Getting my first real taste of live preseason baseball right now. Yeah, it's the Yankees and Red Sox and we'll probably see them on national tv another couple hundred times this year, but it's still pretty great. I approve of ESPN's new Sunday Night Baseball crew.
Is it just me or does Spring Training just feel more right in Florida. I need those palm trees. Saturday can't come soon enough.
So, just to remind my reader out there (no, that wasn't a typo), I've been running down the 2011 baseball season division by division. Rather than go with straight projections I've tried to give it a little more character by simply naming the favorite and the anti-favorite, and then labeling teams based on my inclination to root for them. And remember, my thoughts and feelings are subject to change based on whatever's convenient at the time.
Friday through Sunday we ran through the American League (you know, cuz we don't want anyone feeling left out). On to the National League East...
The Favorite: Philadelphia Phillies
Not exciting, I know. I really wanted to knock the Phillies off their perch (not that I'm bitter or anything), but I simply can't justify it. Chase Utley's knee is a major question mark though, and on top of that, I just can't imagine their four aces working out exactly as planned. At least one will have a down year, or will get hurt, or something, and their aging offense won't be enough to pick up the slack. And I like the Braves (more on them later), but for now I gotta go by the book.
The Neglected: Washington Nationals
Again, the status quo. What were they doing this offseason exactly? Did they think they were a few expensive pieces away from contending? Well with that rotation you need a little more than Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche. Ryan Zimmerman is probably the most underrated player in the NL, and I love the guy, but he needs help, and he doesn't have it. Jordan Zimmermann is an interesting guy to watch, and I honestly think he and Gorzelanny might prove to be their two best starters. The Nats are probably a few years away, IF Strasburg has a successful recovery and Harper does what he's supposed to, but 2011's not their year.
Most Likable Team: Atlanta Braves
The Braves are often listed near the top in organizational prospect lists (no one's passing the Royals or Rays) and that makes them one of the more exciting teams to watch. Joining Heyward among this year's starters is first baseman Freddie Freeman, and likely accompanying Tommy Hanson in the rotation is youngster Mike Minor. Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters bring a ton of youth and power to the backend of the bullpen, and who isn't rooting for Chipper Jones at this point in his career (well, maybe a lot of people, I don't really know... but I like him). And Brian McCann is quietly having a superb start to his still young career. Throw in a couple likable guys like Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson at the front of the rotation and this is a no brainer.
Least Likable Team: New York Mets
They spend like they have the money (which they do) and know what they're doing (not so much). This team is so sad that I mostly just feel bad for Mets fans. There's been enough drama and disappointment over the last few years that I'm just going to opt for brevity on this one, for all our sakes.
Potential story line:
I swear I'm not doing this on purpose, but I gotta go with the team I've yet to mention. Since their existance I've found the Florida Marlins to be possibly the most facinating team in baseball. They've won two World Series in less than 20 years and seem to find a way to contend no matter how many stars they trade away or how many young, unproven players they trot out there. And it looks like they're in position to do it yet again. They have five very viable young starters, including a bona fide Cy Young candidate in Josh Johnson, potential stars Logan Morrison and Mike Stanton man the outfield, Gabby Sanchez had a very strong rookie campaign, and of course their shortstop is pretty good too. One thing I find borderline laughable... is that Wes Helms penciled in at third? Regardless, I won't be surprised when the Marlins are nipping at the heels of the Phillies and Braves come August.
Overall Results: (slightly adjusted...)
Phillies 90
Braves 89 (+1)
Marlins 83
Mets 75
Nationals 70 (+1)
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Division Run Down: AL West
Something about a four team division makes it seem like a crap shoot every year. Though this time I think there's a particular order popping up more often than not. But of course, that usually means nothing...
The Favorite: Texas Rangers
They won the division comfortably last year, made the World Series, and though they lost their ace, the Rangers added free agent Adrian Beltre, they have the reigning American League MVP, and they will trot out a couple young starters showing promise, most notably Derek Holland. They aren't without questions: Can Josh Hamilton say healthy, will Colby Lewis duplicate his 2010, and of course, what role will Neftali Feliz ultimately settle into? Still, no other team in the West is in position to pass the Rangers.
The Neglected: Seattle Mariners
The Mariners lost 100 games last season for the second time in three years. Much has been said about the unlikelihood of everyone on the team playing as poorly as they did, which should put them in line for an increased win total without changing much. That being said, it's not hard to go up from 61, and they're still putting a lot of faith in youngsters Saunders and Smoak, and have very little starting pitching depth behind Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez. It's unlikely Seattle sniffs the .500 mark this year.
