun (BOS), Carl Crawford (TB), Shin-Soo Choo (BOS)
DH: Mark Teixeira (BOS)
Starting Rotation:
Josh Johnson (TB)
David Price (TB)
Jon Lester (BOS)
Francisco Liriano (CHW)
Max Scherzer (BOS)
Closer: Jonathan Papelbon (BOS)
AL West All-Stars:
C: Victor Martinez (DET)
1B: Albert Pujols (DET)
2B: Gordon Beckham (LAA)
SS: Hanley Ramirez (DET)
3B: Ryan Zimmerman (LAA)
OF: Nelson Cruz (TEX), Matt Holliday (TEX), Delmon Young (LAA)
DH: Andre Ethier (DET)
Starting Rotation:
Felix Hernandez (DET)
Mat Latos (LAA)
Dan Hudson (TEX)
Chris Carpenter (DET)
Jhoulys Chacin (KC)
Closer: Neftali Feliz (TEX)
Well, there are my thoughts on who are the best of the best at their positions from each of the four divisions in the ADBL. Vote in the poll on who you think has the best Roster of the four All-Star teams. Honestly, all four are really good, but some are straight up stacked.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Opening Week Preview
With the start of the regular season right around the corner, let's take a look at the 2011 Opening Week Games in the ADBL. All 8 Opening Week Games feature match-ups between divisional opponents, meaning whoever wins their Week 1 game will have a nice kick-off to their 2011 campaigns.
Cincinnati Reds (0-0-0) @ New York Mets (0-0-0)
Preview: The defending NL East Champs kick off their 2011 season with a game against scrappy New York Mets, who look to pull the upset. On paper, the Reds seem to be an overwhelming favorite, but that is why you play the games. If some of the Mets bats can get off to a hot start, you never know. Plus, it might be best to play the Reds early on in the year, when some of his players may still need to shake off some of that left-over Spring Training rust.
Match-Ups: Gotta give both the pitching and hitting edge to Cincinnati here. No disrespect to the Mets, but anytime you've got Votto, Longoria, C. Santana, and McCutchen in the same offense you know your set-up. Plus a rotation headlined by Lincecum and Verlander is nothing short of outstanding.
X-Factor: The X-Factor in this match-up has got to be BJ Upton. If this kid can play up to his potential, the Mets can surprise a lot of people in 2011. He's been hitting pretty well this spring, hitting a little over .300 with 2 HRs and 6 RBI. His production could make or break the Mets offensive statistics this week.
Injury Report: No major injury news on the offensive front for the Reds, but Cincy is already filling the effects of the injury bug out in the bullpen. Thankfully, the arm troubles for Andrew Bailey don't seem as serious as first indicated, but still, his status for Opening Day are up in the air. More certain is the fact that the Reds will be without lefty set-up man Scott Downs, who fractured his toe playing catch with his kids. Go figure. He'll start the season on the DL and likely miss a week or so.
For the Mets, they just can't seem to catch a break out there. Starting third baseman Casey Blake may miss the start of the season, as he is dealing with a pretty bad case of sore ribs. Expect Chase Headley to see some time if Blake has to start the year on the DL. However on a more positive note, All-Star Catcher Joe Mauer (knee) and lefty specialist Pedro Feliciano (triceps tightness) both appear as if they will appear ready for the start of the season.
Last Word: All things considered, both teams look like they made it out of the Spring with their mainstays in tack. It should be a good match-up if the Mets hitters can get off to a hot start. However, with the Reds sending 3 studs to the mound on Opening Day (Verlander, Lincecum, and Volquez), things may prove to be rather difficult for the Mets. Edge: Reds
Philadelphia Phillies (0-0-0) @ Atlanta Braves (0-0-0)
Preview: Talk about starting the season off with a bang. Opening Week has two perennial NL East powers colliding when the Phillies travel to Atlanta to take on the Braves. The winner of this match-up will definitely have an upper leg on the loser when it comes to the end of the season standings.
Match-Ups: Offensively both teams match up quite evenly, but I'm going to give the slight edge to the Braves just because of the uncertainty surrounding Phillies Second Baseman Chase Utley. If he goes, then its a coin flip as to whose offense is better. Pitching wise I think the Braves have got a very slight edge here again. On paper, looking at a rotation consisting of Halladay, Lee, Gallardo, Hanson, and Hudson, I just feel that one through five his guys are a little bit better than the guys for the Phils, However this can all change in the blink of an eye with a bad outing from one of the Braves guys.
X-Factor: Well in this case, there are 2 X-Factors: the Phillies Middle Infield. IF Utley is able to go, and that is a huge if, it will provide a huge boost for this team offensively, especially out the 2B position. Secondly, J-Roll has got to get off to a good start this year to silence the doubters. If he can get a little production from either of these guys, it will help close the very slim gap between the two offenses.
Injury Report: Phillies Second Baseman Chase Utley knee troubles have already been well-documented, so I'm not going to go any more in-depth there. Phils have also got some concerns over OF Michael Cuddyer and his sore foot that kept him out of his last Spring Training game. Still, expect him to be ready for Opening Day. Reliever Octavio Dotel has also been hampered by a hammy strain that hopefully will subside by the time Opening Day rolls around. Both Morneau (concussion) and Lidge (biceps inflammation) should be ready to go.
The Braves have to be relatively happy with the health of their team coming out of the Spring. Reliever LaTroy Hawkins, still recovering from shoulder surgery, appears to be well on his way to returning. Still, the Brewers may err on the side of caution and have him start the year on the DL. Also, 3B Chipper Jones appears like he has fully recovered from a season-ending knee injury, and he should be ready to man the hot-corner come Opening Day.
Last Word: This match-up is a toss-up that can go either way. It really will come down to which team comes out of the gates hotter. You just have to hope that an early season loss like this doesn't hurt the loser of this match-up and send them spiraling into a mini-slide. Edge by the slimmest of margins: Braves
Colorado Rockies (0-0-0) @ Arizona Diamondbacks (0-0-0)
San Francisco Giants (0-0-0) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (0-0-0)
Preview: Two teams with big time expectations to contend in the new look NL West collide when the Giants travel to LA to take on their interstate rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both teams will look to show the rest of the ADBL that they are serious contenders this season, and will look to topple the Rockies from their spot atop the ADBL.
Match-ups: Both teams have a nice mix of youth and talent on the offensive side of the ball. I'm going to give the slight edge to the Giants, just because he has a little more balance in terms of average, power, speed, and plate discipline, but this can really go either way. The pitching staffs for both teams are also extremely evenly matched. I'm going to give a slight edge to the Dodgers just because they've got a deeper rotation and a few more proven commodities.
X-Factor: Carlos Zambrano. The big Cubs right-hander is going to have to pitch well in his start when he takes the mound for the Giants. As long as he pitches like he did the 2nd half of last season, Big Z will be fine and the Giants will definitely have a chance to win this week.
Injury Report: Luckily for the Giants, they got out of Spring Training without any injuries. Joe Nathan, recovering from Tommy John, looks like he's set and D-Lee's wrist looks like it's fully healed.
The Dodgers will probably be without first baseman Kendry Morales for the first week or two, as he continues to recover from last year's freak injury. They also have some nagging injuries to some of their other star players. Closer Brian Wilson may miss the start of the regular with an oblique strain and Brandon Webb, still recovering from shoulder surgery, is set to return in mid-April.
Last Word: Both of these teams are very evenly matched. The Dodgers have got some injuries that may hinder them out of them gate, but they should be back to full strength by mid-April. The winner of this game will be off to a fast start and challenge the Rockies for the NL West title. Edge: Giants
New York Yankees (0-0-0) @ Tampa Bay Rays (0-0-0)
Preview: The defending AL East Champion New York Yankees travel to Tampa Bay to take on their AL East rivals. In a showdown of two American League powerhouses, one of these two teams will start the year off on a good note, while the other will have some early ground to make up.
Match-ups: Offensively these two teams are about as even as you can get. It really is a coin flip or a matter of preference as to which is better than the other. As far as pitching goes, the Rays get a slight edge because of their extremely deep starting rotation. Plus, the Yankees will be without their ace Zack Greinke for the first few weeks of the season.
X-Factor: Both of these teams are fielding a pair of young catchers in JP Arencibia and Alex Avila. Whichever of the two plays better during the opening week will certainly help determine who wins this tightly contested match-up.
Injury Report: The Yankees will be without their Ace Zack Greinke, who fractured a rib playing pick-up basketball (Thanks a lot Greinke). Lefty Wandy Rodriguez is also dealing with a shoulder problem and his status for the start of the season is up in the air. Reliever Joba Chamberlain is also being bothered by an oblique strain. Both Wandy and Joba should be ready for the start of the season, barring any set-backs in their respective side sessions.
The Rays really have no injury concerns at this point, but they should monitor RHP Matt Garza's hamstring very closely. He reported some hamstring tightness in his last spring outing. However, it does not appear to be anything serious at this time.
Last Word: This match-up is extremely close and almost impossible to predict. The AL East is going to be a dog fight this year and the winner of this match-up will get a much needed leg up on the competition. Push
Boston Red Sox (0-0-0) @ Chicago White Sox (0-0-0)
Preview: To kick off the 2011 Season, the Red Sox travel to Chicago to take on another AL East rival, the White Sox. In another pairing of AL East powers, this match-up should be every bit as good as the other AL East showdown. The Red Sox will look to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2010, as they look to knock off one of last year's playoff teams.
Match-ups: Again, both of these teams are extremely talented offensively, but I'm going to give the slight edge to the Red Sox. They've got an enormous amount of firepower, especially in their outfield. The Red Sox again get a slight edge in the pitching match-up because of their huge stock of starters. Still, this match-up can go either way, as both teams match up extremely well.
X-Factor: There are a lot of guys that have questions surrounding them for both teams. But the guy that can probably have the biggest impact on how this series goes is Mark Teixeira. A notoriously slow starter, if he can do anything for the BoSox this week, they will definitely be in better position than if he gives him his usual .100 avg in the month of April.
Injury Report: The Red Sox will have to monitor the situation with their starting catcher Miguel Olivo. He has been hampered by a groin injury and it looks like there may be a chance he might start the season on the DL. Reliever JJ Putz has also reported some problems with back spasms, but he is listed as day-to-day, so it is nothing too serious.
Good news for the White Sox. They have absolutely no injuries to worry about at this point (knock on wood).
Last Word: Another coin flip here, as these two teams are as evenly matched as they come. These AL East match-ups will be extremely hard to predict, and will really come down to which team is hotter at the time the games are played. Push
Kansas City Royals (0-0-0) @ Detroit Tigers (0-0-0)
Preview: The Tigers and Royals kick off their first season in the AL West with a showdown in Detroit. The Tigers look to kick off 2011 on the right note and get one step closer to getting back to the World Series. The Royals are hoping this season finishes better than last year's last place finish in the NL East.
Match-Ups: Both teams have a lot of firepower on offense, but the Tigers are just a little bit better. They've got two of the best hitters in the game in Pujols and Han-Ram, and an outfield that has been bolstered by the addition of Andre Ethier. Look for the offensive categories to be very tightly contested. Detroit and Kansas City also have a ton of depth on the pitching front, but the number of big stars on the Tigers staff certainly gives them the edge. Whichever of the pair of aces (Felix/Carpenter or Myers/Chacin) performs better will definitely have the edge in the pitching categories.
X-Factor: The X-Factor in this series has got to be the Royals DH Manny Ramirez. When he's on, he's one of the best hitters in the game and could definitely help close the gap between these two offenses. The Royals are hoping the move back to the AL East injects some new life in his once thunderous bat.
Injury Report: The main concern for the Tigers has to be the health of Carlos Beltran. He is still trying to recover from knee surgery and although he has taken part in a number of running drills this spring, his status for Opening Day is still up in the air. Expect the Tigers to monitor this situation closely.
The Royals don't have any major injury concerns at this time.
Last Word: In one of the few match-ups this week that has a clear favorite, expect Detroit to look to come away with a win in this one with his star studded line-up and solid pitching staff. Edge: Tigers
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (0-0-0) @ Texas Rangers (0-0-0)
Preview: The final match-up in the Opening Week for the ADBL has the LA Angels traveling down to Arlington to take on the Rangers. Will this be another Texas Slugfest?
Match-Ups: Both teams have a nice group of hitters assembled, but the Angels definitely have the edge here. They've got a ton of depth and have more proven commodities at every position. They definitely have more firepower in the infield. Pitching wise both teams have some shortcomings, and the Angels have a few bigger names, I'm going to give the edge to the Rangers. They have more depth and can probably overcome a bad start more gracefully than the Angels.
X-Factor: With Adam Wainwright probably done for the season, Mat Latos has got to deliver the goods when he takes the mound for the Angels. If he can give him a typical good outing, then the Angels may sneak a win out of this match-up, but if he lays an egg the Angels will have a tough time picking up the slack with the currently constructed rotation.
Injury Report: The Rangers have got some troubling news with some of the recent reports out of Spring Training. Joel Pineiro left his last start with tightness under his shoulder blade and his status for the start of the season is uncertain at this point. Other than that, it's all systems go for the Rangers coming out of spring training.
The Angels have probably been hit hardest by the injury bug out of all the teams in the ADBL. They are already two men down in the starting rotation, and both injuries to Adam Wainwright and Dustin McGowan will have them out for significant chunks of the season. On a more positive note, it looks like Catcher Russel Martin has recovered from his knee surgery and will be ready to start the season with the big club.
