|
|
Post by YankeeClipper on Apr 10, 2004 13:53:12 GMT -5
NEW YORK YANKEES
THE LINEUP
2003: BATTING | RUNS SCORED (877 -- 3rd in AL)
NO PLAYER POS
18 Kenny Lofton CF
Gone are the days of the .400 OBP and the stolen bases at will. He's shown he can still get it done in spurts (.381 OBP with the Cubs last season), but a .350 OBP is what to expect at this stage of his career. While Lofton might have more range than Bernie Williams, it's a minimal defensive upgrade over a healthy Williams.
2 Derek Jeter SS
Not the best shortstop on his team anymore, Jeter is still the leader of the Yankees. While it is likely he has peaked as a hitter, Jeter's still more than capable of an .850-.875 OPS, especially when you consider all the thunder behind him in the lineup.
13 Alex Rodriguez 3B
After all the hoopla surrounding A-Rod this winter, it's highly unlikely any of it will affect the future Hall-of-Famer. He's shown this spring he can handle the hot corner and there's no reason to expect anything less than MVP-type numbers at the plate.
25 Jason Giambi 1B
Despite an eye infection and tendinitis in his knee, Giambi managed to overcome a slow start to post a .939 OPS. Fully healthy, Giambi returns to first base on a full-time basis for the first time in New York with the departure of Nick Johnson. His defensive liabilities will be forgiven if he can return to his '00-'02 form.
11 Gary Sheffield RF
One of baseball's best hitters over the past decade, Sheffield brings impressive credentials to the Yankees. If he can stay healthy, and that might be a big if with the possibility of his thumb injury flaring up, mark down another monster season at the plate.
51 Bernie Williams DH
The biggest question with Williams these days is his health. Until last season, he had posted seven straight .900 OPS or better seasons. A healthy return will help restore Williams to his old production, but it remains to be seen how not playing the field will affect him at the plate.
20 Jorge Posada C
Posada had a fantastic year last season as the American League's top hitting catcher and was recognized by the baseball writers with a third-place finish in the MVP vote. He'll be 33 in August and it'll be interesting to see if catching more innings than all but three catchers last year hurts his production.
55 Hideki Matsui LF
With a year of American baseball under his belt, we have a better idea of what Matsui is going to bring to the table: a solid bat and glove. Even though he's not going to be the slugger he was in Japan, Matsui will still put up near All-Star numbers in the potent Yankee lineup. A pleasant surprise to the club was his defense, save for his throwing arm.
14 Enrigue Wilson 2B
Yankees fans can forget about the days of getting offensive production out of their second baseman while Wilson is manning the bag. His career .654 OPS can attest to that. And while Bombers fans think they're getting a defensive upgrade over Alfonso Soriano, their defensive stats are similar when Wilson is pro-rated out over a full season.
Bench: Ruben Sierra, Tony Clark, Miguel Cairo, John Flaherty, Bubba Crosby
THE STAFF
2003: PITCHING | RUNS ALLOWED (716 -- 4th in AL)
NO PLAYER POS
35 Mike Mussina No. 1 SP
Mussina played the role of ace for many years in Baltimore, so being tabbed for game one of the season is nothing new. What Mussina needs to do for the first time in his career is reach 20 wins. With all the offense that should be in support of him, it'll be a disappointment if he doesn't reach that plateau.
27 Kevin Brown No. 2 SP
It's pretty simple when talking about Brown. When he is healthy, he is downright filthy. When he is not, it is not pretty. If the Yankees get 35 starts out of Brown and his cranky back, a big proposition, he could be the first pitcher since Bob Welch in 1990 to win 25 games.
33 Javier Vazquez No. 3 SP
An unknown quantity to most fans due to his playing in front of only dozens of fans in Montreal, Vazquez could be the real horse of this staff. He has ace-type stuff, can eat innings and strikes out batters at a high rate. What isn't known by anyone yet, is how he will handle the intense spotlight of New York.
52 Jose Contreras No. 4 SP
It's clear he has all the tools to be a phenomenal pitcher -- an overpowering fastball, an unhittable forkball and the build to take games into the late innings. Now it's just a matter of going out and doing it. If the spring is an indication, look out -- 23 Ks in 14 2/3 innings.
