30 Teams In 30 Days

Cleveland Indians: The Biggest Enigma In Baseball?
(Over the next 30 days, BERNing on Sports will be previewing every team in the majors, yes, even the Royals. Only one a day, every day, so try not to get too hooked.)

Can Lee And Carmona Be a Great 1-2?
Well, if the Indians want any semblance of a shot to win the AL Central this year, that answer must be a resounding yes. Cliff Lee was maybe the best pitcher in the game last year, winning the AL Cy Young award in the textbook definition of a career year. Dude went 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA, struck out 170 and walked only 34. Let the dominance of these numbers wash over you for a second. Now, let the fact that it was Cliff Lee of all people to put up these numbers wash over you. Yeah. Big question mark for this season. As for Fausto Carmona, after a great 2007, the 2008 season was a big step backward. He won eleven less games in 2008 than 2007, and his ERA jumped nearly two and a half runs. Now that C.C. Sabathia has left for some mega cash and the New York spotlight (he did start last season with the Indians, remember) the depth of this rotation will be be lacking. That's why Tribe General Manager Mark Shapiro is praying for good years from his new one-two punch every night before he goes to bed.

The New Guys From the North Side
One of the biggest points of criticism in my neck of the woods this baseball off-season was Cubs GM Jim Hendry's decisions to let beloved former starter turned closer Kerry Wood go to Cleveland (even though he wanted to return to the Cubs) and to deal the popular and versatile Mark DeRosa to the Indians for three minor league pitchers. Assuming health, which is a lot to assume with Wood who has already had an achy back in spring training, these two guys could be valuable pieces to the puzzle should the Tribe win the division this season. Since "Sweaty" Joe Borowski donned Tribe colors and held the closers role, the ninth inning at an Indians game was a roller coaster ride. With Woody replacing him roller coaster should become more of a merry-go-round. It'll have it's bumps along the way, but for the most part it'll run smoothly. As for DeRosa, he's one of the most valuable players in baseball if you ask me. He's a very good hitter (although he's coming off a career year) and he can play not only adequate but good defense at nearly every position on the diamond except center field or behind the plate. Good moves by the Tribe. (And, the Indians visit Wrigley June 19th, if you're looking for some drama during interleague play.)

Project Donkey
Those are the two words that were shortened to give Indians embattled D.H. Travis Hafner his endeering nickname "Pronk". Whether the man who was one of the most feared hitters in baseball in 2006 can return to that form this year remains to be seen, but boy could the Tribe use his production again. Last year Pronk played in just 57 games, and hit just .197 as he was hampered by a shoulder injury. Questions about whether he was on steroids have swirled, but that's true of basically every player in baseball at this point. With Hafner in the line-up, and hitting well, the Indians were legitimate competition in the AL Central. Without his bat last year they weren't serious contenders most of the season. They're working him back slowly in camp this spring and believe he's going to be back on track. He better be, for his sake.

Kobayashi Out of the Pen
Did you know the competitive eater was coming out of the bullpen to pitch for the Indians? I certainly didn't. I know the guy can eat 60-plus hot dogs in twelve minutes, but how does that translate as a right handed reliever? If you haven't figured this out by now, I'm kidding, it's not the same guy. The Tribe's reliever is Masa Kobayashi. The eating champ is Takeru Kobayashi. If only there could be a fourth "Major League" movie made, because imagine the comedic possibilities for famed Indians broadcaster Harry Doyle.

Bold Predictions

1. The Indians will compte all season, but will not win the AL Central as some others believe. I think the winner of this division will either be Minnesota or the White Sox.
2. Victor Martinez will come back from the injury-plagued 2008 season he suffered and have a big 2009. He'll lead all major league catchers in home runs.
3. Jeremy Sowers will finally put together a year showing the promise the Indians organization believes he has. 12 wins for the former 1st round pick.

Up next...Monday, Reds.

30 Teams In 30 Days

Chicago Cubs:  When Will "Next Year" Be Here?

(Over the next 30 days, BERNing on Sports will be previewing every team in the Majors, yes, even the Royals.  Only one a day, every day, so try not to get too hooked.)

