30 Teams in 30 Days

San Francisco Giants: If They Only Had One Major League Quality Hitter...

(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)

Keeping It Real

This team's lineup is so f**cking bad, it's not even funny. Well, maybe a little funny. Though, to be honest, it was funnier a few years ago, when it looked like something out of Ken Griffey baseball game. Now, it's just sad. Why this team refused to go out and get a hitter, either via free agency or trading on of their million quality starting pitchers, I have no idea. I mean, come on already. Bengie Molina as the cleanup hitter? If this is Brian Sabean's idea of a joke, he really has one twisted sense of humor. The rest of the lineup (if it's possible) only gets less intimidating. The staff, as was the case with the D-backs as Eddie pointed out, is the only reason this team will remain competitive. Tim Lincecum is obviously legit, Matt Cain doesn't win too much (but who would when your team refuses to score for you) but he's pretty good, and Randy Johnson may still be a miserable SOB, but he should be OK in the Bay. Actually, as bad as the Diamondback's lineup is, consider that it scored 80 runs more than the Giants. Yes, the G-men are that bad.

Not One Offensive Player Remotely Scares Me

Aaron Rowand has had two seasons where he was a powerful hitter. Outside of that, nothing much. Then again, that's more than Mr. September, Pablo Sandoval, can say and he's scheduled to bat third. Randy Winn's rarely been a bad player, but, nothing worth worrying over. Same goes for Edgar Renteria, especially at this point in his career. You could go on and on. The problem is, there's no real big hitting prospect on this team. Matt Wieters ain't walking through that door, folks. So, for now, the Giants will have to hope that scoring under 4 runs a game will be good enough.

I'm Sorry, But One More Note Regarding How Poor Hitting Is In This Division

Four of the five teams in the division (damn you Colorado!) ranked in the bottom 11 in the league as far as runs scored is concerned. The only team to score fewer runs than the Giants? The Padres. Only a few spots above the Giants? The Dodgers. Go and get some hitters! These other divisions seem to have a bunch of them. Figure a way to get them to your division.

Beach Boys

If this Brian Wilson switched with this Brian Wilson, but put up similar numbers, would anyone outside of San Francisco even notice the difference. I mean, how many of you would be able to identify this Brian Wilson if he walked into the room you're in right now?

What Will Tiny Tim Do For An Encore?

So much for not being tall enough, not being big enough, having to funky of a delivery. Tim Lincecum lit it up all year last year, leading the NL in K's, while coming in the top 3 in wins, innings pitched, and ERA. His acting might not be Oscar-worthy, and his game may be downright terrible (go and get The Show if you're in the market for a baseball video game), but the 2009 Cy Young winner seems like he's the real thing. Not that anyone in the Bay Area is really surprised by this, but the question now is, what can he do to top it? Probably not a lot, and you'd have to expect his win total to shrink, if only because the law of averages says that such a terrible offense will wind up letting you down more often than not.

Bold Predictions

Matt Cain, not Tim Lincecum, will lead the Giants in wins this year.

Emmanuel Burriss, now officially the 2B for the Giants, will steal at least 35 bases this year.

For the second year in a row, not one Giant will hit 20 or more home runs. Last guys to do it? Pete Happy and Barry Bonds in 2007.

30 Teams In 30 Days

Arizona Diamondbacks: If Only This Team Could Hit

(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 Starting Staff Is Great...

Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, Jon Garland. 'Nuff said. But since this is a preview and you'd like to see more than names, allow me to explain. Webb didn't win the Cy Young last year but was a serious candidate all season. He won 20 games for a team that barely scored 20 runs all season, and consistently has an ERA below 3.50. For three consecutive years he's had an ERA at or below 3.30, and he has won at least 16 games per season during that stretch. Haren has finally developed over the last two years, winning at least 15 games a year during that span and has posted strikeout totals near or above 200. And Garland? After bursting onto the scene in 2005 as an integral part of the White Sox world series win in 2005, his numbers have dipped a bit, as his ERA has been above 4 each of the last three years. But he's a pretty good option as a third starter. Doug Davis and Yusmeiro Petit figure to finish this rotation, which is pretty good for Arizona, especially when you consider Davis was the number two starter for the 2007 outfit in the post season. This rotation is deep, and potentially excellent. It's the only thing keeping Arizona from being a complete and utter disaster.

...But The Starting Lineup Stinks

It really is terrible. I invite you to check out this depth chart on Yahoo! Sports and give me one name that you would want in your team's offense. If you can't find one, I don't blame you. Do they have some potentially good young talent? Sure. Chris Young is a potential star, if only for the reason that he's speedy and can rip home runs from the top of the lineup. The problem is he doesn't hit for a high enough average nor does he have the on base percentage to warrant hitting at the top of the card. Justin Upton could end up being an excellent player (more on this shortly) but he's not there yet, and Mark Reynolds is a strikeout machine (fanned 204 times last year) even though he can put up good power numbers. Connor Jackson doesn't put up the power numbers to be an effective first base option in the major leagues even though he's a nice hitter. And as far as Steven Drew is considered, I like him, but he's not a player that can carry the offense. This offense is an elephant-sized Achilles heal for Arizona.

Why Justin Upton May Be The Better Upton

Scott has been enamored with Justin's older brother B.J. ever since he was drafted. He loves B.J., and last year's playoff power explosion for him will have Scott and others projecting magical seasons from Justin's older bro. Yet I think Justin will be a better player. He's only played 151 major league games, but he has already belted 17 career home runs. Not a huge total, sure. But he's got speed, he's got the defensive prowess of his brother, and he'll have better home run power. He's basically B.J. with more power and while he won't put up 50 steals in a year, Justin will be the better all around guy. The rivalry of Upton brothers has started here on BERNing.

Eric Byrnes Should Stick to Being Jeanne Zelasko's Side Kick

He really should. He's a nice player who hustles and makes a great diving catch a few times a year. He put together a couple of statistically solid seasons in 2006 and 2007. But he was a really good television sidekick for Jeanne Zelasko on FOX's baseball coverage while injured or while the D'Backs were out of the playoffs the last couple years. And since he's really not all that great as a ballplayer, why not just start the new career now? Plus, Byrnes long flowing locks are the male hairstyle version of Zelasko's monster hairdo anyways.