26 Jon Lieber No. 5 SP
Lieber was thought to be a steal by the Yankees when they signed him for two years including last year's rehab after Tommy John surgery. But now a groin injury has likely shelved Lieber until May. Donovan Osborne is the choice to fill the fifth starter role in the meantime. While Osborne might be wearing No. 46, he won't make people forget Andy Pettitte.
42 Mariano Rivera CL
The best closer over the past seven seasons, and arguably of all-time, will likely end his career as a Yankee after signing a contract extension this spring. After posting a career-best 1.66 ERA last season, Rivera has picked up right where he left off -- through March 24 he hadn't allowed a run this spring.
Bullpen: Tom Gordon, Paul Quantrill, Gabe White, Felix Heredia, Jorge DePaula
An overlooked area of the Yankees' offseason, the pen is vastly improved with the addition of the power-armed Gordon and the rubber-armed Quantrill. The team had troubles getting to Mariano Rivera last season, but that won't be the case this year. The relievers might get another boost should Steve Karsay get healthy.
ESPN.com
|
|
|
|
Post by YankeeClipper on Apr 10, 2004 13:58:17 GMT -5
BOSTON RED SOX
Manager: Terry Francona
Home: Fenway Park 33,993 (night); 33,577 (day)
'03 record: 95-67 (2nd in AL East)
THE LINEUP
2003: BATTING | RUNS SCORED (961 -- 1st in AL)
NO PLAYER POS
18 Johnny Damon CF
Of all the regulars last season, Damon had the lowest OPS on the team (.750), although his .345 OBP was equal to Nomar Garciaparra's. Damon does offer value at the top of the lineup, providing patience at the plate and speed on the base paths. If anything, Damon's nighttime numbers should improve with his werewolf look this spring.
11 Bill Mueller 3B
A career .286 hitter coming into last season, Mueller was one of the most improbable Sox players to capture the batting crown with a .326 average. While he's unlikely to duplicate last year, he should still put up strong numbers at Fenway where his swing puts the Monster to good use.
24 Manny Ramirez LF
Now that Ramirez has 10 toes back in Boston, the residents of Red Sox Nation can pacify themselves once again with the familiar phrase: "That's just Manny being Manny." One thing that Ramirez unquestionable does is hit. Pencil in .320, 35HRs and 110 RBI.
5 Nomar Garciaparra SS
Being the competitor that Garciaparra is, it's doubtful the Alex Rodriguez debacle will have any on-field effects for the five-time All-Star. Batting fourth is nothing new to Garciaparra. He won two batting titles in '99 and '00 regularly hitting cleanup.
34 David Ortiz DH
After finding little playing time early last season when he was stuck behind Jeremy Giambi, Ortiz exploded from May until the end of the year, finishing fifth in the American League MVP voting. With a chance to log over 500 at-bats for the first time in his career, Ortiz could surpass last season's numbers.
15 Kevin Millar 1B
After being plucked away from the Marlins/Japan last season, Millar was the face, voice and Karaoke-guy of the '03 Cowboy Up Sox. After a hot start, Millar faded after the All-Star break. He is, however, one of the few Sox that's a good bet to improve on his numbers from last season.
33 Jason Varitek C
Is a rock defensively and one of the best-prepared catchers in the game. Enjoyed a career season last year with a .863 OPS. Cause for worry is his age. 'Tek will turn 32 in April and that's an age where catchers tend to lose some tread on their tires.
19 Gabe Kapler RF
With Trot Nixon out until at least May, Kapler is the man who's going to get the majority of playing time mostly due to his defensive prowess. Once Nixon does return, look for Kapler to get some innings at third base where he's been working out this spring. If he can duplicate his .350 OBP from last year with the Sox, Boston will be happy.
3 Pokey Reese 2B
Reese is a defensive wizard who some former Reds teammates call the best defensive middle infielder in the game. His defensive stats are equal to and exceed in some cases Roberto Alomar's in his prime. The downside to Reese is at the plate where he hasn't had an OPS above .700 since 2000.