Last Word: Both teams are going to have their work cut out for them in a very tough American League and they will have to play well week in and week out if they want to compete. A win for either team this week will be a huge statement and help them start off the 2011 season on the right foot. I'm going to give a slight edge to the Angels, but this match-up will go down to the wire. Edge: Angels
Well there you have it. Opening Week in the ADBL should have no shortage of great match-ups this week, and every week thereafter. All the teams are extremely evenly matched and it should be a great year for the league. Good luck to all the teams out there.
Cincinnati Reds (0-0-0) @ New York Mets (0-0-0)
Preview: The defending NL East Champs kick off their 2011 season with a game against scrappy New York Mets, who look to pull the upset. On paper, the Reds seem to be an overwhelming favorite, but that is why you play the games. If some of the Mets bats can get off to a hot start, you never know. Plus, it might be best to play the Reds early on in the year, when some of his players may still need to shake off some of that left-over Spring Training rust.
Match-Ups: Gotta give both the pitching and hitting edge to Cincinnati here. No disrespect to the Mets, but anytime you've got Votto, Longoria, C. Santana, and McCutchen in the same offense you know your set-up. Plus a rotation headlined by Lincecum and Verlander is nothing short of outstanding.
X-Factor: The X-Factor in this match-up has got to be BJ Upton. If this kid can play up to his potential, the Mets can surprise a lot of people in 2011. He's been hitting pretty well this spring, hitting a little over .300 with 2 HRs and 6 RBI. His production could make or break the Mets offensive statistics this week.
Injury Report: No major injury news on the offensive front for the Reds, but Cincy is already filling the effects of the injury bug out in the bullpen. Thankfully, the arm troubles for Andrew Bailey don't seem as serious as first indicated, but still, his status for Opening Day are up in the air. More certain is the fact that the Reds will be without lefty set-up man Scott Downs, who fractured his toe playing catch with his kids. Go figure. He'll start the season on the DL and likely miss a week or so.
For the Mets, they just can't seem to catch a break out there. Starting third baseman Casey Blake may miss the start of the season, as he is dealing with a pretty bad case of sore ribs. Expect Chase Headley to see some time if Blake has to start the year on the DL. However on a more positive note, All-Star Catcher Joe Mauer (knee) and lefty specialist Pedro Feliciano (triceps tightness) both appear as if they will appear ready for the start of the season.
Last Word: All things considered, both teams look like they made it out of the Spring with their mainstays in tack. It should be a good match-up if the Mets hitters can get off to a hot start. However, with the Reds sending 3 studs to the mound on Opening Day (Verlander, Lincecum, and Volquez), things may prove to be rather difficult for the Mets. Edge: Reds
Philadelphia Phillies (0-0-0) @ Atlanta Braves (0-0-0)
Preview: Talk about starting the season off with a bang. Opening Week has two perennial NL East powers colliding when the Phillies travel to Atlanta to take on the Braves. The winner of this match-up will definitely have an upper leg on the loser when it comes to the end of the season standings.
Match-Ups: Offensively both teams match up quite evenly, but I'm going to give the slight edge to the Braves just because of the uncertainty surrounding Phillies Second Baseman Chase Utley. If he goes, then its a coin flip as to whose offense is better. Pitching wise I think the Braves have got a very slight edge here again. On paper, looking at a rotation consisting of Halladay, Lee, Gallardo, Hanson, and Hudson, I just feel that one through five his guys are a little bit better than the guys for the Phils, However this can all change in the blink of an eye with a bad outing from one of the Braves guys.
X-Factor: Well in this case, there are 2 X-Factors: the Phillies Middle Infield. IF Utley is able to go, and that is a huge if, it will provide a huge boost for this team offensively, especially out the 2B position. Secondly, J-Roll has got to get off to a good start this year to silence the doubters. If he can get a little production from either of these guys, it will help close the very slim gap between the two offenses.
Injury Report: Phillies Second Baseman Chase Utley knee troubles have already been well-documented, so I'm not going to go any more in-depth there. Phils have also got some concerns over OF Michael Cuddyer and his sore foot that kept him out of his last Spring Training game. Still, expect him to be ready for Opening Day. Reliever Octavio Dotel has also been hampered by a hammy strain that hopefully will subside by the time Opening Day rolls around. Both Morneau (concussion) and Lidge (biceps inflammation) should be ready to go.
The Braves have to be relatively happy with the health of their team coming out of the Spring. Reliever LaTroy Hawkins, still recovering from shoulder surgery, appears to be well on his way to returning. Still, the Brewers may err on the side of caution and have him start the year on the DL. Also, 3B Chipper Jones appears like he has fully recovered from a season-ending knee injury, and he should be ready to man the hot-corner come Opening Day.
Last Word: This match-up is a toss-up that can go either way. It really will come down to which team comes out of the gates hotter. You just have to hope that an early season loss like this doesn't hurt the loser of this match-up and send them spiraling into a mini-slide. Edge by the slimmest of margins: Braves
Colorado Rockies (0-0-0) @ Arizona Diamondbacks (0-0-0)
Preview: The defending ADBL champs start of their 2011 Title defense with a trip to Arizona to take on the D-Backs. In the NL West version of David vs. Goliath, can the D-Backs pull the upset?
Match-ups: Both teams stack up well on offense with a slight edge going to the Rockies. They have a little more depth and talent around the diamond than the D-Backs, who still have some holes anemic spots in their order. Rockies once again have a slight edge with the pitching because they are a little deeper. The D-Backs are going to surprise some people this year, especially if some of their younger players produce like they are capable of.
X-Factor: I'll give you a pair of X-Factors this time, one from each team. For the D-Backs, which Aaron Hill is going to show up in 2011? The 2010 or 2009 version. The D-Backs have to be hoping for the 2009 Hill. As for the Rockies, is this the year Grady Sizemore bounces back from all those knee surgeries. It's really sad to see such a talented player struggle to stay healthy and get some at-bats. You can only imagine what could've been had he not had to have those major knee operations. If he can bounce back to 75% of what he was, the Rockies have got a special player.
Injury Report: The aforementioned Sizemore will start the year on the DL as he tries to make his way back from knee surgery (again). Expect him to be back around mid-to-late April. Also, Dexter Fowler has had some trouble with tightness in his quad, leaving his last game. He's listed as day-to-day, so it shouldn't be anything too serious.
The D-Backs already have a couple of players on the DL before the season even kicks off. Hard throwing reliever Joel Zumaya will start the year on the DL and OF Kyle Blanks will join him, as both battle elbow issues.
Final Word: The Rockies will have their hands full with a much improved D-Backs team, but on paper, I got to go with the defending champs. They're just too deep. Edge: Rockies
San Francisco Giants (0-0-0) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (0-0-0)
Preview: Two teams with big time expectations to contend in the new look NL West collide when the Giants travel to LA to take on their interstate rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both teams will look to show the rest of the ADBL that they are serious contenders this season, and will look to topple the Rockies from their spot atop the ADBL.
Match-ups: Both teams have a nice mix of youth and talent on the offensive side of the ball. I'm going to give the slight edge to the Giants, just because he has a little more balance in terms of average, power, speed, and plate discipline, but this can really go either way. The pitching staffs for both teams are also extremely evenly matched. I'm going to give a slight edge to the Dodgers just because they've got a deeper rotation and a few more proven commodities.
X-Factor: Carlos Zambrano. The big Cubs right-hander is going to have to pitch well in his start when he takes the mound for the Giants. As long as he pitches like he did the 2nd half of last season, Big Z will be fine and the Giants will definitely have a chance to win this week.
Injury Report: Luckily for the Giants, they got out of Spring Training without any injuries. Joe Nathan, recovering from Tommy John, looks like he's set and D-Lee's wrist looks like it's fully healed.
The Dodgers will probably be without first baseman Kendry Morales for the first week or two, as he continues to recover from last year's freak injury. They also have some nagging injuries to some of their other star players. Closer Brian Wilson may miss the start of the regular with an oblique strain and Brandon Webb, still recovering from shoulder surgery, is set to return in mid-April.
Last Word: Both of these teams are very evenly matched. The Dodgers have got some injuries that may hinder them out of them gate, but they should be back to full strength by mid-April. The winner of this game will be off to a fast start and challenge the Rockies for the NL West title. Edge: Giants
New York Yankees (0-0-0) @ Tampa Bay Rays (0-0-0)
Preview: The defending AL East Champion New York Yankees travel to Tampa Bay to take on their AL East rivals. In a showdown of two American League powerhouses, one of these two teams will start the year off on a good note, while the other will have some early ground to make up.
Match-ups: Offensively these two teams are about as even as you can get. It really is a coin flip or a matter of preference as to which is better than the other. As far as pitching goes, the Rays get a slight edge because of their extremely deep starting rotation. Plus, the Yankees will be without their ace Zack Greinke for the first few weeks of the season.
X-Factor: Both of these teams are fielding a pair of young catchers in JP Arencibia and Alex Avila. Whichever of the two plays better during the opening week will certainly help determine who wins this tightly contested match-up.
Injury Report: The Yankees will be without their Ace Zack Greinke, who fractured a rib playing pick-up basketball (Thanks a lot Greinke). Lefty Wandy Rodriguez is also dealing with a shoulder problem and his status for the start of the season is up in the air. Reliever Joba Chamberlain is also being bothered by an oblique strain. Both Wandy and Joba should be ready for the start of the season, barring any set-backs in their respective side sessions.
The Rays really have no injury concerns at this point, but they should monitor RHP Matt Garza's hamstring very closely. He reported some hamstring tightness in his last spring outing. However, it does not appear to be anything serious at this time.
Last Word: This match-up is extremely close and almost impossible to predict. The AL East is going to be a dog fight this year and the winner of this match-up will get a much needed leg up on the competition. Push
Boston Red Sox (0-0-0) @ Chicago White Sox (0-0-0)
Preview: To kick off the 2011 Season, the Red Sox travel to Chicago to take on another AL East rival, the White Sox. In another pairing of AL East powers, this match-up should be every bit as good as the other AL East showdown. The Red Sox will look to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2010, as they look to knock off one of last year's playoff teams.
Match-ups: Again, both of these teams are extremely talented offensively, but I'm going to give the slight edge to the Red Sox. They've got an enormous amount of firepower, especially in their outfield. The Red Sox again get a slight edge in the pitching match-up because of their huge stock of starters. Still, this match-up can go either way, as both teams match up extremely well.
X-Factor: There are a lot of guys that have questions surrounding them for both teams. But the guy that can probably have the biggest impact on how this series goes is Mark Teixeira. A notoriously slow starter, if he can do anything for the BoSox this week, they will definitely be in better position than if he gives him his usual .100 avg in the month of April.
Injury Report: The Red Sox will have to monitor the situation with their starting catcher Miguel Olivo. He has been hampered by a groin injury and it looks like there may be a chance he might start the season on the DL. Reliever JJ Putz has also reported some problems with back spasms, but he is listed as day-to-day, so it is nothing too serious.
Good news for the White Sox. They have absolutely no injuries to worry about at this point (knock on wood).
Last Word: Another coin flip here, as these two teams are as evenly matched as they come. These AL East match-ups will be extremely hard to predict, and will really come down to which team is hotter at the time the games are played. Push
Kansas City Royals (0-0-0) @ Detroit Tigers (0-0-0)
Preview: The Tigers and Royals kick off their first season in the AL West with a showdown in Detroit. The Tigers look to kick off 2011 on the right note and get one step closer to getting back to the World Series. The Royals are hoping this season finishes better than last year's last place finish in the NL East.
Match-Ups: Both teams have a lot of firepower on offense, but the Tigers are just a little bit better. They've got two of the best hitters in the game in Pujols and Han-Ram, and an outfield that has been bolstered by the addition of Andre Ethier. Look for the offensive categories to be very tightly contested. Detroit and Kansas City also have a ton of depth on the pitching front, but the number of big stars on the Tigers staff certainly gives them the edge. Whichever of the pair of aces (Felix/Carpenter or Myers/Chacin) performs better will definitely have the edge in the pitching categories.
X-Factor: The X-Factor in this series has got to be the Royals DH Manny Ramirez. When he's on, he's one of the best hitters in the game and could definitely help close the gap between these two offenses. The Royals are hoping the move back to the AL East injects some new life in his once thunderous bat.
Injury Report: The main concern for the Tigers has to be the health of Carlos Beltran. He is still trying to recover from knee surgery and although he has taken part in a number of running drills this spring, his status for Opening Day is still up in the air. Expect the Tigers to monitor this situation closely.
The Royals don't have any major injury concerns at this time.
Last Word: In one of the few match-ups this week that has a clear favorite, expect Detroit to look to come away with a win in this one with his star studded line-up and solid pitching staff. Edge: Tigers
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (0-0-0) @ Texas Rangers (0-0-0)
Preview: The final match-up in the Opening Week for the ADBL has the LA Angels traveling down to Arlington to take on the Rangers. Will this be another Texas Slugfest?
Match-Ups: Both teams have a nice group of hitters assembled, but the Angels definitely have the edge here. They've got a ton of depth and have more proven commodities at every position. They definitely have more firepower in the infield. Pitching wise both teams have some shortcomings, and the Angels have a few bigger names, I'm going to give the edge to the Rangers. They have more depth and can probably overcome a bad start more gracefully than the Angels.
X-Factor: With Adam Wainwright probably done for the season, Mat Latos has got to deliver the goods when he takes the mound for the Angels. If he can give him a typical good outing, then the Angels may sneak a win out of this match-up, but if he lays an egg the Angels will have a tough time picking up the slack with the currently constructed rotation.
Injury Report: The Rangers have got some troubling news with some of the recent reports out of Spring Training. Joel Pineiro left his last start with tightness under his shoulder blade and his status for the start of the season is uncertain at this point. Other than that, it's all systems go for the Rangers coming out of spring training.