Chad Qualls Is This Team's Closer

I don't think I need to spend time explaining what an atrocity this is. Bob Melvin better hope his starters set a modern day record for complete games. Because while Qualls has served as a mediocre middle reliever for years, he does not have closer stuff.

Bold Predictions

While I did spend the first paragraph of this post praising the D'Backs pitching staff, it's hard to consistently pitch well when the offense isn't going to score a lot of runs. It ranked in the bottom half of the National League last year and if it doesn't improve the starters won't be so effective. That's why I think the starting staff will struggle this year.

Justin Upton will hit above .270 and will hit 20 homers and drive in 80. Long live the little bro!

And, the Diamondbacks will finish 3rd in the NL West, behind the Dodgers AND the Rockies.

Up next...Thursday, Giants.

30 Teams in 30 Days

Texas Rangers:  How Can This Team Continue To Let Kevin Millwood Be Their Ace?

(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)

Keeping It Real

Every year it seems, the Texas Rangers run into the same confounding problem:  they can score runs with just about anyone in the league, but seem to have a little problem stopping the other team from doing the same.  Last year, to no one's surprise, the Rangers ranked last in team ERA.  They've been in the bottom half of the league in that category (more often in the bottom 5) since at least 2002.  And that's only because Yahoo!'s database doesn't go back further.  I'm sure they stunk before then.  Either way, they did try to court Ben Sheets, which was a fine effort, but nothing came of it.  Instead, they enter 2009 with Kevin Millwood and Vincente Padilla in contract years as the front members of a rag-tag rotation.  The lineup is again loaded, though now more than ever with young, less-proven talent like Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, Elvis Andrus, and Chris Davis.  I don't doubt the ability of any of those guys, but outside of Hamilton, it might be a lot to ask them all to perform so early in there careers.  Oh, and Andruw Jones has decided he wanted to put down the cheeseburgers and try playing baseball again.  So that's exciting.  Best of luck pal.

More Pitching Staff Ripping

The only thing I can say positively about this staff is that there aren't many retreads, besides Kris Benson.  By the way, Kris, get over it.  If you weren't drafted first overall, people would have long gotten over the fact that you're amazingly mediocre.  On the other hand, who the hell is Matt Harrison?  Or Scott Feldman?  Or Tommy Hunter or Dustin Nippert?  These are guys that I only know having been a fantasy nerd and having played in an AL-Only league for 3 years.  I'm sure Nolan Ryan doesn't even know who some of these "young guns" are.  The only uniting factors about these young guys are that they are, well, young and that they all sport ERAs near or above 6.  As for Millwood and Padilla, I'm amazed they still are pitching in the front end of a rotation.  These guys long ago proved they're not consistent, top-end pitchers.  Neither throws hard or with a ton of command nowadays.  Meatball city, in Arlington.  Can't wait til my team gets to go down there.

The King Has Left The Building

Well, not really.  In fact, prized shortstop prospect Elvis Andrus has just entered the building, but I couldn't really think of any Elvis-related slogans that made any more sense.  Maybe, "Thank you, thank you very much" for moving a gold glover out of my position when I'm clearly not ready for a full-time gig.  Yeah, that might have done better.  Andrus hasn't hit over Double A yet and struggled mightily in the field last year (32 errors at short).  Though he did produce well while there last year (.295 with 50+ steals), the expectations for him will (should be, at least) lower for him as he'll likely bat 9th.  Why they felt the need to rush him up to the big leagues when there clearly wasn't a real reason for it, I'll never know.  I just hope it's not one of those deals where his growth winds up being stunted because he came up too early.  Not that I really care about Elvis Andrus, but, still, I'd rather not see it happen.

From Throwing Chairs, To Throwing Strikes

This is the tale of Frank Francisco, a cautionary one to be sure.  Only a few short years ago, Francisco was a disgruntled reliever best known for being a psycho.  A Tommy John surgery and a few anger management classes later, Francisco enters 2009 as the team's closer, something that they aren't too concerned about.  In his final 12.2 innings of the last month plus of last season as the closer, Francisco didn't allow a run, saved 5 games, won another, and struck out 21 while only walking 4.  Granted, it was a short span, but, maybe the Rangers might have a weapon in the bullpen.  I don't think it's much of a coincidence that the last time the Rangers were over .500 (2004) was the year another unheralded Francisco burst onto the scene in the back end of the pen.

Bold Predictions

Someone will let fantasy owners down, big time.  Maybe it'll be Chris Davis.  Maybe Josh Hamilton, or Nelson Cruz on a lesser scale.  Point is, not all of these guys are primed for huge offensive years.  Usually doesn't work that way.

Frank Francisco won't be as good as his Franciscan predecessor, but he will enjoy a violence-free, solid season.  Somewhere between 25-30 saves.  

No one mentions this guy, but if it wasn't for a knee injury ending his season prematurely last year, he'd be all the rage.  David Murphy will continue where he left off, expect 20 homers and near 90 RBIs out of the left fielder.

Up Next...Wednesday, Diamondbacks

30 Teams in 30 Days

Seattle Mariners:  Better A Year Late Than Never

(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)

Keeping It Real

The "team" the Mariners ran out there everyday last year was putrid.  No questions about it.  Guys like Richie Sexson and Kenji Johjima just aren't the kind of guys you want around if winning is your thing.   Unfortunately, while Sexy is gone, Johjima is still manning the plate (trust us, Jeff Clement knows it's not about ability but rather a poor contract decision the Mariners would prefer we not discuss).  Still, less poisonous members (in fact, down right peachy!) of the team return. Jose Lopez, Ichiro, Felix Hernandez and others form a group of guys that may not look like much, but keep in mind the division they play in.  None of the teams in the AL West will run away and hide at any point, especially with seemingly every Angels starter beginning the season on the DL.  The key, far as I'm concerned, is Erik Bedard returning to his top form.  If he can, this team, believe it or not, will compete all season long for that division.

Does Erik Bedard Feel Like Playing Baseball This Year?

As I just mentioned, the Canuck is the key.  The guy they acquired for sleepy prospect Adam Jones a year ago was one of the best left handed pitchers in the game, even if he'd yet to throw 200 innings in a season.  His ERA had dropped each of the previous four years, and his strike out totals rose each of those years as well.  A move to a real pitcher's park in Seattle seemed like a great move for Bedard.  Then, he got hurt, and stories came out that he just didn't really care too much for giving it his all in baseball.  Not good for one of your aces.  This year, despite getting consistently shelled this spring, he says he feels fine.  The Mariners should hope so.

