MLB FanHouse

Peer Inside MLB FanHouse's Crystal Ball

Andrew Johnson — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: AL Central, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL West, FanHouse Previews

On Thursday, our staff of MLB experts unveiled their picks for the major postseason awards. Now we're down to the really good stuff.

Who will make the playoffs and win the ultimate prize in October? Our 13 brightest baseball minds (including yours truly) tried to answer those questions, and the results are after the jump. But first a few notes:

-- As a group we are most confident in three things: that the Cubs will win the NL Central (12 out of 13 panelists), that the Angels will win the AL West (10 of 13) and that two teams from the AL East will make the playoffs (a perfect 13 for 13).

-- We are most conflicted about the AL Central (six of 13 panelists picked the Indians to win the division, but every team in the division was picked at least once) and the NL wild card (seven different teams picked, none with more than four nods).

-- Of the big three in the AL East, we're most confident that the Red Sox will make the playoffs as either the division champ of wild card (10 of 13 panelists), but even after spending hundreds of millions this winter, we don't like the Yankees much (only seven of 13 picked them to make the postseason). The Rays were picked by nine of 13 to return to the playoffs for the second time in team history.

-- There are only two lone wolves in our picks. I was alone in picking the A's to make the playoffs and Jon Bois went out on a limb and picked the Royals. Every other team was picked to make the postseason by at least two prognosticators.

-- Finally, our bias toward the AL East showed once again in our World Series picks. Nine of 13 panelists picked one of the big three in the East to make the World Series and seven of 13 panelists picked a team from the division to win the championship. The most popular World Series winner: the Rays (three of 13).

So with that, it's on to the picks. When you're done poring over them, leave your own in the comments section below.

	East	Central	West	Wild Card	Champ	World Series Champ
	East	Central	West	Wild Card	Champ	World Series Champ
Ed Price
Ed Price
Jeff Fletcher
Jeff Fletcher
Jay Mariotti
Jay Mariotti
Dan Graziano
Dan Graziano
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Matt Snyder
Matt Snyder
Will Brinson
Will Brinson
Pat Lackey
Pat Lackey
Josh Alper
Josh Alper
Tom Fornelli
Tom Fornelli
Knox Bardeen
Knox Bardeen
Jon Bois
Jon Bois
Jacob Wheatley-Schaller
Jacob Wheatley-Schaller

Peer Inside MLB FanHouse's Crystal Ball originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And the Awards Go to ...

Ed Price — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Awards, FanHouse Previews

We still have more than seven months before the Baseball Writers' Association of America hands out its hardware, but why wait? MLB FanHouse's staff is ready to name the award winners today.

But don't hold us to it.

These predictions are nothing more than having some fun. Think about it; there's two ways to predict who wins the MVP or Cy Young Award: take the obvious guy who's been at the top of his game (Johan Santana, Albert Pujols) or go with a hunch and make a stab at some so far unrewarded talent (Grady Sizemore, David Wright).

Our choices are below, and there's little consensus. Five different players got picked for AL MVP, five for AL Rookie of the Year, six for NL Cy Young, six for NL Rookie of the Year, seven for NL MVP and nine for AL Cy Young.

The most popular picks were for Florida's Cameron Maybin as NL Rookie of the Year and Grady Sizemore as AL MVP (both six panelists).

We must feel Cleveland will bounce back in the AL Central, since Sizemore was a popular choice for AL MVP. Sizemore is due some recognition; his 232 extra-base hits the past three seasons are most in the league.

Wright was the top pick in the NL, with teammate Jose Reyes getting one selection and division rival Chase Utley another. (I went off the board with Stephen Drew, just because.)

Most of our choices for AL Rookie of the Year will open the season in the minors, with Tampa Bay's David Price and Baltimore's Matt Wieters being picked by eight of the 13 panelists.

Writer	AL MVP	NL MVP	AL Cy Young	NL Cy Young	AL Rookie of Year	NL Rookie of Year
Ed Price
Ed Price	Evan Longoria	Stephen Drew	Roy Halladay	Johan Santana	David Price	Jordan Schafer
Jeff Fletcher
Jeff Fletcher	Grady Sizemore	Hanley Ramirez	John Danks	Brandon Webb	Brett Anderson	Cameron Maybin
Jay Mariotti
Jay Mariotti	Grady Sizemore	Ryan Howard	Daisuke Matsuzaka	Johan Santana	Matt Wieters	Cameron Maybin
Dan Graziano
Dan Graziano	Kevin Youkilis	David Wright	Zack Greinke	Josh Johnson	Elvis Andrus	Colby Rasmus
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson	Grady Sizemore	Albert Pujols	Roy Halladay	Tim Lincecum	Travis Snider	Colby Rasmus
Matt Snyder
Matt Snyder	Grady Sizemore	David Wright	Felix Hernandez	Brandon Webb	Elvis Andrus	Jason Motte
Will Brinson
Will Brinson	Mark Teixeira	Chase Utley	Jake Peavy	Cole Hamels	Matt Wieters	Tommy Hanson
Pat Lackey
Pat Lackey	Kevin Youkilis	David Wright	Francisco Liriano	Johan Santana	Matt Wieters	Cameron Maybin
Josh Alper
Josh Alper	Mark Teixeira	Jose Reyes	Roy Halladay	Johan Santana	Matt Wieters	Cameron Maybin
Tom Fornelli
Tom Fornelli	Grady Sizemore	Albert Pujols	Josh Beckett	Johan Santana	David Price	Cameron Maybin
Knox Bardeen
Knox Bardeen	Justin Morneau	David Wright	Daisuke Matsuzaka	Dan Haren	Travis Snider	Cameron Maybin
Jon Bois
Jon Bois	Carlos Quentin	Albert Pujols	Roy Halladay	Tim Lincecum	Matt Wieters	Tommy Hanson
Jacob Wheatley-Schaller
Jacob Wheatley-Schaller	Grady Sizemore	David Wright	CC Sabathia	Johan Santana	Matt Wieters	Colby Rasmus

Editor's Note: Yes, we're aware Jake Peavy currently plays in the NL. Brinson's choice was intentional. Come back Friday for our playoff and World Series picks.

And the Awards Go to ... originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Look, Same Expectations in Bronx

Josh Alper — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Yankees, AL East, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse completes its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the New York Yankees.

When they signed A.J. Burnett, CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira for a combined $423.5 million in December, the Yankees opened the door to criticism that they were just trying to use their revenue advantage to bludgeon the opposition. The team did use a heavy hand, but they aren't deserving of criticism.

Coming out of 2008, the Yankees had three significant problems. They were too old, they couldn't pitch and they played poor defense. All three of the signings represent a move to address those shortcomings, and the players came without sacrificing any prospects who will help them continue to address those problems going forward. Brian Cashman has gotten a fair amount of leeway to do things his way, and the result was one of the team's best offseasons in a long time.

If all goes according to plan, an offensive rebound will team with an improved staff to return the Yankees to October baseball.

Lineup
1.	Derek Jeter	SS
2.	Johnny Damon	LF
3.	Mark Teixeira	1B
4.	Alex Rodriguez	3B
5.	Robinson Cano	2B
6.	Jorge Posada	C
7.	Hideki Matsui	DH
8.	Xavier Nady	RF
9.	Brett Gardner	CF
Pitching Staff
1.	CC Sabathia	L
2.	Chien-Ming Wang	R
3.	A.J. Burnett	R
4.	Andy Pettitte	L
5.	Joba Chamberlain	R
CL	Mariano Rivera	R

Coming and Going

In: Burnett, SP (free agency); Sabathia, SP (free agency); Teixeira, 1B (free agency); Nick Swisher, OF (trade); Brett Tomko, RP (free agency); Angel Berroa, IF (free agency)
Out: Mike Mussina, SP (retirement); Bobby Abreu, OF (free agency); Jason Giambi, 1B (free agency); Wilson Betemit, IF (trade); Ivan Rodriguez, C (free agency); Carl Pavano, SP (free agency); Sidney Ponson, SP (free agency)

Storylines

I Don't Know on Third...
You knew we weren't getting through this without mentioning Alex Rodriguez, so we might as well get it out of the way up top. Anyone who can tell you with absolute confidence that they know what will happen when A-Rod returns from hip surgery/steroid questioning exile is either lying or blessed with a time machine. He could hit 50 home runs or he could go down with another injury. The forthcoming book on his life could bring more embarrassing and distracting information to light, or he could simply get lost in a mirror while listening to Papa Don't Preach. Nothing is surprising at this point.

The Yankees could use something close to the 50 home runs, though. The team slumped to seventh in the AL in runs scored per game last season, and there isn't quite as much firepower this season as there was entering 2008. There are also injury risks all over the place, which makes having as much A-Rod as possible essential for the Yankees this season.

Whaddya Know Cano...
Robinson Cano contributed mightily to last season's offensive struggles by losing 50 points of on-base percentage and 80 points of slugging from 2007. That's a terrifying drop, and illustrates how much the free-swinging, impatient Cano relies on the vagaries of batting average for his value. He looked better toward the end of 2008, raising hopes that he wasn't a completely lost cause. That said, if he isn't producing at 2007 levels, he will be hurting the team much more than he's helping them.

The Nameless Bullpen...
One of the many mistakes the Yankees' front office has made over the last eight years is throwing money away on multi-year deals for relief pitchers not named Mariano Rivera. Last season, they turned the bullpen over to a mostly anonymous crew and got their best results in ages. Wisely, they've decided to go the same route this season which means Brian Bruney, Damaso Marte and Jose Veras will provide the bridge to the incomparable closer.

Last season's results, and a deep corps of arms in the organization, mean that it's a strategy that's likely to pay off, even if the group will remain light on the brand names that the Yankees have mistaken for effective pitchers in years past.

Here's to Your Health...
A-Rod's recuperating from hip surgery. Rivera is coming off of shoulder surgery. So is Jorge Posada. Chien-Ming Wang missed three and a half months with a broken foot. Hideki Matsui has two bad knees. Johnny Damon is 35, and Derek Jeter will be in late-June. Andy Pettitte turns 37 around the same time, and he pitched like his body was falling apart in the second half.

That's plenty of reason to keep an eye on the trainer's room. The Yankees have improved their depth from years past, but that much brittleness has to make anyone swallow hard before picking them to outlast the Rays and Red Sox.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Each of those storylines will provide good theater, as will Joba Chamberlain's attempt to go a full year in the rotation and seeing if a powerless speed merchant like Brett Gardner can hold down the center field job in the long run. Throw in the chance to see how Sabathia and Teixeira adjust to the glare of New York, how Joe Girardi handles what could become a very hot seat and how the new stadium looks and you won't struggle for reasons to stay tuned.

What Defines Success: A ring. The stadium, the names and the philosophy of roster construction may have changed, but the jerseys still have pinstripes and the expectations are still enormous. Missing the playoffs again will likely mean that Cashman and Girardi will be looking for work.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Paying Premium for Bronx Goods
- Better Know a Prospect: New York Yankees

New Look, Same Expectations in Bronx originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red Sox Try to Get Back Over Hump

Andrew Johnson — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Red Sox, AL East, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Boston Red Sox.

In a little more than half of a decade, the fortunes of the Boston Red Sox have done a 180-degree turn. Once a franchise of managerial incompetence, front office ineptitude and fatally flawed teams, the Sox have become a well-oiled winning machine -- smarter than the Yankees, but with similar financial might.

Fans in New England can thank owner John Henry and general manager Theo Epstein for the turnaround, and with a player development system that continues to crank out star-caliber players, they can expect to contend for a championship almost every single season. That will be the case again in 2009. After falling one win short of the World Series last year, Boston lost only one major contributor (Coco Crisp) over the winter and added significant depth to an already loaded pitching staff.

If the Sox can survive the cutthroat AL East, a third title in the decade could be within their sights.

