OkayTim » baseball http://www.okaytim.com Stuff I think about when I'm bored Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:18:06 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 MLB picks for 2010 http://www.okaytim.com/sports/mlb-picks-for-2010/ http://www.okaytim.com/sports/mlb-picks-for-2010/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:50:47 +0000 Tim http://www.okaytim.com/?p=366 If you’re reading this via Facebook, come over to the real site, it’s much nicer

Roll over comments for most of the AL teams for my2Cents.

AL East

  1. New York notes The Yankee’s key losses this offseason include and DH with bad knees and an aging outfielder who had a oddly productive season in 2009. They’re additions include a very strong outfielder in Curtis Granderson, a DH/1B in Nick Johnson and Javier Vaquez who failed last time he was in New York but had a resurgence in Atlanta last year. They improved in the right spots and got younger in ways that can only benefit the team. This was an easy pick to win the AL East.
  2. Boston wildcard notes Everyone knows how Boston is beefing up run prevention (defense) this year. I think it’s going to be a struggle for them to get the wildcard, but it’s doable. All the preseason drama with the over stuffed pitching staff and the Lowell situation will probably work itself out by opening day, but the Martinez C/1B/DH position switching is going to be a problem and might even negatively effect that run prevention they’re working on. I’m looking for Youkilis, Pedroia and Ellsbury to all have big years to carry this team. SIDE NOTE: other than short stop, they actually had a pretty strong defense last year.
  3. Tampa Bay notes The Rays rarely make an offseason move, and I like how they use their farm system but unfortunately, in the AL East, you usually need to make some moves to compete They’ll make a solid run, but I don’t think they have the pitching to make it down the stretch. And who knows what’s going to happen with Crawford in a contract year
  4. Baltimore notes The Orioles have a lot of young talent in players like Matt Weiters, Nick Markakis and Adam Jones, I think they’ll be very good in a couple years and might even contend for a wildcard spot in the east. They’re not quite there yet, but they’re definitely going to be a fun team to watch as long as they don’t sell off their up and coming players.
  5. Toronto notes The Blue Jays were not a good team last year and they just got rid of a Hall of Fame pitcher. They did pick up some prospects in the process but not nearly enough to make a run at the division. It might take them a few years to get back on track.

AL Central

  1. Minnesota notes The Twins are at a pretty crucial point where Joe Mauer’s contract is up at the end of the year and baseball is holding it’s collective breath to see if he’ll turn out to be a Cal Ripken, being loyal to a team or an Alex Rodriguez and following the money. Either way, I think this may be the last year the Twins have a serious shot at the playoffs. If they have Mourneu and Mauer eating up $35MIL a year in payroll, it won’t leave the small market with much to play with for signing other talent.
  2. Detroit notes The Tigers late signing of Johnny Damon will fill a whole for them in LF and offer another option at DH. I’m looking for Bonderman and Verlander to have solid years at 15-17 wins each. They should be right in the wildcard race with the Red Sox deep into September.
  3. Chicago notes This will be Jake Peavy’s first fun season in Chicago and he should do very well in the Central, but pitching isn’t the White Sox problem; it’s the rest of their aging team. While additions like Omar Vizquel add wisdom and a prove glove, it also adds an aging middle infielder with an historically weak bat. They need a lot of players to spring back from abysmal 2009 seasons to do well in and otherwise tight division. They’ll be close and I wouldn’t be surprised if they prove me wrong, but I see 3rd place in their future.
  4. Cleveland notes The Indians are a weird team, they have a lot of talent, but went from first to worst last year. I don’t have them quite figured out, but they should outplay the Royals in 2010.
  5. Kansas City notes I really wish this team could get back to where it was in the years of George Brett, but it doesn’t look like it’s in the cards any times soon. Of course they have some great prospects in Zack Greinke and Alex Gordon, there’s a very good chance players like that are just waiting out their contract to move onto a bigger market or more promising team.

AL West

  1. Seattle notes The addition of Cliff Lee and Chone Figgins will have a serious impact on the Mariners this year, but want will effect them the most is the falling off of a perennial playoff team in the Angeles. In an already weak division, this team should be able to do some damage in 2010.
  2. Los Angeles notes There’s no doubt that Angels’ losses of Chone Figgins, and John Lackey will damage the team, but enough to slip out of that garanteed first place slot they have every year in the West? I think so. Replacing Vlad with Matsui isn’t doing to add much pop to the team. Unless they make some mid-season acquisitions this division could slip away.
  3. Oakland
  4. Texas

NL East

  1. Philadelphia
  2. Florida
  3. New York
  4. Atlanta
  5. Washington notes I’m looking forward to seeing what Stephen Strasburg can do at the Major League Level.

NL Central

  1. St. Louis
  2. Milwaukee wildcard
  3. Chicago
  4. Houston
  5. Cincinnati
  6. Pittsburgh

NL West

  1. San Francisco
  2. Colorado
  3. Los Angeles
  4. Arizona
  5. San Diego

World Series

New York winner vs. San Francisco

AL Awards

NL Awards

]]> http://www.okaytim.com/sports/mlb-picks-for-2010/feed/ 3 2010 Red Sox Outlook http://www.okaytim.com/sports/2010-red-sox-outlook/ http://www.okaytim.com/sports/2010-red-sox-outlook/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:20:14 +0000 Tim http://www.okaytim.com/?p=341 David Ortiz

This off season, the Red Sox made a lot pretty big moves including: Adrian Beltre, Mike Cameron, and John Lackey.

