AL Preview

AL EAST

*1. Yankees - Much like the Braves (we'll get to them later), you can't pick against the Bronx Bombers until they themselves concede the division. Last year they didn't get it done in the postseason, but they're still the pick to win the East. As good a lineup as any, and some offseason moves to streghthen the pitching staff. But that same pitching staff is what worries me come playoff time. Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano, Mike Mussina, Jaret Wright, Kevin Brown. Looks pretty damn good. Johnson is as good as any in the playoffs and no team wants to face him come October. After that...it looks good, but who knows how well it will come out come crunch time. Pavano, World Series experience and a ring with the Marlins two years ago and maybe he'll be as good in the pinstripes as all those Yankee fans hope. But he is changing leagues to a better hitting AL and will he feed off the pressure in the Bronx or sink into the black hole of NY boos once he loses a few games. There is little room for error especially after last year's collapse to the Red Sox, we'll see if he can deal with it. After that, the rotation is far from solid. Mussina is awful 2-4 in the playoffs the last two years - thats as the #1. Jaret Wright had a finally bounced back in Atlanta last year posting a 15-8 record after struggling for a few years. But 0-2 with a 9.31 ERA in the Braves first round exit to the Astros. And Kevin "Rocky" Brown , broken hand or not, has fallen off from the pitcher he once was. A less than stellar 10-6 performance amongst a variety of injuries. And in the bullpen, the problems are far from solved. Rivera is still solid as a closer but no longer as untouchable as he once was. Mike Stanton is a step up from Felix Heredia, but who isn't and Stanton isn't as young as he used to be. But rest easy Yankee fans, you'll win the division. But the playoffs - I wouldn't count on number 27 just yet.

2. Red Sox - Basking in their World Series glory for the first time in 86 years, it may not be another 86 before they make it back, but it won't be this year. Pedro is gone, Schilling is hurt, and their game 7 hero (3 times) Derek Lowe is fittingly now in Hollywood. David Wells is due for an off year especially in the uniform of rival Boston when he wants to be in New York. Keith Foulke is solid in as a closer but has struggled before - we'll see how he does this year against the East, most notably the Yankees. The lineup is virtually unchanged and will be the strength of this team. Edgar Rentaria was this club's best offseason pick-up replacing the free swinging Orlando Cabrera. Re-signing Jason Varitek was also extremely important keeping this team's captain on board. As always it will be the Yanks and the Sox battling it out for first in the East, but yet again the Red Sox will see themselves looking up at their division rivals at the end of the season, but should make a push for the Wild Card.

3. Orioles - Baltimore is all power and no pitching. If Sammy Sosa returns to form which he very well may in hitter friendly Camden yards, he and Miguel Tejada will be a force to reckon with. But the O's better hope these two don't hit a cold streak at the same time. Tejada 3 to 2 strikeout to walk ratio and a .360 on base percentage last season. Sosa 3 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio and .332 OBP. in '04. Sidney Ponson is hardly an ace. Rodrigo Lopez is solid and Jorge Julio does a nice job as a closer but this team just simply won't contend with the Red Sox and Yankees.

4. Blue Jays - Ok, so by this point we should have one thing clear : Its going to be the Yankees and the Sox in the East. The Blue Jays have some good players but just nothing that will contend as a team. Roy Halladay is looking to bounce back from a rough 2004 that saw him finish at 8-8 with a 4.20 ERA. Ted Lilly is starting the season on the disabled list but should be back in action within a month. Russ Adams is the starting at shortstop coming up from AAA Syracuse. Corey Koskie and Shea Hillenbrand are also solid. In the outfield Vernon Wells brings some power to this lineup and could hit 30 home runs this year.