Bench: Ellis Burks, Mark Bellhorn, Doug Mirabelli, Brian Daubach, David McCarty
THE STAFF
2003: PITCHING | RUNS ALLOWED (809 -- 8th in AL)
NO PLAYER POS
45 Pedro Martinez No. 1 SP
It seems you could write the same thing every year for Martinez in a Spring Preview: Will put up Cy Young numbers, health is a concern. Martinez says he's feeling his best since he first came to the Red Sox. If that's the case, look out for a monster season.
38 Curt Schilling No. 2 SP
Schilling is the horse the Sox have searched for to complement Martinez in the six years Martinez has been in town. While at 37 Schilling is getting up there in years, his stints on the disabled last season (appendix, broken hand) were not pitching related. With Schilling working on ways to cut down his pitch counts, 220-plus innings is not out of the question.
32 Derek Lowe No. 3 SP
After winning 21 games in 2002 in his first full year as a starter for the Sox, Lowe tacked on 17 more last season thanks in large part to ample run support. Now that the emotional Lowe has put a cancer scare he had last spring behind him, his numbers should fall somewhere in between '02 and '03.
49 Tim Wakefield No. 4 SP
Always considered the most versatile and arguably the most valuable pitcher on the Sox not named Pedro, Wakefield will have another go in the rotation this season. Expect another solid season with an ERA around 4.00.
61 Bronson Arroyo No. 5 SP
The fifth starter spot was penciled in with BK Kim's name, but shoulder troubles for the sidearmer have the Sox going to plan-B in Arroyo. Arroyo pitched outstanding as a September call-up after being named the International League's Most Valuable Pitcher and figures to have success until Kim's rehab is complete.
29 Keith Foulke CL
While the bullpen was magnificent in last year's playoffs, one of the top tasks of the Boston brass this offseason was to find a good old, fashioned closer. And that they did in plucking American League saves leader Keith Foulke off the free agent market. Foulke is a changeup specialist who can go multiple innings if needed.
Bullpen: Scott Williamson, Alan Embree, Mike Timlin, Ramiro Mendoza, Jason Shiell
Gone is the closer-by-committee and welcomed back is the traditional bullpen roles. Williamson and Embree provide power, strikeout arms from the right and left sides for the late innings while Timlin, who was unhittable in the playoffs last season, can now take his power sinker to the sixth and seventh innings. If healthy, Mendoza will probably make the club due to contractual reasons.
ESPN.com
|
|
|
|
Post by YankeeClipper on Apr 10, 2004 14:01:02 GMT -5
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Manager: Carlos Tosca
Home: Skydome (50,516)
'03 record: 86-76 (3rd in AL East)
THE LINEUP
2003: BATTING | RUNS SCORED (894 -- 2nd in AL)
NO PLAYER POS
37 Reed Johnson RF
Johnson surprised everyone last season with a .353 OBP after being tossed into the leadoff spot following the Shannon Stewart trade last summer. Now it's a question of whether Johnson can maintain it or will pitchers catch up to him. A sub-.200 spring batting average might be an indication.
27 Frank Catalanotto LF
The versatile Catalanotto will likely get the first chance of his career at 500 at-bats and no matter where he plays, Catalanotto will hit. Has a career .824 OPS and hitting in front of Vernon Wells and Carlos Delgado will only help those numbers.
10 Vernon Wells CF
Wells made the jump to star last season playing a gold-glove caliber center field and producing MVP like stats. Only 25, Wells has a chance to improve on those numbers and move into superstar territory.
25 Carlos Delgado 1B
Delgado enjoyed a monster season in '03 leading the American League in OPS (1.019) and finishing second in the MVP race. In the last year of his contract, there's no reason to expect anything less than his career averages of 38 HRs and 120 RBI.
17 Josh Phelps DH
A position-less player for the most part, Phelps has been told he's going to get somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 at-bats. If that's the case, 30 HRs is not out of the question.
11 Eric Hinske 3B
After an injury-plagued sophomore slump of a season last year, the Jays expect and need Hinske to improve his production. If the spring is any indication, he should bounce back nicely to his rookie-of-the-year numbers.
29 Kevin Cash C
Cash is an outstanding defensive catcher with an above-average arm, but for what he has with the glove, he lacks at the plate. In 106 at-bats last season, Cash was downright awful with a .377 OPS. A consistent .270s hitter in the minors, don't expect much more than .240 over the course of a full season. Greg Myers will still get his share of at-bats.
