The Raptors first prolonged home stand of the season didn’t start off well, with a devastating loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. In games two and three, the Raptors impressed and played their first real stretch of good basketball, since the first three games of the season. Coming off a dominating win over the lowly Los Angeles Clippers, the Raptors continued to play solid basketball and outplayed the almost playoff bound Milwaukee Bucks, to a score of 115-106.
Give credit to the Bucks’ coaching staff led by Head Coach Scott Skiles who has this team battling to the bitter end. The Bucks have played some gritty basketball without two of their key components in Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut. Redd is gone for the season with ACL and MCL injuries, while Bogut still has a glimpse of hope he can get back into action. Right now, the Bucks are hanging on in the East, as they are three games back of the Chicago Bulls for the eighth seed.
Coming into tonight’s game, the Bucks had won two of three of games versus the Raptors, including a complete shutdown win over the home side the last time these Bucks were in town. As usual, Charlie Villanueva was a key contributor and always seems to rise up when facing the team that drafted him. On this night, Villanueva was an afterthought with a porous effort and didn’t make an impact at all. Charlie had just four points in the first half, and doubled up to finish with eight.
The bulk of the Milwaukee scoring came from Richard Jefferson with 22 points. Too bad the Bucks couldn’t play any defense in the first half, because this came most certainly would have had a different outcome.
Early in the game, Jose Calderon took over and abused Ramon Sessions off the bounce. When Calderon is running, shouting out plays and has that extra zip, the whole team benefits. The Raptors reeled off seven straight points, and the trouncing began.
Eight of the first thirteen Raptor points came in the paint, and the Raptors built up an excellent 15-12 lead. Calderon was the leading scorer with nine points, and almost gave the Raptors a scare when he jammed his fingers and went to the locker room. He returned, and led the Raptors to a 25-20 lead after twelve minutes.
The second quarter was probably the best of them all for the Raptors this season, as they were passing the ball at a high level, went inside and out and knocked down open jumpers. The Bucks did get shots off too, but they couldn’t contain the Raptors, and got burned. The Raptors opened up on a 10-5 run, and never looked back from there. As the quarter passed, the defensive stance got stronger.
In that second quarter the Raptors put up 40 points, and led 65-44 at the half. In three games versus the Bucks, the Raptors were only able to average 91 points a game. Calderon had the hot hand for the Raptors with 17 points and seven assists. The struggling Jason Kapono found his shooting form and went 2/3 from three point land and had nine points at the break.
Really, the whole Raptors team shot for high percentages, and shot 56%, compared to Milwaukee’s 41%. The three ball was also dropping, and the Raptors made seven of them on thirteen shots.
The Bucks literally looked like a deer caught in the headlights, but they got straightened out, and gave the Raptors fits in the second half.
The Bucks managed to cut the Raptor lead twice to 14 points, and once to nine points with about three minutes and change left. What helped the Raptors jump out to a solid lead, helped the Bucks and dropped three balls like nothing. The Raptors got a few points here and there, and their free throw shooting was top notch, as always.
The Raptors really caught a few breaks in the second half, as the Bucks’ field goal shooting was weak and missed a lot of open shots. The Bucks even outscored the Raptors 62-50 in the second half, but thanks to some solid defense from the first half, the Raptors had some insurance points.
After a quiet first half with seven points, Andrea Bargnani picked up his play and ended with a game high 23 points. Chris Bosh had a team high 14 rebounds, to go along with a quiet 18 points and just four in the second half. Jose Calderon was slowed down in the second half, but still managed a double-double with 19 points and eleven assists. The starting five for the Raptors finished in double figures, with the lowest point total being 17. Jason Kapono off the bench was the sixth Raptor who ended in double figures with 14 points and went 3/4 beyond the arc. The Raptors managed to shoot 47% on 34/71 field goal shooting and 50% on three point shooting by going 12/24. Four Raptors players had three or more made three point field goals.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
2009 MLB Forecaster WASHINGTON NATIONALS (59-102, 5th NL EAST)
It is safe to say that the Nationals really sucked last year, and were one of two teams to have one hundred or more losses. Things won’t be any different this time around as the Nationals will be expected to finish at the bottom of the NL East for another year. Last season, the Nationals really didn’t get any good pitching, and offensively they had trouble getting runs across the plate. Management did make a few improvements to the roster, with the most significant move being the signing of Adam Dunn.
With the Cincinnati Reds, Adam Dunn posted monster season after monster season. Including last season, Dunn has now posted four straight forty homerun seasons, and in three of the four seasons, Dunn has batted in over 100 RBI. In the one year he didn’t bat in 100 RBI, he still managed to get 92. So he will vastly improve the Nationals batting order, that’s if and only if, the batters ahead of him can get on base. Even that was a tall order for the Nationals of last season.
Batters that will probably bat ahead of Adam Dunn are centre fielder Lastings Milledge or short stop Christian Guzman. With Milledge, he has great speed, can bat lead off, and is a good defender. In two seasons with the New York Mets, he wasn’t given a lot of playing time at all as he only got into 115 games, and playing time was all he needed. In 138 games, which was a career high, Milledge hit fourteen homeruns and batted in 61 RBI. This season, Milledge will have more of an expanded role and will be one of the keys to the offense.
As for Christian Guzman, he really hasn’t provided that spark or some sort of offensive flare. Defensively, he gets the job done and is really good at short. The most suitable position for him is to bat in the top half of the lineup, but he could be a liability, and that would most certainly hurt the Nationals. If Guzman can hit for power, in the range of twelve to fifteen homeruns, than that will be acceptable.
At third base is Ryan Zimmerman, who has played all four of his big league seasons in Washington so far. Zimmerman is the future of this team, and so far he has impressed having had two twenty homerun seasons, with ninety or more RBI. Last season was an off year with fourteen homeruns, but injuries also played their part in him missing 56 games. Zimmerman, if he can get back to hitting twenty homeruns that will make the middle of the lineup a legit threat with Adam Dunn.
One player that can breakout for a big season, and probably the best choice to bat lead off is Elijah Dukes. With the Tampa bay Rays, Dukes had a limited role, and saw limited action in only 52 games. In his first year with the Nationals, Dukes played in 81 games and had thirteen homeruns with 44 RBI. Imagine what he will be able to accomplish if he could play the whole season, and according to the Nationals’ depth chart, he is listed as the starting left fielder.
The first and second base positions are a bit weak for the Nationals. Nick Johnson is finally healthy after not playing in a major league game the three seasons before last. Then again, Johnson only played in 38 games last season. At second base, Anderson Hernandez and Ronni Belliard are hardly the offensive threats, and still need to perfect their defensive game.
In the catcher’s position the Nationals may just have a player in Jesus Flores, who really improved his numbers from his rookie year in 2007, where he played in 79 games, hit four homeruns and had just 25 RBI. Last year in only 90 games, Flores managed to hit eight homeruns with 59 RBI. This season, Flores should be the opening day and everyday catcher, because he has taken big strides in two years.
Pitching is going to be a big weak point for the Nationals this season, because they really don’t have reliable pitchers that have posted legit seasons. Right now to lead off the rotation will be John Lannan who went 9-15 last season. Give him credit; this will only be his second full year in the Major’s. Still, to lead off the rotation every team needs a strong pitcher, and the Nationals don’t have that yet.
Going second in the rotation will be Scott Olsen, whose Major League development was rushed with the Florida Marlins. He has posted a twelve win season in his career, and he is also young and the Nationals are hoping that Olsen is all ready for a big season.
Third in the rotation will be Daniel Cabrera, who is very wild and has major control issues. In the last four seasons, Cabrera has compiled a weak record of 36-51, and has only once reached the double figure mark in wins, which were ten in 2005. Cabrera needs to control his pitches or else he could bring down the Nationals’ pitching.
Going fourth and fifth are rookie Jordan Zimmerman and sophomore Shairon Martis. Overall, the Nationals’ pitching staff will have only one pitcher with three or more years of experience in the Big Leagues and he has yet to prove himself. This season will most definitely be a rebuild season for the Nationals and a chance for them to see who they have on their roster that is worth keeping.
POSITIVE --> ADAM DUNN WILL BOOST THE BATTING ORDER, AND IF RYAN ZIMMERMAN CAN HIT TWENTY HOMERUNS, THEN THE THREE AND FOUR SPOTS WILL BE SOLIDIFIED.
NEGATIVE --> PITCHING STAFF IS VERY YOUNG WITH BARLEY ANY EXPERIENCE. BATTING ORDER IS UNBALANCED.
X-FACTOR --> THIS EASILY WILL BE ADAM DUNN BECAUSE HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TEAM COULD AT LEAST KEEP THE NATIONALS FROM LOSING ONE HUNDRED GAMES AGAIN.
SLEEPER PICK --> CATCHER JESUS FLORES OR ELIJAH DUKES SHOULD HAVE BIG SEASONS WITH INCREASED PLAYING TIME.
PREDICTION --> THE NATIONALS WON’T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND WILL PROBABLY FINISH LAST IN THE DIVISION.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
With the Cincinnati Reds, Adam Dunn posted monster season after monster season. Including last season, Dunn has now posted four straight forty homerun seasons, and in three of the four seasons, Dunn has batted in over 100 RBI. In the one year he didn’t bat in 100 RBI, he still managed to get 92. So he will vastly improve the Nationals batting order, that’s if and only if, the batters ahead of him can get on base. Even that was a tall order for the Nationals of last season.
Batters that will probably bat ahead of Adam Dunn are centre fielder Lastings Milledge or short stop Christian Guzman. With Milledge, he has great speed, can bat lead off, and is a good defender. In two seasons with the New York Mets, he wasn’t given a lot of playing time at all as he only got into 115 games, and playing time was all he needed. In 138 games, which was a career high, Milledge hit fourteen homeruns and batted in 61 RBI. This season, Milledge will have more of an expanded role and will be one of the keys to the offense.
As for Christian Guzman, he really hasn’t provided that spark or some sort of offensive flare. Defensively, he gets the job done and is really good at short. The most suitable position for him is to bat in the top half of the lineup, but he could be a liability, and that would most certainly hurt the Nationals. If Guzman can hit for power, in the range of twelve to fifteen homeruns, than that will be acceptable.
At third base is Ryan Zimmerman, who has played all four of his big league seasons in Washington so far. Zimmerman is the future of this team, and so far he has impressed having had two twenty homerun seasons, with ninety or more RBI. Last season was an off year with fourteen homeruns, but injuries also played their part in him missing 56 games. Zimmerman, if he can get back to hitting twenty homeruns that will make the middle of the lineup a legit threat with Adam Dunn.
One player that can breakout for a big season, and probably the best choice to bat lead off is Elijah Dukes. With the Tampa bay Rays, Dukes had a limited role, and saw limited action in only 52 games. In his first year with the Nationals, Dukes played in 81 games and had thirteen homeruns with 44 RBI. Imagine what he will be able to accomplish if he could play the whole season, and according to the Nationals’ depth chart, he is listed as the starting left fielder.