Lineup
1.	Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
2.	Dustin Pedroia	2B
3.	David Ortiz	DH
4.	Kevin Youkilis	1B
5.	J.D. Drew	RF
6.	Jason Bay	LF
7.	Mike Lowell	3B
8.	Jed Lowrie	SS
9.	Jason Varitek	C
Pitching Staff
1.	Josh Beckett	R
2.	Jon Lester	L
3.	Daisuke Matsuzaka	R
4.	Tim Wakefield	R
5.	Brad Penny	R
CL	Jonathan Papelbon	R

Coming and Going

In: Rocco Baldelli, OF (free agency); Brad Wilkerson, 1B/OF (free agency); Takashi Saito, RP (free agency); Brad Penny, SP (free agency); John Smoltz, SP (free agency); Ramon Ramirez, RP (trade)
Out: Coco Crisp, CF (trade); Sean Casey, 1B (retirement); Alex Cora, IF (free agency); Kevin Cash, C (free agency); Paul Byrd, SP (free agency); Bartolo Colon, SP (release); David Aardsma, RP (trade); Mike Timlin, RP (retirement); David Pauley, P (trade)

Storylines

Shift of Power ...
The Red Sox have been known for offense for most of their history. Though their fortunes on the field have changed this decade largely on the strength of a dominant pitching staff, the dynamic hitting duo of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez became the most recognizable symbols of success. Ramirez is gone -- off to Hollywood after finally wearing out his welcome at Fenway Park -- and Ortiz is in his 30s and coming off a wrist injury that sapped much of his power in 2008.

All of a sudden the lineup is much more of a concern than the pitching staff. If you need proof, look no further than the team's high-profile failed pursuit of Mark Teixeira this offseason. Those concerns are likely overblown. The Red Sox were spoiled by the Ortiz-Ramirez 1-2 punch over the years, and they still have one of the best offenses in the American League on paper, but in the East, who knows? They might need a boost to best the Rays and Yankees.

Who's in Rotation? ...
Boston might not have the best starting rotation in baseball Nos. 1 through 5, but it has unquestionably the deepest. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka are locks in the top three spots, but after that manager Terry Francona will have to performa a juggling act. Veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield will get plenty of rope, but the Sox will need to find a role for former All-Star Brad Penny, for rehabbing John Smoltz sometime in May or June and for Clay Buchholz, who has been outstanding this spring. Injuries will likely sort some of it out, but the Sox might have some tough decisions to make ahead.

In Training ...
The division, a playoff spot, even a championship could be won or lost in the Fenway Park trainer's room in 2009. The Red Sox medical staff is highly regarded within the game, but they'll be earning their keep this season. Penny and Smoltz are coming off seasons lost to injury, third baseman Mike Lowell had major surgery this winter, Beckett and Matsuzaka missed significant time last year, fourth outfielder Rocco Baldelli is limited by a treatable form of channelopathy and J.D. Drew is still J.D. Drew. Boston is deep, but it will need most of those guys on the field when it counts to meet the high expectations of Red Sox Nation.

Oh, Captain, My Captain ...
Jason Varitek, in many ways the heart and soul of the Red Sox over the last decade, returns to Boston after a winter of contentious negotiations. The backstop was horrible at the plate by pretty much any metric in 2008, posting a .220/.313./.359 line (all career lows). It's fair to wonder if, at 36 (soon to be 37), he's done as a positive offensive force. If he is, the Sox will be looking at a black hole at the bottom of their order and could be forced to maneuver for a replacement.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: To find out if Mike Lowell and David Ortiz can still produce at an elite level, to find out if Josh Beckett can return to his 2007 form, if Daisuke Matsuzaka can continue his tightrope act with runners on base, if Jon Lester will emerge as an ace and if Dustin Pedroia can build on his 2008 AL MVP campaign. Their fans might grate on you, but the Red Sox remain one of the most intriguing teams in the sport -- particularly with the Rays now much more than a bit player in the New York-Boston passion play -- even with the Curse of the Bambino well in the rearview mirror.

What Defines Success: The Red Sox don't live by the Steinbrenner Doctrine (World Series or bust), but there are lofty expectations placed on the team. Even in the toughest division in baseball, Boston's season will be considered a failure if it doesn't qualify for the playoffs.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Producers Galore in Lineup, Pitching Staff
- Better Know a Prospect: Boston Red Sox

Red Sox Try to Get Back Over Hump originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Expectations Ray-sed in Tampa Bay

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Rays, AL East, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Tampa Bay Rays.

Although they ended up falling short at the end, 2008 was the year of the Rays. After being the butt of jokes for the first 10 years of its existence, Tampa Bay turned an impressive collection of baseball talent into an impressive team, finally assembling a competent bullpen, and utilizing some position shifts to put a much improved defense on the field. With the pieces in place, everything came together, and the Rays increased their win total by 31 games on their way to winning both the AL East and AL pennant.

Now comes the tricky part: doing it again. GM Andrew Friedman and Co. made plenty of moves this offseason, but, with the exception of a few, they were mostly on the periphery; an extremely young and ridiculously talented core remains in place.

In just about any other divsion, they'd be the clear favorite. But in the murderous AL East, most experts have them finishing third, behind perennial powers Boston and New York. This team is no longer a secret, but they're going to have to prove people wrong yet again if they want to return to October.

Lineup
1.	Carl Crawford	LF
2.	B.J. Upton	CF
3.	Evan Longoria	3B
4.	Carlos Pena	1B
5.	Pat Burrell	DH
6.	Gabe Gross	RF
7.	Akinori Iwamura	2B
8.	Dioner Navarro	C
9.	Jason Bartlett	SS
Pitching Staff
1.	James Shields	R
2.	Scott Kazmir	L
3.	Matt Garza	R
4.	Andy Sonnanstine	R
5.	Jeff Niemann	R
CL	Troy Percival	R

Coming and Going

In: Matt Joyce, OF (trade); Jason Isringhausen, RP (free agent); Pat Burrell, DH (free agent); Morgan Ensberg, 3B (free agent); Brian Shouse, RP (free agent); Adam Kennedy, 2B (free agent); Gabe Kapler, OF (free agent)
Out: Edwin Jackson, SP (trade); Rocco Baldelli, OF (free agent); Trever Miller, RP (free agent); Eric Hinske, OF (free agent); Cliff Floyd, OF (free agent)

Storylines

Tapping Into Potential ...
There's no doubting how good B.J. Upton can, and probably will, be. If you saw the playoffs last year, when he hit seven homers in 11 games, you know that. But he also hit just nine bombs during the regular season, likely because of a nagging shoulder injury. He had surgery on the shoulder during the offseason, but now a bone bruise in his left hand is likely to cause him to miss the first week of the regular season. Upton's health is such a huge deal because at 100 percent he could be an absolute force. In 2007, the former No. 2 overall pick hit .300/.386/.508 at the age of 22.

Sustaining 'Pen Success ...
Tampa Bay's bullpen had the third-lowest ERA in the AL last season, coming in at 3.55. The improvement of the relief corps was a huge part of their rise; just a year prior, Tampa's relievers combined for a horrid 6.16 ERA. But it's also going to be the most difficult part to sustain. The performance of a team's bulllpen is just about the hardest thing to predict, and a couple Rays relievers had what would appear to be career years in '08. Fireballer Grant Balfour's career ERA sits at just 3.93, but last year he posted a 1.54 mark; those two numbers for J.P. Howell were 4.90 and 2.22, respectively.

Rounding Out the Rotation ...
Long term, Tampa Bay has a ton of starting pitching depth, but come Opening Day the Rays don't have a clear fifth starter. Jackson, always talented, but never terribly productive, was traded to the Tigers. October sensation David Price was sent to the minors, if only temporarily; he'll likely occupy the No. 5 spot in the rotation at some point this summer. So for now, righties Jason Hammel and Jeff Niemann are left to battle it out for the final slot. Both are very reasonable options, projected to for about a 4.70 ERA, which is quite good for a fifth starter. But the back of the rotation is one of the few places where the Rays don't know exactly what they'll get, and where it'll be coming from.

Bouncing Back ...
While the 2008 Rays improved by a historic amount, the same can't be said for each individual player. In particular, left fielder Carl Crawford and shortstop Jason Bartlett both had disappointing seasons. Crawford battled finger and hamstring injuries all year, and while he was able to stay on the field for 109 games, he wasn't his normal self, seeing his BA/OBP/SLG line drop to .273/.319/.400 from career marks of .293/.330/.435. Bartlett has never been much of a hitter, although he was down in that area last year, as his .329 OBP was his lowest mark since 2005. But the Rays acquired Barlett for his defense, and while the perceived effect was enough for him to win the team MVP, the numbers don't bear that out, indicating that he was only about three runs above average at short. That could potentially be written off as a fluke, since there's a lot of noise in single-year fielding data, but the larger trend is concerning as well; Barlett's UZR has declined in each of the last three seasons. He'll have to reverse that trend if he wants to continue to be a positive contributor.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Do you really need to be convinced? This is an absurdly exciting team, one that could post a triple-digit win total if they get big years from guys like Upton, Crawford, and Price. While the results won't necessarily be as good, this team is rather obviously better than last year's version, with the young guys a year older and the additions of Burrell, Joyce, and others.

What Defines Success: Getting back to the postseason would be an accomplishment. Sharing a division with the Yankees and Red Sox -- giving the East the three best organizations in baseball, according to FanGraphs' recent rankings -- means that won't be easy, but it's certainly a realistic goal. And it will be for the forseeable future, as this team isn't going away anytime soon. That's not to say that they should be content with reaching the playoffs, as any team with three starters as talented as Shields, Garza, and Kazmir (and eventually Price) has the ability to go deep. But if they end up losing in the first round, even though that'd be a significant dropoff from last year's World Series appearance, it'd be hard to consider 2009 a failure.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Plenty of Premium Talent
- Better Know a Prospect: Tampa Bay Rays

Expectations Ray-sed in Tampa Bay originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blue Jays Flying South This Summer

Josh Alper — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jays, AL East, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Toronto Blue Jays.

There's no team in baseball in a worse spot than the Blue Jays. They've had to contend with the megapowers in New York and Boston for years, watching their competitive payroll and over-.500 seasons amount to nothing more than third-place finish after-third place finish. No matter how much they have spent and how much they have won, it has never been enough to catch the Red Sox or the Yankees.

Then along come the Rays, who made it clear that it isn't just a matter of money that's keeping Toronto from the top of the heap. The Jays haven't developed enough organizational talent to mimic the rise in Tampa, and with the Orioles finally developing some of their own, they may not be able to hold onto fourth place for much longer. The Jays are at a crossroads, and they've got to decide the best way to build their team in a division with no room for error.

Lineup
1.	Aaron Hill	2B
2.	Adam Lind	DH
3.	Vernon Wells	CF
4.	Alex Rios	RF
5.	Travis Snider	LF
6.	Scott Rolen	3B
7.	Lyle Overbay	1B
8.	Rod Barajas	C
9.	Marco Scutaro	SS
Pitching Staff
1.	Roy Halladay	R
2.	Jesse Litsch	R
3.	David Purcey	L
4.	Scott Richmond	R
5.	Ricky Romero	L
CL	B.J. Ryan	L

Coming and Going

In: Brian Burres, SP (waivers), Mike Maroth, SP (free agent), Michael Barrett, C (free agent), Matt Clement, SP (free agent), Adam Loewen, OF (waivers), Kevin Millar, 1B (free agent)
Out: A.J. Burnett, SP (free agent), Brad Wilkerson, OF (free agent), Gregg Zaun, C (free agent), Gustavo Chacin, SP (free agent)

Storylines

The Doctor Is Out?...
There may not be a better starting pitcher in the American League than Roy Halladay. Year in and year out, Doc has been in contention for Cy Young Awards and put together one of his finest campaigns in 2008. He's got an affordable contract for a pitcher of his talents, with two years remaining for the Blue Jays to enjoy his services. On a team with uncertainty all over the place, Halladay is surest of sure things.

All that said, he isn't enough to lift the team out of their current predicament. No one player could do that, so dealing Halladay for several young players who could form the foundation of a winning team is something that must be considered. He'll be 32 in May, so there's not much time left to get a significant return in a trade. It would raise the white flag in the short term, and might be reviled by the fanbase, but teams stuck in positions as precarious as Toronto's have to make difficult decisions.

Losing the Arms Race...
While Halladay will be a stud, the Jays can't count on anyone else in their rotation for much. Burnett's departure and injuries to Dustin McGowan and Shaun Marcum have left a lot of question marks in the rotation. Jesse Litsch improved across the board in 2008, but his strikeout rate remains low enough that there's reason for concern about him going forward. David Purcey, a massive lefty, gives the strikeouts that Litsch doesn't, but struggled with his control before taking a step forward last summer.

Litsch and Purcey are Maddux and Glavine compared to the rest of the options in the Jays' nest, however. Maroth, Clement is a reclamation project. Casey Janssen missed all of last season after having surgery to repair a torn labrum, Ricky Romero hasn't justified being selected ahead of Troy Tulowitzki and Scott Richmond only reached Triple-A as a 28-year-old. The saving grace could be 22-year-old Brett Cecil, the team's top pitching prospect, who needs a bit of polish in the minors before ascending to the rotation.