The Angels have probably been hit hardest by the injury bug out of all the teams in the ADBL. They are already two men down in the starting rotation, and both injuries to Adam Wainwright and Dustin McGowan will have them out for significant chunks of the season. On a more positive note, it looks like Catcher Russel Martin has recovered from his knee surgery and will be ready to start the season with the big club.
Last Word: Both teams are going to have their work cut out for them in a very tough American League and they will have to play well week in and week out if they want to compete. A win for either team this week will be a huge statement and help them start off the 2011 season on the right foot. I'm going to give a slight edge to the Angels, but this match-up will go down to the wire. Edge: Angels
Well there you have it. Opening Week in the ADBL should have no shortage of great match-ups this week, and every week thereafter. All the teams are extremely evenly matched and it should be a great year for the league. Good luck to all the teams out there.
Friday, March 11, 2011
ADBL Preseason: NL West Preview
For my final Preseason Article, we preview the NL West. This division is now home to the 2010 ADBL Champion Colorado Rockies, who come over from the NL East. The Diamondbacks also make the move West with the Rockies. They join NL West mainstays, the Giants and Dodgers.
Colorado Rockies:
2010 Record: 11-9-2 (2nd in NL East/ADBL Champions)
The Colorado Rockies will defend their 2010 Title as members of the NL West. Since Archie has taken over the Rockies, he has completely turned around the franchise, and has become a model franchise in ADBL. Taking the field for the Rockies in 2011 are:
C: Geovany Soto
1B: Carlos Pena
2B: Dan Uggla
SS: Miguel Tejada
3B: Pedro Alvarez
OF: Grady Sizemore, Travis Snider, Dexter Fowler
Util: Matt Wieters
Offensively, the Rockies are loaded with power bats and big boppers. With 30+ HRs a realistic possibility for 3/4ths of their infield, the Rockies are pretty much set in the Home Run department. There are some serious questions for this offense though. Soto and Sizemore have a ton of talent, but have also had a ton of trouble staying healthy the past couple of years. Pena is also coming off an injury-riddled year. Plus, the Rockies have a couple of youngsters (Wieters, Fowler, and Snider) that need to start living up to their potential. If all goes right, the Rockies will be right back in the Championship game, but they aren't invincible.
The pitching staff is Colorado's biggest strength. They have 5 extremely young and talented starters:
Clayton Kershaw LHP
Brett Anderson LHP
Ricky Nolasco RHP
Brandon Morrow RHP
Jordan Zimmerman RHP
If this group can stay healthy, Colorado will have no problems with their starting pitching. Anderson and Zimmerman have had injury problems in the past, but both will look to show they are fully recovered from their respective injuries in 2011. Kershaw will look to continue to establish himself as one of the best lefties in the game. Expect more of the same of Nolasco and Morrow will look to continue the improvement he showed last season in Toronto.
The bullpen is another one of Colorado's strengths. With the ageless Mariano Rivera and Carlos Marmol leading the charge, saves should be no problem. Venters, Gregerson, and Marshall will all provide a solid amount of holds, while helping his ERA and WHIP.
The Rockies are poised to continue their recent stretch of good baseball. Expect them to be right there vying for another championship in 2011. As long as they stay healthy, the Rockies will be in great position to try and repeat in 2011.
San Francisco Giants:
2010 Record: 10-10-2 (3rd in NL West)
After making it to the playoffs in their first season in ADBL, the Giants just missed the playoffs in 2010. Looking forward to 2011, San Fran will look to get back to the playoffs and make some noise in the ADBL.
C: Buster Posey
1B: Derek Lee
2B: Martin Prado
SS: Jose Reyes
3B: Casey McGehee
OF: Denard Span, Carlos Lee, Rajai Davis
Util: John Buck
The Giants offense is led by their young catcher Buster Posey, who will look to showcase his talents over a full MLB season in 2011. Jose Reyes will look to re-establish himself as one of the premier Shortstops in baseball. As long as he stays healthy, he should have no problem. D-Lee will look to show he's still got some game left in the tank as he moves to Baltimore this season. If Carlos Lee can provide some offense, the Giants can be very good offensively in '11. The only problem with this offense is that they lack a big time power bat. This is why El Caballo is so important. If he can produce some big power numbers, it makes this offense so much more dynamic. This will be an interesting group to watch come 2011.
The rotation in San Francisco is very deep and full of talent.
CC Sabathia LHP
Jonathan Sanchez LHP
Carlos Zambrano RHP
Dallas Braden LHP
RA Dickey RHP
The Giants rotation is headlined by the Yankees Big Lefty Ace CC Sabathia and followed up with the Giants own young lefty Jonathan Sanchez, providing a nice one-two punch at the top. If Carlos Zambrano can continue his revival in Chicago this year, this rotation has another number 1 type starter in the mix. Braden and Dickey will look to prove 2010 was no fluke and build off strong campaigns. This rotation also features two younger pitchers, Randy Wells of the Cubs and Brian Duensing of the Twins, who will look to find more consistency in 2011, and establish themselves as viable fantasy options. All things considered, this has the makings of a very talented bunch.
The Giants bullpen has got two legitimate closers in David Aardsma and Joe Nathan. Nathan, coming off Tommy John, will look to re-gain his former All-Star form. The other 3 spots are filled out by a couple of holds specialists in Casilla, Runsler, and Santos.
The Giants are in a tough position in the very deep National League. They are one of those teams that are right on the cusp of making the playoffs and joining the elite teams. Expect them to be right there with the Rockies, Phillies, Braves, and Reds, as they fight for the 4 Playoff Spots available to the National League.
Arizona Diamondbacks:
2010 Record: 8-10-4
The 2010 Diamondbacks had a very strange season with a league leading 4 ties. If those ties had turned into wins, maybe we'd be having a different discussion, but instead, the Diamondbacks missed out on the playoffs, finishing under .500 for the 2nd straight year. They did show some marked improvement from the previous season. Let's look at their roster for 2011, as they look to make a push to join the NL's elite teams.
C: Adam Moore
1B: Mitch Moreland
2B: Aaron Hill
SS: Starlin Castro
3B:
OF: Brandon Allen, Drew Stubbs, Justin Upton
Util: Chris Young
The Diamondbacks have some major holes offensively. Off the bat, they have no third baseman and the season is right around the corner. With Lonnie Chisenhall in the farm system, they need to find a guy who can serve as a stopgap til he arrives on the scene. They need to address this immediately. Also, they have a rather inadequate backstop in Adam Moore. If they can address these two holes, the D-Backs offense has got a ton of potential. With a fairly young infield, Moreland, Hill, and Castro will only improve with time. Throw in the presence of toolsy outfielders like Upton, Stubbs, and Young, and the D-Backs have got a solid core to build around. Arizona may not be a powerhouse in 2011, but like a couple other teams in the ADBL, the future looks bright, especially if they can address their minor flaws they have on offense.
The rotation for Arizona is very talented, but they have a few things they need to prove.
Dan Haren RHP
Rick Porcello RHP
Clay Buchholz RHP
Gavin Floyd RHP
Derek Holland LHP/Jake Arrieta RHP
Up front they have 3 solid starters in Haren, Buchholz, and Floyd. These 3 are a good bet for double digit wins and good ERAs and WHIPs. If Porcello can bounce back from an abysmal 2010 and a return to his rookie form, the D-Backs will have another talented righty to add their stable. Rounding out the rotation are two young pitchers with a ton of promise that just need to get some more experience at the big league level. Holland and Arrieta will get their chance in 2011, but both will be in tough situations, Arrieta in the tough AL East and Holland in a playoff atmosphere. If the D-Backs are going to be successful in 2011, the pitching will lead the way.
The bullpen in Arizona is headlined by a couple of flamethrowers in Aroldis Chapman and Joel Zumaya. Throw in John Axford, the Brewers closer, and Koji Uehara and the D-Backs have a solid bullpen. They still have one spot open, but expect them to try and fill that via Free Agency.
The Diamondbacks are in a transition phase as they look to become a contender in the ADBL. With a solid group of young players to build around, if the Diamondbacks can fill some of their weaknesses (most notably 3B), they can become a contender sooner rather than later.
Los Angeles Dodgers:
2010 Record: 5-16-1
2010 was a disaster for the Los Angeles Dodgers, as they finished with the 2nd worst record in 2010, and a 5 game drop in wins. What will 2011 hold for the Dodger faithful?
C: Jorge Posada
1B: Kendry Morales
2B: Rickie Weeks
SS: Jason Bartlett
3B: Mark Reynolds
OF: Carlos Gonzalez, Jay Bruce, Fred Lewis
Util: Chris Johnson
Its hard to believe the Dodgers had only 5 wins last year with the amount of talent they have on offense. A lot of their lack of success last year had to do with injury. With a healthy Kendry Morales, Rickie Weeks, and Jorge Posada, expect the Dodgers to be much better in 2011. Throw in rising star Carlos Gonzalez and the promising Jay Bruce, the Dodgers have the makings of a strong offense. If Chris Johnson can build off a solid Major League debut to provide some solid production out of the utility slot, this offense will be more potent. Expect a much better 2011 from the Dodgers offense if they can stay healthy.
The Dodgers rotation is absolutely loaded with big names. They just need to get healthy and they will make a lot of noise in the NL.
Jered Weaver RHP
Ubaldo Jimenez RHP
Gio Gonzalez LHP
Brandon Webb RHP
Jake Peavy RHP/Johan Santana LHP
This rotation is loaded with talent. Led by three young studs up top in Weaver, Ubaldo, and Gio Gonzalez, this rotation will have no shortage of arms. Gonzalez needs to continue to improve on his control and prove last year was no fluke. The back end of the rotation has to prove they can stay healthy. Webb, Peavy, and Santana are all former Cy Young winners, who need to prove they have recovered from their injury woes. How they pitch in 2011 will determine how much success the Dodgers have this season.
The Dodgers bullpen is led by the electric Giants closer Brian Wilson, and features a ton of nice set-up men. Former Rays closer, Rafael Soriano, Hong-Chi Kuo, Kyle McClellan, and Kevin Jepsen round out the pen providing a plethora of holds chances.
The Dodgers are high-risk/high-reward type team. They can either be really good or really bad come 2011. A lot of their success hinges on the health of their big name players. If they can stay healthy, the Dodgers have a chance to be a darkhorse team this season. Expect a massive improvement from the Dodgers in 2011, as they will be a very formidable opponent this season.
Division Outlook:
The NL West is led by the ADBL Champion Colorado Rockies. The Rockies will face a lot of stiff competition this coming year, as the Giants, D-Backs, and Dodgers are all much improved. Expect a close race and even tougher Wild Card Race in the National League. As much as 6 teams will be vying for just 4 spots (2 Division and 2 Wild Cards). 2011 will be an interesting year for the ADBL.
Colorado Rockies:
2010 Record: 11-9-2 (2nd in NL East/ADBL Champions)
The Colorado Rockies will defend their 2010 Title as members of the NL West. Since Archie has taken over the Rockies, he has completely turned around the franchise, and has become a model franchise in ADBL. Taking the field for the Rockies in 2011 are:
C: Geovany Soto
1B: Carlos Pena
2B: Dan Uggla
SS: Miguel Tejada
3B: Pedro Alvarez
OF: Grady Sizemore, Travis Snider, Dexter Fowler
Util: Matt Wieters
Offensively, the Rockies are loaded with power bats and big boppers. With 30+ HRs a realistic possibility for 3/4ths of their infield, the Rockies are pretty much set in the Home Run department. There are some serious questions for this offense though. Soto and Sizemore have a ton of talent, but have also had a ton of trouble staying healthy the past couple of years. Pena is also coming off an injury-riddled year. Plus, the Rockies have a couple of youngsters (Wieters, Fowler, and Snider) that need to start living up to their potential. If all goes right, the Rockies will be right back in the Championship game, but they aren't invincible.
The pitching staff is Colorado's biggest strength. They have 5 extremely young and talented starters:
Clayton Kershaw LHP
Brett Anderson LHP
Ricky Nolasco RHP
Brandon Morrow RHP
Jordan Zimmerman RHP
If this group can stay healthy, Colorado will have no problems with their starting pitching. Anderson and Zimmerman have had injury problems in the past, but both will look to show they are fully recovered from their respective injuries in 2011. Kershaw will look to continue to establish himself as one of the best lefties in the game. Expect more of the same of Nolasco and Morrow will look to continue the improvement he showed last season in Toronto.
The bullpen is another one of Colorado's strengths. With the ageless Mariano Rivera and Carlos Marmol leading the charge, saves should be no problem. Venters, Gregerson, and Marshall will all provide a solid amount of holds, while helping his ERA and WHIP.
The Rockies are poised to continue their recent stretch of good baseball. Expect them to be right there vying for another championship in 2011. As long as they stay healthy, the Rockies will be in great position to try and repeat in 2011.
San Francisco Giants:
2010 Record: 10-10-2 (3rd in NL West)
After making it to the playoffs in their first season in ADBL, the Giants just missed the playoffs in 2010. Looking forward to 2011, San Fran will look to get back to the playoffs and make some noise in the ADBL.
C: Buster Posey
1B: Derek Lee
2B: Martin Prado
SS: Jose Reyes
3B: Casey McGehee
OF: Denard Span, Carlos Lee, Rajai Davis
Util: John Buck
The Giants offense is led by their young catcher Buster Posey, who will look to showcase his talents over a full MLB season in 2011. Jose Reyes will look to re-establish himself as one of the premier Shortstops in baseball. As long as he stays healthy, he should have no problem. D-Lee will look to show he's still got some game left in the tank as he moves to Baltimore this season. If Carlos Lee can provide some offense, the Giants can be very good offensively in '11. The only problem with this offense is that they lack a big time power bat. This is why El Caballo is so important. If he can produce some big power numbers, it makes this offense so much more dynamic. This will be an interesting group to watch come 2011.