The first and second base positions are a bit weak for the Nationals. Nick Johnson is finally healthy after not playing in a major league game the three seasons before last. Then again, Johnson only played in 38 games last season. At second base, Anderson Hernandez and Ronni Belliard are hardly the offensive threats, and still need to perfect their defensive game.
In the catcher’s position the Nationals may just have a player in Jesus Flores, who really improved his numbers from his rookie year in 2007, where he played in 79 games, hit four homeruns and had just 25 RBI. Last year in only 90 games, Flores managed to hit eight homeruns with 59 RBI. This season, Flores should be the opening day and everyday catcher, because he has taken big strides in two years.
Pitching is going to be a big weak point for the Nationals this season, because they really don’t have reliable pitchers that have posted legit seasons. Right now to lead off the rotation will be John Lannan who went 9-15 last season. Give him credit; this will only be his second full year in the Major’s. Still, to lead off the rotation every team needs a strong pitcher, and the Nationals don’t have that yet.
Going second in the rotation will be Scott Olsen, whose Major League development was rushed with the Florida Marlins. He has posted a twelve win season in his career, and he is also young and the Nationals are hoping that Olsen is all ready for a big season.
Third in the rotation will be Daniel Cabrera, who is very wild and has major control issues. In the last four seasons, Cabrera has compiled a weak record of 36-51, and has only once reached the double figure mark in wins, which were ten in 2005. Cabrera needs to control his pitches or else he could bring down the Nationals’ pitching.
Going fourth and fifth are rookie Jordan Zimmerman and sophomore Shairon Martis. Overall, the Nationals’ pitching staff will have only one pitcher with three or more years of experience in the Big Leagues and he has yet to prove himself. This season will most definitely be a rebuild season for the Nationals and a chance for them to see who they have on their roster that is worth keeping.
POSITIVE --> ADAM DUNN WILL BOOST THE BATTING ORDER, AND IF RYAN ZIMMERMAN CAN HIT TWENTY HOMERUNS, THEN THE THREE AND FOUR SPOTS WILL BE SOLIDIFIED.
NEGATIVE --> PITCHING STAFF IS VERY YOUNG WITH BARLEY ANY EXPERIENCE. BATTING ORDER IS UNBALANCED.
X-FACTOR --> THIS EASILY WILL BE ADAM DUNN BECAUSE HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TEAM COULD AT LEAST KEEP THE NATIONALS FROM LOSING ONE HUNDRED GAMES AGAIN.
SLEEPER PICK --> CATCHER JESUS FLORES OR ELIJAH DUKES SHOULD HAVE BIG SEASONS WITH INCREASED PLAYING TIME.
PREDICTION --> THE NATIONALS WON’T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND WILL PROBABLY FINISH LAST IN THE DIVISION.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009 MLB Forecaster TORONTO BLUE JAYS (86-76, 4th AL EAST)
Imagine that, the Blue Jays finish with 86 victories, and the eventual World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies finish with 92 victories. The past couple of years, and in the tough AL East, it’s either been somewhere around 95 wins for the division, or bust. For the Blue Jays this trend of not making the playoffs is getting pretty old now. The last time the Jays made the playoffs was 1993, and everyone knows what happened that year (hint: Joe Carter). It has been 15 years now since the Blue Jays even had any type of success.
Mid season of last year, then manager John Gibbons was fired, for a bad record. Toronto turned back the clock and brought in the greatest manager the Jays have ever employed, Cito Gaston. Not too many managers can lead a team to back to back World Series titles, and to this day, Cito Gaston still hasn’t been recognized around the Major Leagues. Whereas, Boston’s Terry Francona was praised as a God for his two championships in four years.
With Mr. Gaston being the man he is, he tells the truth, and he as already stated that this years Blue Jays will not make the playoffs. There is a foundation in place, but the right sets of players just aren’t there yet. Either way, with Cito Gaston as the manager, he will get the most out of any player in the lineup, and the Blue Jays should at least finish above five hundred.
There is one problem with the Blue Jays, and it comes from the head office, an idiot named JP Ricciardi. This guy is an absolute dumbass, and said he will have fielded a team that would compete and make the playoffs in 2005. It was called his five year plan back in 2000, where he would stock up on prospects, draft picks, which would eventually lead to a strong farm team and future. Today, there are only a few draft picks that Ricciardi has picked that could make the roster. We’re not even talking about guaranteed spots either, something that should’ve happened if the Blue Jays had a smart General Manger. Even with an increased payroll, Ricciardi has still stunk up the show, and should’ve been fired ages ago, if they had a smart President. No offence to Mr. Paul Godfrey, who has done enough for the city of Toronto and the Blue Jays, in the business sectors of it all. As a sports president he proved he didn’t know too much and that hurt the Blue Jays, and just like that, eight years have gone down the drain with Ricciardi.
As for the roster breakdown, let’s start with pitching. The Blue Jays should count their blessings that they have a pitcher who is a good man and loyal. That being the good Doc, staff ace Roy Halladay. This man is an absolute work horse, and strives for perfection. Giving up runs and losing games is like screwing up in life to Halladay. He is possibly the only reason Jay’s fans have to come to the Sky Dome and watch the Jays. Halladay is the best pitcher in the Major Leagues, and uses his four days off to prepare for his next start. That’s how serious he is about winning and he deserves to win as well. Halladay has done plenty for this organization, if the Jays ever find the right trade offer proposed to them, and it will benefit the Jays and Halladay. Then the trigger should be pulled, because Halladay is too damn good to retire and not win a World Series.
Injuries hurt Halladay’s playing time from 2005 to 2007. In all three of those seasons, he threatened to win the Cy Young Award, and year after year he continues to put up CY Young like numbers. Just look at last year; he went 20-11, with an ERA of just 2.78. He was edged out for the Cy Young last season to Cleveland Indians’ pitcher Cliff Lee, who posted 22 wins. This season Halladay should hit the twenty win mark once again.
His presence for the other pitchers is so strong that youngsters Jesse Litsch, Dustin McGowan, Shaun Marcum and Brett Cecil would all follow him around like a mother goose and her ducklings. It pays off too, just look at Jesse Litsch and how far he has come in one and a half years removed from AA ball.
With injuries to McGowan and Marcum, the departed AJ Burnett gone to New York for riches and more riches, Litsch will be the number two man in the rotation. That is a huge step to pitch behind Roy Halladay and to provide what he provides to the team when he is on the mound. In his first full year in the Bigs, Litsch went 13-9 and as a number four man. The fatigue factor settled in during the latter half of the season, and Litsch sort of struggled. Before that, Litsch posted solid numbers to start off the season. This time around in 2009, Litsch should pitch a more balanced season, and will also have more duties.
The loss of Shaun Marcum for the whole year was a tough blow for him and his budding career. The emotion just poured out of him during a press conference when he had to talk about getting Tommy John Surgery. More bad news followed, as Dustin McGowan required shoulder surgery, and he will be out for at least three quarters of the 2009 season. Of course, AJ Burnett opted out of his contract for more money, and will falter in New York because he won’t be able too handle the pressure.
With those losses, the Blue Jays will have a weak starting rotation, as Roy Halladay and Jesse Litsch are the only two pitchers the Jays could turn to for a win. Pitching for roster spots in spring training are Scott Richmond, Matt Clement, David Purcey and rookie Brad Mills. Highly touted rookie Brett Cecil was given an invite and chance to be a starter with the Jays, but needed to work on his mechanics and was sent to minor league camp. The Jays also gave Mike Maroth a chance to revive his career, but looks to have lost his pitching and was also sent down to the minors. Ricky Romero has also put up a late case to earn one of the starting spots.
Chances are David Purcey will get a roster spot, as he started twelve games last year and went 3-6 with a 5.54 ERA. He is a left handed pitcher, so he will also have that going for him. Matt Clement is another pitcher looking to get his career back on track after a derailment, and hasn’t pitched a Major League inning since 2006. Clement really has to impress if he wants to make the Blue Jays. Scott Richmond also saw some action with the Jays last season and went 1-3 in five starts, and he may just get one of the three remaining roster spots. Brad Mills has an outside chance at making the team, and has stuck around long enough in camp to get noticed.
The Blue Jays could hope that they see another quick uprising of young pitchers like Marcum or McGowan from 2006 in Brad Mills as a solid starter or even Brett Cecil. Don’t rule out Cecil’s chances to pitch for the Jays this year, it may just come later in the season.
Luckily for the Blue Jays, they had the best bullpen in all of baseball last season, and will be looked upon to do exactly what they did last season. A lot of their success kept the Jays above five hundred as well. The bullpen will be much improved from last season, as Jeremy Accardo will be back from injuries, and so will Casey Janssen. Even Janssen could be stretched out to become a starter, and that is another high possibility in camp. Jesse Carlson and Scott Downs were two of the best relief men, and were called upon to get left handed batters out. To close out ball games is left hander BJ Ryan, who could also be an asset and be traded at the deadline to free up some salary.
Offensively, the Blue Jays really struggled to score runs with runners in scoring position, and hit homeruns. Under the guidance and tutelage of Cito Gaston, the whole team seemed to perk up offensively. That was mostly seen with Adam Lind and his new approach at the plate. Whenever Lind was in the dugout awaiting his at bat, he would sit beside Manager Gaston and talk about a plan. That really helped Lind and became an everyday player the rest of the season.
Another young bat that really emerged last season, and blossomed under Cito Gaston is 21 year old and future of the Jays, Travis Snider. In 24 games last season, Snider had 22 hits, with two homeruns and 13 RBI. What was most impressive was his batting average, which was .301.
Snider and Lind will platoon out in left field and at the DH spot. If a few veteran experiments don’t work out, such as Kevin Millar and Jason Lane, then the two youngsters will be everyday players.
The key to the Jays’ success will be on one man this season, and that is centre fielder Vernon Wells. He is also a question mark as well. The past two years Wells has been hampered with reoccurring hamstring injuries, and that injury again flared up in spring training. There is also the fact that Wells has to live up to the richest contract in Jay’s history when he signed a seven year deal worth 127 million dollars in 2007. Even last season with injuries, Wells still managed to post twenty homeruns. Defensively he is one of the best outfielders in the game. Offensively he is capable of hitting thirty homeruns and over 100 RBI. That’s the type of season the Jays need from him, and that could also rub off on the rest of the lineup.
To round out the outfield is Alex Rios, a player with so much potential, that the Jays are still waiting for a monster year. Rios did hit 24 homeruns in 2007, but took a back seat in 2008 with just fifteen. He was another player that excelled under Cito Gaston’s guidance, and he should at least hit 25 homeruns this season. On the base paths, Rios is also a threat to steal bases, and will be given the green light whenever he is on, because he stole 32 bases last season.