Money Down the Drain...
The most glaring flaw in Toronto's attempt to keep up with the Joneses can be found in the lineup. It's stocked with veterans who make too much money for too little production. There was really nothing offensively that the team did well in 2008, ranking in the back of the AL pack in every significant offensive category. Rookie Travis Snider should help, but the continued decline of players like Lyle Overbay and Scott Rolen will offset any gains provided by the sublimely talented newcomer. With the likely dropoff in their run prevention, the offensive shortcomings may make it difficult for the Jays to keep up with the Orioles if things break right in Charm City.

Chart a Course...
However the Jays' season sorts itself out, the time has come for a referendum on the future of G.M. J.P. Ricciardi. He came with the gloss of being a Billy Beane acolyte, but has failed to make a difference in the team's fortunes for seven years. The team hasn't drafted well enough, hasn't spent wisely on free agents and hasn't come up with a plan that seems destined for long-term success. The death of team owner Ted Rogers in December may foreshadow a more sweeping overhaul at the top of the franchise, something that may be a couple of years late in coming.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Snider has a chance to be Rookie of the Year, watching Halladay pitch is a true joy and, um, "O Canada" is a pretty song. Seriously, though, anything beyond Snider and Halladay is a stretch. It's shaping up to be a long, hard year for the Jays.

What Defines Success: Snider making good on his hype and a smooth debut from Cecil would make things easier, but the Jays have to do more off the field to really achieve anything resembling success. The team's
gone stale, and some fresh ideas are necessary for a brighter tomorrow.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Catch Halladay While You Can
- Better Know a Prospect: Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Flying South This Summer originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Orioles Look to Charm Baltimore Again

Andrew Johnson — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Orioles, AL East, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Baltimore Orioles.

The Charm City hasn't had much to feel good about when it comes to its baseball team lately. In this case, lately means more than a decade. The last time the Orioles ended the season with a winning record "Honey" by Mariah Carey was the No. 1 song in America and Bill Clinton was in the first year of his second term as president. The year was 1997.

The days of Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer and Earl Weaver and Brooks Robinson seem awfully distant now, replaced by a long line of regrettable contracts and questionable talent evaluators at the top of the organization hamstrung by meddling owner Peter Angelos. Still, there seems to be rays of hope in Baltimore.

Competing is never going to be easy in the ultra-competitive American League East, but general manager Andy MacPhail, who took the reins in June 2007, has quickly pieced together one of the best young cores in baseball. There's optimism -- ever so muted optimism -- but real optimism around the Orioles.

Lineup
1.	Brian Roberts	2B
2.	Adam Jones	CF
3.	Nick Markakis	RF
4.	Aubrey Huff	1B
5.	Melvin Mora	3B
6.	Luke Scott	DH
7.	Gregg Zaun	C
8.	Felix Pie	LF
9.	Cesar Izturis	SS
Pitching Staff
1.	Jeremy Guthrie	R
2.	Koji Uehara	R
3.	Adam Eaton	R
4.	Hayden Penn	R
5.	Rich Hill	L
CL	George Sherrill	L

Coming and Going

In: Felix Pie, OF (trade); Ryan Freel, IF/OF (trade); Ty Wigginton, IF (free agency); Cesar Izturis, SS (free agency); Koji Uehara, SP (free agency); Adam Eaton, SP (free agency); Rich Hill, SP (trade); Mark Hendrickson, P (free agency), Gregg Zaun, C (free agency); David Pauley, P (trade)
Out: Ramon Hernandez, C (trade); Kevin Millar, 1B (free agency); Juan Castro, SS (free agent); Jay Payton, OF (free agency); Guillermo Quiroz, C (release); Alex Cintron, IF (free agency); Daniel Cabrera, SP (non-tender); Garrett Olson, SP (trade); Randor Bierd, RP (trade); Fernando Cabrera, RP (release); Adam Loewen, OF (release); Rocky Cherry, RP (release)

Storylines

The Chosen One ...
They might as well set the clock on top of the video scoreboard at Camden Yards to count down to the arrival of Matt Wieters. The catcher, a first-round pick in 2007, is widely regarded as the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball, and why not after his first professional season? Wieters hit .355 with a .454 on-base percentage and 51 extra-base hits across two levels of the minor leagues in 2008. He probably won't start the season in the majors, mainly because the Orioles have no reason to rush him and risk him becoming arbitration eligible in 2011 when there's little to play for this year, but it's only a matter of time.

Start Me Up ...
6.17. 6.36. 5.17. Those were the ERAs of Baltimore starters in July, August and September last season. To say the starting pitching was a bit of a problem down the stretch in 2008 would be the same as saying Shaquille O'Neal struggles every now and again at the free throw line. Unfortunately for the Orioles, there aren't any fewer question marks in the rotation heading into 2009 than there were at the end of 2008. Jeremy Guthrie remains the lone proven starter. Koji Uehara -- the first Japanese player in franchise history -- doesn't figure to be a disaster, and winter trade acquisition Rich Hill has shown flashes of brilliance in the majors before, but manager Dave Trembley is still looking at quite a few holes to patch.

Closing Up Shop ...
George Sherrill, one of the several useful chips landed in the Erik Bedard trade two winters ago, was successful for much of 2008 as Baltimore's closer. He racked up 31 saves, but only had one in August and September as he battled a series of minor arm injuries. As the incumbent, Sherrill is going to get the first crack at the job in 2009, but he'll have little room for error. Chris Ray, who is returning from a season lost to injury, Danys Baez and Jim Johnson all have experience in the ninth inning, and even someone like Radhames Liz, with his big fastball, could get a turn as the closer.

Humble Pie ...
Maybe all he needed was a change of scenery. Once a highly touted prospect in Chicago, Felix Pie will try to fulfill some of the potential that had scouts raving about him as he came through the Cubs system after a trade this winter. He's slated to be the everyday left fielder in Baltimore, and, still just 24, there's time for him to blossom. But as exciting as the idea of a defensive outfield with him, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis is, if Pie doesn't hit, he won't be able to keep the job. Ty Wigginton, Ryan Freel, Luke Scott and even prospect Nolan Reimold should give the O's plenty of options if he falters.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Because Markakis is the most underrated player in the game, because there will be at least a few future All-Stars in the lineup every night and because Matt Wieters is going to be a revelation that you won't want to miss. If that's not enough, maybe the sight of fans strolling down Eutaw Street in front of the warehouse at Camden Yards on an outrageously humid summer day will be.

What Defines Success: At the big-league level, not finishing in last place would be a big step. That might be a reach, but if the Orioles can get any reliable production from the back of their rotation, they have a chance to overtake a substantially weaker Blue Jays team. Mostly, though, Baltimore needs to focus on keeping its young core intact and producing. Help is on the way in the form of Wieters, Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, etc. It's up the O's player development machine to get them to the majors in due time.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Studs of the Future
- Better Know a Prospect: Baltimore Orioles

Orioles Look to Charm Baltimore Again originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Playoffs Alone Will Not Satisfy Cubs

Matt Snyder — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, NL Central, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Chicago Cubs.

A magical regular season that yielded the most victories for the Cubs franchise since 1935 sent them to the postseason for the fourth time in a 11-season span. Unfortunately, 2008 ended the same way 1998, 2003 and 2007 did -- in disappointment. The Cubs head into 2009 hoping to wipe the slate clean and get over any fake curses they are allegedly saddled with.

Shifts in personnel have been made, in addition to a change in regular season approach, to safeguard against another October failure. As far as many fans are concerned, whatever is being done better work out. The departure of fan favorites Mark DeRosa and Kerry Wood were about as popular as being swept in the NLDS. Speaking of which, another disappointing October -- or a disappointing regular season -- could spell doom for many in the organization. Patience is no longer a virtue among the fanbase.

Lineup
1.	Alfonso Soriano	LF
2.	Mike Fontenot	2B
3.	Derrek Lee	1B
4.	Milton Bradley	RF
5.	Aramis Ramirez	3B
6.	Geovany Soto	C
7.	Kosuke Fukudome	CF
8.	Ryan Theriot	SS
9.	Pitcher's Spot	P
Pitching Staff
1.	Carlos Zambrano	R
2.	Ryan Dempster	R
3.	Ted Lilly	L
4.	Rich Harden	R
5.	Sean Marshall	L
CL	Carlos Marmol	R

Coming and Going

In: Milton Bradley, OF (free agency); Kevin Gregg, RP (trade); Aaron Miles, 2B/SS (free agency); Aaron Heilman, RP (trade), Luis Vizcaino, RP (trade); Paul Bako, C (free agency); Joey Gathright, CF (free agency), Jeff Stevens, RP (trade)
Out: Mark DeRosa, 2B (trade), Kerry Wood, CL (free agency); Ronny Cedeno, 2B/SS (trade); Mike Wuertz, RP (free agency); Jason Marquis, SP (trade); Henry Blanco, C (free agency); Rich Hill, SP (trade); Felix Pie, CF (trade); Jim Edmonds, CF (free agency); Bob Howry, RP (free agency); Jon Lieber, SP/RP (free agency); Daryle Ward, 1B (free agency)

Storylines

Let There Be Rest ...
The Cubs were the best team in the National League, and probably all of baseball, in late August. From that point on, though, they were decent at best and horrible at worst. According to Lou Piniella, many of the players wore down. The solution is to rest the starters as much as possible, which means the bench players will get lots of extra playing time.

This is where the addition of Aaron Miles and the emergence of Micah Hoffpauir will be key. Aaron Miles can play either middle infield position, while Hoffpauir can play first base and either outfield corner. Joey Gathright can play center field, while Kosuke Fukudome could shift over to right field. Reed Johnson could easily fill in at left field, when he's not platooning with Fukudome in center. Interchanging all these parts will enable Piniella to rest Derrek Lee, Milton Bradley, Alfonso Soriano, Mike Fontenot, and Ryan Theriot whenever necessary.

There are also more options than five at starting pitcher. Rich Harden and even Carlos Zambrano, to an extent, will be rested plenty. Every precaution will be taken with this team to ensure they are healthy and hitting their stride when it matters most. If all goes as planned, they'll be peaking in late September and early October while still having enough firepower to win the NL Central.

Lineup Balance ...
The other major difference in the Cubs this year will be the emphasis on making the lineup more balanced in terms of left-handed vs. right-handed bats. The additions of the switch-hitting Bradley and Miles helps, in addition to the increased playing time for Fontenot. Fukudome will be platooning in center, and the backup catcher -- either Paul Bako or switch-hitting Koyie Hill -- will provide even more balance when Geovany Soto needs a breather.

The rationale for this movement in Wrigleyville was the anemic playoff offense against three right-handers (Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda). It's worth noting that Cubs management went out on a bit of a limb here, because the Cubs had the third highest OPS in the majors last year against right-handed pitching. Of course, this was in the regular season. Piniella and general manager Jim Hendry are obviously thinking that things are magnified in the postseason.

It's a gamble to make so many changes to a 97-win team, but it's gotten to the point where only the postseason performance matters in Chicago.

Filling Tribal Departures ...
Mark DeRosa was the Cubs' regular second baseman last season, but he also played right field 38 times, left field 27 times and third base 22 times. He could also fill in at first base if needed. He had a .376 on-base percentage, 21 home runs, 87 RBI, 103 runs and six stolen bases.

Kerry Wood saved 34 games with a 3.26 ERA. He struck out 84 batters in 66 1/3 innings of work. He even managed to rack up 5 wins.

Both players are now members of the Cleveland Indians, so the question becomes whether or not the production of each can be adequately be replaced. Carlos Marmol is a better pitcher than Wood by any account, but if he takes over as closer there's no way to be certain he'll make a smooth transition. If Kevin Gregg wins the job and Marmol stays put, can Gregg replace Wood's line? As for DeRosa, a host of players will look to fill the void. It's all part of the flexibility and rest plan.

What Curse? ...
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's hear it. The Cubs haven't won the World Series since 1908, and they haven't been to it since 1945. I cannot stress this enough: There is no such thing as a curse. The Billy Goat, some dude with headphones, or anything else of supernatural origin have nothing to do with 2009.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Two reasons. First of all, they are still the most talented team in the division. Secondly, this team will not be boring. Between the personalities of Bradley, Piniella and Zambrano, there should be no shortage of dramatics at Wrigley Field.