The rotation in San Francisco is very deep and full of talent.
CC Sabathia LHP
Jonathan Sanchez LHP
Carlos Zambrano RHP
Dallas Braden LHP
RA Dickey RHP
The Giants rotation is headlined by the Yankees Big Lefty Ace CC Sabathia and followed up with the Giants own young lefty Jonathan Sanchez, providing a nice one-two punch at the top. If Carlos Zambrano can continue his revival in Chicago this year, this rotation has another number 1 type starter in the mix. Braden and Dickey will look to prove 2010 was no fluke and build off strong campaigns. This rotation also features two younger pitchers, Randy Wells of the Cubs and Brian Duensing of the Twins, who will look to find more consistency in 2011, and establish themselves as viable fantasy options. All things considered, this has the makings of a very talented bunch.
The Giants bullpen has got two legitimate closers in David Aardsma and Joe Nathan. Nathan, coming off Tommy John, will look to re-gain his former All-Star form. The other 3 spots are filled out by a couple of holds specialists in Casilla, Runsler, and Santos.
The Giants are in a tough position in the very deep National League. They are one of those teams that are right on the cusp of making the playoffs and joining the elite teams. Expect them to be right there with the Rockies, Phillies, Braves, and Reds, as they fight for the 4 Playoff Spots available to the National League.
Arizona Diamondbacks:
2010 Record: 8-10-4
The 2010 Diamondbacks had a very strange season with a league leading 4 ties. If those ties had turned into wins, maybe we'd be having a different discussion, but instead, the Diamondbacks missed out on the playoffs, finishing under .500 for the 2nd straight year. They did show some marked improvement from the previous season. Let's look at their roster for 2011, as they look to make a push to join the NL's elite teams.
C: Adam Moore
1B: Mitch Moreland
2B: Aaron Hill
SS: Starlin Castro
3B:
OF: Brandon Allen, Drew Stubbs, Justin Upton
Util: Chris Young
The Diamondbacks have some major holes offensively. Off the bat, they have no third baseman and the season is right around the corner. With Lonnie Chisenhall in the farm system, they need to find a guy who can serve as a stopgap til he arrives on the scene. They need to address this immediately. Also, they have a rather inadequate backstop in Adam Moore. If they can address these two holes, the D-Backs offense has got a ton of potential. With a fairly young infield, Moreland, Hill, and Castro will only improve with time. Throw in the presence of toolsy outfielders like Upton, Stubbs, and Young, and the D-Backs have got a solid core to build around. Arizona may not be a powerhouse in 2011, but like a couple other teams in the ADBL, the future looks bright, especially if they can address their minor flaws they have on offense.
The rotation for Arizona is very talented, but they have a few things they need to prove.
Dan Haren RHP
Rick Porcello RHP
Clay Buchholz RHP
Gavin Floyd RHP
Derek Holland LHP/Jake Arrieta RHP
Up front they have 3 solid starters in Haren, Buchholz, and Floyd. These 3 are a good bet for double digit wins and good ERAs and WHIPs. If Porcello can bounce back from an abysmal 2010 and a return to his rookie form, the D-Backs will have another talented righty to add their stable. Rounding out the rotation are two young pitchers with a ton of promise that just need to get some more experience at the big league level. Holland and Arrieta will get their chance in 2011, but both will be in tough situations, Arrieta in the tough AL East and Holland in a playoff atmosphere. If the D-Backs are going to be successful in 2011, the pitching will lead the way.
The bullpen in Arizona is headlined by a couple of flamethrowers in Aroldis Chapman and Joel Zumaya. Throw in John Axford, the Brewers closer, and Koji Uehara and the D-Backs have a solid bullpen. They still have one spot open, but expect them to try and fill that via Free Agency.
The Diamondbacks are in a transition phase as they look to become a contender in the ADBL. With a solid group of young players to build around, if the Diamondbacks can fill some of their weaknesses (most notably 3B), they can become a contender sooner rather than later.
Los Angeles Dodgers:
2010 Record: 5-16-1
2010 was a disaster for the Los Angeles Dodgers, as they finished with the 2nd worst record in 2010, and a 5 game drop in wins. What will 2011 hold for the Dodger faithful?
C: Jorge Posada
1B: Kendry Morales
2B: Rickie Weeks
SS: Jason Bartlett
3B: Mark Reynolds
OF: Carlos Gonzalez, Jay Bruce, Fred Lewis
Util: Chris Johnson
Its hard to believe the Dodgers had only 5 wins last year with the amount of talent they have on offense. A lot of their lack of success last year had to do with injury. With a healthy Kendry Morales, Rickie Weeks, and Jorge Posada, expect the Dodgers to be much better in 2011. Throw in rising star Carlos Gonzalez and the promising Jay Bruce, the Dodgers have the makings of a strong offense. If Chris Johnson can build off a solid Major League debut to provide some solid production out of the utility slot, this offense will be more potent. Expect a much better 2011 from the Dodgers offense if they can stay healthy.
The Dodgers rotation is absolutely loaded with big names. They just need to get healthy and they will make a lot of noise in the NL.
Jered Weaver RHP
Ubaldo Jimenez RHP
Gio Gonzalez LHP
Brandon Webb RHP
Jake Peavy RHP/Johan Santana LHP
This rotation is loaded with talent. Led by three young studs up top in Weaver, Ubaldo, and Gio Gonzalez, this rotation will have no shortage of arms. Gonzalez needs to continue to improve on his control and prove last year was no fluke. The back end of the rotation has to prove they can stay healthy. Webb, Peavy, and Santana are all former Cy Young winners, who need to prove they have recovered from their injury woes. How they pitch in 2011 will determine how much success the Dodgers have this season.
The Dodgers bullpen is led by the electric Giants closer Brian Wilson, and features a ton of nice set-up men. Former Rays closer, Rafael Soriano, Hong-Chi Kuo, Kyle McClellan, and Kevin Jepsen round out the pen providing a plethora of holds chances.
The Dodgers are high-risk/high-reward type team. They can either be really good or really bad come 2011. A lot of their success hinges on the health of their big name players. If they can stay healthy, the Dodgers have a chance to be a darkhorse team this season. Expect a massive improvement from the Dodgers in 2011, as they will be a very formidable opponent this season.
Division Outlook:
The NL West is led by the ADBL Champion Colorado Rockies. The Rockies will face a lot of stiff competition this coming year, as the Giants, D-Backs, and Dodgers are all much improved. Expect a close race and even tougher Wild Card Race in the National League. As much as 6 teams will be vying for just 4 spots (2 Division and 2 Wild Cards). 2011 will be an interesting year for the ADBL.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
ADBL Preseason: NL East Preview
With our third segment in our Preseason Preview, we take a look at the new look NL East. As noted in the AL West preview, the NL East has some newcomers to a division already loaded with talent. Actually I take that back, this division has been completely overhauled for 2011. The only mainstay from 2010 are the defending NL East champion Cincinnati Reds. Joining them are real-life NL East members Atlanta, New York, and Philadelphia. Let's get started with the two-time division champs.
Cincinnati Reds:
2010 Record: 14-7-1 (1st in NL East/3rd in ADBL)
Cincy goes into 2011 with a world of confidence. As the most successful franchise in terms of winning percentage through the ADBL's first two seasons, expect more of the same from the Reds this year. Taking the field for the Reds in 2011 are a flurry of talented hitters:
C: Carlos Santana
1B: Joey Votto
2B: Brandon Phillips
SS: Elvis Andrus
3B: Evan Longoria
OF: Torii Hunter, Nick Swisher, Andrew McCutchen
Util: Gaby Sanchez
The Reds boast one of the best offenses in ADBL, and it comes as no surprise, as they are led by NL MVP Joey Votto. The infield is one of the best I have seen, and the scary part is they are still extremely young. Throw in a healthy Carlos Santana for a full season, and it makes the Big Red Machine even scarier. The outfield is solid boasting a good combination of power, run production, and speed. This offense really has no weakness. The only thing that could derail this bunch are insurmountable injuries, which I just don't see happening.
The starting rotation is probably Cincy's biggest strength, which is really saying something, given how strong their offense is. The Reds boast some of the biggest names in baseball headlined by:
Tim Lincecum RHP
Justin Verlander RHP
Edinson Volquez RHP
Johnny Cueto RHP
Ricky Romero LHP
This rotation is anchored by a pair of strikeout machines in the Freak and Verlander. Expect more of the same from those two studs at the top. Although talented, the back-end of the rotation does have some concerns. Volquez is coming off Tommy John surgery, but there is no reason to believe he can't return to his former All-Star form. Cueto is coming off a pretty good season, but must prove he can continue to improve upon his peripherals in 2011. Finally, we have young lefty Ricky Romero, who had a break-out year with the Blue Jays in 2010. Expect big things from him in 2011. To go along with these guys, the Reds also have a pair of young lefties in Travis Wood and Mike Minor. Expect big things from the Reds rotation come 2011, especially if the youngsters continue to mature and gain a better understanding of the big leagues.
The bullpen in Cincinnati is pretty darn good. With closers like Andrew Bailey, Heath Bell, and the young Drew Storen in the fold, providing the Reds with a ton of saves if all goes according to plan. Throw in a reliable group of set-up men headlined by Scott Downs and Brian Fuentes, holds should also be abundant for the Reds.
The Reds are clearly poised for a big 2011. Expect more of the same from a model franchise in the ADBL, as they look to make it a 3 peat atop the NL East. You've got to give their GM a ton of credit for the way he has assembled this team. It is really one of the best teams I have seen from top to bottom.
Philadelphia Phillies:
2010 Record: 15-6-1 (1st in AL West)
The Phillies come into 2011 as transfers from the AL West. They too have been very successful early on here in the ADBL's short existence, winning the league championship in the league's inaugural season. With 2 winning seasons already under their belt, the Phillies look to take their success with them to the NL. Here's how last years AL West champs stack up offensively:
C: Kurt Suzuki
1B: Justin Morneau
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Jimmy Rollins
3B: Jose Bautista
OF: Michael Cuddyer, Jayson Werth, Josh Hamilton
Util: Adam Lind
Another talented offense resides in Philadelphia. With All-Stars at almost every position, you'd be hard-pressed to find a deeper offense than this one. There are a few things that do concern me, mainly the injury history of some of the Phillies' star players. Morneau has a scary concussion history, Utley is coming off an injury riddled year, and is complaining of knee issues early on here. Hamilton has also had his share of injury issues in his successful career. All signs point to these guys being ready for Opening Day, but their health throughout the season will be of the utmost importance for the Phillies if they are to contend for a Championship like they are capable of. The Phils will also need Jose Bautista to prove last year was no fluke. Although no one expects him to hit 50+ HRs again, he cannot go back to being the scrub he was in Pittsburgh. Lind's production will be interesting to monitor. Personally, I think he will bounce back and provide solid numbers this season. Keep an eye on this offense because if all goes right, they can be very dangerous come 2011.
Philadelphia has also got a nice collection of starting pitching led by former WS MVP Cole Hamels. Joining Hamels in 2011 are:
Cole Hamels LHP
Wade Davis RHP
Joe Blanton RHP
Scott Baker RHP
Bronson Arroyo RHP
This rotation is solid. With a bona-fide ace at the top, and a young flamethrower behind him in Wade Davis expect solid production from the top 2 hurlers on this staff. The concern comes with the guys following them. Blanton had injury woes in 2010, but will be expected to carry less of a load with the new look Big 4 in the MLB Phillies rotation. Will that take some pressure off of him, and allow him to perform like he did back in Oakland? That remains to be seen. You know what you're going to get from Baker, plenty of innings, double digit wins, and a resepectable WHIP and ERA. Nothing flashy, but very useful. Everyone would love to have a guy like Baker to round out your rotation. Arroyo is very similar to Baker, providing much of the same type of production. Throw in youngster Mark Rzepzczynski and a possible bounce back year for Javy Vazquez, and the Phillies will be right there in contention for a postseason berth come 2011.
The bullpen in Philadelphia has some really nice pieces, including two sources of saves in Brad Lidge and Ryan Franklin. Although both of these guys come with their fair share of question marks, they are a reliable source of saves and should hold down that category for the Phils come 2011. Supplemented with solid holds contributors like Dotel and Madson, expect the bullpen in Philly to be as solid as the rest of the roster.
Overall, the Phillies have got a really nice team. Expect them to be right there with the Reds fighting for a division title come 2011. If they can get some key players to bounce back from off years (due to injury or ineffectiveness), they will be a very tough match-up for any team.
Atlanta Braves:
2010 Record: 11-10-1 (2nd in NL West)
Atlanta is another powerhouse team coming over to the NL East this season. With playoff appearances in each of the league's first two seasons, Atlanta looks to take that next big step to become a serious threat to win a championship in 2011. Here's a look at the starting line-up in Atlanta for 2011:
C: Brian McCann
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
2B: Ben Zobrist
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Chipper Jones
OF: Jason Heyward, Alex Rios, Ichiro Suzuki
Util: Adam Dunn
The Braves offense has a solid mix of savvy vets and young talent. Led by two big time sluggers in A-Gonz and Adam Dunn, along with the young gun Jason Heyward, the Braves will have plenty of firepower on offense. Still, a lot will hinge on the production Atlanta can get out of two future Hall Of Famers, Chipper Jones and Derek Jeter. Both coming off down years, these two vets want to prove they still have something left in the tank. How well these two play will go a long way in determining how much success the Braves have in 2011.
The rotation for Atlanta is extremely deep. They have 5 legitimate number 1 type starters in their rotation. On paper, this has a chance to be the best rotation in the division, maybe the whole league.