At third base the Blue Jays made a trade to bring in Scott Rolen, and his injury woes continued. He only hit eleven homeruns had fifty RBI and batted just .262. Rolen’s contributions only weakened the Jays offensively, and really needs to step up and get better. A fifteen homerun season would be accepted by the Blue Jays, because Rolen is getting older and has back issues.
Another oft-injured player that needs to get healthy is first basemen Lyle Overbay. When he was acquired in a trade, he was supposed to tear up the outfield with his extra base hitting ability. He did put up fifteen homeruns, which was great, but he only drove in 69 runs. As for doubles, what Overbay is known for, he only had 32, and the Jays need him to at least hit forty, something he did in 2006 with 46.
Up the infield at shortstop is Marco Scutaro and at second base is fan favourite Aaron Hill. Scutaro really surprised a lot of people with sixty RBI last season and did a good job with the bat. The return of Aaron Hill is great for the Jays, because he was missed when he went down with a concussion for the year. Hill’s offense was greatly missed as he was well on his way to posting a second straight season with seventy or more RBI.
Off the bench, are defensive wizard John McDonald and utility man Joe Inglett. McDonald dazzled everyone with his high light reel put outs, and Inglett filled in nicely for Aaron Hill, and can play any position on the field.
Behind the plate will be Rod Barajas, who won over Cito Gaston and was the everyday starter after that. Gregg Zaun will be missed and his ability to call games, but Barajas was just as good. His eleven homeruns and 49 RBI were very good in the bottom half of the lineup. To back up Barajas will be Michael Barrett who was a starter for three straight years with the Chicago Cubs.
Overall, the Blue Jays had a good team least season, but their bats really hurt them. The key for the Jays this season is if everyone can stay healthy. If that can happen, this Jays squad will be competitive when at the plate. In the end, pitching is needed; the Blue Jays don’t have a complete starting staff this season.
POSITIVE --> NICE CORE OF PLAYERS WITH VERNON WELLS, ALEX RIOS, TRAVIS SNIDER AND ADAM LIND. ROY HALLADAY IS THE BEST PITCHER IN THE MAJORS, ALONG WITH THE BEST BULLPEN FROM LAST SEASON.
NEGATIVE --> STARTING ROTATION AFTER ROY HALLADAY AND JESSE LITSCH ISN’T STRONG AT ALL. OFFENSIVELY A LOT OF PLAYERS WENT DOWN WITH INJURIES, SO HEALTH IS A CONCERN, AND A FEW PLAYERS NEED BOUNCE BACK SEASONS, WHICH IS HARD TO DO.
X-FACTOR --> THE BLUE JAYS NEED VERNON WELLS TO BOUNCE BACK IN A BIG WAY, AND PROVE TO EVERYONE THAT HE IS WORHT THE SEVEN YEAR CONTRACT.
SLEEPER PICK --> EITHER ADAM LIND OR TRAVIS SNIDER WILL BREAKOUT FOR BIG YEARS WITH AT LEAST TWENTY HOMERUNS.
PREDICTION --> THE BLUE JAYS, SADLY, WON’T QUALIFY FOR THE PLAYOFFS THIS SEASON. THE TEAM SHOULD FINISH ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED WITH 83-88 VICTORIES.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Mid season of last year, then manager John Gibbons was fired, for a bad record. Toronto turned back the clock and brought in the greatest manager the Jays have ever employed, Cito Gaston. Not too many managers can lead a team to back to back World Series titles, and to this day, Cito Gaston still hasn’t been recognized around the Major Leagues. Whereas, Boston’s Terry Francona was praised as a God for his two championships in four years.
With Mr. Gaston being the man he is, he tells the truth, and he as already stated that this years Blue Jays will not make the playoffs. There is a foundation in place, but the right sets of players just aren’t there yet. Either way, with Cito Gaston as the manager, he will get the most out of any player in the lineup, and the Blue Jays should at least finish above five hundred.
There is one problem with the Blue Jays, and it comes from the head office, an idiot named JP Ricciardi. This guy is an absolute dumbass, and said he will have fielded a team that would compete and make the playoffs in 2005. It was called his five year plan back in 2000, where he would stock up on prospects, draft picks, which would eventually lead to a strong farm team and future. Today, there are only a few draft picks that Ricciardi has picked that could make the roster. We’re not even talking about guaranteed spots either, something that should’ve happened if the Blue Jays had a smart General Manger. Even with an increased payroll, Ricciardi has still stunk up the show, and should’ve been fired ages ago, if they had a smart President. No offence to Mr. Paul Godfrey, who has done enough for the city of Toronto and the Blue Jays, in the business sectors of it all. As a sports president he proved he didn’t know too much and that hurt the Blue Jays, and just like that, eight years have gone down the drain with Ricciardi.
As for the roster breakdown, let’s start with pitching. The Blue Jays should count their blessings that they have a pitcher who is a good man and loyal. That being the good Doc, staff ace Roy Halladay. This man is an absolute work horse, and strives for perfection. Giving up runs and losing games is like screwing up in life to Halladay. He is possibly the only reason Jay’s fans have to come to the Sky Dome and watch the Jays. Halladay is the best pitcher in the Major Leagues, and uses his four days off to prepare for his next start. That’s how serious he is about winning and he deserves to win as well. Halladay has done plenty for this organization, if the Jays ever find the right trade offer proposed to them, and it will benefit the Jays and Halladay. Then the trigger should be pulled, because Halladay is too damn good to retire and not win a World Series.
Injuries hurt Halladay’s playing time from 2005 to 2007. In all three of those seasons, he threatened to win the Cy Young Award, and year after year he continues to put up CY Young like numbers. Just look at last year; he went 20-11, with an ERA of just 2.78. He was edged out for the Cy Young last season to Cleveland Indians’ pitcher Cliff Lee, who posted 22 wins. This season Halladay should hit the twenty win mark once again.
His presence for the other pitchers is so strong that youngsters Jesse Litsch, Dustin McGowan, Shaun Marcum and Brett Cecil would all follow him around like a mother goose and her ducklings. It pays off too, just look at Jesse Litsch and how far he has come in one and a half years removed from AA ball.
With injuries to McGowan and Marcum, the departed AJ Burnett gone to New York for riches and more riches, Litsch will be the number two man in the rotation. That is a huge step to pitch behind Roy Halladay and to provide what he provides to the team when he is on the mound. In his first full year in the Bigs, Litsch went 13-9 and as a number four man. The fatigue factor settled in during the latter half of the season, and Litsch sort of struggled. Before that, Litsch posted solid numbers to start off the season. This time around in 2009, Litsch should pitch a more balanced season, and will also have more duties.
The loss of Shaun Marcum for the whole year was a tough blow for him and his budding career. The emotion just poured out of him during a press conference when he had to talk about getting Tommy John Surgery. More bad news followed, as Dustin McGowan required shoulder surgery, and he will be out for at least three quarters of the 2009 season. Of course, AJ Burnett opted out of his contract for more money, and will falter in New York because he won’t be able too handle the pressure.
With those losses, the Blue Jays will have a weak starting rotation, as Roy Halladay and Jesse Litsch are the only two pitchers the Jays could turn to for a win. Pitching for roster spots in spring training are Scott Richmond, Matt Clement, David Purcey and rookie Brad Mills. Highly touted rookie Brett Cecil was given an invite and chance to be a starter with the Jays, but needed to work on his mechanics and was sent to minor league camp. The Jays also gave Mike Maroth a chance to revive his career, but looks to have lost his pitching and was also sent down to the minors. Ricky Romero has also put up a late case to earn one of the starting spots.
Chances are David Purcey will get a roster spot, as he started twelve games last year and went 3-6 with a 5.54 ERA. He is a left handed pitcher, so he will also have that going for him. Matt Clement is another pitcher looking to get his career back on track after a derailment, and hasn’t pitched a Major League inning since 2006. Clement really has to impress if he wants to make the Blue Jays. Scott Richmond also saw some action with the Jays last season and went 1-3 in five starts, and he may just get one of the three remaining roster spots. Brad Mills has an outside chance at making the team, and has stuck around long enough in camp to get noticed.
The Blue Jays could hope that they see another quick uprising of young pitchers like Marcum or McGowan from 2006 in Brad Mills as a solid starter or even Brett Cecil. Don’t rule out Cecil’s chances to pitch for the Jays this year, it may just come later in the season.
Luckily for the Blue Jays, they had the best bullpen in all of baseball last season, and will be looked upon to do exactly what they did last season. A lot of their success kept the Jays above five hundred as well. The bullpen will be much improved from last season, as Jeremy Accardo will be back from injuries, and so will Casey Janssen. Even Janssen could be stretched out to become a starter, and that is another high possibility in camp. Jesse Carlson and Scott Downs were two of the best relief men, and were called upon to get left handed batters out. To close out ball games is left hander BJ Ryan, who could also be an asset and be traded at the deadline to free up some salary.
Offensively, the Blue Jays really struggled to score runs with runners in scoring position, and hit homeruns. Under the guidance and tutelage of Cito Gaston, the whole team seemed to perk up offensively. That was mostly seen with Adam Lind and his new approach at the plate. Whenever Lind was in the dugout awaiting his at bat, he would sit beside Manager Gaston and talk about a plan. That really helped Lind and became an everyday player the rest of the season.
Another young bat that really emerged last season, and blossomed under Cito Gaston is 21 year old and future of the Jays, Travis Snider. In 24 games last season, Snider had 22 hits, with two homeruns and 13 RBI. What was most impressive was his batting average, which was .301.
Snider and Lind will platoon out in left field and at the DH spot. If a few veteran experiments don’t work out, such as Kevin Millar and Jason Lane, then the two youngsters will be everyday players.
The key to the Jays’ success will be on one man this season, and that is centre fielder Vernon Wells. He is also a question mark as well. The past two years Wells has been hampered with reoccurring hamstring injuries, and that injury again flared up in spring training. There is also the fact that Wells has to live up to the richest contract in Jay’s history when he signed a seven year deal worth 127 million dollars in 2007. Even last season with injuries, Wells still managed to post twenty homeruns. Defensively he is one of the best outfielders in the game. Offensively he is capable of hitting thirty homeruns and over 100 RBI. That’s the type of season the Jays need from him, and that could also rub off on the rest of the lineup.
To round out the outfield is Alex Rios, a player with so much potential, that the Jays are still waiting for a monster year. Rios did hit 24 homeruns in 2007, but took a back seat in 2008 with just fifteen. He was another player that excelled under Cito Gaston’s guidance, and he should at least hit 25 homeruns this season. On the base paths, Rios is also a threat to steal bases, and will be given the green light whenever he is on, because he stole 32 bases last season.
At third base the Blue Jays made a trade to bring in Scott Rolen, and his injury woes continued. He only hit eleven homeruns had fifty RBI and batted just .262. Rolen’s contributions only weakened the Jays offensively, and really needs to step up and get better. A fifteen homerun season would be accepted by the Blue Jays, because Rolen is getting older and has back issues.