What Defines Success: Anything less than a trip to the World Series won't be good enough. A championship is needed, but if the Cubs take that next step and reach the Fall Classic, 2009 won't be a total loss. Losing in the NLCS or the NLDS, however, would cause more dramatic panic from the fans -- and possibly the management. Missing the postseason would be a disaster only mitigated if huge injury issues -- outside obvious ones like Harden and Bradley -- should arise.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Lots of Quality Options
- Better Know a Prospect: Chicago Cubs

Playoffs Alone Will Not Satisfy Cubs originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't Sleep on Brewers in 2009

Pat Lackey — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:15:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues it 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Brewers are a really interesting team. Last March, everyone expected them to make a run at the playoffs, and they expected them to do so without any knowledge of the CC Sabathia trade and with the assumption that Ben Sheets would spend some time on the disabled list. In the end, they did make the playoffs, but they did it with half of a season of Sabathia and almost 200 innings from Sheets. Now those two are gone, and everyone expects the Brewers to take a step back this year.

There are certainly questions about the Brewers, and those questions are considerable enough that I don't think they're going to win 90 games again, nor do I really think they're a playoff team this year. But that doesn't mean that they're going back to being the Bud Selig-era Brewers again, either. There's still a lot of good stuff going on in Milwaukee and I think this team is closer to contending than people realize.

Lineup
1.	Mike Cameron	CF
2.	J.J. Hardy	SS
3.	Ryan Braun	3B
4.	Prince Fielder	1B
5.	Corey Hart	RF
6.	Rickie Weeks	2B
7.	Bill Hall	3B
8.	Jason Kendall	C
9.	Pitcher's Spot	P
Pitching Staff
1.	Yovani Gallardo	R
2.	Dave Bush	R
3.	Manny Parra	L
4.	Jeff Suppan	R
5.	Braden Looper	R
CL	Trevor Hoffman	R

Coming and Going

In: Braden Looper, SP (free agency); Trevor Hoffman, CL (free agency); Jorge Julio, RP (free agency); Todd Coffey, RP (free agency); Trot Nixon, OF (free agency); Wes Littleton, RP (waivers)
Out: Salomon Torres, CL (retirement); Eric Gagne, RP (free agency); Ben Sheets, SP (free agency); CC Sabathia, SP (free agency)

Storylines

Rebuilding a Rotation ...
Nothing's bringing Sheets or Sabathia back to Milwaukee, so the Brewers would do well not to waste any more time wishing that would change. Instead, fans need to focus on the two pitchers tasked with replacing their production: Yovani Gallardo and Manny Parra.

Gallardo blew out his knee covering first base in his third start of 2008 and only made on start after that. As a result, I think a lot of people aren't as familiar with the 23-year-old budding ace as they should be. In 395 2/3 innings, Gallardo struck out 457 batters. That includes an impressive run at Triple-A in 2007, when he went 8-3 with a 2.90 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP, striking out 12.7 batters per nine innings and racking up nearly four times as many strikeouts as walks. If the Brewers are really going to contend again in 2009, they need a healthy Gallardo pitching up to his potential to anchor their rotation.

People are much more familiar with Parra. He spent all of last year with the Brewers. His struggles down the stretch are likely fresh in many minds, and it's true that his 7.79 September ERA was one of the reasons the Brewers nearly missed the playoffs. Parra was a rookie in 2008, though, and with a year under his belt to adjust to the length of a big-league season and pennant race, I think we might see a different pitcher in 2009. Between May 30 and August 10, Parra held oppenents to a 3.38 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP. His walk rate was a little high, but his strikeout rate was nearly eight per nine innings.

Milwaukee needs Gallardo and Parra to be a strong 1-2 punch this year, because it has an alarming lack of depth behind them. Before they signed Looper at the start of camp, they were headed in to spring training with just five starters. Dave Bush isn't bad in the three slot, but Jeff Suppan has been a disaster since coming to Milwaukee and Seth McClung is, well, Seth McClung. In order for this rotation to work on any level, the Brewers need big performances from their two young starters and above all, they need everyone to be healthy.

RIckie's Clock Is Ticking ...
I think it's safe to assume that the Brewers will be giving up more than the 689 runs they allowed last year. In order to balance that out, they're going to have to score more runs to stay competitive. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are among the elite young power hitters in the National League and neither one has hit their prime yet, so it's certainly safe to count on them for continued production. One player the Brewers would like to see more from, though, is second baseman Rickie Weeks.

The Brewers loved what they saw from a 22-year-old Weeks in 2005 when he got his first real playing time in Milwaukee. He bopped 13 homers in 96 games and along with the 12 he hit in Triple-A before his callup that year, the Brewers thought they could count on some real power from second base in the future. Since then, Weeks has tantalized the Brewers with flashes of potential, but never really lived up to his billing.

He's shown a pretty good ability to get on base and some decent pop in the past couple years, but paired it with abysmal batting averages and fairly high strikeout rates. Still, he's only 26 and there's still a little time for him to keep growing as a hitter. The Brewers certainly need the added offense this year and if Weeks can't provide it, he may find that his carriage has finally turned into a pumpkin. Alcides Escobar is waiting in Triple-A, with a great glove and an improving bat. If he gets off to a hot start and Weeks doesn't, the Brewers might be ready for a change.

Doug Melvin's Next Move ...
The Brewers' GM transformed the National League pennant race last year when he acquired Sabathia from Cleveland on July 7. As currently configured, the Brewers look like a talented but incomplete club. Could that mean that Melvin is planning on reloading again in July for another run at the top of the National League?

It's certainly possible. The Brewers have cards to deal when the deadline approaches this year and if they need a push. Both Escobar and Mat Gamel are elite prospects who are very close to being major league-ready, if they're not there yet. Their emergence would create some leeway around the diamond for Milwaukee to make a deal. Gamel will either play third base or in the outfield, which could make Bill Hall or even Corey Hart expendable. Escobar is a shortstop by trade whose emergence could make either J.J. Hardy or Rickie Weeks redundant.

Players like Hall, Hardy, Weeks, or even Hart aren't guys you trade to get someone like C.C. Sabathia, but they are players that can be traded to acquire some depth for the bullpen or to plug a hole at the end of the rotation, which could be all the Brewers need this year.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Gallardo, Parra, Braun, Fielder, Hart and even Weeks and Hardy form one of the best young cores in baseball. It's true that the Brewers didn't get a whole lot better this offseason, but then, no one in the NL Central really did. They are still the second best team in the division, even if that's not good enough for a playoff spot this year.

What Defines Success: Once you've made the playoffs, you really can't call anything a success except for another playoff berth. Still, losing Sheets and Sabathia without replacements makes this a possible down year for the Brew Crew and if Gallardo and Parra come along as top-of-the-rotation starters and Escobar and Gamel emerge, they're going to be in good shape for the future. It'll be hard to say they had a bad year in that case, even if they miss the playoffs.

Related Links

- Better Know a Prospect: Milwaukee Brewers

Don't Sleep on Brewers in 2009 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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History Brewing for Pirates

Pat Lackey — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Pirates, NL Central, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Pittsburgh Pirates.

For the better part of the last decade, the Pittsburgh Pirates aimlessly wandered through the wilderness of baseball with Kevin McClatchy and Dave Littlefield at the helm. Finally, they lost their jobs and Frank Coonelly and Neal Huntington took over. For more than a year, the new front office has been working on digging out of the hole dug by Littlefield during his reign of terror. There's only one real problem: The hole dug by Littlefield was so deep that it's going to take more than a year to dig out of it.

That leaves the Pirates in a sort of baseball purgatory right now. The front office is pouring most of the team's limited resources into rebuilding the franchise from the bottom up, but the major league team is stuck languishing until the minors are sufficiently rebuilt to provide the club with talent. It's easy for a fan to say, "I wish we'd just give up on this season and focus on rebuilding, " but it is much harder when that plan is actually being executed.

Lineup
1.	Freddy Sanchez	2B
2.	Brandon Moss	RF
3.	Nate McLouth	CF
4.	Adam LaRoche	1B
5.	Eric Hinske	LF
6.	Ryan Doumit	C
7.	Andy LaRoche	3B
8.	Jack Wilson	SS
9.	Pitcher's Spot	P
Pitching Staff
1.	Paul Maholm	L
2.	Ian Snell	R
3.	Zach Duke	R
4.	Ross Ohlendorf	R
5.	Jeff Karstens	R
CL	Matt Capps	R

Coming and Going

In: Eric Hinske, IF/OF (free agency); Ramon Vasquez, IF (free agency); Andy Phillips, 1B (free agency); Virgil Vazquez, SP (free agency)
Out: Jason Michaels, OF (free agency); Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B (free agency); Luis Rivas, IF (free agency); Chris Gomez, IF (free agency)

Storylines

The Green Mile ...
In the great history of Major League Baseball, there are only two franchises that have managed to roll together 16 straight losing seasons -- the hilariously-awful Phillies, who were so bad between 1933 and 1948 that they briefly changed their name to the Blue Jays in an attempt to distance themselves from the "Phillies" moniker that had become synonymous with losing. The other franchise? The Pittsburgh Pirates, who haven't had a winning season since 1992.

The skid those Phillies had was undoubtedly worse; they actually only had one winning season between 1918 and 1948 and between '33 and '48 they lost 100 games or more seven times. The Pirates have actually had good teams at least vaguely within the memory banks of their fans over the age of about 24 and they only lost 100 games once during this span (in 2001). Still, a record is a record and barring a miracle, the Pirates are on the brink of breaking the record of those Phillies teams with their 17th straight losing season this year. That's depressing.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? ...
At the trade deadline last year, the Pirates doubled their number of LaRoche brothers, adding Andy LaRoche from Los Angeles to go with first baseman Adam LaRoche. If there's a more frustrating brother/brother combination in baseball, I've yet to encounter them. Adam is a pretty decent hitting first baseman with a nice glove, but he doesn't hit before May 1. Last year he hit .291/.358/.554 after April 30, which is actually some pretty good production from a first baseman. In April, though, he hit .174/.260/.244 and that made his final line on the season .270/.341/.500, which is really only average.

On the other hand, his brother struggled about as badly as anyone I can ever remember watching after being traded to the Pirates at the trade deadline. In 49 games with the Pirates, he went .152/.227/.232 with just three home runs and four doubles. For a guy that has a career OPS of almost .900 in the minor leagues, it was jarring to watch, especially because he was the centerpiece of the Jason Bay trade.

With Bay and Xavier Nady gone, the Pirates need good seasons from both brothers to avoid being one of the worst offensive teams in baseball. Andy is hitting well in the Grapefruit League and while I'd normally tell you that's meaningless, I'm much slower to write it off because I don't think he could've hit a pitching machine at the end of last summer. Adam, meanwhile, is probably playing for a ticket out of town since he's a free agent at the end of the year, and it seems unlikely the Pirates will trade him. That did wonders for Nady and Bay last year, but is anything in the world motivation enough to get him to hit during April?

I Have to Admit It's Getting Better, It's Getting Better All the Time (It Can't Get Much Worse) ...
Before 2008 started, most people expected the Pirates' young pitching staff to be the team's strength. They gave up 884 runs behind huge regressions from Tom Gorzelanny and Ian Snell and a black hole in the rotation created by Matt Morris, John Van Benschoten, and Yoslan Herrera.

This year, Joe Kerrigan is in town as the new pitching coach, and it's his job to figure out what's gone wrong with Snell and Zach Duke. Helping his cause is the depth added to the staff by Huntington when he acquired Jeff Karstens, Ross Ohlendorf, and Daniel McCutchen from the Yankees in the Xavier Nady deal. That allowed the Pirates to demote Gorzelanny to Triple-A to start the season when it became clear in spring training that he hadn't fixed his troubles from last year. They could do it without fear of adding a pitcher to the rotation that will allow an earned run per inning.

Simply put, if the Pirates are going to avoid 100 losses this year, an improved pitching staff will be the reason why.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: The chic thing for sportswriters and blindly optimistic fans to do in Pittsburgh right now is compare the 2009 Pirates to the 2008 Rays. The logic is simplistic, "The Rays were bad and got good, so maybe the Pirates can do the same! Plus, we have Eric Hinske and they had Eric Hinske! The similarities are unavoidable!" This is faulty logic because it ignores all of the building the Rays did to get to the place they were in in 2008. The truth is that the Pirates are trying to get on the same road the Rays took, but they're about 10 exits away on the highway.

