Here are previews for all 30 MLB teams that I did for Chalk. They were featured on Bodoglife.com in the spring of 2008.
American League East
Boston Red Sox
The World Series champions decided to keep the group together that brought Boston another championship in 2007. The Red Sox have several key young players who gained valuable experience and should continue to grow in 2008. The value of these youngsters became apparent when they were not willing to use them as trade bait to acquire Johan Santana. Two of them, LHP Jon Lester and CF Jacoby Ellsbury, were huge factors in the World Series run. Ellsbury surged onto the scene in September and hit over .400 in the World Series. 3B Mike Lowell returns with a new contract as well as Cy Young Award runner-up Josh Beckett and closer Jonathan Papelbon. RHP Curt Schilling’s shoulder injury is a major concern heading into the new season. Sluggers David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez remain in the third and fourth spots and likely will follow Rookie of the Year Dustin Pedroia in the lineup. Even though the BoSox did not shake up the team they are fortunate that the AL teams who added most of the best players are not in the East. This gives the club a strong chance to repeat what they did last season.
New York Yankees
All things have to come to an end at some point. New York’s streak of nine straight division titles ended last season, but the Yanks did earn their 13th straight playoff berth. Being eliminated in the first round of the postseason once again began a whirlwind offseason. Joe Torre left after 12 years at the helm and landed with the Dodgers. Star 3B Alex Rodriguez, coming off his third AL MVP came back to the Yankees and agreed to a $275 million, 10-year contract. The Yankees brought back three other key free agents in C Jorge Posada, LHP Andy Pettitte and closer Mariano Rivera. They pulled out of the Johan Santana sweepstakes because they didn’t want to part with young pitchers Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy. The bullpen bridge to Rivera still looks very shaky and it might be tempting to move Chamberlain into a relief role. Health is a big concern for veterans Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, who is coming off knee surgery. The Yankees are hopeful that Jason Giambi can play some first base otherwise, they will have a logjam at the DH spot. Morgan Ensberg and Jason Lane will compete with Wilson Betemit and Shelley Duncan in the spring for playing time at first base.
Toronto Blue Jays
Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays start every baseball season feeling the same way. They know their team is good enough to win but they are stuck with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the AL East. Once again there is optimism around the Blue Jays camp and even whispers that the club could be the surprise team this season. Newly acquired 3B Scott Rolen and SS David Eckstein give Toronto a new left side of the infield. They have a budding superstar in Alex Rios to go along with veterans Vernon Wells and Frank Thomas. On the hill the Jays have B.J. Ryan returning as closer after undergoing Tommy John surgery last spring. In 2007 the Jays were to develop pitchers Dustin McGowan, Shaun Marcum and Jesse Litsch while Casey Janssen emerged as a top setup man. Toss in the team’s ace Roy Halladay and the Jays have a strong rotation. The one thing that plagues Toronto every season however is injuries. The team did not lose much in the offseason except for guys like Troy Glaus and Josh Towers who generally had more of a negative impact on the club overall. If the Jays can stay healthy in 2008 they could very well put up a fight for a postseason spot.
Baltimore Orioles
The rebuilding of the Baltimore Orioles franchise is in full swing but fans may not be so interested in near future. The club has already traded two of its star attractions from 2007, SS Miguel Tejada and LHP Erik Bedard and dealing 2B Brian Roberts remains a possibility. With these moves the O’s are trying to fix years of attempting to stay competitive by signing second-tier free agents. By unloading Tejada and Bedard for prospects, Club president Andy MacPhail is now committed to rebuilding through youth and has essentially sacrificed the 2008 season to build for the next ten years. The Orioles begin camp looking to fill out a very weak starting rotation. They have no closer and no adequate replacement for Tejada, whose departure leaves a hole at SS and the cleanup spot. LF Luke Scott who was acquired in the Tejada trade, will get his first opportunity to be an everyday player and should add to his better-than-average statistics as the Astros’ part-time left fielder a year ago. Baltimore is essentially starting the 2008 season with no hope of ending the franchise-record run of 10 straight losing seasons.