Roy Halladay RHP
Cliff Lee LHP
Tim Hudson RHP
Tommy Hanson RHP
Yovani Gallardo RHP
The amount of talent in this rotation is absurd. Halladay and Lee up top is as good as it gets. Hanson and Gallardo are extremely talented and have tremendous ability when going right. A key is for Gallardo to not have his typical 2nd half collapses and for Tim Hudson to stay healthy. If there is one criticism of this rotation, it's the lack of depth past the first 5. An injury to any one of these 5 would be devastating for the Braves.
The bullpen in Atlanta lacks a closer, but it is loaded with a ton of solid set-up men, so it will at least take care of holds. Losing out on one category isn't the end of the world, but it would help if they had at least one saves contributor.
The Braves are another NL East power, looking to make some noise in 2011. With an excellent balance of offense and pitching, expect the Braves to be in contention for a division title, and a third straight post-season berth. If they can get some solid contributions from their aging stars, like Chipper and Jeter, they can be very dangerous.
New York Mets:
2010 Record: 6-16 (4th in AL West)
The Mets try to turn things around this season, coming off a disastrous 2010. There's only one problem they are bringing their talents to one of the toughest divisions in ADBL. Will the shift to the NL bring better things for the Metropolitans?
C: Joe Mauer
1B: Ike Davis
2B: Clint Barmes
SS: Ian Desmond
3B: Casey Blake
OF: Cody Ross, Josh Willingham, BJ Upton
Util: Garrett Jones
The Mets offense isn't terrible, it's actually very solid. You can certainly do a whole lot worse. They are led by one of the best catchers in baseball in Joe Mauer, but they lack firepower behind him. With a lot of nice players, like Ike Davis and BJ Upton, the Mets have some good looking pieces in place, but with the rest of the talent in this division, it may be tough for the Mets to hang with the likes of the Reds, Phillies, and Braves this year. If the Mets are to contend this year, it will take some career years from some of their players to keep up with the rest of the NL East. However with Bryce Harper in the farm, brighter days are coming for the Mets offense.
Here's a look at the Mets rotation for 2011:
Mike Pelfrey RHP
Jorge De La Rosa LHP
Jonathon Niese LHP
Kevin Slowey RHP
Ryan Dempster RHP
JA Happ LHP
Like their offense, the Mets have some solid pieces in their rotation, but lack that true number one to put them over the top. They have a bunch of number 3 type starters, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when other teams in your division are trotting out number 1 type starters almost every day, it makes it very hard to keep pace. Still, the Mets rotation should keep them in more games than not. If they can acquire an ace via trade or Free Agency in coming years, the Mets will be very much a contender in the NL.
The bullpen in New York is led by one of the most consistent closers in baseball: Joakim Soria of Kansas City. He's surrounded by a solid supporting cast led by Pedro Feliciano, Peter Moylan, and Mike Adams. This bullpen is definitely one of the Mets' strengths, and may help compensate for their lack of superior talent in the starting rotation.
The Mets may not challenge for a playoff spot in 2011, but they are definitely on the right track. With a lot of solid talent on both sides of the baseball, a hitting phenom in Bryce Harper in the minors, and more top picks this season, it won't be long before the Mets get their first taste of postseason baseball in the ADBL.
Division Outlook:
For 2011, the NL East looks to be a monster of a division. Like their American League counterparts, the NL East can possibly have 3 postseason representatives. Home of the pre-season favorite Reds and perennial powers Philly and Atlanta, it is very likely the eventual league champ may come out of this grueling division. Don't discount the Mets either; they are on the fast-track to becoming relevant again. Expect big things from the NL East in 2011 and beyond.
Cincinnati Reds:
2010 Record: 14-7-1 (1st in NL East/3rd in ADBL)
Cincy goes into 2011 with a world of confidence. As the most successful franchise in terms of winning percentage through the ADBL's first two seasons, expect more of the same from the Reds this year. Taking the field for the Reds in 2011 are a flurry of talented hitters:
C: Carlos Santana
1B: Joey Votto
2B: Brandon Phillips
SS: Elvis Andrus
3B: Evan Longoria
OF: Torii Hunter, Nick Swisher, Andrew McCutchen
Util: Gaby Sanchez
The Reds boast one of the best offenses in ADBL, and it comes as no surprise, as they are led by NL MVP Joey Votto. The infield is one of the best I have seen, and the scary part is they are still extremely young. Throw in a healthy Carlos Santana for a full season, and it makes the Big Red Machine even scarier. The outfield is solid boasting a good combination of power, run production, and speed. This offense really has no weakness. The only thing that could derail this bunch are insurmountable injuries, which I just don't see happening.
The starting rotation is probably Cincy's biggest strength, which is really saying something, given how strong their offense is. The Reds boast some of the biggest names in baseball headlined by:
Tim Lincecum RHP
Justin Verlander RHP
Edinson Volquez RHP
Johnny Cueto RHP
Ricky Romero LHP
This rotation is anchored by a pair of strikeout machines in the Freak and Verlander. Expect more of the same from those two studs at the top. Although talented, the back-end of the rotation does have some concerns. Volquez is coming off Tommy John surgery, but there is no reason to believe he can't return to his former All-Star form. Cueto is coming off a pretty good season, but must prove he can continue to improve upon his peripherals in 2011. Finally, we have young lefty Ricky Romero, who had a break-out year with the Blue Jays in 2010. Expect big things from him in 2011. To go along with these guys, the Reds also have a pair of young lefties in Travis Wood and Mike Minor. Expect big things from the Reds rotation come 2011, especially if the youngsters continue to mature and gain a better understanding of the big leagues.
The bullpen in Cincinnati is pretty darn good. With closers like Andrew Bailey, Heath Bell, and the young Drew Storen in the fold, providing the Reds with a ton of saves if all goes according to plan. Throw in a reliable group of set-up men headlined by Scott Downs and Brian Fuentes, holds should also be abundant for the Reds.
The Reds are clearly poised for a big 2011. Expect more of the same from a model franchise in the ADBL, as they look to make it a 3 peat atop the NL East. You've got to give their GM a ton of credit for the way he has assembled this team. It is really one of the best teams I have seen from top to bottom.
Philadelphia Phillies:
2010 Record: 15-6-1 (1st in AL West)
The Phillies come into 2011 as transfers from the AL West. They too have been very successful early on here in the ADBL's short existence, winning the league championship in the league's inaugural season. With 2 winning seasons already under their belt, the Phillies look to take their success with them to the NL. Here's how last years AL West champs stack up offensively:
C: Kurt Suzuki
1B: Justin Morneau
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Jimmy Rollins
3B: Jose Bautista
OF: Michael Cuddyer, Jayson Werth, Josh Hamilton
Util: Adam Lind
Another talented offense resides in Philadelphia. With All-Stars at almost every position, you'd be hard-pressed to find a deeper offense than this one. There are a few things that do concern me, mainly the injury history of some of the Phillies' star players. Morneau has a scary concussion history, Utley is coming off an injury riddled year, and is complaining of knee issues early on here. Hamilton has also had his share of injury issues in his successful career. All signs point to these guys being ready for Opening Day, but their health throughout the season will be of the utmost importance for the Phillies if they are to contend for a Championship like they are capable of. The Phils will also need Jose Bautista to prove last year was no fluke. Although no one expects him to hit 50+ HRs again, he cannot go back to being the scrub he was in Pittsburgh. Lind's production will be interesting to monitor. Personally, I think he will bounce back and provide solid numbers this season. Keep an eye on this offense because if all goes right, they can be very dangerous come 2011.
Philadelphia has also got a nice collection of starting pitching led by former WS MVP Cole Hamels. Joining Hamels in 2011 are:
Cole Hamels LHP
Wade Davis RHP
Joe Blanton RHP
Scott Baker RHP
Bronson Arroyo RHP
This rotation is solid. With a bona-fide ace at the top, and a young flamethrower behind him in Wade Davis expect solid production from the top 2 hurlers on this staff. The concern comes with the guys following them. Blanton had injury woes in 2010, but will be expected to carry less of a load with the new look Big 4 in the MLB Phillies rotation. Will that take some pressure off of him, and allow him to perform like he did back in Oakland? That remains to be seen. You know what you're going to get from Baker, plenty of innings, double digit wins, and a resepectable WHIP and ERA. Nothing flashy, but very useful. Everyone would love to have a guy like Baker to round out your rotation. Arroyo is very similar to Baker, providing much of the same type of production. Throw in youngster Mark Rzepzczynski and a possible bounce back year for Javy Vazquez, and the Phillies will be right there in contention for a postseason berth come 2011.
The bullpen in Philadelphia has some really nice pieces, including two sources of saves in Brad Lidge and Ryan Franklin. Although both of these guys come with their fair share of question marks, they are a reliable source of saves and should hold down that category for the Phils come 2011. Supplemented with solid holds contributors like Dotel and Madson, expect the bullpen in Philly to be as solid as the rest of the roster.
Overall, the Phillies have got a really nice team. Expect them to be right there with the Reds fighting for a division title come 2011. If they can get some key players to bounce back from off years (due to injury or ineffectiveness), they will be a very tough match-up for any team.
Atlanta Braves:
2010 Record: 11-10-1 (2nd in NL West)
Atlanta is another powerhouse team coming over to the NL East this season. With playoff appearances in each of the league's first two seasons, Atlanta looks to take that next big step to become a serious threat to win a championship in 2011. Here's a look at the starting line-up in Atlanta for 2011:
C: Brian McCann
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
2B: Ben Zobrist
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Chipper Jones
OF: Jason Heyward, Alex Rios, Ichiro Suzuki
Util: Adam Dunn
The Braves offense has a solid mix of savvy vets and young talent. Led by two big time sluggers in A-Gonz and Adam Dunn, along with the young gun Jason Heyward, the Braves will have plenty of firepower on offense. Still, a lot will hinge on the production Atlanta can get out of two future Hall Of Famers, Chipper Jones and Derek Jeter. Both coming off down years, these two vets want to prove they still have something left in the tank. How well these two play will go a long way in determining how much success the Braves have in 2011.
The rotation for Atlanta is extremely deep. They have 5 legitimate number 1 type starters in their rotation. On paper, this has a chance to be the best rotation in the division, maybe the whole league.
Roy Halladay RHP
Cliff Lee LHP
Tim Hudson RHP
Tommy Hanson RHP
Yovani Gallardo RHP
The amount of talent in this rotation is absurd. Halladay and Lee up top is as good as it gets. Hanson and Gallardo are extremely talented and have tremendous ability when going right. A key is for Gallardo to not have his typical 2nd half collapses and for Tim Hudson to stay healthy. If there is one criticism of this rotation, it's the lack of depth past the first 5. An injury to any one of these 5 would be devastating for the Braves.
The bullpen in Atlanta lacks a closer, but it is loaded with a ton of solid set-up men, so it will at least take care of holds. Losing out on one category isn't the end of the world, but it would help if they had at least one saves contributor.
The Braves are another NL East power, looking to make some noise in 2011. With an excellent balance of offense and pitching, expect the Braves to be in contention for a division title, and a third straight post-season berth. If they can get some solid contributions from their aging stars, like Chipper and Jeter, they can be very dangerous.
New York Mets:
2010 Record: 6-16 (4th in AL West)
The Mets try to turn things around this season, coming off a disastrous 2010. There's only one problem they are bringing their talents to one of the toughest divisions in ADBL. Will the shift to the NL bring better things for the Metropolitans?
C: Joe Mauer
1B: Ike Davis
2B: Clint Barmes
SS: Ian Desmond
3B: Casey Blake
OF: Cody Ross, Josh Willingham, BJ Upton
Util: Garrett Jones
The Mets offense isn't terrible, it's actually very solid. You can certainly do a whole lot worse. They are led by one of the best catchers in baseball in Joe Mauer, but they lack firepower behind him. With a lot of nice players, like Ike Davis and BJ Upton, the Mets have some good looking pieces in place, but with the rest of the talent in this division, it may be tough for the Mets to hang with the likes of the Reds, Phillies, and Braves this year. If the Mets are to contend this year, it will take some career years from some of their players to keep up with the rest of the NL East. However with Bryce Harper in the farm, brighter days are coming for the Mets offense.
Here's a look at the Mets rotation for 2011:
Mike Pelfrey RHP
Jorge De La Rosa LHP
Jonathon Niese LHP
Kevin Slowey RHP
Ryan Dempster RHP
JA Happ LHP
Like their offense, the Mets have some solid pieces in their rotation, but lack that true number one to put them over the top. They have a bunch of number 3 type starters, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when other teams in your division are trotting out number 1 type starters almost every day, it makes it very hard to keep pace. Still, the Mets rotation should keep them in more games than not. If they can acquire an ace via trade or Free Agency in coming years, the Mets will be very much a contender in the NL.
The bullpen in New York is led by one of the most consistent closers in baseball: Joakim Soria of Kansas City. He's surrounded by a solid supporting cast led by Pedro Feliciano, Peter Moylan, and Mike Adams. This bullpen is definitely one of the Mets' strengths, and may help compensate for their lack of superior talent in the starting rotation.
The Mets may not challenge for a playoff spot in 2011, but they are definitely on the right track. With a lot of solid talent on both sides of the baseball, a hitting phenom in Bryce Harper in the minors, and more top picks this season, it won't be long before the Mets get their first taste of postseason baseball in the ADBL.
