...Boston Red Sox...
New to Red Sox Nation - OF Carl Crawford...IB Adrian Gonzalez...RP Bobby Jenks...RP Dan Wheeler
Peace, see ya later - 3B Adrian Beltre...C Victor Martinez...1B Mike Lowell
In the Red Sox organization keep an eye on...SS Jose Iglesias...Jose cost the BoSox a cool $8+ mill just to sign the Cuban in 2009...This guy is MLB-ready as far as his D...His O does need seasoning, and with Marco Scutaro currently at SS Jose will get a chance to continue his development in the Minors, but he is not far from being an every day SS for this club...
Apparently the BoSox did not have a sense of humor about missing out on the playoffs for the first time in 4 years...They went out and added a ton of talent and depth...Let's have a look...
The rotation remains the same likely with guys like Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz, and Dice-K...The bullpen still has Jonathan Papelbon closing, for now, but either Daniel Bard or Bobby Jenks can close, and still leave arms like Matt Albers, Dan Wheeler, and perhaps even Tim Wakefield to contribute to the 'pen (Wakefield entering his 19th season...wow)
The O was great in 2010, and could even be better in 2011...Crawford and A-Gon are added and should each thrive in Fenway (especially A-Gon...he hit 30+ HR's with zero protection in front or behind him in the lineupin San Diego...plus hitting at Fenway as apposed to Petco should be great for him too)...Jacoby Ellsbury returns from injury...Add J.D. Drew and David Ortiz and we see 5 great left-handed hitting bats for Manager Terry Francona...From the right side Boston has studs like Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis (both looking for healthy 2011's)...Question marks are SS Marco Scutaro, and C's Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jason Varitek
Over/Under win total for the 2011 Red Sox...95.5...OVER...A return to form from guys like Lackey and Beckett will surely be required to get 96+ W's, but there is a ton of talent here so I will predict 96+ W's
...New York Yankees...
New to the Pin stripes - C Russell Martin...RP Pedro Feliciano...OF Andruw Jones
Escape from New York - 1B Lance Berkman...RP Kerry Wood...SP Any Pettitte...OF Austin Kearns...DH Nick Johnson
In the Yanks organization keep an eye on...SS Eduardo Nunez...The Yankees do have several legit prospects believe it or not (seems their rep is more like sell/trade the prospects for high-priced MLB-ready talent, but remember the Yanks drafted and raised the likes of Jeter/Posada/Mo Rivera/Cano to name a few)...Nunez is interesting to me as the Yanks refused to include him in a deal at the Trade Deadline last season with Seattle that would have landed them Cliff Lee...that puts a lot of pressure/expectations on a guy who will one day replace Derek Jeter (as if that wasn't going to be enough pressure already!!)
It is rare to see so many question marks to start a season for the New York Yankees...Not the least of which is the starting rotation...This unit is top-heavy with C.C. Sabathia and Phil Hughes as the 1-2 punch...There is a ton of potential drop-off after that...A.J. Burnett was terrible in 2010...Rookie Ivan Nova will be in the rotation (a rookie in the Yanks rotation?!?!)...Also guys like Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia will get a shot at a rotation spot...so could Kevin Millwood at some point (he is going to start the season in the Minors)...The bullpen is pretty damn good...Joba Chamberlain, Pedro Feliciano, and Rafael Soriano provide skill and depth as set-up men for Mo Rivera
The OF is solid, but perhaps not great...Brett Gardner, Curtis Granderson, and Nick Swisher...The IF is great...A-Rod...Derek Jeter...Robinson Cano...Mark Teixeira...wow...also Russell Martin and Jorge Posada to C and DH (Posada likely mostly a DH going forward)...The Yankees excel at getting runners on base, and then driving them home
Over/Under win total for the 2011 Yankees...91.5...UNDER...The rotation may struggle (unless GM Brian Cashman is able to dial-up the time machine and make it 2004ish again so Millwood, Colon, and Garcia could be good)...If Nova does not produce this team will not make the playoffs...I have little faith in A.J. Burnett (he did have a solid Spring though)...LOVE the 'pen and LOVE the IF, but a tad underwhelmed everywhere else
...YOUR TORONTO BLUE JAYS...