The Kid is Back

This is all I have to show you.  Oh, and, "Call me, call me, call me Junior".

The Lone Mariner To Show Actual Improvement

Jose Lopez seems to be, from what I've read and looked at, the only Mariner that improved from 2007 to 2008.  While most guys were busy either not caring, not hitting, not improving, or simply moving their way out of baseball, Lopez actually trended upwards.  More power, better average, more RBIs.  No one on Earth talks about him, but he's a pretty good hitter.  I'm not saying I'm comfortable with him as a meat of the order guy, but, there's worse options.  Like, say, Richie Sexson.  

Could This Be The Year For The King?

Felix Hernandez came up with Doc Gooden-esque hype.  He's yet to reach it yet, and most people point to the fact that even still he's only 22 years old.  Over the years, he's battled a number of ailments (shoulder bursitis, shin splints, ankle sprain, etc.) but appears to be (wink, wink) ready to go for 2009.  He may not be in what many consider a desirable situation after the WBC, but King Felix insists he'll be fine.  He's one of the harder pitchers to truly figure out, seeing as how electric he can be one outing, and how mediocre he can be another. To date, he's yet to put it all together.  Will this be the year?  I can't really say, as I've been part of the group saying each of the previous 3 years would be "the year".

Bold Predictions

Wladimir Balentien will issue a public apology for his name, finally admitting that a W/L combination in a name is nearly impossible to know how to pronounce.

Brandon Morrow, newly anointed as the team's closer, will save at least 25 games this year.  Maybe I just caught him at his peak, but I'm in love with this kid.  

Griff will be happy, the fans will be happy to see him.  His season will be better than last, maybe 20 homers (maybe?), but nothing special.  All in all, a  nice ride off into the sunset for the Kid.

Up Next...Tuesday, Rangers

30 Teams In 30 Days

San Diego Padres:  Jake Peavy Is Still Their Employee

(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.)

Jake Peavy's Still A Padre

The only thing anyone heard this off-season regarding the Padres (other than their blockbuster free agent signing of catcher Henry Blanco) was whether former Cy Young award winning ace Jake Peavy would be wearing a new uniform come opening day.  First we heard about a potential deal to Atlanta, then the rest of the off season seemed to be a game of chess between Cubs GM Jim Hendry and Padres GM Kevin Towers.  Nothing ever happened, despite the fact he was found drunkenly singing "Go Cubs Go" at the winter meetings and he was signing autographs with "Go Cubs" below his name.  He has since denied this, because he was drunk enough that he probably doesn't remember, but it was quite a scene at the Las Vegas Hilton and the Bellagio last December.  Now that Peavy apparently isn't headed anywhere and he'll remain the Padres ace, that's means they have a good chance to win at least once every five days.  Twice when you consider that Chris Young is apparently healthy again and ready to go as well.  Not a bad one-two punch for a team that lost 99 games last year.

Peavy and Young, But Who Else?

Do the Padres have five starting pitchers employed for 2009?  I'm really not so sure.  After the aforementioned Peavy and Young, I suppose Cha-Seung Baek pitches the third day of 2009.  After that, who?  Yahoo Sports only has three pitchers listed in this rotation, which cannot be right, unless San Diego's pending ownership change has gotten so bad that they're trying to go with a three man rotation 1930s style.  Better judgment suggests they might put Kevin Correia and Shawn Hill on the back end of the rotation, or pitchers of the like, and that tells you all you need to know about the lack of pitching depth on this team.  Not to mention that long time closer Trevor Hoffman now gets his mail forwarded to Milwaukee and the Fathers will likely have to settle for Heath Bell as the closer.  Yikes.

Where Hitters Go To Die

Remember the Brian Giles that played for Cleveland and Pittsburgh?  He was one of the best hitters in the game.  The one that has played for San Diego over the last six seasons is half the player he was before.  Credit that to playing in the cavernous Petco Park, allege that he was a steroid user, do whatever you want.  But this guy hasn't hit more than 15 home runs in any of the last four years.  He's gone from great hitter to "walk machine".  Other than Adrian Gonzalez, who is apparently so good this ballpark can't do him in, there's no one in this lineup that stands out as a guy who will have a significant impact on their offense.  Kevin Kouzmanoff seems to be developing into a nice player, but can he be the right handed hitter the Padres could sandwich into the lineup between Giles and Gonzalez?  Probably not.  This offense stinks, flat out.  And it will continue to stink, unless everyone in the lineup has a career year.

Moorad Takes Over

According to sources in San Diego, Jeff Moorad's ownership group, which currently owns 35 percent of the team, is going to be taking over the decision making for the Padres even though their transition to majority ownership may not officially occur for a few years.  What does this mean for the product on the field?  Well Moorad did a nice job running the Diamondbacks previously, as they made the playoffs and rebuilt with a young lineup in 2007.  San Diego is hoping for the same thing.  But the Padres will be strapped for cash over the next couple of years while things are in transition, and this could mean San Diego will eventually dump big contracts like Peavy's and others to the first taker.  Stay tuned.

Bold Predictions

1. San Diego won't be nearly as bad as last year, and with Peavy and Young atop the rotation they may hover around the .500 mark until mid-season.  But at that point they'll realize they can't contend with either the Dodgers or Arizona and they'll dump Peavy and maybe even Chris Young.
2. Kevin Kouzmanoff will hit 30 home runs this year.  He'll also drive in a hundred runs.  His offense however, will be the least productive in baseball.
3. The Padres will trade Brian Giles at the break to a contending team.

30 Teams In 30 Days

Los Angeles Dodgers:  Yes, I Know They Swept The Cubs in the Playoffs Last Season

(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.)

As I Was Saying...