So watch the Pirates this year to see Andrew McCutchen make his Major League debut. Do it to see Nate McLouth and Ryan Doumit keep hitting. Keep an eye on Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata, Brad Lincoln, and Bryan Morris in the minors. Watch to see if the front office spends another $9 million on the draft. Do all these things and when the Pirates surprise everyone by competing for the NL Central in 2011 or 2012, you'll be able to say you saw it coming.

What Defines Success: Andy LaRoche learning how to hit, Ian Snell remembering how to pitch, and McCutchen, Alvarez, Tabata, Morris, and Lincoln all moving forward as prospects. That coupled with Huntington bringing in another good draft class and getting any kind of decent return on Adam LaRoche, Freddy Sanchez, and Jack Wilson when he trades them will mean the Pirates were successful in 2009, no matter how many games they lose. As a Pirate fan, I'd like to see them avoid 100 losses for my own sanity, but if they can't do that, they'll at least have the top pick in 2010 to show for it.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview Little to Love in Steel City
- Better Know a Prospect: Pittsburgh Pirates

History Brewing for Pirates originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Houston, We Have a Problem

Pat Lackey — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, NL Central, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Houston Astros.

Every year, it seems like there's a team or two that really defies their Pythagorean record and finishes with a record either much better or worse than their run differential suggests. In 2006, the Indians finished 78-84 despite scoring nearly 100 runs more than they allowed. In 2007, they came one win away from the World Series. In that same 2007 season, the Diamondbacks won 90 games despite scoring about as many runs as they allowed. Last year, they only won 82 games.

You can see where this is going. The Astros were 86-75 last year despite allowing 743 runs and only scoring 712. They've lost some players to free agency this winter, their key players are getting older and there's absolutely no help coming from the minor leagues. The Astros' front office and their fans may think that their hot second half last year foretold of good things to come, but it was probably just abnormally goodluck. The Astros are going to be bad this year.

Lineup
1.	Michael Bourn	CF
2.	Kazuo Matsui	2B
3.	Lance Berkman	1B
4.	Carlos Lee	LF
5.	Miguel Tejada	SS
6.	Hunter Pence	RF
7.	Ivan Rodriguez	C
8.	Geoff Blum	3B
9.	Pitcher's Spot	P
Pitching Staff
1.	Roy Oswalt	R
2.	Wandy Rodriguez	L
3.	Brandon Backe	R
4.	Mike Hampton	L
5.	Brian Moehler	R
CL	Jose Valverde	R

Coming and Going

In: Ivan Rodriguez, C (free agency); Mike Hampton, P (free agency); Jason Michaels, OF (free agency)
Out: Randy Wolf, SP (free agency); Ty Wigginton, IF (non-tender); Shawn Chacon, P (choke-slammed the GM); Brad Ausmus, C (free agency); Aaron Boone, IF (injury)

Storylines

The Unstoppable March of Time ...
Roy Oswalt is 31, Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, and Kaz Matsui are 33 and Miguel Tejada is 35. This is not a team that's getting any younger, and that's one of the biggest problems facing the Astros this year. You might argue that besides Tejada, no one is that old, but that's being purposefully ignorant.

Tejada's offense has been dropping steadily for the past four seasons and he declined badly in his first year in Houston. Matsui has never played in more than 114 games in a season. Berkman only hit seven home runs after the All-Star break last year. Injuries finally caught up to Lee. Of the group, Oswalt is the only one that doesn't seem to be slowing down.

The aging of the Astros is really the biggest problem when I look at what they did last year. If they were a young team that had overachieved and finished with a better record than their run differential suggested, it might be a sign of better things to come. The Astros, though, aren't likely to improve on that run differential from last year because their key players just aren't at an age that they're likely to keep getting better. In fact, it's likely that several of them are going to keep dropping off this year.

Who's the Boss? ...
It's easy to laugh at Ed Wade for the job he's done as Houston's GM. In 2008, he took over a team that looked poised for a huge year in the majors and traded the few remaining prospects in the organization for Miguel Tejada, Michael Bourn, Randy Wolf, LaTroy Hawkins, and Jose Valverde. For all of this hand-waving and chair-shuffling, Wade's team missed the playoffs.

In response to their near miss, the Astros went out and signed Mike Hampton and Pudge Rodriguez. If Wade were to act any more like a parody of himself at this point, he'd be Brian Sabean. The real question, though, is whether Wade is running his team like there's no tomorrow because he thinks it's a great idea, or if he's doing it because it's what owner Drayton McLane wants.

McLane is a notoriously hands-on owner who handcuffed his entire franchise when Roger Clemens played his, "I'm going to wait until May to pick a team" game in 2006 and 2007, then blamed Tim Purpura for the struggles that resulted from that saga. So is McLane behind the scenes ordering Wade to keep trying to contend with a roster that can't contend? And what happens to Wade if that's the case and the wheels fall off the Astros this year? Does he become McLane's next fall guy?

The 2003 All-Stars ...
Can you imagine how awesome a team made up of Pudge, Mike Hampton, Lance Berkman, Roy Oswalt and Carlos Lee would've seemed five or six years ago? And what if the Astros come through and add Pedro Martinez to the mix like they were rumored to do last week? Look out.

Of course, going back to the first storyline, that's the problem. These guys, especially Hampton and Pudge, who are the two biggest off-season signings for Houston, are much older now than they were in their prime and they're starting to break down. Hampton's only made 25 starts since 2004. Pudge hasn't been a good hitter since his first year in Detroit. What the Astros really need at this point is a Fountain of Youth.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Do you like trainwrecks? Do you like watching players that used to be great and are past their prime? Do you like Roy Oswalt? Then watch the Astros.

What Defines Success: A playoff spot. That's the problem in Houston right now. It has an old roster that just keeps getting older and there's no appreciable help coming in the minor leagues. The Astros' choices right now are to dismantle and rebuild, or arm up, cross their fingers, and hope for the best. They're not dismantling and things look even bleaker further down the road, so the only way they succeed this year is if they put together another improbable run at a playoff spot and actually finish the job this time.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: The Old Guard
- Better Know a Prospect: Houston Astros

Houston, We Have a Problem originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reason for Optimism in Cincinnati

Matt Snyder — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Cincinnati Reds.

Once one of the most admired franchises in professional sports, the Reds have now suffered through nearly a decade of futility. The last time they finished above .500 was in 2000, when they won 85 games. The last trip to the postseason was in 1995. Even their gorgeous ballpark is barren for much of the summer, as the Reds finished 23rd in attendance last season. It's safe to say that the days of the Big Red Machine are a distant memory.

On the other hand, things are looking up in the Queen City. The Reds are shifting the focus to a more well-rounded lineup predicated on speed and team defense. The pitching staff is getting deeper as talented young arms develop to fill the rotation around Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo.

Lineup
1.	Willy Taveras	CF
2.	Jerry Hairston	SS
3.	Joey Votto	1B
4.	Brandon Phillips	2B
5.	Jay Bruce	RF
6.	Edwin Encarnacion	3B
7.	Ramon Hernandez	C
8.	Chris Dickerson	LF
9.	Pitcher's Spot	P
Pitching Staff
1.	Edinson Volquez	R
2.	Aaron Harang	R
3.	Bronson Arroyo	R
4.	Johnny Cueto	R
5.	Micah Owings	R
CL	Francisco Cordero	R

Coming and Going

In: Willy Taveras, CF (free agency); Ramon Hernandez, C (trade); Arthur Rhodes, RP (free agency); Jonny Gomes, LF (free agency); Daryle Ward, OF/1B (free agency); Jacque Jones, OF (free agency)
Out: Jeremy Affeldt, RP (free agency); Javier Valentin, C (free agency); Paul Bako, C (free agency); Corey Patterson, CF (free agency); Ryan Freel, UT (trade); Gary Majewski, RP (free agency); Matt Belisle, SP (free agency)

Storylines

In Dusty We Trust-y ...
I often wonder how a conversation would go with Dusty Baker if I simply asked him if he wanted his hitters to make an out. His answer would obviously be no. I'd respond that on-base percentage is the measure of how good his players are at not getting out. I would, in turn, love to see how he explained that OBP was some sort of witchcraft. Now, it's spreading to his players like a cold or something. Brandon Phillips doesn't understand it either.

Of course, we also have Dusty's odd beliefs in retreads to finally work out.

Next, you have the whole Dusty likes to run starting pitchers into the ground thing, in addition to the charges he doesn't develop young players well enough.

As a Cubs fan, I can attest for the positives Baker can bring. He relates well with players, so they'll enjoy coming to the ballpark for play for him every day. If there are players on the squad who have had a few bad seasons due to pressing or issues with management, he can get them turned around. He's also incredibly lax with them, though. Baker's last season in Chicago was riddled with missed cut-off men, awful baserunning, and stretches of indifference from many players. If you don't demand some sort of discipline, it all eventually disappears.

With all this in mind, is Baker really the one who can man a turnaround in Cincy? We'll have a better idea by the end of 2009, because the Reds have a solid foundation of talent.

Flukey Volquez? ...
Edinson Volquez stormed out of the gate last season and looked to be establishing himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball. After a June 20 start, he was 10-2 with a 1.71 ERA. From that point on, however, he was mediocre at best, posting a 4.63 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Which is the real Volquez?

Unfortunately for Reds fans, he's closer to that guy from June 20 to the end of the season. You can't really argue he wore down, because he wasn't yet through June when he started his descent back to our fair planet. He had control problems all season, ending the year with 93 walks. Team those with his 206 strikeouts, and that's a lot of pitches -- which really puts you in the worry zone with Baker as his manager.

Furthermore, there's a chance the rest of the National League simply adjusted to him. When a hitter and pitcher don't know anything about each other, it creates a huge inherent advantage for the pitcher. Once he's been through the league a bit, players start to figure him out.

Yes, it's possible Volquez makes adjustments of his own and improves in his second NL season. He's young enough to have another season like the one we just witnessed. I'm just not expecting anything close to a repeat performance in 2009.

Odd Choices ...
The Willy Taveras signing for center field and leadoff doesn't make much sense to me. He's good at stealing bases, but a downright atrocious hitter. That .308 on-base percentage from last season doesn't translate well to leading off in a lineup hoping to be potent either.

Then you have the Reds signing Jerry Hairston to a $2 million deal. He's turning 33 this season, and he's coming off only the second season in his career where he wasn't a bad offensive player. Plus, his career year in 2008 only occurred in 80 games. He's fragile, having played more than 100 games only four times in his career. They've got Jeff Keppinger and Alex Gonzalez at shortstop, and the only other hole would be left field.

With the money the Reds spent on Hairston and Taveras, wouldn't it have made more sense to put Chris Dickerson in center and then pursue a power-hitting left fielder to put in the middle of the lineup, either via trade or free agency? Or at least just find a center fielder with a high on-base percentage?

We'll see how the Reds' decision-making pans out this season, but I have a hunch neither Taveras nor Hairston are in the starting lineup come July. That's $4 million on the bench that could have been used elsewhere.

All Grown Up? ...
Several key members of this Reds team could elevate them to a division championship should they make large strides in 2009. Johnny Cueto (23), Homer Bailey (22), Bill Bray (25), Nick Masset (26), Jay Bruce (21), and Dickerson (26) all have great potential, but we can't quite be sure they'll develop to said potential during this particular season. It could be this year, it could be next or it could be 2011 when everything comes together. Phillips (27), Edwin Encarnacion (26), and Volquez (25) also have the capability to further develop.

Because of all this young talent, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Reds win the division ... or finish last. And of course, everything comes full circle in this preview, because I seriously question if Baker is the best manager under which this youth can grow into the team they are capable of becoming.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: We just told you why. There are a lot of young, talented players in Cincinnati. They'll be fun to watch, with a good blend of speed, power, and power pitching.

What Defines Success: With all the kids, the key for the Reds is to take baby steps. Just staying competitive in either the divisional or wild-card race into September would be a great experience and ready them for a legitimate run in 2010. Anything more than that would be gravy. Hopefully the natives are patient enough to stick around for the payoff, because, realistically, this is a .500ish team that looks like they are a year away.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Plenty of Speed, Pitching to Be Had
- Better Know a Prospect: Cincinnati Reds

Reason for Optimism in Cincinnati originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cardinals Will Compete in Weak Division

Matt Snyder — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, NL Central, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the St. Louis Cardinals.