Tampa Bay Rays
One of the biggest moves the Rays made since the 2007 season ended will have no influence over fantasy stats or the team’s record. The Rays started a busy offseason by dropping the word ”Devil” from their nickname, rolling out new uniforms and adding new team colours. The club also pulled the trigger on a major deal that sent OF Delmon Young to Minnesota for RHP Matt Garza and SS Jason Bartlett, These moves should improve the starting pitching and defense right away. Tampa Bay also traded OF Elijah Dukes, upgraded the bullpen by signing Troy Percival and acquired 3B Willy Aybar. The Rays are looking for Aybar to hold down third base until top prospect Evan Longoria is ready to play in the majors. Akinori Iwamura is shifting from third base to second this season. He could make a huge difference if he becomes more comfortable at the plate in only his second year in the majors. Iwamura hit only seven home runs and had just 38 extra-base hits in his first season since coming over from Japan. The Rays are confident they are headed in the right direction even though they have never won more than 70 games in a season. Unless the starting pitching and bullpen improve dramatically, it figures to be another long season in an always tough division.
AL CENTRAL
Cleveland Indians
There wasn’t much to do this offseason for the Indians to improve the team they already have. Cleveland is bringing back pretty much the same roster from last season that ran away with the AL Central and were one game away from going to the World Series. Players including 19-game winners LHP C.C. Sabathia and RHP Fausto Carmona, AL saves leader RHP Joe Borowski and stars OF Grady Sizemore, C Victor Martinez and DH Travis Hafner are all back. Manager Eric Wedge’s greatest challenge will be getting his fairly young club to the take it to the next level. The team recently offered a long-term contract extension to Sabathia, who is in line to become baseball’s next $20-million-per-season pitcher. Sabathia has already said he doesn’t plan to continue talks until after the season is over. Young pitchers Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey and Cliff Lee are expected to compete for the No. 5 starter’s job in an already deep rotation. The batting lineup is virtually set, although the lower half of the order could be changed around occasionally. The left-handed hitting David Dellucci will platoon with the right-handed hitting Jason Michaels in left field.
Detroit Tigers
Motown is full of excitement and optimism for the upcoming season and are considered title contenders heading into spring training. Detroit followed up a 2006 World Series appearance by contending for a playoff spot deep into last season. After missing out on the postseason the team quickly sent a message that being merely good was not enough. In the first major deal of the offseason, the Tigers picked up All-Stars Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis from Florida by giving up top prospects Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller. The lineup is loaded and the rotation could be one of the best in the league. The only weak spots for Detroit are the bullpen and, possibly, the bench. The Tigers will need to fill the void of reliever Joel Zumaya, who will miss at least half the season with a shoulder injury. One player to keep an eye on is Brandon Inge. He was a major disappointment at the plate last season and is due to be traded. But a good offensive season will boost his value to other teams or put him in line to take a regular job from somebody else on the roster. The Tigers have perhaps the best top-to-bottom lineup in baseball making it a team built for the postseason.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins were in the news as much as any team in baseball this winter thanks to the deal that sent two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana to the Mets. He leaves a huge hole in a starting rotation that will see 2006 All-Star Francisco Liriano return, as long as he is strong enough after Tommy John surgery. Even if Liriano is healthy enough, starting pitching will be a major question for Minnesota as they try to fill five starting spots with a handful of young pitchers. RHP Livan Hernandez was signed to a one-year contract and should provide a veteran presence on the unproven staff. RHP Boof Bonser lost his spot in the rotation last September, then was ordered to lose 10 pounds over the winter. Bonser responded by losing more than 20 and is in the best shape of his career. Closer Joe Nathan anchors what should be a dependable bullpen for the Twins. Lost in the hype over the Santana deal and Torii Hunter’s departure via free agency was the acquisition of Delmon Young from the Rays. The heart of Minnesota’s lineup could be transformed if Young is the budding superstar that the Twins believe him to be. A healthy Joe Mauer and a determined Justin Morneau should provide even more offensive output than 2007. Mike Lamb is an upgrade on offense at third, but it’s not clear who will lead off and who will play center field.
Chicago White Sox
It would seem that few GMs had a better winter than the Chicago White Sox’s Ken Williams. He acquired shortstop Orlando Cabrera, landed free agent relievers Scott Linebrink and Octavio Dotel, and then traded for OF Nick Swisher. The problem, however, was that the bar was set sky-high when the offseason began. The White Sox took some big swings at a major acquisition and missed each time. Fans are wondering if they retooled enough to rebound from a disappointing season and if they can catch both Cleveland and Detroit. By adding Linebrink and Dotel to a bullpen that was 19-25 and had 23 blown saves, the White Sox think they have a strong bridge between the starters and closer Bobby Jenks. One area the team will need to address is the logjam at third base. Josh Fields showed promise as a rookie while Joe Crede missed most of last season with a back injury. The Sox also need to settle on an everyday leadoff hitter, center fielder and second baseman. Cabrera, acquired from the Los Angeles Angels could lead off, and Alexei Ramirez might wind up in center.