Division Outlook:
For 2011, the NL East looks to be a monster of a division. Like their American League counterparts, the NL East can possibly have 3 postseason representatives. Home of the pre-season favorite Reds and perennial powers Philly and Atlanta, it is very likely the eventual league champ may come out of this grueling division. Don't discount the Mets either; they are on the fast-track to becoming relevant again. Expect big things from the NL East in 2011 and beyond.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
ADBL Preseason: AL West Preview
After taking a look at the AL East, I'll profile the 4 teams out in the AL West. This year the AL West has got a new look with the former NL West Champion Tigers coming over to the AL along with the Kansas City Royals. To make room, the Mets and Phillies have gone to the NL East. So with the new re-alignment, let's take a look at how the AL West breaks down for the upcoming season.
AL West:
Detroit Tigers:
2010 Record: 14-8 (1st NL West/ADBL World Series runner-up)
The Tigers come over to the AL West off a very successful 2010 campaign in which they found themselves as the champions of the NL West and runners-up in the ADBL World Series. An extremely talented team, the Tigers will look to continue to improve and get back to the World Series, and this time hopefully win it. Here's a look at who will be taking the field for the Tigers in 2011:
C: Victor Martinez
1B: Albert Pujols
2B: Brian Roberts
SS: Hanley Ramirez
3B: Adrian Beltre
OF: Angel Pagan, Andre Ethier, Carlos Beltran
Util: Michael Bourn
The Tigers offense is extremely potent. Any time you can trot out two of the best players in all of baseball in Pujols and Hanley you're in good company. Throw in Victor Martinez, Adrian Beltre, and Andre Ethier and you've got an offense that is scary good. Still, the Tigers offense is not perfect. In order to be successful this season, the Tigers will need to get production from Brian Roberts and Carlos Beltran, who are coming off injury plagued seasons. If the Tigers want to get back to the World Series, they will need to produce and stay healthy. This offense also lacks depth at the infield, making Roberts' injury history even more scary. Still, the Tigers offense is not to be taken lightly. With the massive production you can expect from guys like Pujols and Hanley, any injury will be taken in stride.
The projected rotation for the Tigers is also a juggernaut featuring the AL Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez. Here are the other hurlers who will be joining King Felix in 2011:
Felix Hernandez RHP
Chris Carpenter RHP
Colby Lewis RHP
Shaun Marcum RHP
Homer Bailey RHP
The Tigers rotation is very solid 1-4, led by two perennial Cy Young contenders in King Felix and Carpenter. But like the Tigers offense, injuries may be a concern. Reports out of Cardinals camp have Chris Carpenter already hampered by a pulled hamstring. Although things don't appear to be too serious (a la Wainwright), this is still a situation worth monitoring. Marcum is now entering his 2nd season off Tommy John surgery. A move to the NL Central from the monstrous AL East however should help his numbers. Then there's Colby Lewis, a breakout star for the Rangers last October. If he can continue to progress, he'll slot in nicely for the Tigers in the number 3 slot. Finally, we come to the last slot in the rotation, manned by Homer Bailey. Once the top pitching prospect in all of MLB, Bailey has fallen a far way down the pecking order in Cincy. Still, his upside remains enormous, and if he can ever put it all together, the Tigers would be getting a steal at his current price. This rotation could be even better had phenom Stephen Strasburg been in the mix, but he will miss all of 2011 recovering from Tommy John. Expect to see him back with the big club in 2012. Despite their fair share of question marks, the Tigers should have all the pieces in place to once again challenge for a championship title.
As far as the bullpen is concerned, the Tigers have 5 outstanding arms, and one of the more complete pens I have come across. With Wood, Rauch, League, Nunez, and Gregg, saves will not be a problem, and Wood and Rauch should provide a nice source of holds. The Tigers pen is definitely one of this teams greatest strengths.
As 2011 approaches, the Tigers look poised to make another run at an ADBL title, led by some of the best players in the game. For me, the Tigers are the clear cut favorite to take the AL West early on.
Texas Rangers:
2010 Record: 6-13-3 (2nd in AL West)
The 2010 season was a huge disappointment for the Texas Rangers franchise. This team had huge expectations in 2010, coming off a NL West crown the season before, only to fall flat on their face and finish a distant 2nd in their first year in the AL West. So how do they fair coming into the 2011 season?
C: Jonathan Lucroy
1B: Prince Fielder
2B: Eric Young, Jr.
SS: Alcides Escobar
3B: Michael Young
OF: Nelson Cruz, Julio Borbon, David Murphy
Util: Jon Jay
The Rangers offense definitely has some holes that have to be addressed before this team is a serious contender in the American League. Outside of Fielder, M. Young, and Cruz, no one else really scares you as an opposing team. With unproven youngsters or platoon players at every other position, the Rangers offense will go through its share of growing pains this upcoming season. Lucroy and Escobar are nice young players at Catcher and Shortstop, but they have yet to contribute consistently at the Major League level. EY Jr. has yet to get consistent playing time in Colorado. Borbon and Murphy will have to a bigger role in this offense for it to be successful. A lot of this teams success will hinge on how big of a year it can squeeze out of its 3 stars: Fielder, Cruz, and M. Young.
The Rangers strength lies in its starting rotation. It is very young, but very talented, and has enormous upside.
CJ Wilson LHP
Joel Pineiro RHP
Daniel Hudson RHP
Edwin Jackson RHP
Chris Volstad RHP
Like the offense, this rotation will go through its share of growing pains, but the talent is there. With breakout lefty CJ Wilson at the lead and the talented Dan Hudson, the Rangers have two very talented pitchers to build around. If Jackson can find his groove in Chicago and Volstad can continue to develop down in Florida, this staff will share more success than failure. A lot hinges on how much growth the young pitchers show this season. If they continue to improve, the Rangers will have a solid pitching staff to build from for the coming years.
The bullpen is led by rookie phenom Neftali Feliz, the AL ROY, from last year. Other notables include Darren O'Day and Alex Ogando. If these guys continue to pitch as great as they did last year, the Rangers bullpen will be very good.
One word describes the Rangers team: young. With more experience, the Rangers will continue to get better. The 2011 season may be a rough one for the Rangers as their young players get experience, but it will be worth it in the long run. I expect the Rangers to not be serious contenders this year, but that's why you play the games.
LA Angels:
2010 Season: 7-14-1 (3rd in AL West)
2010 was not good for the Angels, finishing 7 games under .500. The first two years for the Angels have not been kind to the Angels franchise as they have finished under .500 in both seasons. Is there reason for optimism in LA for 2011? Let's take a look.
C: Mike Napoli
1B: Billy Butler
2B: Kelly Johnson
SS: Gordon Beckham
3B: Ryan Zimmerman
OF: Adam Jones, Colby Rasmus, Delmon Young
Util: Jhonny Peralta
The Angels offense has got some nice pieces to move forward with for 2011. Led by star 3B Ryan Zimmerman, the Angels can expect better things to come in 2011. If Gordon Beckham can bounce back after his sophomore slump, and Adam Jones can have a year more in line with his 2009 campaign, this offense can be really good. A lot is riding on these younger players, but there is no reason to believe they can't deliver. With solid years from Butler, Rasmus, and continued development from former number 1 pick Delmon Young, this offense has a chance to do some damage out West.
The rotation for the Angels lacks depth. To add insult to injury (no pun intended), the Angels will have to go through 2011 without their ace Adam Wainwright, who will have to undergo Tommy John surgery. With the Wainwright injury, the Angels have just 2 other starters on their roster for 2011: Ervin Santana and Mat Latos. As talented as these two are, you cannot expect to be a serious contender with just 2 starting pitchers. Help for this rotation is on the way, as the Angels have one of the best farm systems in the league, but that help may be a year away. With guys like Archer, McNutt, Gibson, and Mejia in the farm, the Angels will have to struggle through this year, but they will be very good in a years time.
Looking forward to this season, the Angels have a rough road ahead. Already with a major injury to their shallow starting rotation, the Angels will have to try to get by in 2011 on their offense alone. It will be difficult but they may have the bats to do it. With the mid-season call-ups of Royals sensations Moustakas and Hosmer very likely, they may add some much needed extra fire power. Expect 2011 to be more of a rebuilding year for the Angels, but they will likely be serious contenders in 2012 and beyond.
Kansas City Royals:
2010 Record: 7-14-1 (4th in NL East)
This will be the first season for the Royals in the AL West. They are hoping that this change of scenery will bring better things for a team struggling to find their identity in the ADBL. With two straight sub-par seasons, what will 2011 hold for the Royals?
C: Yadier Molina
1B: James Loney
2B: Howie Kendrick
SS: Stephen Drew
3B: Ian Stewart
OF: Alfonso Soriano, Manny Ramirez, Jose Tabata
Util: David Ortiz/Aubrey Huff
Offensively, Kansas City has a nice collection of talent. The problem with the Royals is that they lack a true superstar player to build around. They have some nice young talent like Stephen Drew, Stewart, Tabata, and Kendrick, but none of them are real cornerstones for a franchise. They serve more a role players purpose. The Royals also have some aging veterans, who must produce for this team to contend within the division. The success of guys like Soriano, Manny, Huff, and Ortiz, will dictate how much success the Royals have in 2011. If all goes right, this can be a surprisingly successful offense for KC. They aren't going to wow anyone, but it will be a very respectable and provide solid production for a team that may be more competitive than some expect in 2011.
The starting rotation for the Royals is led by veteran righty Brett Myers. Following him in 2011 will be:
Brett Myers RHP
Mike Leake RHP
Jhoulys Chacin RHP
Scott Kazmir LHP
Jason Hammel/Livan Hernandez/Tommy Hunter
Although the Rangers rotation is not as talented as some of the other rotations in the American League, you can certainly do far worse. With a front 3 of Myers, Leake, and Chacin, they will provide you with plenty of solid and effective innings. A lot of this rotations success will hinge on the play of Scott Kazmir. If the Royals can get any positive production out of him, it will be huge. The fifth spot will probably be filled out with a couple of innings eaters like Hammel, Livan, and Texas's Tommy Hunter.
The bullpen in KC has 3 talented relievers in Brandon Lyon, Evan Meek, and Andrew Cashner. Not big name guys, but nonetheless, they get the job done. If Lyon can hold down the closer's role in Houston, KC will get a pretty good number of saves out of him.
2011 will be another bridge year for KC. They need to get some more talent in that starting rotation and offense if they want to be a serious contender. They have some nice pieces to build around, but they are still a year or so from being serious contenders. If they can move some of their vets for young talent, the Royals can continue to try to turn around this franchise.
Division Outlook:
The class of the AL West is clearly the Detroit Tigers. They stand head and shoulders above everyone else in this division. Everyone else is just playing catch-up. No one else in this division has got their balance on offense and with the pitching staff. When those holes are fixed, the Tigers will face some competition for the division title. However, don't expect 2011 to be that year. A team to watch is the Angels. They have some serious talent on that team, and when their young talent comes up and they can add a pitcher or two to that rotation; they may develop into another powerhouse out in the AL.
AL West:
Detroit Tigers:
2010 Record: 14-8 (1st NL West/ADBL World Series runner-up)
The Tigers come over to the AL West off a very successful 2010 campaign in which they found themselves as the champions of the NL West and runners-up in the ADBL World Series. An extremely talented team, the Tigers will look to continue to improve and get back to the World Series, and this time hopefully win it. Here's a look at who will be taking the field for the Tigers in 2011:
C: Victor Martinez
1B: Albert Pujols
2B: Brian Roberts
SS: Hanley Ramirez
3B: Adrian Beltre
OF: Angel Pagan, Andre Ethier, Carlos Beltran
Util: Michael Bourn
The Tigers offense is extremely potent. Any time you can trot out two of the best players in all of baseball in Pujols and Hanley you're in good company. Throw in Victor Martinez, Adrian Beltre, and Andre Ethier and you've got an offense that is scary good. Still, the Tigers offense is not perfect. In order to be successful this season, the Tigers will need to get production from Brian Roberts and Carlos Beltran, who are coming off injury plagued seasons. If the Tigers want to get back to the World Series, they will need to produce and stay healthy. This offense also lacks depth at the infield, making Roberts' injury history even more scary. Still, the Tigers offense is not to be taken lightly. With the massive production you can expect from guys like Pujols and Hanley, any injury will be taken in stride.
The projected rotation for the Tigers is also a juggernaut featuring the AL Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez. Here are the other hurlers who will be joining King Felix in 2011:
Felix Hernandez RHP
Chris Carpenter RHP
Colby Lewis RHP
Shaun Marcum RHP
Homer Bailey RHP
The Tigers rotation is very solid 1-4, led by two perennial Cy Young contenders in King Felix and Carpenter. But like the Tigers offense, injuries may be a concern. Reports out of Cardinals camp have Chris Carpenter already hampered by a pulled hamstring. Although things don't appear to be too serious (a la Wainwright), this is still a situation worth monitoring. Marcum is now entering his 2nd season off Tommy John surgery. A move to the NL Central from the monstrous AL East however should help his numbers. Then there's Colby Lewis, a breakout star for the Rangers last October. If he can continue to progress, he'll slot in nicely for the Tigers in the number 3 slot. Finally, we come to the last slot in the rotation, manned by Homer Bailey. Once the top pitching prospect in all of MLB, Bailey has fallen a far way down the pecking order in Cincy. Still, his upside remains enormous, and if he can ever put it all together, the Tigers would be getting a steal at his current price. This rotation could be even better had phenom Stephen Strasburg been in the mix, but he will miss all of 2011 recovering from Tommy John. Expect to see him back with the big club in 2012. Despite their fair share of question marks, the Tigers should have all the pieces in place to once again challenge for a championship title.
As far as the bullpen is concerned, the Tigers have 5 outstanding arms, and one of the more complete pens I have come across. With Wood, Rauch, League, Nunez, and Gregg, saves will not be a problem, and Wood and Rauch should provide a nice source of holds. The Tigers pen is definitely one of this teams greatest strengths.