I know the Cubs lost in a sweep last year in Los Angeles.  So the jokes can end right here.  Save your James Loney jeers and your comments related to Cubs playoff errors for some other forum.  (Because you'll probably have more fodder for me this October.)  Yet even though my beloved Northsiders played a horrifying series against L.A. last October, last year's playoff run showed you what this Dodgers team can be when their lineup is healthy.  We'll have the obligatory Manny discussion (next paragraph) and his impact on the team.  But the supporting cast for Ramirez is not only good when healthy, but potentially dangerous.  Do they have any one great hitter other than Manny?  Well, no.  But they do have a line up full of good hitters like Andre Ethier, the aforementioned Loney and Russell Martin in the middle of the lineup.  They also have two good table setters in Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson who should provide many pitchers problems with Manny coming up next.  Casey Blake and the athletic Matt Kemp are solid guys as well.  This is one lineup in baseball that top to bottom really has no weaknesses, and it's what should keep the Dodgers in contention for the next six months.  

The Obligatory Man-Ram Discussion

How could we have a preview of the Dodgers without giving one of the most scrutinized players in the great game of baseball his own header?  Exactly, so here goes.  The whole off-season was just a series of non-stories until the inevitable conclusion that Ramirez would eventually be a Dodger finally came to fruition a couple weeks ago.  The truth is, no matter what Ramirez cost, or whether there was a market for him or not, the Dodgers had no choice but to bring him back in the fold.  He is one of the best hitters in the game, and assuming he doesn't significantly decline due to age, he's a game-changing player that makes the Dodgers a force just by his mere presence on the lineup card.  Furthermore, you'd have to think his work ethic and approach to hitting can only be a good thing for the young guys in this lineup.  You put up with his attitude, or his seemingly careless demeanor.  Because the bottom line is, he's a masher, and they need him.  

Can Dodger Stadium Save This Staff?

The Dodgers lost ace Derek Lowe to free agency this off-season, and without him this pitching staff should take a significant hit.  He was outstanding down the stretch last year and other than Manny he was the biggest reason L.A. made it to October.  Now Chad Billingsley will have to assume a bigger role anchoring the staff, as well Hiroki Kuroda and veteran lefty Randy Wolf.  If those three pitch well and reap the benefits of pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium, L.A. should be okay.  You can't rely on Clayton Kershaw to give you much, even though at times last year he showed promise, and if Claudio Vargas assumes an significant role that's clearly not a good thing.  The Dodgers pitching staff is usually good even if the names aren't there just because that ballpark historically helps pitchers pitch.  But what is normally a strength in The City of Angels could instead be a setback for the 2009 outfit.

Remember This Guy?

His name is Jason Schmidt, and what seems like eons ago he was a coveted top of the rotation pitcher.  He has made just six starts for the Dodgers after they inked him to a now infamous three year contract worth forty-seven million dollars.  Well this is the final year of the deal and Schmidt is nearly recovered from shoulder surgery.  He is allegedly healthy now, but will start the season on a minor league rehab assignment to build up his arm strength.  He hasn't had a banner year since 2o04, but if he is in fact healthy and is at all effective this could be the shot in the arm (no pun intended) that the Dodgers need in a pitching staff which lost its ace.  I'm not saying the guy's going to win 17 games, but if he can come back and win ten games for this team, it could provide them the pitching depth they need to battle for a playoff spot again.

Bold Predictions

1. The Dodgers will win 90 games this year and win the NL West again.  But their pitching staff with have a team ERA among the worst in the National League.
2. Chad Billingsley will finish in the top 5 in the Cy Young voting.  He's the next great pitching star in the National League.
3. People will stop considering the Dodger Dog some kind of ball park delicacy.  It's an overrated, average hot dog.

Up Next...Sunday, Mariners.

30 Teams In 30 Days

Los Angeles Angels:  Dropping The Ball, Ready To Fall

(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)

Keeping It Real

You want me to keep it real? OK, on the real, the Angels really were plain pathetic this off-season.  They let their closer of record-setting proportions and their much needed big bat both walk for more money to New York.  Then, they settled and added a closer who just a year prior had lost his job and an outfielder that can hit, but won't make a huge difference.  And this team is still a top tier team?  I don't think so.  Besides John Lackey, their entire staff (nay, their entire team) seems to be sliding in production (more on that later).  The Halos are counting on big years from Kendry Morales and Howie Kendrick (don't their names sound the same if you say them real fast?).  That's not the worst prayer in the world, but I wouldn't put the house on it.  If it wasn't for the fact that they're division is god awful, they wouldn't even be in contention this year.  That's just how I feel. 

Mike Napoli, Making Italians Everywhere Proud

Of players with a last name ending a vowel that were catchers in the major leagues last year, Mike Napoli lead them all with 20 homers.  That has to make you feel good, if your an Italian.  Unless, of course, if you're Chris Ianetta.  18 dingers.  Good, but not Mike Napoli-good.

A Fading Bunch

It pains me to say it, but Vlady Guerrero has clearly seen his best days.  "Shawn" Figgins also seems to have seen his better.  Throw in that Jered Weaver (uh, he's a Weaver...) has seen his ERA rise each of the past 3 years, Ervin Santana is hurt now, Kelvim Escobar inevitably will be hurt and you've got a team filled with guys that aren't looking up.  As I said above, they're still a good team, their bullpen is still solid, but their greatest strength is that they play in AL West.

Where Have You Gone Baby Sarge?

On another blog I wrote about two or three years ago, I wrote a post in tribute to the return (?) to glory of one Gary Matthews Jr.  It was featured on Deadspin, and I must say, along with his All-Star selection, his career never got any better.   Now, only two years removed from a comical (even at the time) 5 year 55 million dollar deal, Matthews has been relegated to 4th outfielder status.  If his career path to this point is any indicator, the waiver wire could again be in his future, and that is sad for the proud, albeit known steroid user.

Bold Predictions

The Angels will not win the AL West, and thus will not make the playoffs.

Brian Fuentes will not be the Angels' closer for the entire season.  Jose Arredondo should and will be given a shot.

Up Next...Saturday, Dodgers

30 Teams In 30 Days

Oakland Athletics: Moneyball Madness
(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.)