Welcome to Canada - OF Rajai Davis...OF Corey Patterson...RP Octavio Dotel...RP Frank Francisco...OF Juan Rivera...RP Jon Rauch...RP Carlos Villanueva
Hope you enjoyed your time north of the border - OF Vernon Wells...C John Buck...RP Kevin Gregg...1B Lyle Overbay...OF Fred Lewis...RP Scott Downs...SP Shaun Marcum
In the Jays organization keep an eye on...SS Adeiny Hechavarria...we hold AA meetings around here on a regular (AA standing for Alex Anthopoulos, GM of the Jays) and we know AA has already begun to stock young high-upside talent in the organization so there is a lot to choose from...For this entry guys like Arencibia, Lawrie, McGuire, Gose, Thames, and even Drabek will take a back seat to Adeiny Hechavarria...Jays spent an amazing $10 mill to match the Yanks offer for the Cuban SS, and they landed Hechavarria...The 21 year old is already MLB-ready with his glove, but his O does need work...His glove will get him to the MLB level quickly though and we should all be in for a treat with this kid...
The pitching staff in 2011 will get their first taste of new Manager John Farrell (ex-Red Sox Pitching Coach)...Ricky Romero, Kyle Drabek, and Brett Cecil all need to continue their development in 2011...Same can be said for Brandon Morrow (who could be their best pitcher) but he is starting the season on the DL...also we know Morrow will again be shut down early in '11 once he reaches 180 innings (His 2010 was shut down at the 146 inning mark)...Jays hope Jesse Litsch can regain his 2008 form...Jo-Jo Reyes will get a look as a starter too (at least in Morrow's absence)...The Jays hope to one day have Dustin McGowan regain his health and his form to be able to rejoin the club...The bullpen is walking wounded currently...Closer Frank Francisco is down...set-up lefty Jesse Carlson is down...set-up righty Octavio Dotel is down...That leaves David Purcey, Carlos Villanueva, Casey Janssen, Jason Frasor, and Shawn Camp to set-up closer Jon Rauch...
On O the Jays lose a ton of runs with the departures of Wells, Buck, Overbay, and Lewis...Much will be needed from rookie C J.P. Arencibia...Travis Snider is entering a shit-or-get-off-the-pot season (he has a ton of talent, but at this point it is time to start putting that on display)...Rajai Davis and Juan Rivera are new to the OF, while Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind will be the new 1B's (both played different positions in 2010 for the Jays)...A return to health, and form, is needed for 2B Aaron Hill...Jays also need the career of SS Yunel Escobar to get back on track...Of course the O is led by Jose Bautista...Many fear that Jose will step back, waaay back, in 2011...I predict another monster season...50+ HR's?!?! Unlikely, but remember now this is a guy who really found an understanding of his swing in September of 2009, not just 2010...I think we have seen enough from Bautsita to suggest that he knows his swing so well at this point that he can continue to square up pitches and hit the ball hard consistently
Over/Under win total for the 2011 Jays...76.5...UNDER...as Jays fans we all want to see them win more than 76 games this season, but there are certain question marks on O, enough to scare me off of the OVER...For my friends that are Jays fans and keep predicting to me that this Jays team will shock people and make the play-offs in 2011 let's all take a deep breath...and remember a few things together here...If 2011 was ever on the radar for the play-offs then Doc Halladay would still be here (we remember it was Doc, AA, and Paul Beeston who all told us that Doc's timetable for winning was different than the Jays timetable...translation - Doc is ready now while Jays know their time is 2013 going forward)...plus if 2011 was going to be a play-off season then you don't allow John Buck and Scotty Downs to leave for nothing...you do not trade 2010 opening day starter Shaun Marcum for a 20 year old prospect...You likely don't even let Lyle Overbay go for nothing too...
Go Jays Go, but likely not much in 2011...2012 this team will be on the doorstep...2013+ this team will be special - perennial contenders thanks to AA
...Baltimore Orioles...
