It's back! Maine's MLB PT / Pre-season

[MaineDolFan]

As I did last year, I'll be posting my MLB Power Ten each week on this forum.  Now that rosters are set, teams are in camp and the season kicks off in about a month, here is my pre-season top ten:

#1.  New York Yankees
This team is going to be impossible to pitch to.  The #7, 8 and 9 hitters on this squad could be most team's #4, 5 and 6's.  NYY's pitching will be better than people give it credit for and the bullpen should be stronger.

#2.  Chicago White Sox
The defending world champs return Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras, Freddy Garcia and Jon Garland to the rotation, plus the addition of Vazquez from Arizona.  Bobby Jenks returns to anchor a solid bullpen.  Speaking of the bullpen, remember the name Neal Cotts.

#3.  Oakland A's
If Oakland was ever going to make a serious run, this would be the year.  They have amazing young arms in the rotation and a strong batting order.  They don't have many "name brands" - but they have a nice balance of talent through out the entire roster.

#4.  Boston Red Sox
Boston won 95 games last year with a rag tag pitching staff.  This year they return a healthy Curt Schilling along with the addition of Josh Beckett.  Boston made improvements to their bullpen as well as defense.  Boston, overall, is a better team on paper this year than last.

#5.  Atlanta Braves
Playing in the NL East alone will greatly benefit the Braves.  The closest contender, the Marlins, fire-saled their way out of contention in October and November.  The Mets are a mess.  Atlanta should easily be a 90-95 win team in '06.

#6.  Cleveland Indians
I truly feel that last season was a view of things to come versus a fluke.  Only a late season mis-step stood between Cleveland overtaking Chicago for the division title.  They are a young team with the right amount of vets to steer the way.  Cleveland is a little suspect in the bullpen, they'll need a monster year out of Mota.

#7.  St. Louis Cardinals
The Cards lost Matt Morris this past season - a winner of 79 games over the past five seasons.  Chris Carpenter will ace a staff that has some things to prove.  Braden Looper will be a nice addition in a set up role in the bullpen.  The Cards offense should be high flying again with all-world Albert Pujols leading the way.  If Scott Rolen bounces back well from injury, they could be slugging their way to a lot of wins.

#8.  Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays have a lot to account for this season after opening up their wallet for Burnett and Ryan, along with trading away a potential Gold Glover in Orlando Hudson for Troy Glaus.  Toronto lost a lot of one and two run games last year, games that a guy like Ryan might have been able to save.  I think the Jays might be in trouble defensively and that could spell for a harder than expected season.

#9.  L.A. Angels of Anaheim
The Angels won 95 games last year, but return with a much different squad.  They lost their catcher to Toronto, Jarrod Washburn left, along with Paul Byrd.  Kelvim Escobar will really need to step up and show what he's got.  Closer Francisco Rodriguez is erratic and some think that he doesn't have the closer makeup needed to compete into the post season.  Vladimir Guerrero will be the engine for the offense, but he's been hot and cold and battling injuries.  The tragic deaths of three close family members this week might weigh heavily on his mind this season.

#10.  Houston Astros
Roy Oswalt and left-hander Andy Pettitte are a solid 1-2 punch.  As good a 1-2 combo in the bigs.  I believe that Clemens will return to Houston for one more season.  Lidge is a horror show as a closer and only getting better.  Dan Wheeler and Chad Qualls are quality inning eaters out of the 'pen.  Morgan Ensberg is coming off an all-star year and will continue to shine. 

...and that is how I see the pre-season top ten!  What is your opinion?

[YoFuggedaboutit]

No PT Panel??

[MaineDolFan]

For baseball?  No.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Lidge is a nightmare to hit against.....until October rolls around.

[Sunstroke]

The fact that my juggernaut Padres franchise isn't sitting at the top of this ranking is a travesty, a sham, a mockery...a traveshamockery!

...and a fair assessment of San Diego's prospects for this season. 

Speaking of the bullpen, remember the name Neal Cotts.

One of the setup guys I used a lot down the stretch last year in fantasy leagues to whittle away at my ERA/WHiP. Another ChiSox guy I used in the same capacity was Cliff Politte.

#4.  Boston Red Sox

...Boston made improvements to their bullpen...

Yeah...you guys got my favorite Padre reliever not named Hoffman when you signed Rudy Seanez this offseason. 84 Ks in only 60 setup innings last year...not bad for a 37-year old. If you guys decide he doesn't fit the mix, I'd be glad to take him back. 

[MaineDolFan]

Lidge is a nightmare to hit against.....until October rolls around.

I completely disagree.  Lidge has very strong post season numbers - and ones that show a pattern of over use.  It's not his fault that Houston leans on him too much.

Career post season numbers:  1-3 / 2.52 ERA / 6 saves in 8 attempts / 25 innings pitched.