Finally Some Pressure To Win
The Oakland A's normal course of action when they have a top flight player entering their prime is to let him walk at the end of his contract or trade him for four or five prospects before his deal expires. Remember the Mark Mulder trade to St. Louis? Or when Tim Hudson was dealt to Atlanta? How about letting go of Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Miguel Tejada, all in their respective primes? The rationalization for these peculiar management decisions was always that they could be replaced by players using Moneyball (more on that later). But considering Oakland is a combined 21 games below .500 over the last two years, management told General Manager Billy Beane to go get some bats in this lineup. Enter Matt Holliday acquired via trade, resigning an older yet still effective Giambi, picking up former White Sox shortstop Orlando Cabrera and taking Nomar Garciaparra off the scrap heap, all of a sudden this lineup may not be so bad. Is it great? No. But when was the last time Oakland was the team making key free agent acquisitions? Exactly, I can't think of a time either, at least before this off season. I'm not saying the A's will be good, but at least they'll be more watchable this season.

Would You Want Any Of These Five Men In Your Starting Rotation?
If you're an educated baseball fan, and you were told your opening day starter would be some girl named Dana Eveland (kidding), and he'd be followed by Justin Duchscherer (say that 5 times fast), Sean Gallagher, Dallas Braden and Gio Gonzalez, would you think your team had a fighting chance this season? The answer, clearly, is no. This rotation might be the weakest in baseball, at least in terms of name recognition, and as Scott pointed out, the Royals rotation at least has two viable pitchers in it. Beane usually constructs a pitching staff full of young talent, but other than Duchscherer, this staff has youth but not much talent. Starting pitching will be the Achilles of the A's all season long unless one of these guys blossoms in that big ball park (which is an atrocity, by the way). Otherwise, Oakland will struggle again in the AL West.

A Three Month Solution?
While I did give some props to the A's for acquiring Matt Holliday, let's reserve some of those props for the end of the season. Because those props go right out the window if the Athletics go par for the course and trade Holliday at the deadline or let him go after this season. Holliday is a young player, and while his splits do suggest he was helped a bit by Coors Field in Colorado, he's a good player who could be the the face of the franchise for a while if they keep him around. When asked about his future on "Jim Rome is Burning" on ESPN a couple days ago, Holliday said he was told by management he likely wouldn't be sticking around very long. As he put it, management told him they "don't really do long term contracts" and that they may not have the money to offer him anyways. We can cut the A's a little slack because they're trying to finance a new ballpark but can't get it, and the franchise appears to be in limbo. But if Holliday hits by the bay this year, this guy should be kept in the fold. Unless Beane has a left fielder in AA who has a .405 on base percentage. Groan.

How Great Is Moneyball Anyway?
Michael Lewis wrote a book about it, and the topic has been discussed and analyzed around baseball ever since it came out. The truth is, "Sabrmetrics" the system that is money ball has been around since Bill James came out with those boring stat magazines almost thirty years ago that no one took seriously at the time. Moneyball has certainly had an influence on the game since it was re-popularized by Beane in the 199os, in that on base percentage has become a far more important statistic than it ever was before. Bu the teams that seem to be most successful using Moneyball tactics also employ good baseball wisdom: signing good free agents, developing quality pitching, etc. I'm not saying that Beane hasn't or doesn't do that, because his track record certainly shows that he did and still does. But what I am saying is he relies too much on his system and not enough on common sense. Look at the pitching staff he has? It's terrible from top to bottom. I don't care how many of these guys throw a high percentage of strikes with a 1-1 count. It's still bad.

Bold Predictions

1. Oakland will finish in last place in the American League West. Yes, last place. This team won't be able to win enough games out-slugging people and their pitching is bad, as I have already mentioned.
2. Matt Holliday will prove his doubters wrong and have a big year in a big park. 30HR, 100RBI for the special occasion.
3. Nomar Garciaparra will return to being a good MLB hitter. If he gets the at-bats, expect 20 homers and 85RBI.

Up next...Friday, Angels.

30 Teams in 30 Days

Kansas City Royals: Officially Ready To Move On To Mediocrity

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

Keeping It Real

Honestly, I can't express how much I love this team. I've loved the Royals since I was a young boy. Well, that's not exactly true. Maybe since my freshman year in college. But still, the infatuation is real. Last year was the first time in 5 years that the team didn't finish in dead last. They still weren't over .500 (something they've done only once---amazingly---since the strike), but I'm not giving up hope. The top two in the rotation are good (Zack Greinke and Gil Meche), the 9th inning with Joakim Soria is locked down, and the lineup will never wow you but shouldn't be laughed at. There seems to be a consistent thread of solid hitters, whether it's the Disgruntled One, Mr. I've Been A Permament DH Since I Was A Rookie, the Quietest Case of Assault You've Never Heard Of (yes, it's true), Coo-Coo for Co-Co Puffs, or Mr. They've Tried Me At Every Position But Nothing Will Stick Because They Keep Acquiring Better Players Than Me. OK, so maybe that last nickname is a bit long, but it makes the point. Anyway, the guys in this lineup aren't to be feared, but are fairly solid, 1-9. That makes for a much tougher out than the Royals would provide opposition in previous years. Remember one thing, these ain't your slightly older brother's Royals.

Unless You Are David DeJesus, I'll Bet You Didn't Know This

Or, if you're Trey Hillman. If you aren't either of those two, I can't imagine how you'd know that the Royals are planning on batting David DeJesus (Talk about you're clear cut steroid user. Jeez, could it be any more obvious?) in the number 3 spot. DeJesus, who's taken nearly 83% of his approaching 2500 hacks from the leadoff spot will be given a chance to drive in runs. The Royals logic (who knew they'd even had any?) is that he's their best hitter. While he suddenly won't start belting home runs, his ability to hit with runners on (career .317 BA) should translate into run production. I have to say, I happen to agree with the move. I've thought for a long time the Indians should do the same with Grady Sizemore, an even more traditional three hitter.

The Zack Greinke Sanity Meter

A few years back, we were decidedly in the red. In 2006, he looked like he'd gone off the deep end, Joaquin Phoenix-style. Then, after a prolonged sabbatical he returned, in 2007, seemingly not fully ready. Recently, we've seen him pitch quite well in 2008, and now, I'd have to say with confidence that the meter's has to be decidedly in the green. He re-upped with KC, finished 3 games over .500 and had a top-10 ERA in the American League. There was a time when rumors persisted that Greinke had a zillion pitches and could throw any of them at anywhere from 50 or so mph to near 95 mph. I'm pretty sure he's taken the bugs bunny curve ball out of his arsenal, but he doesn't seem to have suffered much from it.