The pride and joy of Gateway City, the Cardinals certainly have a stacked resume of success both historically and recently. In Tony La Russa's 13 seasons, the Cardinals have reached the playoffs seven times -- which, in turn has yielded two trips to the World Series and one championship. In that span, they have only finished below .500 three times, while winning at least 93 games five times.

Heading into 2008, though, the roster faces a myriad of question marks. Troy Glaus will enter the season on the disabled list, with no clear cut fill-in at third base (seriously, Joe Mather?). Second base and closer are unresolved, and the outfield is jumbled. The starting rotation is questionable without a fully healthy Chris Carpenter, and his health is tenuous at best. All that said, they still have enough pieces -- such as the best player in baseball, Albert Pujols -- to remain competitive in a pretty weak division.

Lineup
1.	Skip Schumaker	2B
2.	Rick Ankiel	CF
3.	Albert Pujols	1B
4.	Ryan Ludwick	RF
5.	Troy Glaus	3B
6.	Khalil Greene	SS
7.	Yadier Molina	C
8.	Pitcher	P
9.	Chris Duncan	LF
Pitching Staff
1.	Chris Carpenter	R
2.	Adam Wainwright	R
3.	Kyle Lohse	R
4.	Todd Wellemeyer	R
5.	Joel Pineiro	R
CL	Chris Perez	R

Coming and Going

In: Khalil Greene, SS (trade); Dennys Reyes, RP (free agency); Trever Miller, RP (free agency); Royce Ring, RP (free agency)
Out: Adam Kennedy, 2B (released); Aaron Miles, 2B (free agency); Randy Flores, RP (free agency); Felipe Lopez, 2B (free agency); Braden Looper, SP (free agency); Russ Springer, RP (free agency); Ron Villone, RP (free agency); Cesar Izturis, SS (free agency)

Storylines

The Mad Scientist...
La Russa often does things as a manager that seem like a ploy to get noticed like batting the pitcher eighth. This year, his head-scratcher is moving Skip Schumaker to second base -- a position he hasn't played in years. He's trying to make the adjustment in spring training.

Getting Schumaker's production from second base would maximize his offense, and would free up a spot for either Chris Duncan or prospect Colby Rasmus in the outfield. But at what price? Defense up the middle is paramount to a team's success, and Schumaker has committed a team-high four errors thus far in only 15 spring games.

Rasmus Ready? ...
After a stellar 2007 season in Double-A (.932 OPS, 29 home runs, 18 steals in 128 games), Rasmus was a hot prospect, but he took a significant step backward last season. He had trouble adjusting to Triple-A pitching, and only hit .251 (.742 OPS) with 11 home runs in 90 games. This spring he's not exactly setting the world on fire, either (.229 average, .669 OPS).

Still, we know he has the potential, and he's only 22 years old. He'll open the season in the minors, but should a minor-league hot streak coincide with injuries or serious struggles to Duncan, he'll get the call. After that, it's certainly feasible Rasmus sticks for good in St. Louis.

Is Carpenter Really Back? ...
Chris Carpenter was one of the best pitchers in baseball from 2004-06. Since then, though, he's battled an onslaught of arm issues. At 34 (he will be on April 27), he's not too old to return to form, but there are still many questions to be answered before we can assume he's the staff ace again. Fortunately for the Cardinals, Adam Wainwright is poised to take that mantle this season, so the pressure on Carpenter is somewhat alleviated.

It's worth noting all the signs are good in camp. Carpenter has thrown 14 scoreless innings thus far, including a six-inning outing (by the way, what if this had happened in the WBC? Just asking ... ) last time out. His WHIP is 0.79, so it's quite accurate to say he's been dominant.

The bottom line is that a fully healthy Carpenter makes the Cards a legitimate threat in the division. Without him, they are likely an also-ran.

Closing Time? ...
Heading into last season, Chris Perez was thought to be the Cardinals' future closer. He had a month-long stint in the role, too. From August 6 to September 7, Perez saved seven games in nine chances, but he was removed from the role in favor of Ryan Franklin. Franklin is still in the mix with Perez, and Jason Motte is emerging as a legitimate contender this spring (12 K and a 1.23 ERA in 7 1/3 innings).

It's a nice problem to have, but it's certainly worth keeping an eye on how the mad scientist uses the back end of his bullpen.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Because they always contend, at least through August. Heading into last season, everyone thought they would be terrible. Out of nowhere came things like Ryan Ludwick's power and better-than-expected pitching from Todd Wellemeyer, en route to finishing a surprising 10 games over .500. Say what you will about La Russa, but he always seems to get maximum output from players who haven't fared well elsewhere.

What Defines Success: Anything less than the NL Central title is a disappointment in St. Louis (of course, you'd never know it because their fans are too busy proving how positive they are). They have enough here to compete for the division crown, but ultimately, there probably isn't enough to take them to October.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Prince Albert and Everyone Else
- Better Know a Prospect: St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Will Compete in Weak Division originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rangers Put Out Call to Arms

Ed Price — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Rangers, AL West, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Texas Rangers.

Hey, Ron Washington, here's your team: A third baseman who'd rather be at shortstop, your No. 2 home-run hitter gone and a pitching staff that had a 5.37 ERA last year pretty much intact.

Did I mention that this is the last year of your contract?

Washington, manager of the Texas Rangers, might find it hard to put up enough wins to convince team president Nolan Ryan to keep him around.

The Rangers did not re-sign Milton Bradley, who last year hit 22 homers and led the AL in on-base percentage and OPS. But they won't lack for pop: Josh Hamilton drove in 130 runs last season, second baseman Ian Kinsler batted .319 and first baseman Chris Davis has great potential (42 extra base-hits in 295 at-bats).

And things seem to have smoothed over in the Michael Young department. Young took umbrage when the team told him he was moving to shortstop (where he won an underserved Gold Glove) to third base to open a spot for rookie Elvis Andrus. But Young is saying all the right things now.

Lineup
1.	Ian Kinsler	2B
2.	Michael Young	3B
3.	Josh Hamilton	CF
4.	Nelson Cruz	RF
5.	Hank Blalock	DH
6.	David Murphy	LF
7.	Chris Davis	1B
8.	Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C
9.	Elvis Andrus	SS
Pitching Staff
1.	Kevin Millwood	R
2.	Vicente Padilla	R
3.	Scott Feldman	R
4.	Brandon McCarthy	R
5.	Matt Harrison	L
CL	Frank Francisco	R

Coming and Going

In: Andruw Jones, OF (free agency); Kris Benson, SP (free agency); Omar Vizquel, SS (free agency); Eddie Guardado, RP (free agency)
Out: Gerald Laird, C (trade); Milton Bradley, OF (free agency)

Storylines

Is There Enough Pitching? ...
Scoring runs isn't a problem for the Rangers. Giving them up is. Only once in the past six seasons has a pitcher made 20 or more starts for Texas and had an ERA better than 4.00 -- Kenny Rogers in 2005. With three guys in their mid-20s in the back of the rotation, and 79 big-league starts between them, it doesn't look to get better this year.

Just Joshing ...
Josh Hamilton's season peaked with his jaw-dropping performance in the All-Star Game's home run derby. After that, he had just 35 RBI in 63 games (after driving in 95 in 93 games before the break). Now that he's a star and has a full season in the Texas heat under his belt, can he put together an even better full season?

Young at Heart ...
When Young volunteered to move to shortstop after the acquisition of Alfonso Soriano, he was a team player. But he bristled when asked to change positions again for a rookie. He asked for a trade and then withdrew the request, but if things go south for the team or its relationship with him, the issue could come up again.

Elvis Rocks ...
On a related note, will Andrus play well enough to make the Rangers look smart? Acquired from Altalnta in the 2007 Mark Teixeira deal, Andrus last year had a .350 on-base percentage with 54 stelas at Double-A, and his defense is considered excellent (unlike Young's).

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Because you like offense. The Rangers last year led the AL with 901 runs scored, and even without Bradley they will have a strong attack.

What Defines Success: Contending. The Rangers have finished over .500 once since 1999. The Angels and Athletics seem to be the class of the AL West, and Texas' pitching will have to surprise to keep up with those two.

Rangers Put Out Call to Arms originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A's Take Holliday; Will They Celebrate?

Josh Alper — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Athletics, AL West, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Oakland Athletics.

There's been an awful lot said about the non-traditional stylings of A's GM Billy Beane over the years, but his greatest asset is an absolute refusal to see players as anything more than they are. While teams like the Yankees and Red Sox pay too much to aging veterans because of ties to the franchise and other clubs clutch prospects like gold bars with absolute values, Beane coldly uses players like the assets they are before moving onto a new batch.

That ruthlessness, more than any of the things mislabeled "Moneyball", has kept the A's competitive while teams in better financial straits cry rivers about competitive imbalance. Beane has done everything in his power to put the team in position to win now, but he won't hesitate to dismantle what he's built come July if things don't go as planned. His only loyalty, after all, is to the win column.

Lineup
1.	Mark Ellis	2B
2.	Travis Buck	RF
3.	Matt Holliday	LF
4.	Jason Giambi	1B
5.	Jack Cust	DH
6.	Eric Chavez	3B
7.	Ryan Sweeney	CF
8.	Orlando Cabrera	SS
9.	Kurt Suzuki	C
Pitching Staff
1.	Justin Duchscherer	R
2.	Dana Eveland	L
3.	Sean Gallagher	R
4.	Dallas Braden	L
5.	Gio Gonzalez	L
CL	Brad Ziegler	R

Coming and Going

In: Matt Holliday, LF (trade); Jason Giambi, 1B, (free agent); Russ Springer, RP (free agent); Michael Wuertz, RP (free agent); Orlando Cabrera, SS (free agent); Nomar Garciaparra, IF (free agent)
Out: Greg Smith, SP (trade); Huston Street, RP (trade); Carlos Gonzalez, OF (trade); Alan Embree, RP (free agent); Matt Murton, OF (trade); Emil Brown, OF (free agent); Frank Thomas, DH (free agent)

Storylines

First Half Full or Empty....
Trading for Holliday and his $13.5 million contract was a bold signal from Beane that he intended to compete for the postseason this summer. Adding Giambi, Cabrera and Garciaparra was the equivalent of going all in in Texas Hold 'Em when you've already got half your chips on the table. Part of the risk of going all in, though, is the chance that someone's got a better hand and you head to the showers early.

Before July 31, the A's will know whether their hand is the one to beat, and if it isn't, you can be sure that Beane will be actively trying to unload guys like Holliday, Cabrera and Justin Duchscherer so that he's got enough to get back to the table in 2010. Conversely, the A's have such a deep system that if they're close, Beane won't hesitate to make another big trade to put them over the top.

Young Arms Beat Fast...
The A's took all of the money they saved by dealing Rich Harden, Joe Blanton and Chad Gaudin last summer and dumped it into improving an offense that scored the fewest runs in the American League. As a result, they'll build a rotation by taking a bevy of young arms and seeing how things shake out behind Duchscherer.

There's reason to believe that it will work out for them. Prospects Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Vin Mazzaro and Josh Outman all have great arms, and slightly more advanced guys like Dallas Braden, Dana Eveland, Sean Gallagher and Gio Gonzalez have all shown signs that they can be successful at the big-league level. The A's will likely churn through the lot of them as the season goes on, but it would be surprising if two or three don't seperate from the pack and stake their spots in the A's rotations of the near future.

Here's to Your Health...
Counting on young pitchers is enough to drive most managers to drink, but Bob Geren will also have to constantly monitor the trainer's room. Duchscherer, on whom the rotation relies, has a sore elbow and probably won't be ready to start the season with the team. Joey Devine, who will share closing duties with Brad Ziegler, also has an ailing elbow and hasn't thrown much this spring. Ziegler, for his part, is pitching in the WBC, something that forced one in three pitchers to the disabled list in 2006.

Offensively, Eric Chavez is coming off shoulder surgery and is at risk for injury from the moment he gets out of bed in the morning. Mark Ellis also had shoulder surgery, and Giambi and Garciaparra aren't strangers to the disabled list. The A's could probably survive without any one of these guys, except Duchscherer, but if two or three miss significant time they'll be in trouble.