So, I want to take a look at some of the bigger moves they made.

Mike Cameron & Jacoby Ellsbury

Mike Cameron is a 37 year old center fielder who has a history of solid defense. He must be pretty great since they decided to move Jacoby to left in order to make room in the outfield.

There’s been a lot of talk about how great an outfielder he is but little talk of the actual numbers. It’s true, he’s a very good center fielder, only making 4 errors in 147 games last year and averaging about 5 per year. Very good stats. But Jacoby’s no shlub making only 2 errors in 153 games last year.

I’m not sure where the Jacoby-hating is coming from, but the guy’s a really good center fielder, and he’s only 26, they don’t need to “save his legs”, the guy stole 70 bases last year. How ’bout saving the legs of the 37 year old? Maybe he could focus on raising that .250 AVG / .340 OBP.

I’d like to see Jacoby patrolling center field at some point in 2010, chances are he’ll be moving back there in a couple years anyway unless Ryan Westmoreland rockets up through the minors and takes over CF. Remember, they still have Josh Reddick who can play both right and left field and looks like a really good prospect. With a little more development I can easily see him starting in 2012 after Cameron’s contract is up.

Final word on this: OK with the Cameron pick up, against moving Ellsbury

Adrian Beltre / Mike Lowell

Adrian Beltre

I don’t like this move at all. I get what they were planning to do: trade Lowell to Texas for Max Ramirez and sign Beltre to fill the hole at third or move Youkils to third and sign Adrian Gonzalez. Disagreement with that move aside, when it doesn’t work out, why would you still go get Beltre? You have a good 3B in Mike Lowell.

Some are syaing that Lowell’s range is worse now because of his hip but how much range do you need at third anyway? It’s more about reaction time. If they hung onto Lowell as the starting third basement for a few month in the season they could have tried to pick up someone like Prince Fielder or Adrian Gonzalez (if Lowell / Ortiz were struggling), move Youklis to third and platoon Lowell / Ortiz at DH. I dunno, I think Mike Lowell has earn the benefit of the doubt. They weren’t hard up for a 3B and now they just created an awkward situation.

Final word on this: Could not be more against it. Mike Lowell has been an all around solid ball player in Boston he never causes any trouble and it’s a shame to see the front office push him out like this. I’ve never liked Beltre, and no one ever seems to bring up that year before he signed his huge contract and hit 48HRs, an obvious steroid season (yea, I said it).

Marco Scutaro / Jed Lowrie

Marco Scutaro

I get this move. I’d rather see Jed out there, but he gets hurt too much and just doesn’t look like he’s working out. It’s a shame, because he has a lot of potential. I hope he gets healthy, strong and another shot to start, even if it’s not in Boston.

On to Marco. Solid SS, about 10 errors last year in 145 games (played 2 games at 2B). He had a good offensive year, but it’s more the exception than the rule. He hasn’t been a strong hitter in the past with a .262 AVG and around 7HRs a year. This is another 2 year deal, so even if it doesn’t work out it’ll give the guys in the minors (Jose Iglesias) some time to develop and hopefully close that revolving door that is SS in Boston come 2012.

Final word on this: I’m OK with this one, it’s a pretty small contract and we’ll hopefully get a full season out of a SS this year. But this is obviously a temporary fix; there are a few SS coming up through the system that look promising.

John Lackey

John Lackey

This was awful. Now they have a 6 man rotation and someone is going to get left out. It looks like they’re hoping to have 1 pitcher injured at all times so this problem “takes care of itself”. Why do I hate this move?

Young starting pitchers in the Red Sox system:

Maybe all those guys won’t make it up, but 3 have already pitched in Boston and have torn through AAA. Are we just going to trade them all away? I don’t know. I like the homegrown talent in Boston and I hope we stick with it and don’t just buy players to keep them away from the Yankees.

Final thoughts on this: It looks more and more like they signed Lackey so they don’t have to re-sign Beckett next year or in anticipation for a Tim Wakefield retirement (not sure why they signed him to a 2 year deal if that was the case). I’m not a big Lackey fan, he does eat innings (and pie) but what good is an innings-eater when he’s not winning games, and you have a killer bullpen?

Overall reaction

World Series

Overall I’m not completely thrilled with the moves that the Red Sox made this off season, I understand them, but don’t totally agree. I like Cameron and Scutaro and I strongly dislike Lackey and Beltre (not as people, I just don’t think they add much more than a higher payroll to the team). I like the Hermida pick up as well. I’d actually be fine with him and Reddick platooning in LF all year if the Sox never picked up Cameron.

I would have much rather see the 5 man rotation we had last year with Bowden / Tazawa filling where applicable and developing more as starters so if Beckett leaves, one of them could slide in as a #5 starter, then the other when Wakefield’s contract is up in 2012.

One last thing since this is getting long and I want to see what everyone else thinks. Why would anyone want Kevin Youkilis at any other position than first base? He’s a gold glove caliber player, leave him alone. He’s a great ballplayer and I look forward to many years of him in a Boston uniform.

Posted on OkayTim.

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