Kansas City Royals
New manager Trey Hillman inherits a young team that will be trying to break itself free of four straight last-place finishes in the tough AL Central. If the Royals are going to move from perennial loser to contender, they will need youngsters 3B Alex Gordon, DH/1B Billy Butler, OF Mark Teahen, CF David DeJesus, 1B Ryan Shealy, SS Tony Pena Jr. and C John Buck to make major strides in 2008. The Royals did make one move to beef up a weak offense by signing OF Jose Guillen. His power should help the team produce more runs in 2008. Rookie RHP Luke Hochevar, the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, has a chance to break camp with the club as the No. 4 or 5 starter. First base is wide open with Ryan Shealy, Ross Gload and Butler competing. Shealy was acquired in a 2006 trade with the Rockies. He hit .280 with seven home runs and 36 RBI in 51 games in 2006 with Kansas City and was the Royals’ Opening Day first baseman in 2007. If Shealy is healthy and returns to form, he should win the first base job.
AL West
Los Angeles Angels
The L.A. Angels are legitimate favourites to win their fourth AL West championship in five years but that won’t be enough to meet the team’s expectations this time. CF Torii Hunter and RHP Jon Garland were the only offseason additions to the roster but both figure to make a significant impact. The Angels could have one of baseball’s best defensive outfields with Hunter, Gary Matthews Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero or Garret Anderson. With the signing of Hunter it gives the team depth in their lineup to make up for the lack of a power presence to team with Guerrero in the middle of the order. Even before the addition of Garland, the Angels had one of the strongest rotations in baseball with John Lackey, Kelvim Escobar and Jered Weaver leading the way. Erick Aybar and Maicer Izturis will compete for the starting SS job, with outstanding prospect Brandon Wood waiting for his shot. One concern is Escobar’s sore shoulder. The rotation will only get stronger when he returns from a shoulder problem that should land him on the DL to start the season. Overall the Angels remain a pitching-oriented team unless they do something to improve the team’s need for a more threatening offense.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners spent much of the offseason trying to upgrade the starting rotation and landed Erik Bedard from Baltimore. To get the lefty ace the Mariners had to give up George Sherrill, the Mariners’ best lefty in the bullpen, and outfield prospect Adam Jones. Seattle is obviously trying to win this year, and a rotation of Bedard, Felix Hernandez and Carlos Silva gives the Mariners a talented rotation. Manager John McLaren is a big fan of his veterans, so it is a good bet to see the regulars playing every day. That will most likely mean that Brad Wilkerson will win the job in right field and will be the regular there. The Mariners are hoping Wilkerson can stay healthy and come close to the numbers Jose Guillen provided last year in right field. 1B Richie Sexson has been working hard to come to camp in top shape and seems to have the complete confidence of McLaren after a poor 2007. RHP J.J. Putz is one of the top closers in the game and should become even better with the addition of new pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre. The Mariners need to shore up the bullpen and make sure they are covered in right field if they’re going to challenge for the AL West title in 2008.
Oakland Athletics
The A’s began the offseason with thoughts of adding Barry Bonds and making a run at the Angels in the AL West. Instead of that bold move, GM Billy Beane dealt RHP Dan Haren, OF Nick Swisher and OF Mark Kotsay to rebuild and not go up against the Angels. Oakland restocked its farm system with the Haren and Swisher deals but it will take a few seasons to determine whether those moves will translate to wins. The A’s don’t have a lot of their pieces from a year ago. Kotsay, Swisher, Milton Bradley, Jason Kendall, Shannon Stewart and Mike Piazza are all gone. What remains is relatively young and a little light on power. With promising young hitters such as LF Travis Buck and 1B Daric Barton, Oakland manager Bob Geren probably will change his lineup around a lot. The big questions on the field revolve around the health of RHP Rich Harden, 3B Eric Chavez and SS Bobby Crosby, whose injuries last season helped contribute to Oakland’s first losing season since 1998. Chavez could be back in 30-homer territory and is also expected to regain his Gold Glove status in 2008.