Holliday (on the) Road...
We started with Holliday, so it seems sensible to close with him as well. It's hard to know just what to expect from him in his first season away from Denver. He's moving to a better league and a worse hitter's park all at once, troubling signs for a player who historically performed at a lower level away from Coors Field. The good news is that 2008 was his best year away from home, but he'll almost surely decline. The question will be how much he'll decline, and how much his presence will be a tide that lifts the other ships in the lineup.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Beane's grand experiment should be one of the leading storylines of the season's first half, that's why. The A's lineup should score runs, and the plethora of youthful arms could provide a Rookie of the Year candidate. It could also turn out to be a trainwreck if Holliday can't make the transition to the AL and Duchscherer and Devine come up lame, but those can be hard to turn your eyes away from also.

What Defines Success: This team was put together to win and win now, plain and simple. Holliday is gone after '09, Duchscherer probably isn't far behind and guys like Chavez, Ellis and Giambi have limited value going forward. They could salvage something from a failed playoff run, but not enough to qualify it as a success.

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: The Most Average Team in Baseball
- Better Know a Prospect: Athletics

A's Take Holliday; Will They Celebrate? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mariners Try Not to Sink Again

Josh Alper — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Mariners, AL West, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Seattle Mariners.

The Mariners of 2008 provided a case study in why overachieving isn't always a good thing. The team won 88 games in 2007, which could be looked at in one of two ways. You could say the team was close to contending and should go all in for a run at the postseason, or you could look at their expected record and say that the team outperformed expectations and shouldn't do anything drastic.

Unfortunately, former GM Bill Bavasi wasn't much for newfangled statistics and opted for the former. He signed Carlos Silva and dealt top prospect Adam Jones and a host of other promising players for Erik Bedard. He subsequently lost his job, and the Mariners sunk to 101 losses last summer. That shortsightedness leaves Seattle in a pretty deep hole to start 2009, and it's likely they won't find their way out anytime soon.

Lineup
1.	Ichiro Suzuki	RF
2.	Jose Lopez	2B
3.	Ken Griffey Jr.	LF
4.	Adrian Beltre	3B
5.	Russell Branyan	1B
6.	Jeff Clement	DH
7.	Franklin Gutierrez	CF
8.	Kenji Johjima	C
9.	Yuniesky Betancourt	SS
Pitching Staff
1.	Felix Hernandez	R
2.	Erik Bedard	L
3.	Brandon Morrow	R
4.	Carlos Silva	R
5.	Jarrod Washburn	L
CL	Mark Lowe	R

Coming and Going

In: Ken Griffey, Jr., DH (free agent); Endy Chavez, LF (trade); Ronny Cedeno, SS (trade); Franklin Gutierrez, CF (trade); Chad Cordero, RP (free agent); David Aardsma, RP (free agent); Russell Branyan, 1B (free agent); Mike Sweeney, 1B/DH (free agent)
Out: J.J. Putz, RP (trade); Raul Ibanez, OF (free agent); Willie Bloomquist, IF/OF (free agent); Sean Green, RP (trade); Jeremy Reed, OF (trade); Aaron Heilman, RP (acquired in trade and then traded for Cedeno)

Storylines

The Z-Man Cometh...
The Mariners filled their GM opening with Jack Zduriencik, a man who makes Scrabble players heads explode. More importantly, he also comes from a very successful run heading up the scouting department in Milwaukee where he helped build one of baseball's strongest farm systems. The Mariners have a few good young players and a few intriguing prospects, but there are too many of Bavasi's mistakes clogging up the roster and payroll in the short term. Zduriencik will have to avoid such mistakes while upgrading the overall talent base in the next few years.

Zduriencik's first move was a good one. He dealt J.J. Putz and spare parts for Chavez, Gutierrez and, ultimately, Cedeno, three players who will help the Mariners this season. He seems to have a fuller appreciation of baseball than his predecessor and an outfield of Chavez, Gutierrez and Ichiro Suzuki will go a long way toward maximizing the team's strength in the rotation.

On the Mound or in the Trainer's Room?...
The Mariners have the makings of a strong rotation, assuming they can keep their pitchers on the mound. Bedard didn't pitch the last three months of 2008 because of a sore shoulder and he's already having hip problems this spring. Brandon Morrow, who made a giant leap in the second half, has filthy stuff, but he's struggling with forearm issues that are keeping him off the mound. Reports on Bedard are more positive than Morrow, who may need to go to the pen to build up strength.

If they can stay in the rotation, they'll join Felix Hernandez in a nifty trio that many teams would envy. The outfield defense we mentioned, but the infield should be quite good as well, which should make the pitchers look even better. Because he's been around for so long, it's shocking that Hernandez is only 23. That he keeps getting better is only slightly less shocking, and he'll provide doses of optimism in cloudy Seattle.

Tools of Ignorance...
Catcher is home to another vestige of Bavasi's knuckleheaded era. Kenji Johjima signed a three-year, $24 million contract extension early in 2008 and then promptly went into the tank offensively. He posted a .609 OPS, woeful under any circumstances, but truly alarming because he'll be turning 33 in June. Thanks to Bavasi, he's Zduriencik's problem through 2011.

It's a sunk cost, though, and shouldn't stop the team from turning the catching position over to Jeff Clement full-time. He had a rough 224 plate appearances in 2008, but he's hit everywhere in the minors and the assorted placeholders signed in the offseason have effectively blocked off the DH spot. Clement may not be able to do the job physically or defensively, but there's nothing to lose by finding out what he can offer to an offense that's awfully short of runs.

The Kid Is Back in Town...
Ken Griffey Jr. is one of the placeholders alluded to above, but he's really much more than that to the Mariners. Last year's club rightfully generated a lot of ill will in Seattle, so bringing back the patron saint of baseball in the city was about more than on-field rewards. Watching him wind down his marvelous career will give people a reason to keep watching after the Mariners are eliminated, and, hopefully, they'll catch someone or something else worth watching while they're there. You can't say the same for Wladimir Balentien.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: There figure to be a lot of well pitched games in front of a good defense in Seattle this season, so if that's your cup of tea Seattle should be rewarding. You shouldn't need any coaxing to watch Hernandez and Ichiro go about their business, and seeing Griffey wearing Mariners threads is a guaranteed way to feel younger for a few hours.

What Defines Success: The Mariners have to think long-term so success isn't going to be measured by a particular win total. If Hernandez keeps progressing, if Morrow proves he can handle the load of a starter and if Clement shows he can hit big league pitching, that would constitute a big step toward future contention.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Low Expectations for the Seattle Nine
- Better Know a Prospect: Seattle Mariners

Mariners Try Not to Sink Again originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anaheim Must Be Missing an Angel

John Walters — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:45:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, AL West, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

When the Angels acquired Mark Teixeira last July, it was thought by many to be a bold move by a team not content to simply be 10,000 games ahead of the Rangers in the West and cruising toward the playoffs. Teixeira was supposed to be the player that was going to push them past the Red Sox and on to the World Series.

Whoops.

This season the Angels, like so many other teams, have passed on the big contracts (including Teixeira) in favor of what will hopefully be a more balanced approach to baseball. With a 21-game cushion in the AL West to work with from last season, it might be a safe gamble to take.

Or, is it?

Lineup
1.	Chone Figgins	3B
2.	Bobby Abreu	RF
3.	Vladimir Guerrero	DH
4.	Torii Hunter	CF
5.	Kendry Morales	1B
6.	Juan Rivera	LF
7.	Howie Kendrick	2B
8.	Mike Napoli	C
9.	Erick Aybar	SS
Pitching Staff
1.	John Lackey	R
2.	Ervin Santana	R
3.	Joe Saunders	L
4.	Jered Weaver	R
5.	Dustin Moseley	R
CL	Brian Fuentes	L

Coming and Going

In: Brian Fuentes, RP (free agency); Bobby Abreu, RF (free agency);
Out: Francisco Rodriguez, RP (free agency); Mark Teixeira, 1B (free agency); Jon Garland, SP (free agency); Darren O'Day, RP (free agency); Garret Anderson, LF (free agency)

Storylines

Will the Last One Turn Out the Lights ...
In terms of 2009 salaries, Fuentes ($8 million) isn't going to be making that much less than K-Rod ($8.5 million). Some might look at the save total and the star power and think the Angels are getting hosed here, but Fuentes has numbers that should make Angels fans feel better, such as a WHIP of 1.10, a K/9 rate of 11.8, and the three home runs he gave up last season (only two in 33 1/3 innings at Coors Field.) Of course, it'll only make Angels fans feel better if the back stiffness that is keeping him out of the second round of the WBC is minor.

His numbers against lefties and righties in his career are pretty even, so whether it's Josh Hamilton or Michael Young, division rivals are going to have a tough time against him. That being said, that first at-bat against old teammate Matt Holliday should be interesting.

Teix Mix ...
How do you replace one of the best hitters in baseball? If you're the Angels, you take two-fold approach. First, you bring in Bobby Abreu and his 100 RBI and high OBP to help out Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter in the middle of the lineup.

Second, you cross your fingers and hope that Kendry Morales will emerge as the slugger that you expected him to be when you signed him back in 2004. He's got tools, but this is going to be his chance to prove he's not one of those Quadruple-A players that are too good for the minors, but not quite good enough in the show. If that's the case, Mike Trumbo could be next in line for a crack at the impossible task of replacing Teixeira.

A Balanced Diet ...
It's not only Teixeira that the Angels have to worry about replacing. Sure, Garret Anderson was getting up there in years, but his offense is still going to have to be replaced, and Juan Rivera isn't going to be able to do it alone. The Angels are boasting a more balanced lineup this season, which might be code for "sorry we couldn't get Teixeira back or sign Manny Ramirez". But the bottom of the lineup is going to have to bear some of the pressure of carrying the offense. Rivera, Mike Napoli, and Howie Kendrick will each have to improve on last season's numbers to make up for the loss of Anderson, and that means staying healthy and playing a full season, which would make a huge difference (It's been a slow go for Napoli so far this spring.)

Brandon Wood having a breakout season either at third base or shortstop wouldn't hurt either.

And What of Your Reinforcements ...
I for one am interested to see how the Angels approach the trade deadline. Historically, they've been quiet in July. But last season they went for the entire enchilada when they got Teixeira -- a move designed not to get them to the playoffs, but through the playoffs. Not having gotten so much as a bite of said enchilada last season, will Tony Reagins be quick to get a big fish, or will they focus more on smaller fish to fill holes? Will they put the pole in the water at all?

If the Morales experiment ends badly, don't be surprised if the Angels pursue a low-risk, high-reward trade like Paul Konerko, Todd Helton, or even Carlos Delgado if any of their teams fall out of the playoff race.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Though the Angels will probably come back to the pack a bit, their starting pitching should keep them a stride ahead of Oakland and Texas. They may have to work a little harder to reach their win total of last season -- let's be honest, nobody is expecting Joe Saunders to go 17-7 again -- but the rotation is talented enough and deep enough to make the difference in the division, provided Jered Weaver is healthy, Ervin Santana gets healthy quick, and they can get something from the five spot from either Dustin Moseley or Nick Adenhart.

What Defines Success: Four division titles and a World Series championship since 2002 have made the Angels the gold standard in the AL West. With three of those division championships won by a comfortable margin, it'd easy for the Angels to feel confident in themselves and just worry about October. It would be a mistake to think that way this season as their roster isn't what it once was. It's still good enough to win the division, but they'll sweat a lot more than normal.

Related Links

- Better Know a Prospect: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Anaheim Must Be Missing an Angel originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colorado's Holliday Seems Over

Will Brinson — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Rockies, NL West, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Colorado Rockies.

The Colorado Rockies have long been one of the strangest paradigms of Major League Baseball. They seem to thrive on their home park of Coors Field, which provides Rockies hitters with seemingly supernatural power abilities. Of course, as always, that power comes with a price -- it's extremely rare to see a Colorado pitcher provide the team with any sort of successful season.

Even an attempted focus on groundball pitchers has often times resulted in disaster. For further reference, see: Hampton, Mike. Of course, this all seemed to change with the team's 2007 run to the World Series. Colorado had finally arrived and, in a weakened National League West, they seemed to possess enough young talent and decent enough pitching to contend for years.

Then 2008 happened, and it wasn't pretty. Recently extended, budding superstar shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was injured early, Todd Helton continued to age, Ubaldo Jimenez couldn't build on his strong 2007 postseason, and Manny Corpas, who saved 19 games in replacement of Brian Fuentes during the Rockies' run, was highly ineffective.

Colorado traded MVP candidate Matt Holliday in the offseason and now, despite having a somewhat talented lineup on paper, it finds itself in the midst of a rebuilding process.