Another oft-injured player that needs to get healthy is first basemen Lyle Overbay. When he was acquired in a trade, he was supposed to tear up the outfield with his extra base hitting ability. He did put up fifteen homeruns, which was great, but he only drove in 69 runs. As for doubles, what Overbay is known for, he only had 32, and the Jays need him to at least hit forty, something he did in 2006 with 46.
Up the infield at shortstop is Marco Scutaro and at second base is fan favourite Aaron Hill. Scutaro really surprised a lot of people with sixty RBI last season and did a good job with the bat. The return of Aaron Hill is great for the Jays, because he was missed when he went down with a concussion for the year. Hill’s offense was greatly missed as he was well on his way to posting a second straight season with seventy or more RBI.
Off the bench, are defensive wizard John McDonald and utility man Joe Inglett. McDonald dazzled everyone with his high light reel put outs, and Inglett filled in nicely for Aaron Hill, and can play any position on the field.
Behind the plate will be Rod Barajas, who won over Cito Gaston and was the everyday starter after that. Gregg Zaun will be missed and his ability to call games, but Barajas was just as good. His eleven homeruns and 49 RBI were very good in the bottom half of the lineup. To back up Barajas will be Michael Barrett who was a starter for three straight years with the Chicago Cubs.
Overall, the Blue Jays had a good team least season, but their bats really hurt them. The key for the Jays this season is if everyone can stay healthy. If that can happen, this Jays squad will be competitive when at the plate. In the end, pitching is needed; the Blue Jays don’t have a complete starting staff this season.
POSITIVE --> NICE CORE OF PLAYERS WITH VERNON WELLS, ALEX RIOS, TRAVIS SNIDER AND ADAM LIND. ROY HALLADAY IS THE BEST PITCHER IN THE MAJORS, ALONG WITH THE BEST BULLPEN FROM LAST SEASON.
NEGATIVE --> STARTING ROTATION AFTER ROY HALLADAY AND JESSE LITSCH ISN’T STRONG AT ALL. OFFENSIVELY A LOT OF PLAYERS WENT DOWN WITH INJURIES, SO HEALTH IS A CONCERN, AND A FEW PLAYERS NEED BOUNCE BACK SEASONS, WHICH IS HARD TO DO.
X-FACTOR --> THE BLUE JAYS NEED VERNON WELLS TO BOUNCE BACK IN A BIG WAY, AND PROVE TO EVERYONE THAT HE IS WORHT THE SEVEN YEAR CONTRACT.
SLEEPER PICK --> EITHER ADAM LIND OR TRAVIS SNIDER WILL BREAKOUT FOR BIG YEARS WITH AT LEAST TWENTY HOMERUNS.
PREDICTION --> THE BLUE JAYS, SADLY, WON’T QUALIFY FOR THE PLAYOFFS THIS SEASON. THE TEAM SHOULD FINISH ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED WITH 83-88 VICTORIES.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Monday, March 23, 2009
2009 MLB Forecaster TEXAS RANGERS (79-83, 2nd AL WEST)
The Rangers from last season somewhat underachieved, in the sense that they should’ve finished above the five hundred mark. Instead, bad pitching, and an even worse bullpen, along with a spotty batting order, really did it for the Rangers. The AL West division was all locked up by the LA Angels of Anaheim with a month remaining in the schedule. It looks like the only team that will give the Angels a run for their money will be the Oakland Athletics. That means the Rangers will have to battle it out once again for second, third or fourth place in the four team division.
The General Manager of the Rangers, Jon Daniels, is real excited about the pitching staff that has been put in place, but nobody else sees that. If you take a look at the starting rotation, only one arm in there is suitable to pitch the whole season at a solid level. That pitcher is Vicente Padilla who has been the only pitcher for the Rangers the last four years that can win more than ten games. Last season, Padilla went 14-8, and ended with a 4.74 ERA. If you take a look at Padilla’s trends the past four years, including 2008, he has been very up and down with his overall record. In 2005 he went 9-12, to follow that with a 15-10 record, and then followed that with a 6-10 2007. Padilla’s ERA has never been lower than four. When Padilla is on his game, he is very good, but when he is okay, he can get roughed up.
According to the Rangers’ depth chart, in the number one slot is Kevin Millwood, which is very surprising. Considering, that Millwood only went 9-10 last season, he should not be leading off the rotation. Just once in the last four years has Millwood ended the season with an above five hundred record, which was 2006, when he went 16-12. The Rangers will struggle with Millwood as a starting pitcher, and hasn’t shown he is a good, reliable pitcher.
To follow Millwood and Padilla are Scott Feldman, Matt Harrison and Brandon McCarthy. All three of these pitcher’s are still young and will be given starter’s roles to begin the season. Maybe those three pitchers are the reason why the Rangers’ GM is so happy, because he will maybe get to see the future of the team. If they can excel and pitch for decent seasons, the Rangers can really look forward to the 2010 season. As for this season, the three pitchers mentioned will go through growing pains here and there as the season progresses.
In the bullpen, the Rangers added a few arms, have some experienced arms and young arms. In relief, the Rangers can safely turn to former closer Eddie Guardado. Luis Mendoza was called upon to spot start a few games and overall, got into twenty-five games. He was a bit erratic at times, which explains his extremely high ERA of 8.67. He is a young arm still learning and the Rangers could get the most out of him as a relief man, and ease him into a starter, if that’s what they plan on doing. In the closer’s role will be Frank Francisco, who really impressed the Rangers late last season, and this season will be his first full one as a closer.
Offensively, the Rangers went as far as Josh Hamilton was able to take them, and he went pretty far. Hamilton began the season on a tear, and threatened to win the Triple Crown. His early season success was rewarded with an All-Star appearance, and was also selected to participate in the home run Derby, where he electrified the crowd with 27 bombs in one round. Hamilton qualified for the final, but was gassed, and lost to Justin Morneau. After the All-Star break, Hamilton sort of lost his home run touch, but still ended a career year with 32 homeruns, 130 RBI and had a batting average of .304. It looks like Hamilton will put up those types of numbers once again.
After Hamilton, the offense sort of drops off, and the only other bat that can hit and for some power, is third basemen Michael Young. He may not hit twenty homeruns like he used too, but he can still get on base, hit for a solid average and drive in runs.
At second base is Ian Kinsler, who somewhat had a breakout season with 18 homeruns and a .319 batting average. Before last season, Kinsler did have productive seasons, but not like 2008. He will be counted on to produce those same numbers, which will provide power from a position that isn’t known for big hitters.
The rest of the lineup is filled out with veterans and a few players with less than five years in the Bigs sprinkled in. Frank Catalanotto is in the final year of his contract and will be looked upon to produce as the DH or left fielder. Hank Blalock is another veteran that can still hit for some power and will split time as a position player and DH. Rookie Elvis Andrus will be given the chance to show what he has got at the Major League level as the starting short stop. To be a starting short stop as a rookie can either get the best of you, or make the most of that opportunity. A catcher who is still trying to get his chance as a starter is Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who started off as a rookie with the Atlanta Braves, but was dumped at the end of the year. In two years with the Rangers, Jarrod has played 107 games, so his time to impress is running out with the Rangers as well.
Overall, the Rangers have a good enough team to finish at or above five hundred, but making the playoffs, now that’s a little bit farfetched.
POSITIVE --> SOLID THREE OR FOUR HITTER IN JOSH HAMILTON.
NEGATIVE --> SLIM ON DEPTH AND ROLE PLAYERS. THE BATIING ORDER ISN’T THAT DANGEROUS.
X-FACTOR --> JOSH HAMILTON IS THE TEXAS RANGERS NOW. IF HE CAN DO WHAT HE DID LAST SEASON, THEN THE RANGERS WILL HAVE SOME SUCCESS. IF FOR SOME REASON HE CANNOT, THE RANGERS WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE SUCCESS.
SLEEPER PICK --> FRANK CATALANOTTO IS IN A CONTRACT YEAR, AND WILL BE PLAYING FOR A NEW ONE. SO, LOOK FOR HIM TO PRODUCE AND HE IS A LEFT HANDED BAT AS WELL, WHICH WILL ALSO MAKE HIM A HOT COMMODITY AT THE TRADE DEADLINE, IF HE PRODUCES.
PREDICTION --> RANGERS WON’T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, BUT WILL PROBABLY WIN 79-84 GAMES.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
The General Manager of the Rangers, Jon Daniels, is real excited about the pitching staff that has been put in place, but nobody else sees that. If you take a look at the starting rotation, only one arm in there is suitable to pitch the whole season at a solid level. That pitcher is Vicente Padilla who has been the only pitcher for the Rangers the last four years that can win more than ten games. Last season, Padilla went 14-8, and ended with a 4.74 ERA. If you take a look at Padilla’s trends the past four years, including 2008, he has been very up and down with his overall record. In 2005 he went 9-12, to follow that with a 15-10 record, and then followed that with a 6-10 2007. Padilla’s ERA has never been lower than four. When Padilla is on his game, he is very good, but when he is okay, he can get roughed up.
According to the Rangers’ depth chart, in the number one slot is Kevin Millwood, which is very surprising. Considering, that Millwood only went 9-10 last season, he should not be leading off the rotation. Just once in the last four years has Millwood ended the season with an above five hundred record, which was 2006, when he went 16-12. The Rangers will struggle with Millwood as a starting pitcher, and hasn’t shown he is a good, reliable pitcher.
To follow Millwood and Padilla are Scott Feldman, Matt Harrison and Brandon McCarthy. All three of these pitcher’s are still young and will be given starter’s roles to begin the season. Maybe those three pitchers are the reason why the Rangers’ GM is so happy, because he will maybe get to see the future of the team. If they can excel and pitch for decent seasons, the Rangers can really look forward to the 2010 season. As for this season, the three pitchers mentioned will go through growing pains here and there as the season progresses.
In the bullpen, the Rangers added a few arms, have some experienced arms and young arms. In relief, the Rangers can safely turn to former closer Eddie Guardado. Luis Mendoza was called upon to spot start a few games and overall, got into twenty-five games. He was a bit erratic at times, which explains his extremely high ERA of 8.67. He is a young arm still learning and the Rangers could get the most out of him as a relief man, and ease him into a starter, if that’s what they plan on doing. In the closer’s role will be Frank Francisco, who really impressed the Rangers late last season, and this season will be his first full one as a closer.
Offensively, the Rangers went as far as Josh Hamilton was able to take them, and he went pretty far. Hamilton began the season on a tear, and threatened to win the Triple Crown. His early season success was rewarded with an All-Star appearance, and was also selected to participate in the home run Derby, where he electrified the crowd with 27 bombs in one round. Hamilton qualified for the final, but was gassed, and lost to Justin Morneau. After the All-Star break, Hamilton sort of lost his home run touch, but still ended a career year with 32 homeruns, 130 RBI and had a batting average of .304. It looks like Hamilton will put up those types of numbers once again.