The Pressure's Always On

The Cubs may be entering the 2009 season coming off back to back division titles, a feat they hadn't accomplished since they won the World Series in back to back seasons in 1907 and 1908.  But the fact remains Chicago's National League ball club has been swept in back to back playoff series spiraling its fervent fan base into a whirlwind of disappointment.  The 2007 sweep by the Diamondbacks can be chalked up to a the fact that the 85-77 Cubs really weren't all that good.  But the 2008 outfit won 97 games and was the clear-cut favorite in the national league until walks, errors and James Loney sent the Cubs home early last year.  The pressure on the Cubs to win in 2009 is, like always, extraordinary, especially now that the glory drought on the north side has reached year number 101.  And consider skipper Lou Piniella is in the final year of his contract and the team isn't getting any younger.

Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty

One of the most prominent rationalizations for why last year's Cubs didn't bring any hardware to Wrigley Field in late October was that their lineup was too right-handed.  So they traded Mark DeRosa to Cleveland, signed switch hitting right fielder Milton Bradley from Texas, and picked up Aaron Miles, another switch hitter, to platoon at various infield positions.  They also added back up catcher Paul Bako, a left handed hitter (to replace right handed hitting Hank White) and the speedy light-hitting (but left-handed) Joey Gathright to battle for a back-up outfield spot.  You might say none of these moves were significant other than the Bradley signing.  And you might be right.  But the Cubs will be far more balanced this year than they were last year.  Sweet Lou hopes the Kosuke Fukudome from the first half of 2008 shows up this year and not the one who looked like a top spinning itself into the left handed batters box in the second half of last season.  The Cubs are also banking on a breakout year from 2nd baseman Mike Fontenot.  The opening day lineup figures to feature three lefties in the starting nine and a bunch of options off the bench.  So if they don't win it this year, at least we can't say they didn't have left-handed hitting.

They Didn't Get Jake Peavy...

So they better hope their pitching staff can replicate, for the most part, the success of last season.  I say for the most part because even though the staff ranked 5th in baseball in ERA and compiled the most strikeouts of any team in the bigs, they also had some shaky performances from ace Carlos Zambrano down the stretch.  Yes, he threw a no-hitter September 14th last year against the Astros, which I happened to attend (I know you're happy for me).  But after an excellent first half of 2008 (10-3 2.84 ERA), his second half was porous (4-3 5.80 ERA).  If the first half Zambrano returns, the Cubs will have that anchor atop their rotation they need and not landing Jake Peavy doesn't seem so bad.  If not though, the Cubs may be forced to trade for him in July.  Ryan Dempster had a fantastic year in 2008 transitioning from a mediocre closer to an All-Star starter.  They'll need him, Ted Lilly, and the oft-injured but un-hittable when healthy Rich Harden to all replicate their success from last year.  Look for Sean Marshall to get plenty of work this year as well, not only as a fifth starter, but as the man to take the ball in place of Harden when he has his yearly shoulder issue. 

He blew it for the Dominicans, so will he blow it for the Cubs?

That's the overreaction that's been infiltrating sports talk stations all over the Windy City over the last week or so.  The question whether the heir-apparent to the beloved Kerry Wood, Carlos Marmol, is capable of handling the closer's role now that Woody's in Cleveland.  (That, and why in the hell is the Sears Tower now called the Willis Tower?)  Other than one bad month over the last two years, Marmol has been virtually untouchable as the Cubs set-up man.  In fact, a Sports Illustrated poll last year confirmed that Marmol was the most feared relief pitcher in the National League according to Senior Circuit hitters.  But whether he can move seamlessly into the closer's roll remains to be seen.  If not, Kevin Gregg and his interesting choice of spectacles will handle the 9th inning for Chicago.

Bold Predictions

1. The Cubs will win the NL Central Crown for the third straight time, probably more because their competition is weaker than their off-season retooling.  (Not so bold, but figured I'd throw it out there.)
   
2. Catcher Geovany Soto will have a bit of a sophomore slump.  The reigning National League rookie of the year will still be good, but not quite as good as last year.
3. Alfonso Soriano will eventually be moved out of the leadoff spot as a panic move by manager Lou Piniella.  And, because he's not an ideal lead-off man by any stretch.
4. Milton Bradley will have a great year, and Cubs fans won't dog him like fans have in the past.  Expect 30 home runs and 100 RBI from the board game in Right Field.
5. Micah Hoffpauir will be the centerpiece of the deal that brings Jake Peavy to the north side sometime during the season.  The other major piece of that deal will be 2008 3rd overall pick Josh Vitters. 
6. Don't expect me to finish this segment with the prediction that this is the year the Cubs finally win the World Series.  What do you think I am, an idiot?  

Don't answer that.

Up next...Tuesday, Twins