Now - where my arguement comes into play is this:  25 innings pitched.  In ***17 post season games.***  The man is a closer, why is he averaging more than one inning pitched PER GAME?  Properly used, and with the right bridge, he would have been almost un-hittable in the post season.

[Brian Fein]

The man is a closer, why is he averaging more than one inning pitched PER GAME? 

I think you're seeing this because he never was a closer before this past season.  He was a setup man in years previous.  Only last season was he actually the closer.

[MaineDolFan]

I think you're seeing this because he never was a closer before this past season. He was a setup man in years previous. Only last season was he actually the closer.

...I guess.  Except...

1)  I'm talking about playoff innings.  He was a closer in '04 and '05, not a set up guy.  '04 and '05 are the only years since '02 that Houston made the playoffs.  Therfore...ALL of the post season innings that Lidge has pitched has been in the closer role, not set up.

So, actually, your statement is pretty wrong.  25 innings in 17 games as a closer is over working your stopper.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

What is your take on the the Dodgers this year Maine?

[MaineDolFan]

The Dodgers are a funny little club to gauge.  I am a huge Grady Little fan.  He took an average Boston team to three 90 win seasons back to back to back.  I completely side with him on the issue of not taking out Pedro.  Our bullpen was gased and the only guy he could trust was Wakefield.  Grady was in a "damned if I do / damned if I don't" position. 

I'll start with what I like about the Dodgers, what makes me semi like the Dodgers and what makes me flat out nervous for them.

What I like (besides Grady): 

Bill Mueller.  Gritty guy, good OBP, swings for okay power and is a slick glove.  If he stays healthy he could be a gold glover. 

Rafael Furcal.  .284 and 12 home runs from your short stop is actually pretty darn good.  Plus he's a decent glove.

Jeff Kent.  Power numbers are still up there.  Should be okay.

Yhency Brazoban.  I know, I know - the guy was a nightmare last year.  But he was asked to do too much.  I like him because of something I'll say in a couple sentences. 

Danys Baez.  Besides having the biggest and most disgusting eye brows in the bigs, he had 41 saves last year.  FOR THE DEVIL RAYS.  Not to mention a 2.86 ERA.  FOR THE DEVIL RAYS.  In a division where he had to face Boston 19 times, NYY 19 times and the Jays 19 times.

Eric Gagne makes the world go round, and Yhency Brazoban is going to benefit greatly from Baez and Gagne's presence. 

I also like that Franquelis Osoria kid quite a lot too.

What I don't like: 

The starting pitching.  ALL of it.  When Derek Lowe is your ace, you have problems.  Brad Penny has a lot to prove.  After that the entire pitching staff is a bunch of "what?  who?"

I also don't like any of your options in the outfield.  Cruz is a journeyman, Lofton is...well...Kenny Lofton...and JD Drew isn't getting any younger.  None of those guys hit over 25 home runs last year. 

I THINK I like Nomar Garciaparra at first base.  If Nomar can stay healthy, he'll put up some nice power numbers, extra base hits and OBP.  He could be the machine that gets runs across the plate.  I also like Hee-Seop Choi quite a bit and hope he gets some time in at first base or maybe DH during interleague play.

I think that the Dodgers have their work cut out for them.  They'll have some hard times scoring runs.  In close games they have a bullpen that can nail down some wins, but they have a starting rotation that will make every game a battle.

One plus is that the division is going to be a mess again, I don't think it'll take much more than 85 games to win it.  Of course that is 14 more games than L.A. won last year.  So...we'll see!

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

Thanks for your take on my boys in blue!!!!! Great post. 


I heard Gagne walked out of camp last week briefly on ESPN and then never heard anything else about it. Has he returned, or is he returning? Anyone have any info on this?

[MaineDolFan]

That is one that got by me!  Spring training I am so focused on the Sox that sometimes other things go unnoticed - but that's my job, too.  It wasn't big enough news to hit the wire, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

That is one that got by me!  Spring training I am so focused on the Sox that sometimes other things go unnoticed - but that's my job, too.  It wasn't big enough knews to hit the wire, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Sounds good. If you hear anything let me know. Thanks again Maine!!!!!

[Sunstroke]

I heard Gagne walked out of camp last week briefly on ESPN and then never heard anything else about it. Has he returned, or is he returning? Anyone have any info on this?

I heard that he had to deal with a family emergency, and that it wasn't related to his rehab at all. The Dodgers correspondent on ESPN's FLB seems to think (as Maine said) that it's nothing to worry about at all.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

I heard that he had to deal with a family emergency, and that it wasn't related to his rehab at all. The Dodgers correspondent on ESPN's FLB seems to think (as Maine said) that it's nothing to worry about at all.

Thanks Stroke.....I caught it briefly on the tube while walking through the room to head out and was wondering what was going on.