Sidney Ponson Offered Another Chance To Prove How Bad He Really Is

I understand that each team needs a certain amount of starters. I understand the value of having someone throw a bunch of innings for you. But, when you're a team annually out of contention somewhere in the middle of April every year, why waste time with a veteran that has no upside, whatsoever. At least a guy like Livan Hernandez has a track record of winning (though precariously) and throwing a lot of innings. Sidney Ponson (his judge beating issues aside) hasn't thrown 200 innings since 2004, and hasn't won more games than he's lost or had a sub-4 ERA since 2003. Never has he ever been "good", just passable. He doesn't strike people out, he's not young, he gives up a lot of hits, there's been no sign that he's a great clubhouse leader, he's had attitude problems, he sweats a lot. Need I go further? Why is this guy still in the major leagues? Sorry, I had to get that off my chest.

Bold Predictions

The Royals will win upwards of 80 games this year, and while they won't make the playoffs, they'll be in that curious, "if they go on an insane run, maybe they could do it" position for most of the season.

Zack Greinke will win at least 15 games (not that bold considering he won 13 last year, but I wanted it marked down). I'm in love with him, in a strictly platonic fashion.

David DeJesus will drive in at least 85 runs, and Coco Crisp will steal at least 30 bases.

This will be a good year for the Royals. Strike that. I should say, it won't be a bad year for the Royals. Let's keep it under control.

Up Next...Thursday, A's.

30 Teams in 30 Days

Milwaukee Brewers: Grab A Cold One, This Could Be a Long Year
(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.)
Big Ben and C.C. You Later
The two reasons why the Brewers made the playoffs for the first time in 25 years are gone. C.C. Sabathia left for a boat load of cash in the Big Apple and Ben Sheets is hurt (shocking!). Sheets would have been signed by Texas had he not failed a physical this off-season, so even if he were healthy he's likely not coming back to 'Sconsin. Without the dynamic duo that was amazing for the second half of last season, say goodbye to the Brewers as playoff contenders. Unless Manny Parra and Yovani Gallardo can fill the giant footsteps left by those two men, the Brewers likely finish near the bottom of the N.L. Central. And that's not to say those two guys couldn't be good, because both seem to have promise, but you can't expect either to be even half of what Sabathia and Sheets were. As it was last year, the Brewers needed a B-list Cubs group (they had already clinched the division so they were playing the 40-man roster the last week) in game 162 to propel them into the post season, and C.C. had to pitch basically every other day down the stretch.

The New Texas Rangers
Now that the pitching won't be the strength of the 2009 outfit of the Brew Crew, they'll become the newest version of the late 90s-early 21st-Century Texas Rangers: they can hit, but they can't pitch. This lineup has plenty of thunder to earn that dubious nickname, as they have one of the best 3-4 hitter combinations in baseball with the Jewish Babe Ruth Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. As good as those two are, however, the lineup thunder does not end there. Corey Hart and J.J. Hardy are very good hitters in their own right, as Hart made the All-Star team last year, and Mike Cameron and Bill Hall also pack some home run pop. Last year the Brewers hit the 5th most home runs in baseball, and they'll likely be able to eclipse that number this year, now that Fielder has had a year to adjust to his new vegan diet.

Does Trevor Hoffman Have Anything Left?
That is a big question the Brewers will await the answer to as the season approaches. If the answer is yes, this team may be able to hang around until September. If not, the rest of the bullpen doesn't figure to have someone equipped to fill his role. The Brewers needed Hoffman, because their bullpen was a disaster last year, as Guillermo Mota was unable to do the job as closer and Hoffman at least gives them a stable presence in the pen. Problem is, Hoffman has proven not to be able to earn the clutch save when need be, so if the Crew is in a tight race down the stretch I'd like my chances against them. The rest of the pen is still very suspect, as Jorge Julio, Todd Coffey and David Riske are just three of the names that could be on the bump in the late innings. Considering it's most likely those guys will stink, it's imperative that Hoffman is good.

Rickie Weeks Is Bad
The sooner the Brewers realize this fact, the sooner they can find another option at second base. I don't care what he was projected to be. Weeks has not yet proven that he's anything more than a low average hitter at the top of the lineup. He had a good 95 games in 2006 in which he hit .279. But over the last two years, he has hit .235 ande .234 respectively. That's just not going to cut it for any lead off man, and all he's done the last couple of years is hamper what is a good lineup. (as mentioned above) Get this dude out of here, unless he can finally prove he's worth giving 400 at-bats a year to. Otherwise, he's going to continue to hinder the Brewers ability to succeed in a competitve NL Central.

Bold Predictions

1. Gallardo and Parra will combine for 23 wins this season They'll both show signs of future success, but they won't be able to carry the Brewers by themselves.
2. Tony Gwynn Jr. will eventually replace the strikeout machine Mike Cameron in the lineup.
3. The Brewers bullpen will stink, still, even with Hoffman. One of the bottom five in the National League, which will send Milwaukee to a 3rd or 4th place finish in the division.

Up next...Wednesday, Royals.

30 Teams in 30 Days

Cincinnati Reds:  Dusty Baker's Doing His Best To Ruin This Group Of Youngsters

(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)

Keeping it Real

Brandon Phillips, at 27, is one of the elder statesmen of this year's Cincy Reds.  Gone are the Griffeys and Dunns and Sabos (wrong year?).  Surrounding Phillips are a crop of young players including Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, Edinson Volquez, and Johnny Cueto (who sounds like he should have his own comic book).  The problem is, they're just not ready to put it all together right this minute.  Combine that with a bunch of players that are either middling veteran players with significant holes in their games (Willy Taveras, Jerry Hairston Jr., Ramon Hernandez) or simply veteran players that have lost their touch in recent years (Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo).  It makes for an odd (read:  under .500) bunch, no?  Thing is, Volquez is for real, he just ran into a wall last year as many pitchers do in their first years.  Cueto, though his numbers wouldn't suggest it, is absolutely filthy.  He could put it all together this year, and I wouldn't be surprised.  Bruce had a great start to his MLB career, but really tailed off.  The adjustments he makes will be interesting to see after the league adjusted to him.  And finally, Phillips, after a down year across the board, will need to regain some of his swag if this team's going to be as powerful (offensively at least) as it could be.  Maybe it's just the hope that Spring seems to bring every year for bad teams across this great nation, but it's hard for me to be too down on this team, if only on potential for growth.