Lineup
1.	Ryan Spilborghs	CF
2.	Troy Tulowitzki	SS
3.	Todd Helton	1B
4.	Garrett Atkins	3B
5.	Brad Hawpe	RF
6.	Ian Stewart	LF
7.	Chris Iannetta	C
8.	Clint Barmes	2B
9.	Pitcher's Spot	P
Pitching Staff
1.	Aaron Cook	R
2.	Ubaldo Jimenez	L
3.	Jorge De La Rosa	R
4.	Jason Marquis	R
5.	Greg Smith	R
CL	Huston Street	R

Coming and Going

In: Huston Street, RP (trade); Greg Smith, P (trade); Jason Marquis, SP (trade); Carlos Gonzalez, OF (trade); Alan Embree (free agency)
Out: Matt Holliday LF (trade); Brian Fuentes, RP (free agency); Livan Hernandez, SP (free agency); Willy Taveras, CF (free agency)

Storylines

On the Mend, er, Mound ...
As mentioned, pitching has always been the Achilles' heel of the Rockies. Last year, they got a surprise in the form of Aaron Cook, who won 13 games, but looked more like, well, Aaron Cook after the All-Star break. Cook's ground-ball tendencies play well in Colorado, but expecting a repeat of the first half from last year is probably a bit much. Of course, there were expectations surrounding Jimenez as well; he obviously didn't meet them. Add in the fact that Jeff Francis is going to miss 2009, and Colorado could be hard-pressed to patch together a rotation at times.

Examining the Holliday Trade ...
It's somewhat depressing to think that a 2009 storyline for the Rockies will revolve around a player no longer with the team, but if Street, Smith and Gonzalez (the three players acquired for Holliday) can't produce, things could get awkward. Holliday was set to become a free agent after this season, and while the Rox might not have been able to re-sign him, at the very least they might have been able to deal him as a rental to a contending team for better prospects (the Braves come immediately to mind given their weakness in left field). If Street is less capable of closing than the departed Fuentes, and if Smith can't provide decent starts at the back-end of the rotation, this is going to look pretty ugly for Colorado in the long- and short-term.

The Future Is Now ...
So much of the Rockies' success will depend on the ability of the lineup to produce consistently on the offensive side. For several years, Matt Holliday and Todd Helton have been the, ahem, rocks of the lineup. Helton, despite his ability to hit for average, is really too old to be considered dangerous at this point, Holliday is gone and Garrett Atkins is probably overrated based on a good season several years ago. Chris Iannetta, Troy Tulowitzki and Ian Stewart, however, can make up for that, but they all need to show some strong progression to make this lineup resemble anything remotely scary.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Because the Rockies surprised us just two years ago, I suppose it's not entirely impossible for the to come out of nowhere again. OK, it's probably unlikely, but the National League West allows the Padres to continue to exist, and so, it is inherently winnable.

What Defines Success: The Rockies are highly unlikely to make a playoff run -- obviously, that would be a win. What might be a more likely barometer of success is winning the Holliday trade. If the Rockies can get strong performances out of Smith and Street than they have a decent shot at arguing that they beat Billy Beane at his own game, no easy feat to pull off. Of course, if the A's fall out of the playoff race and Beane deals Holliday for better prospects, it might not matter.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Plenty of Offense, Even With Humidor
- Better Know a Prospect: Colorado Rockies

Colorado's Holliday Seems Over originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 15 Mar 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Young Stars Still Snakebitten?

Will Brinson — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Diamondbacks, NL West, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Diamondbacks began 2008 white-hot and were considered a legitimate World Series contender, storming out to record 12 games over .500 on May 18. They then proceeded to slap together two straight sub-.500 months, managing a 22-33 record in May and June, scoring just 90 runs in the latter monht.

When the Dodgers finally acquired Manny Ramirez, well, things snowballed and Arizona suddenly found itself out of the playoffs altogether.

Of course, the good news is that there was little change on a talented and maturing team that somehow managed to get younger, with the loss of Randy Johnson. Replacing the Big Unit, though, could be a touch problematic, as could be replacing the defense of Orlando Hudson.

Fortunately for the Diamondbacks, they should have enough talent on this squad to make up for any offensive shortcomings. Additionally, they sport Brandon Webb and Dan Haren at the front end of their rotation, and there's certainly an argument that they're the best top-end rotation pair in Major League baseball. The bullpen and back-end of the rotation present some questions, but this is certainly an evolving team -- one that, despite its inconsistencies, is going to be a contender in 2009 again.

Lineup
1.	Felipe Lopez	2B
2.	Stephen Drew	SS
3.	Chris Young	CF
4.	Conor Jackson	LF
5.	Mark Reynolds	3B
6.	Justin Upton	RF
7.	Chad Tracy	1B
8.	Chris Snyder	C
9.	Pitcher's Spot	P
Pitching Staff
1.	Brandon Webb	R
2.	Dan Haren	R
3.	Jon Garland	R
4.	Doug Davis	L
5.	Max Scherzer	R
CL	Chad Qualls	R

Coming and Going

In: Felipe Lopez, 2B (free agency); Tom Gordon, RP (free agency)
Out: Randy Johnson , SP (free agency); Orlando Hudson, 2B (free agency); David Eckstein, IF (free agency), Adam Dunn, 1B (free agency); Chris Burke, UT (free agency); Juan Cruz, RP (free agency)

Storylines

One Big Breakout ...
The insane thing about this Arizona team is that nearly every single player in the starting lineup is a candidate to break out. Now, that's a bit of a stretch -- Snyder and Lopez probably aren't going to suddenly become offensive monsters and Drew may have already done so. But he might have more. So might Chris Young, Conor Jackson, Mark Reynolds and Justin Upton. Upton is the guy that the Diamondbacks need to step up the most, though, simply because he has so much untapped potential. If he blows through the roof and Jackson finds a power stroke, this offense will be sick.

Interesting Back-end ...
There's nothing more fantastic than the story of Doug Davis beating cancer last season. The lefty managed to fight through the disease in the middle of the season and return to the mound (after pitching a game while knowing he'd been diagnosed). However, as touching as it is, it doesn't necessarily help a rotation that screams "meh" after Webb and Haren. Jon Garland was an interesting addition, and I suppose he's a pretty good No. 3, but this is a team that wants to win a World Series, and unless Max Scherzer can actually tap his potential, there are a lot of questions here.

The Ghost of Carlos Quentin ...
It's hard to argue with too many of the moves that the Diamondbacks have made over the past few years. The front office recognition that building a proper farm system ultimately results in success has obviously paid off. However, the team traded Quentin to the White Sox, thinking that he wouldn't reach the potential that had him highly ranked in that same farm system, and now, it's impossible to argue that it wasn't a mistake. Quentin hit 36 bombs last year with the ChiSox -- eight more than Mark Reynolds, who also struck out approximately 4,351 times, and he led Arizona in home runs last year. The short version of this story is that the Diamondbacks desperately miss the power presence that Quentin would have provided in their lineup and as talented as the team may be, they still have to face the fact that they gave up an MVP candidate -- a transaction that may continue to haunt them for a few years.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Because there's nothing better than seeing a young team mature all at once and begin to become, as FanHouse's Matt Snyder put it, a National League dynasty. Webb and Haren are one of the best 1-2 punches in the bigs, and if the lineup can be consistent, there's going to be a lot to love in Arizona this year.

What Defines Success: Nothing short of a National League West title would make 2009 a success. The Diamondbacks have the luxury of being young (have I mentioned that yet?) so their World Series window is still pretty wide. It would be pretty unfair, too, to put that sort of expectation on this team. But not winning the division, considering just how weak it is across the board, would absolutely be a disappointment.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Youth Is Served
- Better Know a Prospect: Arizona Diamondbacks

Young Stars Still Snakebitten? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodgers Need Manny to Be Manny

Ed Price — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, NL West, FanHouse Previews

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

When Manny Ramirez first suited up for the Dodgers on Aug. 1, they were muddling along at 54-54, two games out in the NL West and with a team OPS of .697.

Then Manny was Manny as much as he's ever been, and over the final two months the Dodgers went 30-24 with a .798 team OPS. They won the division and swept the Cubs in their NLDS before losing to Philadelphia in the NLCS.

So the Dodgers' offseason became all about keeping Manny, who jaked his way out of Boston because he wanted more than $20 million a season. All winter, as the Dodgers kept Rafael Furcal (sorry, Atlanta) and Casey Blake and replaced Derek Lowe with Randy Wolf and added Orlando Hudson, it wouldn't matter if they couldn't re-sign Ramirez.

It finally happened March 4, and the Dodgers can now set about trying to win consecutive division titles for the first time since 1977-78.

Coming and Going

Lineup
1.	Rafael Furcal	SS
2.	Orlando Hudson	2B
3.	Manny Ramirez	LF
4.	James Loney	1B
5.	Andre Ethier	RF
6.	Russell Martin	C
7.	Matt Kemp	CF
8.	Casey Blake	3B
9.	Pitcher	P
Pitching Staff
1.	Chad Billingsley	R
2.	Randy Wolf	L
3.	Hiroki Kuroda	R
4.	Clayton Kershaw	L
5.	Jason Schmidt	R
CL	Jonathan Broxton	R

In: Orlando Hudson, 2B (free agency); Randy Wolf, SP (free agency); Mark Loretta, IF (free agency); Brad Ausmus, C (free agency)
Out: Derek Lowe, SP (free agency); Jeff Kent, 2B (retired); Andruw Jones, CF (released), Takashi Saito, RP (non-tendered), Greg Maddux, SP (retired); Brad Penny, SP (free agency); Nomar Garciaparra, IF (free agency)

Storylines

Can Manny Back It Up ...
Project Ramirez's Dodgers stats over a full season and you get 51 homers and 159 RBI. The last player to hit 50 homers in his 37-year-old season? Same as the last 37-year-old to drive in 150: no one. But Manny's production will depend mostly on his frame of mind; the out clause in his contract after this season is the carrot to keep him motivated.

The Kid Pitchers ...
Chad Billingsley (24) and Clayton Kershaw (can legally buy a beer as of March 19) are penciled in to the rotation. Last year they combined to go 21-15, and the Dodgers are counting on no regression.

Crying Wolf ...
When economics forced the Astros to withdraw from trying to re-sign Randy Wolf, he lingered on the free-agent market until the Dodgers swooped in. He is expected to be the veteran anchor in the rotation, but is he the guy who was 6-10 with a 4.74 ERA for the Padres or the one who went 6-2, 3.57 for Houston?

O-Dog Has Bite ...
Orlando Hudson has something to prove. He has three Gold Gloves, was an All-Star in 2007 and had an .817 OPS when he suffered a season-ending dislocated left wrist in August. But he couldn't find a long-term deal in the unusual free-agent market, landing with the Dodgers in late February.

2009 Outlook

Why You Should Watch: Because with Manny around, anything can happen. And it will. His propensity to steal the spotlight just helps a nice young nucleus -- Russell Martin, James Loney, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier -- continue to develop without too much scrutiny.

What Defines Success: The last time Joe Torre was idle in October (1995), Matt Kemp was in fifth grade. So returning to the postseason is unquestionably the goal here. It shouldn't take more than 95 wins to capture the division, but Arizona should be at least as good as it was in 2008 and San Francisco seems improved.

Related Links

- Fantasy Baseball Preview: Manny and Tons of Upside Talent
- Better Know a Prospect Los Angeles Dodgers

Latest Manny Ramirez Images

GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 13: Manny Ramirez #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers prepares to bat during a Spring Training game against the Texas Rangers on March 13, 2009 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Ramirez

Getty Images

GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 13: Manny Ramirez #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at bat during a Spring Training game against the Texas Rangers on March 13, 2009 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Ramirez

Getty Images

GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 13: Manny Ramirez #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs to first base after a walk in the first inning during a Spring Training game against the Texas Rangers on March 13, 2009 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Ramirez

Getty Images

GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 13: Manny Ramirez #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers stands during the national anthem before a Spring Training game against the Texas Rangers on March 13, 2009 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Ramirez

Getty Images

GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 13: Manny Ramirez #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks along the field before a Spring Training game against the Texas Rangers on March 13, 2009 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Ramirez

Getty Images

GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 13: Manny Ramirez #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a single in the fifth inning as Taylor Teagarden #2 of the Texas Rangers looks on during a Spring Training game on March 13, 2009 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Ramirez;Taylor Teagarden

Getty Images

Dodgers Need Manny to Be Manny originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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