5. Devil Rays - Despite the loss of future Hall of Famer Alex Sanchez to steroids, Tampa Bay's season won't be affected all that much. Lou Pinella has done a nice job with this young crew and they might find their way out of the East cellar, but they won't contend. Some players to look out for - Rocco Baldelli hit .280 last year but needs to become more disciplined at the plate. He struck out 88 times and walked only 30 times. Travis Lee is as good as it gets in the fileld at first base, but hasn't done as well at the plate.


AL Central

*1. Twins - Possibly the most solid pitching staff 1-4. Returning Cy Young winner Johan Santana anchors the rotation. #2 Brad Radke is consistently good for 12-15 wins a season. 3 - man Carlos Silva had a breakout season in his first full year in the Twin cities and his first full year as a starter notching 14 wins. He made Philadlphia look pretty stupid for keeping him in the bullpen those last couple years. And Kyle Lohse struggled last season and did not live up to his potential but this kid has some nice stuff and should rebound to have a solid season. And when it gets to the 9th, Joe Nathan turns out the lights - 44 saves last season and a 1.62 ERA. Oh yea, Torii Hunter an Jacque Jones are good too.

*2. Chicago - By far the most "if....then" pitching staff in baseball. Mark Buehrle is the ace on this staff and doesn't have overpowering stuff, but he is good for 15 wins a season. But if the Sox wanna play deep into October, he will have to get closer to 20. Freddy Garcia has been up and down - but up since getting traded to Chi-town last season. 4-7 before his move from Seattle, 9-4 after. If can grad 15 wins without losing just as many, the pale-hoes will have a solid 1-2 combo at the top of their rotation. Here is where it really gets interesting. Orlando Hernandez, Jose Contreras, and Jon Garland round out the rest of this staff. Let's get the easy one out of the way. Garland wins 12 games a year, but loses just as many. The new additions may help relieve some of the pressure and if he could keep the L's under 10, the Sox will be in good shape. Now to the two former Yankees. El Duque was as good as anyone last year, posting a 8-2 overall mark. New Yorkers said he and Mussina were going to carry the Yankees back to the series. That was until his arm died. Hernandez had one appearence in the playoffs in game 4 against Boston, giving up 3 runs in 5 innings. But he started last season 8-0 and if his arms stays live, he can pitch with the best of them. Rounding out the most questionable rotation in baseball is Jose Contreras. Two years ago this guy was unhittable. His splitter gave hitters nightmares. Then last season, he struggled with control and hitters began to sit on the split. The results were an 13-9 record with an ERA at 5.50. Even worse, he closed the season in September 0-3 with a 9.21 ERA. If he can revert back to the old Jose and locate his fastball and effectively use the splitter he could win 15 games and keep his ERA under 4.00. If the stars are all aligned for this staff of what ifs, then they will take the Central from Minnesota and present a serious challenge to whomever they meet in the postseason.

3. Detroit - Possibly the least talked about team that could do some damage. Ivan Rodriguez, Magglio Ordonez, Dmitri Young and Rondell White. The first two, injury prone, the last two, old. But put these four in the same lineup and you're talking about some serious power. No big names jump out from the pitching staff, but the bullpen has potential. Troy Percival and Ugueth Urbina combined had 54 saves last year, but the biggest problem may lie in getting the ball in their hands with a lead to play with. Not only does the staff not jump out at you, but one particular set up man does. Kyle Farnsworth. Talk about the biggest waste of a 100 mph fastball. Someone has to let him know that at this point A. his fastball is his best pitch and not to mess around with his offspeed junk and go after the hitter and B. don't throw it right down the middle of the plate. Countless Farnsworth fastballs have landed 500 feet away because he can't locate it. Greatest example of a thrower and not a pitcher.

4. Cleveland - The ghosts of Charles Nagy, Albert Belle, and Jim Thome will haunt Jacobs field once again this season. Not a bad pitching staff with C.C. Sabithia, Cliff Lee, Jake Westbrook, and Kevin Millwood - but not great either. C.C. is injured, but if he returns at 100% he could win 15 gams. Westbrook had a decent season posting a 14-9 record , but he was 12-6 heading into September. Kevin Millwood failed to live up to his one year contract extension in Philadelphia last season - or even earn it for that matter : 9-6 and a 4.85 ERA. And who knows which Cliff Lee will show up this season. The one who went 9-1 before the All Star break, or the one who wet 5-7 after.