Texas Rangers
One of the biggest additions for the Texas Rangers could be a healthy Hank Blalock. The two-time All-Star says he is feeling great after surgery to have a rib removed from near his right shoulder. The three main areas where manager Ron Washington considered offseason needs were filled by management. CF Josh Hamilton, RF Milton Bradley and 1B Ben Broussard were all added to the club. Hamilton, the first overall draft pick in 1999 who nearly ruined his career through alcohol and drug abuse, has a lot to prove. RHP Jason Jennings was added to the rotation after being hampered last season by elbow problems. LHP Eddie Guardado provides a much-needed veteran presence in a bullpen that will be missing RHP Eric Gagne and RHP Akinori Otsuka. Guardado will likely be a setup man and mentor to closer candidates C.J. Wilson and Joaquin Benoit. There are many questions on the Texas roster, and answering all of them in a positive manner is unlikely. It is for that reason why the Rangers are probably not in a contending position in 2008. There are no accomplished cleanup men in the batting order, and it is possible that Bradley, Hamilton or Blalock could end up there.
NL East
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies finally got a taste of the postseason in 2007 by winning the NL East on the final day of the regular season. But Philadelphia got swept out of the division series by Colorado and is hungry to return and go even further this year. The loss of All-Star CF Aaron Rowand might be tougher to fill in the clubhouse than on the field. His leadership will be missed, but the additions of OF Geoff Jenkins and 3B Pedro Feliz should make up for his offensive output. The most significant offseason move came early when the team acquired closer Brad Lidge from Houston and moved RHP Brett Myers back into the rotation. Myers prefers closing and had success in his first season in that role. He gives the Phillies a solid 1-2 attack atop the starting rotation with All-Star Cole Hamels. Barring injuries, the everyday position players are set for the Phillies. Until the Mets acquired Johan Santana, the Phillies might have been favourites to repeat as division champs. The Phillies led the National League with 892 runs scored last season, and with SS Jimmy Rollins, 2B Chase Utley and 1B Ryan Howard returning, they see no reason they can’t duplicate that total in 2008. The Phillies will be fine at the plate but they need to get better pitching and avoid the rash of injuries that nearly destroyed them in 2007.
New York Mets
An uneventful offseason turned prosperous when the Mets were able to complete the trade for two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana, making New York the favourite to win the NL East. Now, the Mets have the durable ace they sorely lacked while chasing a pennant the past two years. 1B Carlos Delgado, LF Moises Alou, RHP Pedro Martinez and RHP Orlando Hernandez have one year left on their contracts while CF Carlos Beltran is in his prime. The lineup also includes 3B David Wright and SS Jose Reyes. The second spot in the order was a trouble spot until 2B Luis Castillo was acquired from Minnesota. Santana tops a solid rotation that includes John Maine and Oliver Perez who were both 15-game winners last season. The bullpen would get a big boost if Duaner Sanchez is healthy after he was sidelined by a shoulder injury in a July 2006 taxi accident. The Mets could use a right-handed bat to complement RF Ryan Church, and Martinez must get himself ready after missing most of last season following shoulder surgery. One player to watch is RHP Mike Pelfrey, the ninth overall pick in the 2005 draft. He is No. 6 in a five-man rotation for now, but figures to get his chance. The Mets still have some issues, but none so glaring that they won’t be major contenders.
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves have ended up third in their division for two straight seasons so it was time to improve their starting rotation. LHP Tom Glavine is back and fans are hoping it will be more than just a happy reunion. The Braves expect him to deliver 200 innings and double-digit wins while working behind RHP John Smoltz and RHP Tim Hudson. The team might not have to put a lot of stock in LHP Mike Hampton’s comeback if Jair Jurrjens makes the rotation. This could possibly push Chuck James to the fifth spot. Rafael Soriano will have his first chance as the full-time closer in 2008. The Braves defense obviously will miss Andruw Jones who was a 10-time Gold Glove winner. This will especially be evident if CF Mark Kotsay’s 2007 back problems resurface. The Braves are optimistic that Kotsay can fill in for one season while top prospect Jordan Schaferb spends another year in the minors. If Kotsay does get injured, Josh Anderson could start in center field. The combination of pitching depth, the chance to have 1B Mark Teixeira for an entire season, and the lift injected by the return of Glavine has everybody feeling good in Georgia.