Why Does It Seem Like There's Always A Million Outfielders On This Team

Because there are.  Over the years, three of the guys that were breaking in were Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns and Wily Mo Pena (all of whom miraculously find themselves on the Nationals now...Jim Bowden, you dog!).  Throw in that Ryan Freel was at one point serviceable and Griff was around too, and you had a verifiable logjam in the outfield that never (and hasn't) cleared up.  Now, you've got Bruce and Taveras in right and center, which is fine.  Battling for left, not as clear cut.  There's Hairston, and then a whole other list of cast-offs, including Jacque Jones, Jonny Gomes, and Laynce Nix (remember when he was supposed to be good?).  Now, it's not nearly as cluttered as it was back in the day (say, 2005), but it's still not clear. 

You Can't Teach Speed (or How To Get On-Base, apparently)

Willy Taveras, despite an incredible dislike of getting on base consistently (or even hitting the ball in fair play and reaching base safely consistently) finds himself not only on another major league team this year, but starting in center field, and leading off.  Why?  Because the man can flat out swipe bags, Lloyd McLendon-style.  More impressive than leading the league in steals (did anyone other than Rockies personnel know about this?), he was only caught 7 times (career percentage of over 80 percent is damn good).  So, while Taveras wages his own personal campaign against Billy Beane and the moneyball-driven obsession with OBP, we can all just sit back and watch a man that really can run.  And that's about it.

Aaron Harang Swears He Really Isn't As Bad As He Was Last Year

How in the hell do you go from winning 16 games to losing 17 in one year?  How in the hell do you have three straight years with an under 4 ERA, in a pitcher's park, logging over 200 innings each year, to an ERA near 5 in under 200 innings?  How?  Forearm problems?  Weight issues?  No one is quite sure what went wrong in 2008 for Harang, but he did lose some weight and appears to be over any nagging injuries from the year prior.  Was last year a sign of wear and tear and ultimate decline, or is he going to revert back to the reliable fantasy pitcher we all know and love.  Not that I drafted him last year and held on to him for way too long as he killed me each and every week.  Not that I did that, or anything...

Bold Predictions

Homer Bailey will get his last real shot this year with the Stockings.  And while he won't be Roger Clemens (as he was touted to be) he will be serviceable (as he has never been) throughout this year.

Johnny Cueto will be over .500 this year, and while he won't be nearly as consistent as everyone would like, he will make a huge leap forward this year.  I'm saying at least 4 or 5 more wins than last year, and an ERA right next to the number 4.

Two quickies:  NO way on Earth Hairston lasts in LF til the All-Star Game (injury or inability, your choice), and Ramon Hernandez will again approach 25 bombs in a friendly hitter's park.

Up Next...Tuesday, Brewers

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

Pittsburgh Pirates:  If Pittsburgh Doesn't Care, Why Should Anyone Else?

(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.)

Keeping It Real

This team stinks.  They've had 16 losing seasons in a row, they were last in the N.L. in starter and bullpen ERA, and as a team batted under .260 for the season.  Did I say that they're not any good?  The real problem is that a lot of the guys they have were (at one point) either good or supposed to be good.  Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny (good for one year two years ago), and Zach Duke (good for half a season 4 years ago) all fit into this category.  Paul Maholm pitched well last year, but given his track record of borderline mediocrity (at best), what makes you think he'll do it again?  The lineup lacks punch, lacks consistency, and lacks proven ability.  I'm sure I said it already, but just to make sure we're clear, I did say this team isn't good, right?

First Freddy Sanchez, Then Nate McClouth, Who Next?

Which largely middling player on the Pirates will miraculously turn around a career of irrelevance and become this year's surprise?  Those of you Ronny Paulino supporters have seen time run out.  Same with our pal Bryan Bullington.  The logical choice would seem to be Ryan Doumit, as he seemed en route to a breakout season prior to breaking his thumb.  As a dark horse, I'll throw in Andy LaRoche to the mix, if only to make things interesting.  Working against him though is that he hasn't had nearly enough time to be as mediocre as Sanchez and McClouth.

There Manager Is Named John Russell

Just thought we should all know that.  I didn't.

Finally, The LaRoche's Are Reunited

I can't tell you how badly I wanted this, since the moment I laid eyes on Andy.  Like the brothers Benes before them, the LaRoche's are now part of a long history of brothers of mid-level talent to be united on the same team.  The problem is Andy hasn't been able to hit at any point of a major league season, and Adam only hits in the second half of seasons.  If we could only combine the two, we'd have one half of a whole ballplayer...

Bold Predictions

Nate McClouth's average, home run totals, and RBI totals will all head south towards there previous career norms.

Nyjer Morgan will steal 30 bases, and that's about all I have.  If you care this much about the Pirates, you need to have your head examined.

Up Next...Sunday, Indians

30 Teams In 30 Days

Chicago White Sox:  The Young And The Old Collide

(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.)

Identity Crisis

Over the last few years, the White Sox success has been predicated on good veteran pitching and a balanced lineup of 30-somethings.  Now, thanks to aggressive and crafty GM Kenny Williams there's been an injection of youth on the south side.   Young guns John Danks and Gavin Floyd figure to anchor a rotation that ends with Sox lifer Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras and Bartolo Colon.  Both Contreras and Colon are older and coming off injuries, so who knows how much they'll be able to produce.  Yet the White Sox are banking on them to visit the fountain of youth in 2009.  Same thing goes for Chicago's lineup.  You've got mainstays like Paul Konerko, Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye, who all good hitters, but are getting older, and are starting to decline.  Now the Sox will be counting on young guys too, like last year's American League Rookie of the Year runner-up Alexei Ramirez, Carlos Quentin (who probably would have been the MVP of the American League had he not been injured last August), Jerry Owens in the leadoff spot, and Chris Getz at 2nd base.  How good this makes the White Sox?  It's hard to say.  The move could have them moving towards a second consecutive AL Central crown, although experts seem to think this will be a rebuilding year.

Is Gavin Floyd Really That Good?