Most Likable Team: Oakland Athletics
It's funny, throughout the 90's the A's were unquestionably my least favorite team in baseball. As a young, impressionable baseball fan I was left with a bad taste in my mouth when the Reds weren't given much of a chance going in the 1990 World Series. That feeling lingered as players like McGwire, Canseco, Henderson, and Stewart just struck me as unlikable.
All that changed at the turn of the century when the A's were the focus of a new kind of baseball and the subject of some book that a bunch of people read. Now the A's play the role of perpetual underdog as they try to win with less, endlessly searching for baseball market inefficiencies. A stash of young, promising starters and a handful of slick fielding batsmen with some power peppered in here and there gives this team just enough to be interesting.
Least Likable Team: Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim?)
Having only four teams limits our choices here (though I never really made it a rule that I wouldn't select a team for more than one category, it just kind of worked out that way so far). But I think the Angels fit the bill here. Acquiring Vernon Wells this offseason probably qualifies them immediately (I have nothing against Wells personally, it's just clearly an unlikable move). Add in their silly name changes and I think it's an open and shut case.
Potential story line:
Is Billy Beane back? I admittedly haven't had much of a chance to keep up with this story, but wasn't there talk of Beane being more interested in soccer than baseball last year? Add in the fact that the A's haven't finished above .500 since 2006 and to most people Moneyball is a distant memory (or something to be proven ineffective). If the A's young pitchers keep improving and the offense produces just enough to compliment their above average run prevention, I personally would like to see the Moneyball naysayers put back in their place just a bit (or at least we can try and convince them that they just don't understand what they're talking about, but that seems unlikely).
Overall Result: (slightly adjusted...)
Rangers 87 (+1)
Athletics 83
Angels 79 (+1)
Mariners 73
The Favorite: Texas Rangers
They won the division comfortably last year, made the World Series, and though they lost their ace, the Rangers added free agent Adrian Beltre, they have the reigning American League MVP, and they will trot out a couple young starters showing promise, most notably Derek Holland. They aren't without questions: Can Josh Hamilton say healthy, will Colby Lewis duplicate his 2010, and of course, what role will Neftali Feliz ultimately settle into? Still, no other team in the West is in position to pass the Rangers.
The Neglected: Seattle Mariners
The Mariners lost 100 games last season for the second time in three years. Much has been said about the unlikelihood of everyone on the team playing as poorly as they did, which should put them in line for an increased win total without changing much. That being said, it's not hard to go up from 61, and they're still putting a lot of faith in youngsters Saunders and Smoak, and have very little starting pitching depth behind Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez. It's unlikely Seattle sniffs the .500 mark this year.
Most Likable Team: Oakland Athletics
It's funny, throughout the 90's the A's were unquestionably my least favorite team in baseball. As a young, impressionable baseball fan I was left with a bad taste in my mouth when the Reds weren't given much of a chance going in the 1990 World Series. That feeling lingered as players like McGwire, Canseco, Henderson, and Stewart just struck me as unlikable.
All that changed at the turn of the century when the A's were the focus of a new kind of baseball and the subject of some book that a bunch of people read. Now the A's play the role of perpetual underdog as they try to win with less, endlessly searching for baseball market inefficiencies. A stash of young, promising starters and a handful of slick fielding batsmen with some power peppered in here and there gives this team just enough to be interesting.
Least Likable Team: Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim?)
Having only four teams limits our choices here (though I never really made it a rule that I wouldn't select a team for more than one category, it just kind of worked out that way so far). But I think the Angels fit the bill here. Acquiring Vernon Wells this offseason probably qualifies them immediately (I have nothing against Wells personally, it's just clearly an unlikable move). Add in their silly name changes and I think it's an open and shut case.
Potential story line:
Is Billy Beane back? I admittedly haven't had much of a chance to keep up with this story, but wasn't there talk of Beane being more interested in soccer than baseball last year? Add in the fact that the A's haven't finished above .500 since 2006 and to most people Moneyball is a distant memory (or something to be proven ineffective). If the A's young pitchers keep improving and the offense produces just enough to compliment their above average run prevention, I personally would like to see the Moneyball naysayers put back in their place just a bit (or at least we can try and convince them that they just don't understand what they're talking about, but that seems unlikely).
Overall Result: (slightly adjusted...)
Rangers 87 (+1)
Athletics 83
Angels 79 (+1)
Mariners 73
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