As 2011 approaches, the Tigers look poised to make another run at an ADBL title, led by some of the best players in the game. For me, the Tigers are the clear cut favorite to take the AL West early on.
Texas Rangers:
2010 Record: 6-13-3 (2nd in AL West)
The 2010 season was a huge disappointment for the Texas Rangers franchise. This team had huge expectations in 2010, coming off a NL West crown the season before, only to fall flat on their face and finish a distant 2nd in their first year in the AL West. So how do they fair coming into the 2011 season?
C: Jonathan Lucroy
1B: Prince Fielder
2B: Eric Young, Jr.
SS: Alcides Escobar
3B: Michael Young
OF: Nelson Cruz, Julio Borbon, David Murphy
Util: Jon Jay
The Rangers offense definitely has some holes that have to be addressed before this team is a serious contender in the American League. Outside of Fielder, M. Young, and Cruz, no one else really scares you as an opposing team. With unproven youngsters or platoon players at every other position, the Rangers offense will go through its share of growing pains this upcoming season. Lucroy and Escobar are nice young players at Catcher and Shortstop, but they have yet to contribute consistently at the Major League level. EY Jr. has yet to get consistent playing time in Colorado. Borbon and Murphy will have to a bigger role in this offense for it to be successful. A lot of this teams success will hinge on how big of a year it can squeeze out of its 3 stars: Fielder, Cruz, and M. Young.
The Rangers strength lies in its starting rotation. It is very young, but very talented, and has enormous upside.
CJ Wilson LHP
Joel Pineiro RHP
Daniel Hudson RHP
Edwin Jackson RHP
Chris Volstad RHP
Like the offense, this rotation will go through its share of growing pains, but the talent is there. With breakout lefty CJ Wilson at the lead and the talented Dan Hudson, the Rangers have two very talented pitchers to build around. If Jackson can find his groove in Chicago and Volstad can continue to develop down in Florida, this staff will share more success than failure. A lot hinges on how much growth the young pitchers show this season. If they continue to improve, the Rangers will have a solid pitching staff to build from for the coming years.
The bullpen is led by rookie phenom Neftali Feliz, the AL ROY, from last year. Other notables include Darren O'Day and Alex Ogando. If these guys continue to pitch as great as they did last year, the Rangers bullpen will be very good.
One word describes the Rangers team: young. With more experience, the Rangers will continue to get better. The 2011 season may be a rough one for the Rangers as their young players get experience, but it will be worth it in the long run. I expect the Rangers to not be serious contenders this year, but that's why you play the games.
LA Angels:
2010 Season: 7-14-1 (3rd in AL West)
2010 was not good for the Angels, finishing 7 games under .500. The first two years for the Angels have not been kind to the Angels franchise as they have finished under .500 in both seasons. Is there reason for optimism in LA for 2011? Let's take a look.
C: Mike Napoli
1B: Billy Butler
2B: Kelly Johnson
SS: Gordon Beckham
3B: Ryan Zimmerman
OF: Adam Jones, Colby Rasmus, Delmon Young
Util: Jhonny Peralta
The Angels offense has got some nice pieces to move forward with for 2011. Led by star 3B Ryan Zimmerman, the Angels can expect better things to come in 2011. If Gordon Beckham can bounce back after his sophomore slump, and Adam Jones can have a year more in line with his 2009 campaign, this offense can be really good. A lot is riding on these younger players, but there is no reason to believe they can't deliver. With solid years from Butler, Rasmus, and continued development from former number 1 pick Delmon Young, this offense has a chance to do some damage out West.
The rotation for the Angels lacks depth. To add insult to injury (no pun intended), the Angels will have to go through 2011 without their ace Adam Wainwright, who will have to undergo Tommy John surgery. With the Wainwright injury, the Angels have just 2 other starters on their roster for 2011: Ervin Santana and Mat Latos. As talented as these two are, you cannot expect to be a serious contender with just 2 starting pitchers. Help for this rotation is on the way, as the Angels have one of the best farm systems in the league, but that help may be a year away. With guys like Archer, McNutt, Gibson, and Mejia in the farm, the Angels will have to struggle through this year, but they will be very good in a years time.
Looking forward to this season, the Angels have a rough road ahead. Already with a major injury to their shallow starting rotation, the Angels will have to try to get by in 2011 on their offense alone. It will be difficult but they may have the bats to do it. With the mid-season call-ups of Royals sensations Moustakas and Hosmer very likely, they may add some much needed extra fire power. Expect 2011 to be more of a rebuilding year for the Angels, but they will likely be serious contenders in 2012 and beyond.
Kansas City Royals:
2010 Record: 7-14-1 (4th in NL East)
This will be the first season for the Royals in the AL West. They are hoping that this change of scenery will bring better things for a team struggling to find their identity in the ADBL. With two straight sub-par seasons, what will 2011 hold for the Royals?
C: Yadier Molina
1B: James Loney
2B: Howie Kendrick
SS: Stephen Drew
3B: Ian Stewart
OF: Alfonso Soriano, Manny Ramirez, Jose Tabata
Util: David Ortiz/Aubrey Huff
Offensively, Kansas City has a nice collection of talent. The problem with the Royals is that they lack a true superstar player to build around. They have some nice young talent like Stephen Drew, Stewart, Tabata, and Kendrick, but none of them are real cornerstones for a franchise. They serve more a role players purpose. The Royals also have some aging veterans, who must produce for this team to contend within the division. The success of guys like Soriano, Manny, Huff, and Ortiz, will dictate how much success the Royals have in 2011. If all goes right, this can be a surprisingly successful offense for KC. They aren't going to wow anyone, but it will be a very respectable and provide solid production for a team that may be more competitive than some expect in 2011.
The starting rotation for the Royals is led by veteran righty Brett Myers. Following him in 2011 will be:
Brett Myers RHP
Mike Leake RHP
Jhoulys Chacin RHP
Scott Kazmir LHP
Jason Hammel/Livan Hernandez/Tommy Hunter
Although the Rangers rotation is not as talented as some of the other rotations in the American League, you can certainly do far worse. With a front 3 of Myers, Leake, and Chacin, they will provide you with plenty of solid and effective innings. A lot of this rotations success will hinge on the play of Scott Kazmir. If the Royals can get any positive production out of him, it will be huge. The fifth spot will probably be filled out with a couple of innings eaters like Hammel, Livan, and Texas's Tommy Hunter.
The bullpen in KC has 3 talented relievers in Brandon Lyon, Evan Meek, and Andrew Cashner. Not big name guys, but nonetheless, they get the job done. If Lyon can hold down the closer's role in Houston, KC will get a pretty good number of saves out of him.
2011 will be another bridge year for KC. They need to get some more talent in that starting rotation and offense if they want to be a serious contender. They have some nice pieces to build around, but they are still a year or so from being serious contenders. If they can move some of their vets for young talent, the Royals can continue to try to turn around this franchise.
Division Outlook:
The class of the AL West is clearly the Detroit Tigers. They stand head and shoulders above everyone else in this division. Everyone else is just playing catch-up. No one else in this division has got their balance on offense and with the pitching staff. When those holes are fixed, the Tigers will face some competition for the division title. However, don't expect 2011 to be that year. A team to watch is the Angels. They have some serious talent on that team, and when their young talent comes up and they can add a pitcher or two to that rotation; they may develop into another powerhouse out in the AL.
ADBL Preseason: AL East Preview
Hey guys, it's Kirk, the NY Yankees GM in the ADBL Fantasy Baseball league. After seeing Archie's Videocast, I decided to get a little blog going for the league to give us some more interesting stuff to talk about. So for my first entry, I figured I'd give a little preview of the American League and follow up with a National League Preview in the coming days. I'm going to go through the projected line-ups, rotations, and give a few thoughts on each team's chances on winning in the upcoming year. Hopefully this makes our league even better than it already is. So without further ado let's get started.
AL East:
New York Yankees
2010 Record: 16-5-1 (1st in AL East)
The Yankees bounced back after a rough inaugural season in ADBL with an AL East crown and the best record in the league. Going into 2011, the Yankees look to continue to build off last year's success and establish themselves as a team to beat and true contender for the ADBL Title. Let's take a look at the projected starting line-up the Yankees plan to trot out for 2011:
C: Alex Avila/Ryan Doumit
1B: Adam LaRoche
2B: Robinson Cano
SS: Troy Tulowitzki
3B: Alex Rodriguez
OF: Vernon Wells, Hunter Pence, and Austin Jackson
Util: Brett Gardner
The Yankees have a good collection of hitters led by Tulo, Cano, and A-Rod, but after those 3 there are some question marks that need to be addressed. Catcher seems to be a very weak position for Yankees with the likes of Avila and Doumit manning the catching duties. Any production out of that position will be welcomed. Then there is the issue of how much regression will we see from Austin Jackson and Brett Gardner, both of whom broke out with stellar campaigns in 2010. Still, with solid supporting players like Pence, LaRoche, and Wells, the Yankees should be able to overcome regression from players like AJax and Gardner. Expect this offense to be very potent, especially if Gardner and Jackson continue to improve and if Wells finds new life in Anaheim.
As for the Starting Rotation, the Yankees have a strong group of talent, bolstered by off-season acquisition Chad Billingsley. Joining Billingsley in the rotation will be Brewers ace Zack Greinke, young Yankees righty Phil Hughes, Astros southpaw Wandy Rodriguez, Rays mainstay James Shields, and the young, but talented Orioles lefty Brian Matusz. This is an extremely deep and talented group that should be able to hold its own against any bunch week in and week out. Throw in Vin Mazzaro and Ivan Nova and you've got even more depth.
Finally, we address the team's biggest weakness: it's bullpen. With only one true contributor in the saves category, in Jose Valverde, expect the Yankees to try to offset losses in the saves category with success in the Holds category. With talented set-up men like Grant Balfour, Ryan Perry, and Mark Melancon, the Yankees shouldn't struggle too much because of their lack of saves.
All in all, the Yankees should be a very good team in 2011 and challenge for the AL East title, as well as the ADBL title. With the possible arrivals of Jesus Montero and Jarrod Parker, amongst others, during the 2011 season they should be good for a very long time.
Tampa Bay Rays:
2010 Record: 13-7-2 (2nd in AL East)
Tampa Bay continued to establish themselves as a model franchise in ADBL during their 2nd season. With a very respectable 2nd place finish in the AL East and a second straight trip to the playoffs, the Rays look to continue their early success in the ADBL. Despite being under new management, expect more of the same from the Rays. Here's a look at their projected line-up for the 2011 season:
C: JP Arencibia
1B: Miguel Cabrera
2B: Ian Kinsler
SS:
3B: David Wright
OF: Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, Nick Markakis
Util: Scott Rolen
Off the bat there is one glaring weakness in what is otherwise a very potent Rays offense, Who's going to play SS? Without any Major League ready talent in the farm at shortstop, and just a few weeks left til the season starts, Tampa needs to make a move to get a shortstop if they seriously want to contend for an ADBL crown. Besides their glaring hole at SS, rookie JP Arencibia must answer questions about his ability to make contact consistently if he wants to be considered a very good every day catcher. Still, he will provide you with plenty of pop behind the plate. With perennial All-Stars at almost every other position, including the defending league MVP Miggy Cabrera, the Rays offense will provide plenty of problems for opposing teams with a great balance of power and speed.
The Rays really shine with their talented starting rotation, which is one of the best in the league. Led by Marlins ace Josh Johnson and young lefty stud David Price here's a look at the rest of the Rays projected rotation:
Josh Johnson RHP
David Price LHP
Matt Garza RHP
Madison Bumgarner LHP
Roy Oswalt RHP
Matt Cain RHP
There is so much talent in this group that I didn't even mention the other notables including Ted Lily, Jeff Niemann, and breakout Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia. The Rays are loaded with starting pitching. Possibly dealing one of their starters to a team with a couple of shortstops may actual benefit the Rays, and may be worth looking into for their GM.
Their is one other hole for the Rays going into 2011. Who is going to pitch out of the pen? With just Fernando Rodney on their current roster, the Rays may need to make some last second FA signings to fill out their roster. Despite a few holes in the bullpen and the glaring hole at SS, expect the Rays to contend for another postseason berth come 2011.
Chicago White Sox:
2010 Record: 11-7-4(3rd in AL East)
The White Sox had a very successful 2010 campaign. After finishing in the basement of the AL East in their first season in the ADBL, the White Sox bounced back with a postseason berth and a respectable third place finish in a very tough AL East. Look for the White Sox to be a dark horse team in 2011, flying under the radar with a very balanced offense and fairly talented starting rotation:
C: Carlos Ruiz
1B: Ryan Howard
2B: Chone Figgins
SS: Alexei Ramirez
3B: Kevin Kouzmanoff
OF: Matt Holliday, Corey Hart, Mike Stanton
Util: Paul Konerko
The White Sox offense has got a ton of power, with sluggers like Howard and Konerko leading the way. Throw in the very reliable Matt Holliday and up-and-coming star Mike Stanton, the ChiSox will have plenty to look forward to in 2011. There are only a few glaring weaknesses when going through this line-up. At catcher, Carlos Ruiz isn't your prototypical fantasy catcher, and is probably a better real life player than he is for fantasy purposes. Still, he plays in a pretty good Phillies offense and a true hitters park, so Ruiz will provide solid power numbers and offensive production. The other major weaknesses are at 2B and 3B. Once a fantasy stud, Chone Figgins had a terrible year in his first year in Seattle. The White Sox are clearly hoping for better numbers out of the former All-Star. Kouzmanoff on the other hand never has been a fantasy stud and playing in a cavern of a ballpark in Oakland, he has to be the weakest link in the White Sox offense. Other than that, the White Sox have a plethora of talent on offense, and if Hart and Stanton continue to improve, the sky is the limit for the White Sox in 2011.