5 Chris Woodward SS
With Mike Bordick retiring, the job is Woodward's for the year. In the Jays on-base percentage emphasized system, he'll have to improve on his .316 mark. He's had a bad spring and if things don't improve, this might be his only year starting for the Jays.
1 Orlando Hudson 2B
Hudson's first full season in the Show was a solid one as he showed gap-power at the plate and a steady glove in the field. If the switch-hitting Hudson doesn't demonstrate improvement at the plate from the right side (416 OPS), he could be in a platoon situation down the road.
Bench: Dave Berg, Chris Gomez, Greg Myers, Chad Hermansen, Simon Pond
THE STAFF
2003: PITCHING | RUNS ALLOWED (826 -- 10th in AL)
NO PLAYER POS
32 Roy Halladay No. 1 SP
The reigning Cy Young Award winner is a bona fide ace and another solid spring has him poised for a repeat performance. Adding a changeup this spring will only make his repertoire all that more devastating.
43 Miguel Batista No. 2 SP
A swingman for most of his career, Batista comes to the Jays from the Diamondbacks off one if his best seasons as a pro. The concern is durability. Batista has never thrown over 200 innings in his career and struggled in September last season, as fatigue seemed to have set it.
31 Ted Lilly No. 3 SP
Lilly enjoyed a fine end of the season for Oakland (6-1 in Aug. and Sept.), allowed only two hits to Boston in the ALDS and now the Jays might have acquired a pitcher who's coming into his own at age 28. A wrist injury has limited Lilly this spring, and he may not be good for more than six innings for a while.
41 Pat Hentgen No. 4 SP
Returning to where he won a Cy Young in 1996, Hentgen isn't the same pitcher he was then as injuries and age have taken the zip off his fastball. But with that said, Hentgen showed enough at the end of last season (6-3, 3.10 ERA post All-Star break) that he's still capable of posting double-digit victories.
7 Josh Towers No. 5 SP
Towers had some solid outings over the last two months of last season and compiled an 8-1 record for the year. He'll never overpower anyone with a fastball that rarely hits 90 on the gun so he must rely on pinpoint control. With that, be prepared to see more hits given up than innings pitched.
44 Aquilino Lopez CL
Lopez is the closer to start the season, but this could turn into a closer-by-committee situation should he struggle. His slider can be filthy at times as evidenced by his .186 average vs. right-handers.
Bullpen: Justin Speier, Terry Adams, Kerry Ligtenberg, Jason Kershner, Valerio de los Santos
Speier, Adams and Ligtenberg will share the late inning setup duties. Adams has been far more effective as a reliever in his career while Ligtenberg is tough on right-handed hitters. Speier is the wild card here as he has nasty stuff, but has been inconsistent.
ESPN.com
|
|
|
|
Post by YankeeClipper on Apr 10, 2004 14:02:50 GMT -5
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Manager: Lee Mazzilli
Home: Camden Yards (48,190)
'03 record: 71-91 (4th in AL East)
THE LINEUP
2003: BATTING | RUNS SCORED (743 -- 10th in AL)
NO PLAYER POS
1 Brian Roberts 2B
Jerry Hairston's broken right ring finger has given the job to Roberts at least for the time being. Despite both being patient hitters, neither draws many walks. Hairston still hits too many fly balls for the amount of speed he possesses. Once Hairston returns, it's possible one of them could be dealt.
6 Melvin Mora 3B
Mora was enjoying a career-year last season before injuries derailed him. A utility man when he first came up through the minors, Mora can play any position except catcher. He now must prove his hitting from last season wasn't a fluke.
10 Miguel Tejada SS
The prized free agent pick-up for the O's, Tejada will anchor the lineup in the third hole. After struggling at the beginning of last season, Tejada's production picked up to the tune of a .924 OPS after the All-Star break. While it's unlikely he'll approach that number for a whole season -- he was at .862 for his MVP year -- somewhere north of .850 is achievable.
25 Rafael Palmeiro 1B
Returning to Baltimore after a five-year run with Texas. Palmeiro, now 39, hasn't seen an increase in batting average since 1999. At his age, that trend is likely to continue. There's also a question of how many games he can actually play at first base with cranky knees.