New toys for Buck Showalter - OF Vlad...3B Mark Reynolds...1B Derrek Lee...SS J.J. Hardy
New toys for Buck Showalter - OF Vlad...3B Mark Reynolds...1B Derrek Lee...SS J.J. Hardy
OUT - SP Kevin Millwood...IF Ty Wigginton...OF Corey Patterson
In the O's organization keep an eye on...SS Manny Machado...very highly ranked out of High School last season and drafted by the O's #3 overall in last years Draft...he has very high upside on O, and should be a strong defender too...the comparison has been made to a young A-Rod...
This O's team hit just 133 HR's in 2010...They may get north of 200 in 2011 with these additions...Sure Vlad, Reynolds, and Lee strikeout a lot, but they sure can bang...Add that power to a lineup that has good hitters like Nick Markakis, Luke Scott, Adam Jones, and Brian Roberts and we see potential here...C Matt Wieters needs to hit to his potential...J.J. Hardy is the new SS and we will see how he fares in the AL East (he will surely be an upgrade over Cesar Izturis)...The 2010 O's were in the bottom-third of almost every O category, but this season should be better
The 2010 pitching was a punchline...but there is potential there going forward if these young arms can mature and produce to their potential...Brian Matusz, Brad Bergesen, Jake Arrieta, and Chris Tillman all pitched much better following the mid-season managerial change that brought in Buck Showalter...Veteran Jeremy Guthrie will be the #1 starter...The bullpen adds ex-Jays Kevin Gregg and Jeremy Accardo to go with Koji Uehara in the back of the O's 'pen...All of them have MLB experience as a closer...Alfredo Simon might have been the 2011 closer, but he has bigger issues ie an involuntary manslaughter charge from a recent incident in the Dominican Republic...Jason Berken and Jim Johnson will get innings out of the bullpen too
Over/Under win total for the 2011 O's...76.5...The O's really responded to Showalter when he took over mid-season in 2010...How about a last place team that went 34-24 with Showalter at the helm...impressive...OVER
...Tampa Bay Rays...
IN - OF/DH Manny Ramirez...OF/DH Johnny Damon
OUT - 1B Carlos Pena...SP Matt Garza...SS Jason Bartlett...OF Rocco Baldelli...RP Joaquin Benoit...RP Randy Choate...OF Carl Crawford...C Dioner Navarro...RP Rafael Soriano...RP Dan Wheeler...DH Willy Aybar...
In the Rays organization keep an eye on...OF Desmond Jennings...stud-in-the-making...Jennings will replace the departed Carl Crawford and should be the Rays everyday OF for years to come...not necessarily a power hitting threat, but he does make good contact and he can flat out fly around the bases...smart base-runner too...
This Rays team won more games than any MLB team in 2010...That is extremely unlikely to repeat in 2011...a TON of talent left TB in the off-season...Now don't get me wrong, a TON of young/high-upside talent remains...let's take a look...
The rotation lost Garza, but stud David Price remains...he is the #1, followed by guys like James Shields, Wade Davis, Jeff Niemann, and Jeremy Hellickson...There is surely potential there for a solid staff...Andy Sonnanstine could be a spot-starter too (if he doesn't become the closer)...In the 'pen Jake McGee and Joel Peralta will both get a shot to close games
The O still has stud Evan Longoria, but a huge drop-off after that...Jennings, B.J. Upton, and Ben Zobrist all need big years or they may see their playing time go to Man-Ram and/or Johnny Damon...Reid Brignac takes over at SS...he and double-play partner 2B Sean Rodriquez both need improved 2011 seasons...John Jaso and Kelly Shoppach are the Catchers (not much to like there)...1B will likely be Dan Johnson (yikes)
Over/Under win total for the 2011 Rays...84.5...UNDER...The starting staff could still be pretty good (especially Price) but the bullpen has potential to be awful, and the everyday lineup will take enough steps back that this Rays team will struggle in 2010
Check out the other MLB Previews too...and follow me on twitter @craigballard77
raig.ballard@hotmail.com