Washington Nationals
OF Lastings Milledge could bring a lot of excitement to the Nationals lineup, but otherwise the the team did not add much in the offseason. Their most expensive acquisition, C Paul Lo Duca, had nearly identical offensive stats as C Brian Schneider in 2007. On top of that the new catcher is sidelined for at least the start of spring training after a left knee operation. The pitching staff is almost 100 percent the same as last season, which is good news in the strong bullpen. Sadly this means there are plenty of question marks about an inexperienced starting rotation. The Nationals don’t have any true long relievers in the mix, but both RHP Jesus Colome and RHP Chris Schroder are capable of going multiple innings. Other issues heading into the season include when 1B Nick Johnson will return to the lineup after breaking his right leg in September 2006 and how Johnson and 1B Dmitri Young both find playing time. The Nationals also need to address which two of SS Cristian Guzman, 2B Ronnie Belliard and 2B-SS Felipe Lopez will start everyday. It is still up for debate if all the offseason moves will pay off for the Nationals but it will certainly be a a new-look team in 2008.
Florida Marlins
The Florida Marlins must rebuild after yet another payroll dump which sent the team’s two most popular players 3B Miguel Cabrera and LHP Dontrelle Willis to the Detroit Tigers. From the blockbuster deal Florida received six players in return, including top prospects LHP Andrew Miller and CF Cameron Maybin. The Marlins hope Miller is ready to join a starting rotation that ranked last in the majors in ERA in 2007. LHP Mark Hendrickson is also expected to start, while infielders Dallas McPherson, Jose Castillo and Jorge Cantu will battle to replace Cabrera. Maybin and Mike Rabelo will also be fighting to win starting jobs with the club. The Marlins still have five starters who were part of a banner rookie class in 2006, but Cabrera’s departure leaves a huge void in the middle of the lineup. The rotation must stay healthy and replace the durability of Willis. Scott Olsen will have a chance to put his troubles behind him and secure the No. 1 starter spot. The Marlins also must decide if Matt Treanor is capable of manning the catcher position after Miguel Olivo was non-tendered. Florida might be hard-pressed to match last year’s win total.
NL CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs
The defending NL Central champions open spring training with a set roster and there only seems to be battles expected in center field and at the back of the rotation. OF Kosuke Fukudome gives the Cubs the left-handed bat they have been seeking who should complement run producers such as 1B Derrek Lee and 3B Aramis Ramirez. A healthy Alfonso Soriano should be even better than in his first season with the team now that he is healthy. The biggest question mark is center field, where Felix Pie must hit or he’ll be bouncing between the majors and Triple-A. Jon Lieber returns to the Cubs after he won 20 games for the team in 2001. The question is will he be capable of being a member of a rotation that might also include former closer Ryan Dempster. Ace Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Rich Hill are the top three starters with Jason Marquis and Sean Marshall expected to battle for the other starting slots. Carlos Marmol and Bobby Howry are the top candidates to close, with re-signed Kerry Wood to be the top setup man. The bottom third of the batting order could be soft if Geovany Soto can’t continue his solid hitting from the minor leagues or if Pie proves that he is still not ready. The Cubs must avoid last season’s slow start and avoiding scoring droughts such as the one that proved fatal in last year’s playoffs.
Milwaukee Brewers
After spending just over four months in first place last season, the Brewers look to finally snap a postseason drought that dates way back to 1982. With a large amount of new players added to their already young core the Brewers believe they can finally end the streak. The biggest change will be NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun’s switch from third base to left field. Bill Hall will undergo his third position change in four years when the shortstop-turned-third baseman-turned-center fielder moves back to third to make room for CF Mike Cameron. With Cameron serving a 25-game suspension for a banned stimulant to start the year the club is not sure when the switch will happen. Keep an eye on Tony Gwynn Jr. to see if he breaks through and becomes the best option in center. Ryan Braun batted ahead of Prince Fielder last year, but manager Ned Yost wants protection for Fielder, who could be the only left-handed hitter in the lineup much of season. The injury-plagued Eric Gagne takes over the closer’s role from Francisco Cordero, who moved to division rival Cincinnati. On top of that there are five new bullpen arms to support returning pitchers Derrick Turnbow and Brian Shouse.