After Hamilton, the offense sort of drops off, and the only other bat that can hit and for some power, is third basemen Michael Young. He may not hit twenty homeruns like he used too, but he can still get on base, hit for a solid average and drive in runs.
At second base is Ian Kinsler, who somewhat had a breakout season with 18 homeruns and a .319 batting average. Before last season, Kinsler did have productive seasons, but not like 2008. He will be counted on to produce those same numbers, which will provide power from a position that isn’t known for big hitters.
The rest of the lineup is filled out with veterans and a few players with less than five years in the Bigs sprinkled in. Frank Catalanotto is in the final year of his contract and will be looked upon to produce as the DH or left fielder. Hank Blalock is another veteran that can still hit for some power and will split time as a position player and DH. Rookie Elvis Andrus will be given the chance to show what he has got at the Major League level as the starting short stop. To be a starting short stop as a rookie can either get the best of you, or make the most of that opportunity. A catcher who is still trying to get his chance as a starter is Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who started off as a rookie with the Atlanta Braves, but was dumped at the end of the year. In two years with the Rangers, Jarrod has played 107 games, so his time to impress is running out with the Rangers as well.
Overall, the Rangers have a good enough team to finish at or above five hundred, but making the playoffs, now that’s a little bit farfetched.
POSITIVE --> SOLID THREE OR FOUR HITTER IN JOSH HAMILTON.
NEGATIVE --> SLIM ON DEPTH AND ROLE PLAYERS. THE BATIING ORDER ISN’T THAT DANGEROUS.
X-FACTOR --> JOSH HAMILTON IS THE TEXAS RANGERS NOW. IF HE CAN DO WHAT HE DID LAST SEASON, THEN THE RANGERS WILL HAVE SOME SUCCESS. IF FOR SOME REASON HE CANNOT, THE RANGERS WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE SUCCESS.
SLEEPER PICK --> FRANK CATALANOTTO IS IN A CONTRACT YEAR, AND WILL BE PLAYING FOR A NEW ONE. SO, LOOK FOR HIM TO PRODUCE AND HE IS A LEFT HANDED BAT AS WELL, WHICH WILL ALSO MAKE HIM A HOT COMMODITY AT THE TRADE DEADLINE, IF HE PRODUCES.
PREDICTION --> RANGERS WON’T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, BUT WILL PROBABLY WIN 79-84 GAMES.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009 MLB Forecaster TAMPA BAY RAYS (97-65, AL EAST DIV. CHAMPS., AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS)
From Devil Rays to Rays, from sinners to saints, from MLB basement feeders to AL East division winners. Who knew all Tampa Bay needed to do was drop the Devil in their team name. Besides all that, the Rays had a young up and coming roster, it’s just nobody knew that they would peak se early. It was really a Cinderella run for the Rays, even though they won the AL East crown, pundits and experts still never gave them a chance to do anything in the playoffs. What do you know; they ended up going all the way to the World Series, only to lose. But still, what a run, and finally their fan base had something to cheer about and actually go to eye sore Tropicana Field.
All season long, the Rays were expected to crash and burn and be proud of at least contending in a tough AL East division. The Rays fought through that, and won the division title. Then the Rays were expected to lose against a veteran Chicago White Sox club, but the Rays didn’t let up and easily won the series in four games. In the ALCS against a solid Boston Red Sox squad, the Rays were expected to get trounced. Instead they jumped out to a three one series lead, only to lose the next two. Now, everyone saw the Rays they wanted to see, the team that loses. In game seven the Rays won, and then they lost to a better Philadelphia Phillies team in the World Series.
With pretty much the same roster back from last season, the Rays are expected to be involved in a three way race that will go down to the wire. The Red Sox and Yankees will have to take the Rays seriously now.
Starting with pitching, everyone knew the Rays had lefty Scott Kazmir, but he never took a big leap forward and always stayed grounded. Even with the rest of the team taking big steps ahead in 2008, Kazmir still stayed grounded and pitched like the past three years, good but not great. His 2008 12-8 record has to be improved in order for the Rays to compete in the division.
Even now, the Rays still aren’t frontrunners for the division, and are still looked down upon.
Matt Garza really stepped up his game last year and won a career best eleven games. What a trade that was for the Rays when they traded prospect Delmon Young to the Minnesota Twins for Garza. At the same time, the Twins really never trusted Garza and had started just 24 games in Minnesota. In Garza’s first year with the Rays he started in thirty games. Matt Garza needs to repeat those numbers if he can.
James Shields was the best starter for the Rays last season and went 14-8, with a .356 ERA. Pitching out of the fourth spot was Andy Sonnanstine, who pitched solid all season long, and couldn’t have asked for anything better than his 13-9 record. To pitch out of the fifth slot, will be rookie David Price. For Price, his Major League debut came in the playoffs versus the Red Sox, and he proved he could handle the pressure.
The bullpen for the Rays was top notch and really came out to play in the playoffs. The Rays also saw the renaissance of Troy Percival as the team’s closer who saved 28 games. Dan Wheeler also saw his game come back and pitched like he did when he and the Houston Astros went to the 2005 World Series. Grant Balfour was a fiery relief man with high velocity on every single pitch.
The batting order, something that was thought to be a weak spot on the Rays, but as it turned out, proved to be the best. Led by veteran slugger Carlos Pena and by rookie sensation, now a sophomore, Evan Longoria, the Rays should have another fine offensive year.
Carlos Pena has enjoyed the best two years of his career in Tampa Bay, and before 2007, he was just an afterthought. Now, he is a power bat, who has hit 77 homeruns the past two years. Injuries hurt Pena down the stretch in 2008, and could’ve put up a second straight forty homerun season.
Playing opposite from Pena on the field at the hot corner is Evan Longoria. What a rookie season this young stud had, belting 27 homeruns, with 85 RBI and .272 batting average. Defensively, he wasn’t too bad either. As a call up early last season, Longoria had the franchise tag placed on him, when he signed a five year deal worth 45 million dollars.
In the middle infield, Jason Bartlett at short and Akinori Iwamura at second provided solid defense up the middle. With the bat, they were okay, but either player could bat one-two in at the top of the lineup, in the bottom of the lineup, or they can be split up. These two are very good complimentary players.
It is now safe to say that this player isn’t the franchise anymore, but is still a vital part of the offense and defense. That player is Carl Crawford, who doesn’t have as much pressure on his shoulders like he used too.
The likes of Evan Longoria and centre fielder BJ Upton are now looked upon to carry this franchise. Last season BJ Upton had a coming out party with his spectacular defense in centre, his dazzling speed on the base paths, and his ability to get on base.
The Rays did improve their batting order with the signing of former Philly Pat Burrell who came over as a free agent, from the team that beat the rays in the World Series. His presence and winning experience will help bring this club even closer now.
In the catcher’s spot is Dioner Navarro who also had a breakout season and was a rock behind the plate.
This Rays team has all the components to compete for the division title. They also have a good looking starting staff on paper, but that may not translate into success. Batters around the Major’s know the pitcher’s now, and these pitcher’s have yet to prove they can pitch consistently, aside from Scott Kazmir. The batting order cannot hit for total power, but each player can hit and get on base. This whole Rays team needs to do exactly what they did last season; every player has to match his numbers from 2008. If they don’t, and their numbers barely drop, that could mean losses instead of wins. Last season those few games were all it took for the Rays to win the division, and they only had two more wins than Boston.
POSITIVE --> SAME TEAM IS INTACT FROM LAST SEASON’S DREAM RUN. EXCELLENT DEPTH OFF THE BENCH.
NEGATIVE --> THIS RAYS TEAM IS STILL RELATIVELY YOUNG AND IT WILL HAVE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THEM TO REPEAT LAST SEASON’S DIVISION TITLE WIN. THAT PRESSURE MAY JUST GET TO THEM.
X-FACTOR --> THERE ARE A HOST OF PLAYERS TO CHOOSE FROM, BUT EVEN LONGORIA PROVIDED A SOLID BAT IN THE THREE SLOT, AND BATTED BEFORE CARLOS PENA. THAT WAS MISSING FROM 2007 WHEN CARLOS PENA HIT FORTY PLUS HOMERUNS AND THERE WERE NO OTHER POWER BATS.
SLEEPER PICK --> BEN ZOBRIST CAN TAKEOVER FROM LIGHT HITTING JASON BARTLETT AT SECOND, IF HE CAN CONTINUE TO HIT LIKE LAST SEASON WHEN HE HAD TWELVE HOMERUNS.
PREDICTION --> DON’T SEE THE RAYS QUALIFYING FOR THE PLAYOFFS. EVERY YOUNG TEAM GOES THROUGH A HORRIBLE STRETCH TOGETHER, AND THAT ALMOST HIT THE RAYS LAST SEASON, BUT DIDN’T. IT COULD HAPPEN THIS SEASON, AND EVEN IF IT DOESN’T, THE RAYS HAVE TO BATTLE TWO TEAMS THIS SEASON FOR THE DIVISION, INSTEAD OF JUST ONE LAST YEAR.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
All season long, the Rays were expected to crash and burn and be proud of at least contending in a tough AL East division. The Rays fought through that, and won the division title. Then the Rays were expected to lose against a veteran Chicago White Sox club, but the Rays didn’t let up and easily won the series in four games. In the ALCS against a solid Boston Red Sox squad, the Rays were expected to get trounced. Instead they jumped out to a three one series lead, only to lose the next two. Now, everyone saw the Rays they wanted to see, the team that loses. In game seven the Rays won, and then they lost to a better Philadelphia Phillies team in the World Series.
With pretty much the same roster back from last season, the Rays are expected to be involved in a three way race that will go down to the wire. The Red Sox and Yankees will have to take the Rays seriously now.
Starting with pitching, everyone knew the Rays had lefty Scott Kazmir, but he never took a big leap forward and always stayed grounded. Even with the rest of the team taking big steps ahead in 2008, Kazmir still stayed grounded and pitched like the past three years, good but not great. His 2008 12-8 record has to be improved in order for the Rays to compete in the division.
Even now, the Rays still aren’t frontrunners for the division, and are still looked down upon.
Matt Garza really stepped up his game last year and won a career best eleven games. What a trade that was for the Rays when they traded prospect Delmon Young to the Minnesota Twins for Garza. At the same time, the Twins really never trusted Garza and had started just 24 games in Minnesota. In Garza’s first year with the Rays he started in thirty games. Matt Garza needs to repeat those numbers if he can.
James Shields was the best starter for the Rays last season and went 14-8, with a .356 ERA. Pitching out of the fourth spot was Andy Sonnanstine, who pitched solid all season long, and couldn’t have asked for anything better than his 13-9 record. To pitch out of the fifth slot, will be rookie David Price. For Price, his Major League debut came in the playoffs versus the Red Sox, and he proved he could handle the pressure.