18 Javy Lopez C
Enjoyed a career-year last season with the Braves setting the single-season record for most home runs by a catcher with 43. Has had injury troubles in the past and that, along with a natural regression, make it unlikely he will repeat last year's production.
31 Jay Gibbons RF
Gibbons has been a steady producer each of the three years he has seen big league action. He has steadily improved his on-base percentage and should continue to do so while still showing power as he enters his prime years.
23 David Segui DH
Injuries and age have put Segui's best years behind him. Once a slick-fielding first baseman, most of his work this year will come in the DH role. When he's healthy, he does have good gap power.
3 Larry Bigbie LF
The former first-round pick is finally getting a chance to show his wares after struggling in limited opportunities in previous years. After hitting .345 over the last 46 games of the previous season, Bigbie has picked it right back up with a solid spring.
32 Luis Matos CF
Matos has always had the tools to be an excellent player, but it was just a matter of staying healthy for an entire campaign to exhibit his skills. If Matos could improve his walk to strikeout ratio, you could find him in the O's lineup for years to come.
Bench: Jerry Hairston, B. J. Surhoff, Jack Cust, Keith Osik, Luis Lopez
THE STAFF
2003: PITCHING | RUNS ALLOWED (820 -- 9th in AL)
NO PLAYER POS
43 Sidney Ponson No. 1 SP
Back in Baltimore after being dealt to the Giants at the trading deadline last season. Not a true ace, but the O's don't have much of a choice. Last year's totals will likely be what he achieves this season.
59 Eric DuBose No. 2 SP
Injuries will have the Orioles watching DuBose's pitch counts closely, but when healthy, the lefty has been effective. In a division that lacks many left-handed starters, DuBose could move rapidly to the top of that list.
29 Kurt Ainsworth No. 3 SP
Ainsworth was the key to the Ponson trade to the Giants last season. And while injuries have slowed him some since then, he's been very good this spring. Ainsworth could be a double-digit winner this year provided he stays off the disabled list.
35 Matt Riley No. 4 SP
Riley has always been a highly thought of prospect since he came into the O's organization. But a brash attitude and one Tommy John surgery later, Riley is a much more humble player. Still with a gifted arm, Riley is more polished now and has had a strong spring.
79 Erik Bedard No. 5 SP
A spot in the rotation was originally penciled in for Rodrigo Lopez, Rookie of the Year runner-up just two season ago, but manager Lee Mazzilli said he felt compelled to put the left-handed Bedard in the rotation. Coming off Tommy John surgery in Sept. 2002, Bedard sparkled in the spring with a 2.04 ERA. Lopez will have to get comfortable in the bullpen.
50 Jorge Julio CL
Julio routinely works in the mid-90s with his fastball and that, combined with a tight slider, should be enough to make him an effective closer. But his bouts of inconsistency throwing strikes is enough to get the closer duties yanked away from him.
Bullpen: Buddy Groom, Mike DeJean, B.J. Ryan, Rick Bauer, John Parrish, Rodrigo Lopez
After a stellar 2002 season, Groom struggled mightily in '03 posting a 5.36 ERA. If he can regain that '02 form, he'll likely be a valuable trade commodity. DeJean provides closer insurance and is tough on right-handers. Ryan, meanwhile, is nasty on left-handed hitters.
ESPN.com
|
|
|
|
Post by YankeeClipper on Apr 10, 2004 14:04:43 GMT -5
TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS
Manager: Lou Piniella
Home: Tropicana Field (43,772)
'03 record: 63-99 (5th in AL East)
THE LINEUP
2003: BATTING | RUNS SCORED (715 -- 12th in AL)
NO PLAYER POS
13 Carl Crawford LF
Crawford can flat out fly and has tremendous athleticism. Still young -- he won't be 23 until August -- Crawford is very much a work-in-progress. But the potential is there for a .300 hitter and 60 steals on offense and a gold glove on defense.
10 Damian Rolls 3B
Was penciled in as a utility man when the spring started, but raked at the plate all March. Combine that with Geoff Blum's poor spring showing and Rolls all but forced Lou Piniella's hand into giving him the starting job.