St. Louis Cardinals
The 2006 World Series champions appear to be in rebuilding mode after shipping three core players from last season out of town. Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds and David Eckstein all had declining statistics and injury issues in 2007 so the Cardinals did as well as could be expected in getting some power-hitting in return in the form of Troy Glaus. Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper head a starting rotation heavy on potential. Mark Mulder is not expected back until May and 2005 Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter won’t be back from elbow ligament transfer surgery by midseason at best. RHP Matt Clement, who didn’t pitch last season while recovering from shoulder surgery, could be a bargain pickup if he returns to health. The Cards outfield will have two new full-time starters along with Rick Ankiel who will get a full-season chance after his impressive career rebirth. Cesar Izturis gets the first shot to replace Eckstein with Brendan Ryan pushing as well after his strong rookie season in 2007. Izturis has enough speed that he could become kind a second leadoff man similar to how American League lineups are constructed.
Houston Astros
SS Miguel Tejada was the key building block of an active offseason in Houston. Despite the FBI investigating whether Tejada lied to House committee investigators about steroids the team expects him to show up at spring training on time. CF Michael Bourn will likely lead off and give the Astros a base-stealing threat they lacked in 2007. The switch-hitting Kaz Matsui replaces 2B Craig Biggio and could be an offensive upgrade for the club. 1B Lance Berkman shook off a slow start in 2007 to hit 34 homers and LF Carlos Lee batted .303 with 32 homers, matching a career high. Speed was the focus of the Astros’ offseason, and putting Bourn and Matsui at the top of the order gives the Astros just that. If they can get on base for Tejada, Berkman, Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence, the Houston offense will be hard to stop. After RHP Roy Oswalt, the rotation remains a question mark. RHP Brandon Backe continues to fight his way back from Tommy John surgery while LHP Wandy Rodriguez and RHP Woody Williams try to bounce back from a poor season. The bullpen has been inconsistent since the Astros won the pennant in 2005 but by adding Jose Valverde, who led the majors with 47 saves in 2007, that should change.
Cincinnati Reds
Dusty Baker was hired to help the franchise put an end to seven straight losing seasons. Starting pitching and relief pitching were the biggest needs this winter, and the club signed free agent closer Francisco Cordero, traded for RHP Edinson Volquez, signed LHP Jeremy Affeldt and signed RHP Josh Fogg. The club could use more bullpen help and how they fare will come down to how they address this need. Ex-closer David Weathers can move into an eighth-inning role now that they have Cordero. The starting rotation is again a work in progress behind Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo. Volquez will compete for a spot along Affeldt, who came over from Colorado. Top pitching prospect Homer Bailey will be expected to produce after an uneventful rookie season. Jay Bruce, another top prospect, will compete for the center field spot along with Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper. 2B Brandon Phillips has spent some time as a leadoff hitter even though he mostly batted cleanup last year and would prefer to stay there. The Astros bench should be one of the best in years because all of their reserves have had experience as starters previously.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Fans in Pittsburgh have to be wondering what is going on. The Pirates have had three consecutive seasons of 94 losses or more and the roster went virtually unchanged in the offseason. RHP Byung-Hyun Kim was the biggest name added, as he was signed. A pitching rotation that has only one starter with more than 24 career wins returns intact, as does the everyday batting lineup. Look for a strong year from LHP Paul Maholm. He doesn’t have the best pure stuff, but he gets groundballs on a consistent basis and has a good feel for pitching. The only unsettled position is CF, where rookie Nyjer Morgan and Nate McLouth will compete for the starting job. The Pirates are hoping for a big comeback year from LF Jason Bay and more power from 1B Adam LaRoche. They will need plenty of hits from 2B Freddy Sanchez and SS Jack Wilson and numerous effective starts from a promising rotation led by RHP Ian Snell and LHP Tom Gorzelanny. The Pirates bullpen is a question mark, especially with Salomon Torres gone. Ending a run of 15 consecutive losing seasons will be a major challenge for a low-payroll team whose offseason pickups came mostly via the waiver wire.
NL WEST
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks will return just about everybody from their surprise 2007 team that had the NL’s best record and beat the Cubs in the division series. They added to their already strong rotation by acquiring RHP Dan Haren from Oakland. Brandon Lyon takes over as closer from Jose Valverde who led the majors with 47 saves last season. One of the biggest questions for the Diamondbacks this spring is the recovery of INF Chad Tracy from microfracture knee surgery. Another question is how 44-year-old LHP Randy Johnson comes back from another back surgery. Johnson’s placement between ace Brandon Webb and Haren should enable the bullpen to be at its freshest when it would be needed most. The lineup does not have a so-called legitimate power bat in the middle, although 3B Mark Reynolds has potential. The Diamondbacks do not consider this to be a problem, instead feeling they have production up and down the order. C Chris Snyder had a career year at the plate in 2007 and always has been a good handler of the pitching staff. Arizona believes they are a better team than the one that won the NL West last season.