The bullpen for the Rays was top notch and really came out to play in the playoffs. The Rays also saw the renaissance of Troy Percival as the team’s closer who saved 28 games. Dan Wheeler also saw his game come back and pitched like he did when he and the Houston Astros went to the 2005 World Series. Grant Balfour was a fiery relief man with high velocity on every single pitch.
The batting order, something that was thought to be a weak spot on the Rays, but as it turned out, proved to be the best. Led by veteran slugger Carlos Pena and by rookie sensation, now a sophomore, Evan Longoria, the Rays should have another fine offensive year.
Carlos Pena has enjoyed the best two years of his career in Tampa Bay, and before 2007, he was just an afterthought. Now, he is a power bat, who has hit 77 homeruns the past two years. Injuries hurt Pena down the stretch in 2008, and could’ve put up a second straight forty homerun season.
Playing opposite from Pena on the field at the hot corner is Evan Longoria. What a rookie season this young stud had, belting 27 homeruns, with 85 RBI and .272 batting average. Defensively, he wasn’t too bad either. As a call up early last season, Longoria had the franchise tag placed on him, when he signed a five year deal worth 45 million dollars.
In the middle infield, Jason Bartlett at short and Akinori Iwamura at second provided solid defense up the middle. With the bat, they were okay, but either player could bat one-two in at the top of the lineup, in the bottom of the lineup, or they can be split up. These two are very good complimentary players.
It is now safe to say that this player isn’t the franchise anymore, but is still a vital part of the offense and defense. That player is Carl Crawford, who doesn’t have as much pressure on his shoulders like he used too.
The likes of Evan Longoria and centre fielder BJ Upton are now looked upon to carry this franchise. Last season BJ Upton had a coming out party with his spectacular defense in centre, his dazzling speed on the base paths, and his ability to get on base.
The Rays did improve their batting order with the signing of former Philly Pat Burrell who came over as a free agent, from the team that beat the rays in the World Series. His presence and winning experience will help bring this club even closer now.
In the catcher’s spot is Dioner Navarro who also had a breakout season and was a rock behind the plate.
This Rays team has all the components to compete for the division title. They also have a good looking starting staff on paper, but that may not translate into success. Batters around the Major’s know the pitcher’s now, and these pitcher’s have yet to prove they can pitch consistently, aside from Scott Kazmir. The batting order cannot hit for total power, but each player can hit and get on base. This whole Rays team needs to do exactly what they did last season; every player has to match his numbers from 2008. If they don’t, and their numbers barely drop, that could mean losses instead of wins. Last season those few games were all it took for the Rays to win the division, and they only had two more wins than Boston.
POSITIVE --> SAME TEAM IS INTACT FROM LAST SEASON’S DREAM RUN. EXCELLENT DEPTH OFF THE BENCH.
NEGATIVE --> THIS RAYS TEAM IS STILL RELATIVELY YOUNG AND IT WILL HAVE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THEM TO REPEAT LAST SEASON’S DIVISION TITLE WIN. THAT PRESSURE MAY JUST GET TO THEM.
X-FACTOR --> THERE ARE A HOST OF PLAYERS TO CHOOSE FROM, BUT EVEN LONGORIA PROVIDED A SOLID BAT IN THE THREE SLOT, AND BATTED BEFORE CARLOS PENA. THAT WAS MISSING FROM 2007 WHEN CARLOS PENA HIT FORTY PLUS HOMERUNS AND THERE WERE NO OTHER POWER BATS.
SLEEPER PICK --> BEN ZOBRIST CAN TAKEOVER FROM LIGHT HITTING JASON BARTLETT AT SECOND, IF HE CAN CONTINUE TO HIT LIKE LAST SEASON WHEN HE HAD TWELVE HOMERUNS.
PREDICTION --> DON’T SEE THE RAYS QUALIFYING FOR THE PLAYOFFS. EVERY YOUNG TEAM GOES THROUGH A HORRIBLE STRETCH TOGETHER, AND THAT ALMOST HIT THE RAYS LAST SEASON, BUT DIDN’T. IT COULD HAPPEN THIS SEASON, AND EVEN IF IT DOESN’T, THE RAYS HAVE TO BATTLE TWO TEAMS THIS SEASON FOR THE DIVISION, INSTEAD OF JUST ONE LAST YEAR.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009 MLB Forecaster ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (86-76, 4th NL CENTRAL)
Pitching was the downfall for the Cardinals last season as they missed out on the playoffs by four games in the wild card race, and lost the division by eleven games to their hated rivals, Chicago Cubs. The Cardinals have a good solid team, but starting pitching really hurt them. One of the main problems was starting pitcher Chris Carpenter missed all of last year after starting just three games, with shoulder and arm surgeries. In the past two years, Carpenter has started just four games and is the staff ace, and they really need him to be healthy if they want to contend in the division.
When Carpenter is healthy, he is a dominant pitcher and showed that in the 2005 and 2006 seasons when he compiled an overall record of 36-13. This included a Cy Young Award in 2005, when he went 21-5. When Carpenter was out, the Cardinals saw a few pitchers step up in his absence.
One pitcher that sort of came close to matching Carpenter is Adam Wainwright. In the depth charts, Wainwright is listed ahead of Carpenter, and why not? Who knows if Carpenter is totally healed, because you can say you’re healthy, but to actually prove it is another story. Wainwright deserves to be the number one pitcher and will most likely get the opening day start. His transition from closer to starting pitcher was as smooth as possible. In his first year as a starter, Wainwright posted a 14-12 record with 3.70 ERA. In 2008, his wins may have gone down to eleven, but he vastly cut down on the losses with just three. Wainwright should put up solid numbers once again, hopefully for the Cardinals somewhere in the area of 15-17 wins. If Carpenter stays healthy for the whole year, the Cardinals will have a solid starting staff.
Last season Kyle Lohse really surprised a lot of people around the Major’s when he went 15-6 with a 3.78 ERA. Finally, Lohse had that breakout year the Minnesota Twins waited on for so many years. Then three other teams gave up on Lohse as well, and maybe with St. Louis it was a comfort level. If Lohse can repeat his 2008 numbers, that would make the Cardinals and Cubs the front runners for the division title.
Another pitcher that had a breakout year was Todd Wellemeyer, who will pitch out of the fourth spot in the rotation. His thirteen wins and nine losses were another surprise out of the Cardinals organization. If he can post at least ten to thirteen wins the Cardinals will have a solid and very reliable pitching staff.
Pitching fifth will be Joel Pineiro who is capable of winning eight games a year, but also loses a lot of games. That can be offset if the four pitchers ahead of him can pitch like last season and stay healthy.
The Cardinals have a very nice pitching staff, which will compliment the batting order, and they need Kyle Lohse and Todd Wellemeyer to at least match last year’s numbers again. Even if three out of the five pitchers match last season’s numbers, the Cardinals would take it.
Now one area where the Cardinals didn’t struggle at all was scoring runs. Led by Albert Pujols, the Cardinals have one of the most solid batting orders in the National League.
Any lineup that features Albert Pujols is dangerous, because he makes the players around him better. Opposing pitchers focus so much of their pitching and strength towards Pujols, that when the next batter is up, the pitcher is tired both mentally and physically. Pujols gets the job done year after year, and has his at least thirty homeruns and over one hundred RBI in his first seven Major League seasons.
Another player that broke out last season was Ryan Ludwick when he hit 37 homeruns and batted in 113 RBI. In 2007 he hit just fourteen homeruns, so he really improved his swing and provided a solid three and four spot combo in the Cardinals’ batting order. Ludwick will be heavily relied on to match those numbers, because he will now be a major part of the Cardinals’ offense.
Troy Glaus was another player that had a solid year and bounced back from an injury riddled 2007 with the Toronto Blue Jays, which led to his trade. Last year he hit 27 homeruns with 99 RBI, and will bat out of the five spot in the batting order. If his foot injuries are behind him, he will be a major contributor to the Cardinals’ offense.
Patrolling centre field is Rick Ankiel, whose transition from pitcher to now power hitter has really amazed people. His steroid scandal really rocked his world, and this season he will have to prove to everyone and the Cardinals that he can post power numbers without any performance enhancers.
Behind the plate, the Cardinals have Yadier Molina, a solid defensive player, and a solid offensive bat in the bottom half of the lineup. Really, the Cardinals through the lineup are very good defensively, and employ a solid middle infield in Skip Schumaker at second and Khalil Greene at short.
POSITIVE --> ALBERT PUJOLS AND RYAN LUDWICK WILL BAT BACK TO BACK IN THE LINEUP. OVERALL, A SOLID BATTING ORDER, AND EVERY PLAYER CAN HIT SMARTLY.
NEGATIVE --> BULLPEN WAS A LITTLE SPOTTY HERE AND THERE FOR PARTS OF LAST SEASON AND NEED TO FIX THAT. STARTING PITCHING IS GOOD BUT CAN BE GREAT, AND NEED CAPENTER TO BE HEALTHY. THE RICK ANKIEL STEROID ISSUE NEEDS TO GET SOLVED, AND THE BEST WAY TO DO IT IS PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL.
X-FACTOR --> RYAN LUDWICK IN THE BATTING ORDER. THAT’S IF HE CAN MATCH LAST SEASON’S NUMBERS, BECAUSE HE ADDS ANOTHER DANGEROUS BAT IN THE LINEUP, BEFORE OR AFTER ALBERT PUJOLS. OR, CHRIS CARPENTER, WHO NEEDS TO BE HEALTHY AND AT LEAST POST 14-16 WINS, FOR CARDINALS TO STAY IN DIVISION RACE.
SLEEPER PICK --> KHALIL GREENE SHOULD PUT UP HIGH OFFENSIVE NUMBERS, SOMEWHERE AROUND ELEVEN HOMERUNS AND SIXTY RBI.
PREDICTION --> WILL BATTLE THE CUBS ALL THE WAY THROUGH FOR THE DIVISION, AND EITHER THE NEW YORK METS OR PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES FOR THE WILD CARD. AS FOR THE PLAYOFFS, IT IS TOUGH TO CALL, BECAUSE THE CUBS, METS AND PHILLIES ALL HAVE LEGITIMATE CHANCES TO QUALIFY.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
When Carpenter is healthy, he is a dominant pitcher and showed that in the 2005 and 2006 seasons when he compiled an overall record of 36-13. This included a Cy Young Award in 2005, when he went 21-5. When Carpenter was out, the Cardinals saw a few pitchers step up in his absence.
One pitcher that sort of came close to matching Carpenter is Adam Wainwright. In the depth charts, Wainwright is listed ahead of Carpenter, and why not? Who knows if Carpenter is totally healed, because you can say you’re healthy, but to actually prove it is another story. Wainwright deserves to be the number one pitcher and will most likely get the opening day start. His transition from closer to starting pitcher was as smooth as possible. In his first year as a starter, Wainwright posted a 14-12 record with 3.70 ERA. In 2008, his wins may have gone down to eleven, but he vastly cut down on the losses with just three. Wainwright should put up solid numbers once again, hopefully for the Cardinals somewhere in the area of 15-17 wins. If Carpenter stays healthy for the whole year, the Cardinals will have a solid starting staff.