The White Sox would like to think that answer is yes, but it's hard to know.  When the Sox traded for John Danks, they knew what they were getting.  At the time they traded their top prospect pitcher Brandon McCarthy for the Rangers best arm in their system.  So Danks' success last year wasn't all that surprising.  Floyd's success on the other hand was astonishing.  He won 17 games a season ago, after his first four seasons only yielded him eight combined wins.  Now he didn't start more than eleven games in any of those previous years, so you could say that the twenty-six year old is now coming into his own.  But this season will really be the litmus test to see how good he truly is.  If he and and Danks can produce like they did last year, the Sox could win the division again.  If they're not good, then you're hoping that Contreras and Colon are going to produce.  And that thought will have Ozzie Guillen swearing uncontrollably for six straight months.

What about Carlos Quentin?

Just as prevalent as the question of what the White Sox will get from Gavin Floyd is the question of how much the Sox will get from Carlos Quentin.  The former Diamondbacks top prospect was picked up in an unheralded move last off-season, but like I mentioned in the first graph, this guy would have won the AL MVP had he not gotten hurt.  So Dustin Pedroia should be thanking Quentin every time he admires that trophy on his mantle.  Quentin hit .288 while ripping 36 homers and driving in 100 runs, and he did all this in just 130 games.  Imagine how those numbers might look had he finished the season.  But like Floyd, this was a break out year for Quentin, as his previous career high was 9 home runs in rookie campaign of 2006.  His production will be critical to the Sox offense, because their back-up option in left would be Brian Anderson, who has a hole in his bat.

Ozzie Guillen Is Great

Whether you're a White Sox fan or not, you have to love skipper Ozzie Guillen.  Ozzie happens to be a fantastic manager, but the entertainment value he brings to the ballpark day in and day out is really great to watch.  Unless you follow the team, you can't really understand him when he speaks, except you know that he's speaking quickly and his dialect is filled with four letter words.  Furthermore, he is not afraid to say what he thinks, which might be he best quality of all.  There's no BS when it comes to Guillen, and he has the respect of his clubhouse because he's not going to sugar coat things in the press.  The Sox will always contend with this guy as the skipper, and hey, he brought the Sox their first world series in 88 years back in 2005, so he knows what he's doing.  People like to rip Guillen for his inflammatory remarks, but he's the best thing the White Sox have going because in a city where his team plays second fiddle he keeps them relevant whether they're winning or not.

Bold Predictions

1. The White Sox will stay competitive in a middling AL Central this year, and if the breaks mentioned above go their way, they'll win the division again.  If any of their guys don't produce like their being expected to, however, they could be the team that finishes ahead of the Royals (fourth) in the division as well.  
2. Jerry Owens will last less than a month in the leadoff spot.  This guy stinks, and when they realize he can't hit, DeWayne Wise and Chris Getz will platoon there the rest of the season.  
3. Jermaine Dye was the subject of trade rumors all off-season but Williams never pulled the trigger on a trade.  He will before the trading deadline July 31st.

Up Next...Saturday, Pirates

30 Teams in 30 Days

St. Louis Cardinals: Somehow, This Team Will Still Win at Least 80-Some Games

(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.)

Keeping It Real

OK, maybe that doesn't seem like a ton of wins. But, consider a few things. Well, only two things. First, consider that the Cardinals under Tony LaRussa have only failed to reach at least 80 wins twice. In 13 years. Second, take a look at this roster, the guys projected to pitch and hit for the Cards. Three of the guys projected in the starting lineup have a total of 48 career homers (Joe Mather, Yadier Molina, Skip Schumaker). And that doesn't include the pitcher's spot, wherever he happens to bat (more on that later). And the rotation? Wow, talk about a bunch of who's who and reclamation projects. Repeat performances may seem unlikely, but are necessary for guys like Kyle Lohse and Todd Wellemeyer. Despite that they don't have a closer yet, have one truly proven offensive player, and no truly proven pitchers, they'll still be good. Some how.

Tony LaRussa's A Genius?

I guess so. But, can we stop giving him so much credit for moving the pitcher out of the 9th spot into the 8th spot? Is this that big of a deal? If he moved a pitcher (Micah Owings anyone?) to a spot like the 5th or clean up or something and it worked out, I'd really be floored. But one spot up? Oh wow! And, on top of that, when has it really worked out so tremendously? If I was a Cardinal, and I was moved out of the 8th spot to the 9th spot for a pitcher, I wouldn't find that cute. Or the move of a genius. I'd find that offensive. I'd be like, Anthony, dude, you can't seriously think this is going to work. I take batting practice every damn day, and this is what I get?

Reclamation Galore

First it was Rick Ankiel. Then Ryan Ludwick and Todd Wellemeyer. Now, it's Khalil Greene. The Ankiel thing didn't really blow me away so much, as he didn't hit for a high average and struck out a ton of times. Most decent players given over 400 ABs could hit 25 homers with those other stats. Wellemeyer too didn't really blow me away, as he faded towards the end of the year. But Ludwick. Wowsers. 28 homers and 96 RBIs from 2002-2007. 37 and 113 in 2008. I'd pray he's not stupid enough to have used steroids, but nowadays, who knows. It sure smacks of Brady Anderson, doesn't it? Then again, we will see what he does for an encore this year. Greene, I'll admit, I do like. Prior to last year, his power was decent for a shortstop, and he can pick it. Away from Petco Park finally, he'll rebound.

Annoying Middle Infielders Come With Price Of Admission

Guys like Brendan Ryan, and David Eckstein and Skip Schumaker and Adam Kennedy piss me off. Maybe it's because I like my major leaguers like I like my coffee, tall and more athletic than I am. Not sure exactly what it is. But these pesky little S.O.B.s seem to always find their way on to the Cardinals roster. And, as it is annoying to hear mindless commentators call old lefties crafty but not old righties, I can't stand when (because he's little) a player is automatically scrappy. By the way, don't think I've forgotten about you, Bo Hart. Little bugger.

Bold Predictions

Khalil Greene will hit at least 20 homers, drive in at least 75 runs, and have a good season. Each would be significant upgrades from last year's stellar effort of .254/10/35.

Chris Carpenter appears ready to dial it up again this year. He won't ever be as dominant as he was a few years back, but expect him to last all season (bold right there) and also expect results similar to Lohse and Wellemeyer from last year.

Inexplicably, Ryan Franklin will get many chances to close games. Maybe Chris Perez isn't ready (or good enough, though who knows yet?), but how much more does Franklin need to do that proves he's nothing better than average.

Up Next...Friday, White Sox