Colorado Rockies
The NL champion Rockies have just one position up for grabs at spring training and that is at second base. They lost Laz Matsui to Houston in free agency and decided to open up the job to a number of candidates. This group includes Jayson Nix, former SS Clint Barmes, prospect Ian Stewart, OF Jeff Baker and free agent Marcus Giles. The Rockies rotation is set at the top with Jeff Francis, Aaron Cook and Ubaldo Jimenez. They lost RHP Josh Fogg but RHP Kip Wells is among the candidates to replace him along with Franklin Morales, Jason Hirsh and Mark Redman. Luis Vizcaino replaces LaTroy Hawkins as a setup man in the bullpen, which was a key part in the Rockies’ run to their first World Series. The Rockies feel very lucky to have re-signed C Yorvit Torrealba, who played a huge role in the development of the young pitching staff last year. Colorado didn’t make any big moves in the offseason but did sign SS Troy Tulowitzki to a six-year deal and signed MVP runner-up Matt Holliday to a new two-year contract. They hope the signing is the first step toward a long-term deal with their star slugger.
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres have one of the best pitching staffs in the major leagues, but the big question will be whether their offense can keep the team in contention. Jake Peavy was the unanimous NL Cy Young Award winner and got a $52 million, three-year contract extension. On the flip side, RF Brian Giles is coming off microfracture surgery on his right knee, and Jim Edmonds is coming off a disappointing season due to shoulder and toe surgeries. LHP Randy Wolf is coming off shoulder surgery, but he is ready to play. RHP Mark Prior is not expected to be ready until mid-to-late May due to shoulder surgery. Heath Bell had a breakthrough season as the setup man last year, and many believe he will be the Padres’ closer of the future. The middle of the batting order is a lot better than many believe. Adrian Gonzalez and Khalil Greene combined to hit 90 doubles and 57 homers last season. This is not a fast team and unless Giles or Edmonds recovers from their offseason surgeries the team will be hard pressed to steal more bases than last season. After winning the West in 2005 and ‘06, the Padres were passed by Arizona and Colorado last season. The Rockies and Diamondbacks did it with younger teams that figure to keep improving. The Padres want to follow the same plan, but their farm system is not quite ready to be fully utilized.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Joe Torre’s hiring should help bring much needed peace to a team where friction caused the Dodger’s late-season collapse in 2007. After winning four World Series championships during his 12-year tenure in New York, Torre should command respect from veterans and youngsters alike. The addition of Andruw Jones figures to add much-needed power and improved defense to the team. The Dodgers finished next to last in the National League with 129 home runs last year, and Jones should have a big impact on improving that number. C Russell Martin became an All-Star last year in his first full big league season and should have another great season. Any batting lineup that has Martin hitting seventh is a dangerous one. Even with the addition of Jones, the veteran Jeff Kent will have to produce in the cleanup spot if the Dodgers are to win. The starting rotation should be improved with the signing of Japanese star Hiroki Kuroda and the possible return of RHP Jason Schmidt, who underwent season-ending surgery last June. 1B James Loney displayed star potential after being recalled from the minors and young outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier might be ready to follow suit. Kemp, Ethier and Juan Pierre will compete for the corner outfield spots, and veteran Nomar Garciaparra will battle rookie Andy LaRoche for the third base job. Otherwise, the Dodgers seem pretty set for 2008.
San Francisco Giants
2008 will be a season of change in San Francisco not only on the field but their entire image. The post-Bonds era begins after the team decided not to bring back the home run king for another season. That leaves a big void in the middle of the lineup, but also removes the constant controversy that has followed the team in recent years. With Bonds gone, the focus in San Francisco will be on pitching and defense. An offense that struggled to score with Bonds and 3B Pedro Feliz figures to have even more problems this season despite the addition of Aaron Rowand. A possible surprise for the Dodgers is Kevin Frandsen, a natural second baseman who could be moved to third if Ray Durham is the second baseman. The Giants could try to move Durham’s contract and give the position to Frandsen, then acquire a third baseman elsewhere. RHPs Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum will form a starting rotation that figures to be the strength of the team for years to come. Even with a promising rotation there will be many holes in the lineup and many questions in the relief corps this season.
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