5. Kansas City - Poor Tony Pena. The Royals can't even say wait til next year, because chances are next year won't be much different. The lineup is full of guys who are decent, a couple who are even good, but none who are great. Mike Sweeney, Tony Graffanino, Matt Stairs - was good a while ago - , Terrence Long, and Eli Marrero. When put in a lineup with some other, better stars around them, all these guys could make a team better. But combined with each other, there is just not enough consistency between them to make this lineup a contending force.


AL WEST

*1. Los Angeles (Angels of Anaheim) - Best outfield in baseball. Its that simple. I hate the rally monkey as much as anyone and the name change is absolutely absurd but theres no denying the strength of this lineup. Vlad Guerrero, Garrett Anderson, and Steve Finley. As well as protecting each other, these 3 have a solid supporting cast. Orlando Caberera swings a little too freely, but is a good hitting shortstop. Chone Figgins also needs to become more disciplined at the plate but when he gets on he does a nice job of setting the table for the big guys - 34 SB last season. Darin Ernstad and Bengie Molina from the World Series team are also solid. And with Percival gone, Francisco Rodriguez finally gets the ball in the 9th and nothing suggests he won't continue to mow down hitters - a 1.82 ERA in and 123 K's in 84 innings. The rotation is slightly suspect with Jarrod Washburn, Paul Byrd, and Bartolo Colon but should do enough to get this team the top spot in the West.

2. Texas - Getting rid of Alex Rodriguez remains the best move this team ever made. Mark Texieria, Michael Young, Alfonso Soriano and Hank Blaylock make up possibly the most solid infield from corner to corner in the AL. Richard Hildago if he bounces back will help this hard hitting team light up the scoreboard even more. Sandy Alomar Jr. gives all these youngs guys a veteran to look up to which is always underestimated. But whenever Kenny Rogers is your ace, you're gambling. The pitching staff headlined by Rogers and Chan Ho Park still leaves much to be desired.

3. Oakland - (*sleeper pick to win the west) - As always it was a busy offseason for the father of the science that is Moneyball , Billy Beane. Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson , cya later. Barry Zito remains the only 1 of the Big 3 in the Bay Area. He'll be flanked by Danny Haren, Rich Harden, and Joe Blanton - none of whom were born before 1980. They're young but this has worked before for the GM of the A's. The closest person to a superstar on this team is Eric Chavez who is also one of the only reconizable names on the roster for most fans. Chavez will be joined by Mark Ellis and Erubiel Durazo in the infield as well as Keith Ginter. Nick Swisher is the kid to look out for on this team. The outfielder was Beane's prize pick in the Moneyball draft and this will be his first full season to justify his the GM's madness. Other good acquisitions for Oakland include Charles Thomas whom they got in the Hudson trade and Catcher Jason Kendall. Thomas is a speedy outfielder who hit .288 in 83 games for the Braves. And Kendall remains one of the most consistent hitting catchers in the game. If this team comes together as well as Beane hopes, they could make a run at the West crown.


4. Seattle - Ichiro , Bret Boone, Richie Sexson, and Raul Ibanez headline this team. But the Mariners also made a nice pick - up in the Freddy Garcia to Chicago trade getting catcher Miguel Olivio. The pitching staff could be too old with Jamie Moyer and Aaron Sele in the mix. Eddie Guardado is a solid lights out man - but getting to the 9th with a lead will be the challenge for this Seattle team.



ALDS Yankees v White Sox
ALDS Angels v. Twins

ALCS Twins v. White Sox

AL Champ Twins



World Series Champ : Braves OVER Twins


(sleeper pick : White Sox OVER Phillies)