The Starting Rotation for the Southsiders is not as deep as their offense, but still very talented. Led by Francisco Liriano, let's take a look at who else will be joining him on the mound in 2011:
Francisco Liriano LHP
John Danks LHP
Jair Jurrjens RHP
Fausto Carmona RHP
Clayton Richard LHP
This is a very young group of starters, but they are led by two solid southpaws up front in Liriano and Danks. If Jurrjens can bounce back with a season in line with his 2009 numbers, the White Sox will have a very good 1-2-3 punch in their rotation. At the back end, you've got the talented, but often erratic Indians righty Fausto Carmona and breakout Padres lefty Clayton Richard. If Carmona continues to re-gain his 2007 form, the White Sox will be very tough to beat come regular season.
That leaves the bullpen. With three projected closers on their roster (Thornton CHW, Francisco TOR, Hanrahan PIT) and solid set-up men in David Robertson and Matt Guerrier, saves and holds should be no problem for the White Sox.
With one of the more balanced teams in the AL East, the White Sox will be a tough match-up any week, and if their young players continue to mature and get better, they will only be tougher to beat in the coming seasons.
Boston Red Sox
2010 Record: 10-12 (4th in AL East)
2010 was a season to forget for the Boston Red Sox. Riddled by injuries and under-achieving players, the Sox will look to bounce back and have a season more in-line with their 2nd place finish in 2009. On paper, the Red Sox looked poise to bounce back in 2011.
C: Miguel Olivo
1B: Mark Teixeira
2B: Dustin Pedroia
SS: Marco Scutaro
3B: Kevin Youkilis
OF: Curtis Granderson, Jacoby Ellsbury, Ryan Braun
Util: Aramis Ramirez
Injuries, Injuries, Injuries. That's the key for this group. With injuries plaguing almost half of the offense last year, the Red Sox understandably had an off year last season. Going into this year, expect big things out of this group. If Tex can get off to a good start for once, and the likes of Pedroia, Youk, Grandy, Ellsbury, and A-Ram can bounce back from their respective injuries, the Red Sox will have one of, if not the best offenses, in the division. And that's saying a lot considering the other offenses in this Division. Heck, the Sox have got Shin Soo Choo and Jason Bay on their bench. That's absolutely absurd.
As talented and deep as this offense is, the rotation has got a few question marks. Outside of Jon Lester, who knows what you are going to get from this bunch. They've got the potential to be very good, but they can also be utterly atrocious at times. Former Marlins teammates Josh Beckett and AJ Burnett will have to bounce back with strong 2011 campaigns if the Red Sox want to contend. They cannot afford to have the terrible years they had last season. Trevor Cahill and Max Scherzer must also continue to progress and build off breakout seasons. Many experts expect some regression for Cahill come 2011, but this regression shouldn't be too bad. He should still have a solid year. If all goes right for this bunch in 2011, the Red Sox will be a very scary team to face.
The bullpen has got a ton of hard throwers, including the normally reliable Jonathan Papelbon. A lot of the success of this bunch will hinge on how successful he will be converting saves in 2011. With a flurry of solid set-up men, including phenom Dan Bard and breakout righty Joaquin Benoit, the Sox pen should be pretty reliable come 2011.
Much of the Red Sox success in 2011 will hinge on how some of their big name stars will bounce back from injuries and inefficiency. This is especially important for the starting rotation and guys like Beckett and Burnett, since the offense is still pretty deep and can maybe overcome an injury or two. If all goes right for the Red Sox in 2011, the rest of ADBL better watch out.
Division Outlook:
This Division is extremely deep and all 4 teams are serious contenders. With the new ADBL rules having only 2 Wild Card teams from each league, one of these very good teams could potentially be left out of the postseason. It should be a great season for the AL East and a tough race that could come down to the last week of the season. Whoever wins this division could be the favorite to represent the AL in the ADBL World Series.
AL East:
New York Yankees
2010 Record: 16-5-1 (1st in AL East)
The Yankees bounced back after a rough inaugural season in ADBL with an AL East crown and the best record in the league. Going into 2011, the Yankees look to continue to build off last year's success and establish themselves as a team to beat and true contender for the ADBL Title. Let's take a look at the projected starting line-up the Yankees plan to trot out for 2011:
C: Alex Avila/Ryan Doumit
1B: Adam LaRoche
2B: Robinson Cano
SS: Troy Tulowitzki
3B: Alex Rodriguez
OF: Vernon Wells, Hunter Pence, and Austin Jackson
Util: Brett Gardner
The Yankees have a good collection of hitters led by Tulo, Cano, and A-Rod, but after those 3 there are some question marks that need to be addressed. Catcher seems to be a very weak position for Yankees with the likes of Avila and Doumit manning the catching duties. Any production out of that position will be welcomed. Then there is the issue of how much regression will we see from Austin Jackson and Brett Gardner, both of whom broke out with stellar campaigns in 2010. Still, with solid supporting players like Pence, LaRoche, and Wells, the Yankees should be able to overcome regression from players like AJax and Gardner. Expect this offense to be very potent, especially if Gardner and Jackson continue to improve and if Wells finds new life in Anaheim.
As for the Starting Rotation, the Yankees have a strong group of talent, bolstered by off-season acquisition Chad Billingsley. Joining Billingsley in the rotation will be Brewers ace Zack Greinke, young Yankees righty Phil Hughes, Astros southpaw Wandy Rodriguez, Rays mainstay James Shields, and the young, but talented Orioles lefty Brian Matusz. This is an extremely deep and talented group that should be able to hold its own against any bunch week in and week out. Throw in Vin Mazzaro and Ivan Nova and you've got even more depth.
Finally, we address the team's biggest weakness: it's bullpen. With only one true contributor in the saves category, in Jose Valverde, expect the Yankees to try to offset losses in the saves category with success in the Holds category. With talented set-up men like Grant Balfour, Ryan Perry, and Mark Melancon, the Yankees shouldn't struggle too much because of their lack of saves.
All in all, the Yankees should be a very good team in 2011 and challenge for the AL East title, as well as the ADBL title. With the possible arrivals of Jesus Montero and Jarrod Parker, amongst others, during the 2011 season they should be good for a very long time.
Tampa Bay Rays:
2010 Record: 13-7-2 (2nd in AL East)
Tampa Bay continued to establish themselves as a model franchise in ADBL during their 2nd season. With a very respectable 2nd place finish in the AL East and a second straight trip to the playoffs, the Rays look to continue their early success in the ADBL. Despite being under new management, expect more of the same from the Rays. Here's a look at their projected line-up for the 2011 season:
C: JP Arencibia
1B: Miguel Cabrera
2B: Ian Kinsler
SS:
3B: David Wright
OF: Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, Nick Markakis
Util: Scott Rolen
Off the bat there is one glaring weakness in what is otherwise a very potent Rays offense, Who's going to play SS? Without any Major League ready talent in the farm at shortstop, and just a few weeks left til the season starts, Tampa needs to make a move to get a shortstop if they seriously want to contend for an ADBL crown. Besides their glaring hole at SS, rookie JP Arencibia must answer questions about his ability to make contact consistently if he wants to be considered a very good every day catcher. Still, he will provide you with plenty of pop behind the plate. With perennial All-Stars at almost every other position, including the defending league MVP Miggy Cabrera, the Rays offense will provide plenty of problems for opposing teams with a great balance of power and speed.
The Rays really shine with their talented starting rotation, which is one of the best in the league. Led by Marlins ace Josh Johnson and young lefty stud David Price here's a look at the rest of the Rays projected rotation:
Josh Johnson RHP
David Price LHP
Matt Garza RHP
Madison Bumgarner LHP
Roy Oswalt RHP
Matt Cain RHP
There is so much talent in this group that I didn't even mention the other notables including Ted Lily, Jeff Niemann, and breakout Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia. The Rays are loaded with starting pitching. Possibly dealing one of their starters to a team with a couple of shortstops may actual benefit the Rays, and may be worth looking into for their GM.
Their is one other hole for the Rays going into 2011. Who is going to pitch out of the pen? With just Fernando Rodney on their current roster, the Rays may need to make some last second FA signings to fill out their roster. Despite a few holes in the bullpen and the glaring hole at SS, expect the Rays to contend for another postseason berth come 2011.
Chicago White Sox:
2010 Record: 11-7-4(3rd in AL East)
The White Sox had a very successful 2010 campaign. After finishing in the basement of the AL East in their first season in the ADBL, the White Sox bounced back with a postseason berth and a respectable third place finish in a very tough AL East. Look for the White Sox to be a dark horse team in 2011, flying under the radar with a very balanced offense and fairly talented starting rotation:
C: Carlos Ruiz
1B: Ryan Howard
2B: Chone Figgins
SS: Alexei Ramirez
3B: Kevin Kouzmanoff
OF: Matt Holliday, Corey Hart, Mike Stanton
Util: Paul Konerko
The White Sox offense has got a ton of power, with sluggers like Howard and Konerko leading the way. Throw in the very reliable Matt Holliday and up-and-coming star Mike Stanton, the ChiSox will have plenty to look forward to in 2011. There are only a few glaring weaknesses when going through this line-up. At catcher, Carlos Ruiz isn't your prototypical fantasy catcher, and is probably a better real life player than he is for fantasy purposes. Still, he plays in a pretty good Phillies offense and a true hitters park, so Ruiz will provide solid power numbers and offensive production. The other major weaknesses are at 2B and 3B. Once a fantasy stud, Chone Figgins had a terrible year in his first year in Seattle. The White Sox are clearly hoping for better numbers out of the former All-Star. Kouzmanoff on the other hand never has been a fantasy stud and playing in a cavern of a ballpark in Oakland, he has to be the weakest link in the White Sox offense. Other than that, the White Sox have a plethora of talent on offense, and if Hart and Stanton continue to improve, the sky is the limit for the White Sox in 2011.
The Starting Rotation for the Southsiders is not as deep as their offense, but still very talented. Led by Francisco Liriano, let's take a look at who else will be joining him on the mound in 2011:
Francisco Liriano LHP
John Danks LHP
Jair Jurrjens RHP
Fausto Carmona RHP
Clayton Richard LHP
This is a very young group of starters, but they are led by two solid southpaws up front in Liriano and Danks. If Jurrjens can bounce back with a season in line with his 2009 numbers, the White Sox will have a very good 1-2-3 punch in their rotation. At the back end, you've got the talented, but often erratic Indians righty Fausto Carmona and breakout Padres lefty Clayton Richard. If Carmona continues to re-gain his 2007 form, the White Sox will be very tough to beat come regular season.
That leaves the bullpen. With three projected closers on their roster (Thornton CHW, Francisco TOR, Hanrahan PIT) and solid set-up men in David Robertson and Matt Guerrier, saves and holds should be no problem for the White Sox.
With one of the more balanced teams in the AL East, the White Sox will be a tough match-up any week, and if their young players continue to mature and get better, they will only be tougher to beat in the coming seasons.
Boston Red Sox
2010 Record: 10-12 (4th in AL East)
2010 was a season to forget for the Boston Red Sox. Riddled by injuries and under-achieving players, the Sox will look to bounce back and have a season more in-line with their 2nd place finish in 2009. On paper, the Red Sox looked poise to bounce back in 2011.
C: Miguel Olivo
1B: Mark Teixeira
2B: Dustin Pedroia
SS: Marco Scutaro
3B: Kevin Youkilis
OF: Curtis Granderson, Jacoby Ellsbury, Ryan Braun
Util: Aramis Ramirez
Injuries, Injuries, Injuries. That's the key for this group. With injuries plaguing almost half of the offense last year, the Red Sox understandably had an off year last season. Going into this year, expect big things out of this group. If Tex can get off to a good start for once, and the likes of Pedroia, Youk, Grandy, Ellsbury, and A-Ram can bounce back from their respective injuries, the Red Sox will have one of, if not the best offenses, in the division. And that's saying a lot considering the other offenses in this Division. Heck, the Sox have got Shin Soo Choo and Jason Bay on their bench. That's absolutely absurd.
As talented and deep as this offense is, the rotation has got a few question marks. Outside of Jon Lester, who knows what you are going to get from this bunch. They've got the potential to be very good, but they can also be utterly atrocious at times. Former Marlins teammates Josh Beckett and AJ Burnett will have to bounce back with strong 2011 campaigns if the Red Sox want to contend. They cannot afford to have the terrible years they had last season. Trevor Cahill and Max Scherzer must also continue to progress and build off breakout seasons. Many experts expect some regression for Cahill come 2011, but this regression shouldn't be too bad. He should still have a solid year. If all goes right for this bunch in 2011, the Red Sox will be a very scary team to face.
The bullpen has got a ton of hard throwers, including the normally reliable Jonathan Papelbon. A lot of the success of this bunch will hinge on how successful he will be converting saves in 2011. With a flurry of solid set-up men, including phenom Dan Bard and breakout righty Joaquin Benoit, the Sox pen should be pretty reliable come 2011.
Much of the Red Sox success in 2011 will hinge on how some of their big name stars will bounce back from injuries and inefficiency. This is especially important for the starting rotation and guys like Beckett and Burnett, since the offense is still pretty deep and can maybe overcome an injury or two. If all goes right for the Red Sox in 2011, the rest of ADBL better watch out.
Division Outlook:
This Division is extremely deep and all 4 teams are serious contenders. With the new ADBL rules having only 2 Wild Card teams from each league, one of these very good teams could potentially be left out of the postseason. It should be a great season for the AL East and a tough race that could come down to the last week of the season. Whoever wins this division could be the favorite to represent the AL in the ADBL World Series.
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