Last season Kyle Lohse really surprised a lot of people around the Major’s when he went 15-6 with a 3.78 ERA. Finally, Lohse had that breakout year the Minnesota Twins waited on for so many years. Then three other teams gave up on Lohse as well, and maybe with St. Louis it was a comfort level. If Lohse can repeat his 2008 numbers, that would make the Cardinals and Cubs the front runners for the division title.
Another pitcher that had a breakout year was Todd Wellemeyer, who will pitch out of the fourth spot in the rotation. His thirteen wins and nine losses were another surprise out of the Cardinals organization. If he can post at least ten to thirteen wins the Cardinals will have a solid and very reliable pitching staff.
Pitching fifth will be Joel Pineiro who is capable of winning eight games a year, but also loses a lot of games. That can be offset if the four pitchers ahead of him can pitch like last season and stay healthy.
The Cardinals have a very nice pitching staff, which will compliment the batting order, and they need Kyle Lohse and Todd Wellemeyer to at least match last year’s numbers again. Even if three out of the five pitchers match last season’s numbers, the Cardinals would take it.
Now one area where the Cardinals didn’t struggle at all was scoring runs. Led by Albert Pujols, the Cardinals have one of the most solid batting orders in the National League.
Any lineup that features Albert Pujols is dangerous, because he makes the players around him better. Opposing pitchers focus so much of their pitching and strength towards Pujols, that when the next batter is up, the pitcher is tired both mentally and physically. Pujols gets the job done year after year, and has his at least thirty homeruns and over one hundred RBI in his first seven Major League seasons.
Another player that broke out last season was Ryan Ludwick when he hit 37 homeruns and batted in 113 RBI. In 2007 he hit just fourteen homeruns, so he really improved his swing and provided a solid three and four spot combo in the Cardinals’ batting order. Ludwick will be heavily relied on to match those numbers, because he will now be a major part of the Cardinals’ offense.
Troy Glaus was another player that had a solid year and bounced back from an injury riddled 2007 with the Toronto Blue Jays, which led to his trade. Last year he hit 27 homeruns with 99 RBI, and will bat out of the five spot in the batting order. If his foot injuries are behind him, he will be a major contributor to the Cardinals’ offense.
Patrolling centre field is Rick Ankiel, whose transition from pitcher to now power hitter has really amazed people. His steroid scandal really rocked his world, and this season he will have to prove to everyone and the Cardinals that he can post power numbers without any performance enhancers.
Behind the plate, the Cardinals have Yadier Molina, a solid defensive player, and a solid offensive bat in the bottom half of the lineup. Really, the Cardinals through the lineup are very good defensively, and employ a solid middle infield in Skip Schumaker at second and Khalil Greene at short.
POSITIVE --> ALBERT PUJOLS AND RYAN LUDWICK WILL BAT BACK TO BACK IN THE LINEUP. OVERALL, A SOLID BATTING ORDER, AND EVERY PLAYER CAN HIT SMARTLY.
NEGATIVE --> BULLPEN WAS A LITTLE SPOTTY HERE AND THERE FOR PARTS OF LAST SEASON AND NEED TO FIX THAT. STARTING PITCHING IS GOOD BUT CAN BE GREAT, AND NEED CAPENTER TO BE HEALTHY. THE RICK ANKIEL STEROID ISSUE NEEDS TO GET SOLVED, AND THE BEST WAY TO DO IT IS PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL.
X-FACTOR --> RYAN LUDWICK IN THE BATTING ORDER. THAT’S IF HE CAN MATCH LAST SEASON’S NUMBERS, BECAUSE HE ADDS ANOTHER DANGEROUS BAT IN THE LINEUP, BEFORE OR AFTER ALBERT PUJOLS. OR, CHRIS CARPENTER, WHO NEEDS TO BE HEALTHY AND AT LEAST POST 14-16 WINS, FOR CARDINALS TO STAY IN DIVISION RACE.
SLEEPER PICK --> KHALIL GREENE SHOULD PUT UP HIGH OFFENSIVE NUMBERS, SOMEWHERE AROUND ELEVEN HOMERUNS AND SIXTY RBI.
PREDICTION --> WILL BATTLE THE CUBS ALL THE WAY THROUGH FOR THE DIVISION, AND EITHER THE NEW YORK METS OR PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES FOR THE WILD CARD. AS FOR THE PLAYOFFS, IT IS TOUGH TO CALL, BECAUSE THE CUBS, METS AND PHILLIES ALL HAVE LEGITIMATE CHANCES TO QUALIFY.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009 TORONTO FOOTBALL CLUB Forecaster
Toronto FC will be entering its third year in Major League Soccer and hopes are high, from both management and the passionate fan base.
Team management, led by Director of Soccer and Manager Mo Johnston made vast improvements to a TFC club that struggled to score and keep the ball out of their own net. With key additions at both the offensive and defensive ends, the club has playoffs on their minds.
Why shouldn’t they and why shouldn’t the fan base? TFC brought in homegrown talent and Scarborough native Dwayne De Rosario in a trade from the Houston Dynamo. De Rosario has experienced eight great years in the MLS with four championships, including scoring the game winner for the Dynamo and the earlier San Jose franchise, and being named MVP of the Finals twice. He will most certainly bring another level to the TFC attack that wasn’t dangerous at all last season. De Rosario was just the type of player Toronto really needed, because he can create on his own, can set up players and has a wicked shot that could be launched from anywhere on the field.
Another move that was made to bolster the offensive attack was the loan agreement made between Toronto FC and FC Chernomorets Odessa (Ukraine) to obtain Pablo Vitti. Really, his original club is Indipendiente of the Argentine League’s. So far in training camp and the Carolina Cup Challenge, Vitti has really meshed well with De Rosario, and the faster they can create some chemistry the better it will be for TFC.
In the two years TFC has existed, there really hasn’t been a formidable one-two punch that TFC could have turned to - to create something, or a lone player they could turn to. All that has changed now and TFC looks stronger than ever and look to turn a page in the franchise.
Defensively, Mo Johnston acquired another Scarborough native, Adrian Serioux from FC Dallas. Serioux is a real solid defender who gets in the oppositions face and mixes it up whenever he has too. His toughness alone will make the defense that much better and that can be contagious. For opposing teams now, they will have to think twice about crossing the TFC defenders, and especially in Toronto at BMO Field, as it is one of the hardest stadiums to play at.
The rest of the players on the TFC roster will only benefit from the additions made to improve this club. Starting with defense, Captain Jim Brennan has been the anchor for this franchise the past two years. Alongside Brennan will be speedy defender Marvell Wynne. No one in the league can outrun this guy, cross him up, or basically make him look stupid. In fact, Wynne with his speed can make the opposing defense look stupid with his quick one man rushes down the sidelines. Wynne is extremely fun to watch when he gains speed through the field.
Of course Adrian Serioux will occupy one of the defensive spots, which leaves one spot left, and that will either go to Marco Velez or newly imported Gambian defender Amadou Sanyang, or sophomore Kevin Harmse.
Velez played in a few games last year as a starter and for moments looked uncomfortable, but for the most part he did a decent job. As for Sanyang, he has had experience representing Gambia on an international stage, but is extremely young, and still needs to learn the MLS game. With Kevin Harmse, TFC has some flexibility with this player, because he can play as a defender or at midfield. For TFC that means when Harmse is on the pitch, he can stretch out the offense, and also be the first man back if the ball is ever turned over.
In the end, it is tough to call as to which player will get the start on opening day, but it will come down to Velez or Harmse.
At midfield, it is safe to say that TFC is now stacked. One of the starters will be Dwayne De Rosario. The other three or four spots remaining will be filled out by Amado Guevara, Rohan Ricketts, Carl Robinson and maybe Sam Cronin or Johann Smith.
Last season Amado Guevara was the primary ball handler for TFC and did a pretty good job of controlling the offensive pace. The only problem was, TFC barley had any players to score. Now, Guevara will have plenty of options to choose from, as mentioned above De Rosario can launch the ball, Pablo Vitti is strong inside the box, or with all those options, even Guevara can drive the ball himself.
Since TFC’s inception into the MLS, Carl Robinson has been the only solid midfielder this team has ever employed and he will be counted on to solidify that position. The past two years, everything was on Robinson, he had to do most of the scoring and he isn’t known for that. Robinson is more of a set up type of player; someone who finds open seems and can make that breakout pass. Like Guevara, Robinson will have options as well.
Rohan Ricketts was heavily relied on to score goals for TFC, and only scored four. He will once again be a starter and didn’t upset last year either. Pressure won’t be on Ricketts as much, because De Rosario will get plenty of touches during a game. With that, Ricketts is in a good situation because he can compliment De Rosario and quietly put up a solid season.
What’s left for TFC to decide is whether or not they will play with four or five midfielders. Listed above are four starters, and if TFC were to go with five, something they did on the regular last year, they have plenty of players to choose from. Mind you, this fifth man is either going to be a rookie or a sophomore. Sam Cronin is a highly touted rookie and that made TFC draft him in the top ten with one of their three first round draft picks. Sophomore Johann Smith will also be in the running for that starters spot and has had the most experience of the two players. He has spent some time overseas in the UK with Premier Division 2 side Bolton Wanderers. Smith scored a goal there, and also four goals in five games with the US U-23 side. Last season with TFC, Smith recorded an assist in ten games, and started three.
It’s going to be a tough call as to which player will get that fifth midfield spot, but both players are capable of the duties.
Now the forwards and TFC have Pablo Vitti as one of the starters, and could go with either two or three forwards. If TFC decides to go with two, then it will be Vitti and Chad Barrett up front. In half a season in Toronto, Barrett really impressed with his knack for getting to the net. He didn’t score as much as TFC expected, but with a full year in Toronto and a training camp, he should be in rhythm now.
If TFC decides to go with a third forward, which probably won’t happen because of the five midfielders, TFC could choose between fan favourite Danny Dichio or first round draft pick O’Brian White. Head Coach John Carver has already stated that Dichio won’t be a starter and will see his playing time cut. That will lead to O’Brian White to get a few more minutes and for TFC management to see if they have a player or not.
Greg Sutton will be back once again as the starting goalkeeper and injuries have hurt his playing time in his first two years with Toronto. This time around, TFC have some quality back-ups in rookie Stefan Frei and Brian Edwards. Before last season began, Brian Edwards was a rookie and really challenged Sutton for the starting spot. Hopefully injuries won’t affect Sutton’s playing time, even if they do Edwards can handle being the starter, but at the same time it never hurts to have a veteran goalkeeper in net.
Off the bench, TFC have some good depth, and can come into games to give starters quality rest time, if need be. A lot of the reserves are young players though, and can make mistakes too.