5 Rocco Baldelli CF
Like Crawford, Baldelli is a phenomenal athlete. He had an outstanding rookie season collecting 184 hits and that should only go up this year. As Baldelli matures and fills out his six-foot-four frame, the power should increase with it. With a year of experience under his belt, an increase in production is expected.
19 Aubrey Huff DH
Huff quietly had a fantastic season last year, setting a half-dozen offensive team records. With a little more protection now behind him in the lineup, his production could go up yet again. He's the Rays lone power-hitting player.
22 Jose Cruz Jr. RF
Cruz is never going to be the star he was projected to be when he first came up with the Mariners, but at age 29, you know what you're going to get out of him. If he can repeat his .366 OBP from last year and continue to provide gold glove defense, it'll be a happy reunion with Lou Piniella.
24 Tino Martinez 1B
Martinez is clearly in the twilight of his career after posting two sub-800 OPS seasons with the Cardinals. He does still have occasional pop in his bat and while with the Yankees was considered a great clubhouse presence. One of the slowest players in the league, Martinez can still pick it at first base.
23 Julio Lugo SS
After coming over from Houston last season, Lugo surprised many with his production at the plate. With off-the-field issues behind him, Lugo should continue to hit near the clip he was at last season, although if he provides more power it will likely be at the expense of his on-base percentage.
44 Toby Hall C
Once thought to be a future middle-of-the-order hitter that could anchor a lineup, Hall has settled into the second tier of catchers. Defensively, there are no questions about his arm strength. At the plate he rarely strikes out, but still needs to hit more if he's going to keep a starting job in the years ahead.
1 Rey Sanchez 2B
Sanchez is the classic all glove, no hit middle infielder. If this was 30 years ago, he might well be an All-Star -- that's how solid his fielding is. He'll generally hit for a good average, but that's about it as he draws few walks and provides no power.
Bench: Geoff Blum, Eduardo Perez, Robert Fick, Brook Fordyce
THE STAFF
2003: PITCHING | RUNS ALLOWED (852 -- 11th in AL)
NO PLAYER POS
47 Victor Zambrano No. 1 SP
Zambrano has teased the Devil Rays for a few seasons now with what might be the best stuff on the team. His hard sinking fastball can be dominating at times, but his tendency to nibble gets him in trouble. If he can cut down on his walks, a goal of 15 wins is attainable.
54 Jeremi Gonzalez No. 2 SP
Gonzalez was probably the pitching staff's most pleasant surprise last season after he posted a team-high 16 quality starts. If he could get any run support at all -- he was last in run support in the American League last season -- he could move into double-digit win territory.
30 Mark Hendrickson No. 3 SP
Acquired in a three-way trade with the Blue Jays and Rockies in the offseason, Hendrickson is out to prove he's best suited as a starter. Despite his six-foot-nine stature, the former NBA player doesn't throw very hard and struggles against right-handed hitters. His future may lie in the bullpen facing tough left-handed hitters.
40 Doug Waechter No. 4 SP
Waechter pitched well as a late-season call-up last year earning some notice as he tossed a shutout in his first big league start against the Mariners. Now the big test for the 'local boy makes good' is to have success once he makes a full tour against all the teams.
34 Paul Abbott No. 5 SP
A former 17-game winner, Abbott has struggled with injuries in the two years since his breakout performance for the '01 Mariners. Originally manager Lou Piniella was planning to start the season with a four-man rotation, but Abbott pitched so well in the spring that Piniella gave him a spot in the rotation.
28 Danys Baez CL
Never quite sure what to do with him and not willing to shell out a big payday to a closer who ended up losing the job, the Indians cut Baez loose in the offseason. Baez is more suited for short-relief due to his mid-90's fastball and lack of a quality second pitch. Baez can be effective if he can control his emotions, but Lance Carter might be back in this role sometime during the year.
Bullpen: Lance Carter, Trever Miller, John Halama, Damian Moss, Jorge Sosa, Chad Gaudin
Carter moves from closer to setup man for new closer Baez, a role Carter is more suited for. Having three lefties in the bullpen was a bit of a surprise as was the performance of Gaudin in the spring.
ESPN.com
|
|