Overall, this TFC is the best team ever assembled in this franchises short history, and playoffs are what everyone is thinking about and expects. BMO Field will be rocking for another season, with the best fans in the MLS. If a playoff spot is not clinched, the 2009 season will be a major disappointment.
POSITIVE --> TFC MADE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THREE CATEGORIES: DEFENSE (ADRIAN SERIOUX), MIDFIELD (DWAYNE DE RSARIO), FORWARD (PABLO VITTI). THE AMAZING FAN BASE, WHICH MAKES BMO FIELD THE TOUGHEST STADIUM TO PLAY AT.
NEGATIVE --> DEPTH PLAYERS ARE YOUNG, AND DANNY DICHIO WON’T BE SEEN AS MUCH ON THE PITCH.
X-FACTOR --> DWAYNE DE ROSARIO WILL BE THE STRAW THAT STIRS THE DRINK FOR THIS TFC SQUAD. PLAYING AT HOME FOR ROSARIO WILL BE A HUGE BOOST AND WILL BE THE FOCAL POINT OF A LOT OF THE TFC OFFENSE.
SLEEPER PICK --> SAM CRONIN COULD HAVE A HUGE YEAR AS A ROOKIE. IT IS TOUGH TO SCORE GOALS IN SOCCER, BUT IF GIVEN A STARTERS ROLE, CRONIN IS CAPABLE OF AT LEAST SCROING FIVE GOALS. OR YOU CAN GO WITH ANOTHER FAN FAVOURITE ROHAN RICKETTS. HE WAS ENERGETIC LAST SEASON AND WON’T BE RELIED ON AS MUCH THIS TIME AROUND, BUT CAN STILL SCORE, AND WILL QUIETLY HAVE A SOLID SEASON.
PREDICTION --> TFC WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS THIS SEASON, AFTER MISSING OUT ON THEM LAST YEAR BY FOUR POINTS. TFC SHOULD FINISH IN THE TOP THREE OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Team management, led by Director of Soccer and Manager Mo Johnston made vast improvements to a TFC club that struggled to score and keep the ball out of their own net. With key additions at both the offensive and defensive ends, the club has playoffs on their minds.
Why shouldn’t they and why shouldn’t the fan base? TFC brought in homegrown talent and Scarborough native Dwayne De Rosario in a trade from the Houston Dynamo. De Rosario has experienced eight great years in the MLS with four championships, including scoring the game winner for the Dynamo and the earlier San Jose franchise, and being named MVP of the Finals twice. He will most certainly bring another level to the TFC attack that wasn’t dangerous at all last season. De Rosario was just the type of player Toronto really needed, because he can create on his own, can set up players and has a wicked shot that could be launched from anywhere on the field.
Another move that was made to bolster the offensive attack was the loan agreement made between Toronto FC and FC Chernomorets Odessa (Ukraine) to obtain Pablo Vitti. Really, his original club is Indipendiente of the Argentine League’s. So far in training camp and the Carolina Cup Challenge, Vitti has really meshed well with De Rosario, and the faster they can create some chemistry the better it will be for TFC.
In the two years TFC has existed, there really hasn’t been a formidable one-two punch that TFC could have turned to - to create something, or a lone player they could turn to. All that has changed now and TFC looks stronger than ever and look to turn a page in the franchise.
Defensively, Mo Johnston acquired another Scarborough native, Adrian Serioux from FC Dallas. Serioux is a real solid defender who gets in the oppositions face and mixes it up whenever he has too. His toughness alone will make the defense that much better and that can be contagious. For opposing teams now, they will have to think twice about crossing the TFC defenders, and especially in Toronto at BMO Field, as it is one of the hardest stadiums to play at.
The rest of the players on the TFC roster will only benefit from the additions made to improve this club. Starting with defense, Captain Jim Brennan has been the anchor for this franchise the past two years. Alongside Brennan will be speedy defender Marvell Wynne. No one in the league can outrun this guy, cross him up, or basically make him look stupid. In fact, Wynne with his speed can make the opposing defense look stupid with his quick one man rushes down the sidelines. Wynne is extremely fun to watch when he gains speed through the field.
Of course Adrian Serioux will occupy one of the defensive spots, which leaves one spot left, and that will either go to Marco Velez or newly imported Gambian defender Amadou Sanyang, or sophomore Kevin Harmse.
Velez played in a few games last year as a starter and for moments looked uncomfortable, but for the most part he did a decent job. As for Sanyang, he has had experience representing Gambia on an international stage, but is extremely young, and still needs to learn the MLS game. With Kevin Harmse, TFC has some flexibility with this player, because he can play as a defender or at midfield. For TFC that means when Harmse is on the pitch, he can stretch out the offense, and also be the first man back if the ball is ever turned over.
In the end, it is tough to call as to which player will get the start on opening day, but it will come down to Velez or Harmse.
At midfield, it is safe to say that TFC is now stacked. One of the starters will be Dwayne De Rosario. The other three or four spots remaining will be filled out by Amado Guevara, Rohan Ricketts, Carl Robinson and maybe Sam Cronin or Johann Smith.
Last season Amado Guevara was the primary ball handler for TFC and did a pretty good job of controlling the offensive pace. The only problem was, TFC barley had any players to score. Now, Guevara will have plenty of options to choose from, as mentioned above De Rosario can launch the ball, Pablo Vitti is strong inside the box, or with all those options, even Guevara can drive the ball himself.
Since TFC’s inception into the MLS, Carl Robinson has been the only solid midfielder this team has ever employed and he will be counted on to solidify that position. The past two years, everything was on Robinson, he had to do most of the scoring and he isn’t known for that. Robinson is more of a set up type of player; someone who finds open seems and can make that breakout pass. Like Guevara, Robinson will have options as well.
Rohan Ricketts was heavily relied on to score goals for TFC, and only scored four. He will once again be a starter and didn’t upset last year either. Pressure won’t be on Ricketts as much, because De Rosario will get plenty of touches during a game. With that, Ricketts is in a good situation because he can compliment De Rosario and quietly put up a solid season.
What’s left for TFC to decide is whether or not they will play with four or five midfielders. Listed above are four starters, and if TFC were to go with five, something they did on the regular last year, they have plenty of players to choose from. Mind you, this fifth man is either going to be a rookie or a sophomore. Sam Cronin is a highly touted rookie and that made TFC draft him in the top ten with one of their three first round draft picks. Sophomore Johann Smith will also be in the running for that starters spot and has had the most experience of the two players. He has spent some time overseas in the UK with Premier Division 2 side Bolton Wanderers. Smith scored a goal there, and also four goals in five games with the US U-23 side. Last season with TFC, Smith recorded an assist in ten games, and started three.
It’s going to be a tough call as to which player will get that fifth midfield spot, but both players are capable of the duties.
Now the forwards and TFC have Pablo Vitti as one of the starters, and could go with either two or three forwards. If TFC decides to go with two, then it will be Vitti and Chad Barrett up front. In half a season in Toronto, Barrett really impressed with his knack for getting to the net. He didn’t score as much as TFC expected, but with a full year in Toronto and a training camp, he should be in rhythm now.
If TFC decides to go with a third forward, which probably won’t happen because of the five midfielders, TFC could choose between fan favourite Danny Dichio or first round draft pick O’Brian White. Head Coach John Carver has already stated that Dichio won’t be a starter and will see his playing time cut. That will lead to O’Brian White to get a few more minutes and for TFC management to see if they have a player or not.
Greg Sutton will be back once again as the starting goalkeeper and injuries have hurt his playing time in his first two years with Toronto. This time around, TFC have some quality back-ups in rookie Stefan Frei and Brian Edwards. Before last season began, Brian Edwards was a rookie and really challenged Sutton for the starting spot. Hopefully injuries won’t affect Sutton’s playing time, even if they do Edwards can handle being the starter, but at the same time it never hurts to have a veteran goalkeeper in net.
Off the bench, TFC have some good depth, and can come into games to give starters quality rest time, if need be. A lot of the reserves are young players though, and can make mistakes too.
Overall, this TFC is the best team ever assembled in this franchises short history, and playoffs are what everyone is thinking about and expects. BMO Field will be rocking for another season, with the best fans in the MLS. If a playoff spot is not clinched, the 2009 season will be a major disappointment.
POSITIVE --> TFC MADE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THREE CATEGORIES: DEFENSE (ADRIAN SERIOUX), MIDFIELD (DWAYNE DE RSARIO), FORWARD (PABLO VITTI). THE AMAZING FAN BASE, WHICH MAKES BMO FIELD THE TOUGHEST STADIUM TO PLAY AT.
NEGATIVE --> DEPTH PLAYERS ARE YOUNG, AND DANNY DICHIO WON’T BE SEEN AS MUCH ON THE PITCH.
X-FACTOR --> DWAYNE DE ROSARIO WILL BE THE STRAW THAT STIRS THE DRINK FOR THIS TFC SQUAD. PLAYING AT HOME FOR ROSARIO WILL BE A HUGE BOOST AND WILL BE THE FOCAL POINT OF A LOT OF THE TFC OFFENSE.
SLEEPER PICK --> SAM CRONIN COULD HAVE A HUGE YEAR AS A ROOKIE. IT IS TOUGH TO SCORE GOALS IN SOCCER, BUT IF GIVEN A STARTERS ROLE, CRONIN IS CAPABLE OF AT LEAST SCROING FIVE GOALS. OR YOU CAN GO WITH ANOTHER FAN FAVOURITE ROHAN RICKETTS. HE WAS ENERGETIC LAST SEASON AND WON’T BE RELIED ON AS MUCH THIS TIME AROUND, BUT CAN STILL SCORE, AND WILL QUIETLY HAVE A SOLID SEASON.
PREDICTION --> TFC WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS THIS SEASON, AFTER MISSING OUT ON THEM LAST YEAR BY FOUR POINTS. TFC SHOULD FINISH IN THE TOP THREE OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
2009 MLB Forecaster SEATTLE MARINERS (61-101, 4th AL WEST)
The Mariners were one of two teams to finish with at least one hundred losses. The second half of the 2008 season was absolutely horrible for the Mariners. Nothing worked for them, the pitching went south, and their big hitters vastly under achieved. This Mariners franchise is sort of at a crossroads right now, because they have a solid foundation on which they can build upon. They also do have some savvy veterans, where if the Mariners were to add a few pieces here and there, the team could at least contend for the division. For either of those scenarios to happen, the Mariners would have to unload some of their young, solid players in trades for veterans. Or, they can trade their veterans for younger players, prospects, and draft picks, and go into rebuild mode.
Whatever the case, the Mariners cannot stand idly by and not do anything. One thing that can be ruled is out, are the Mariners dipping into the free agent market and sign players. For the Mariners, and the state the economy is in right now, signing players to long term deals will kill this franchise, because as it stands right now, they have trouble filling seats at Safeco Field.
One thing that could draw bigger crowds to Mariners games again is the return of Ken Griffey Jr. It will be quite a treat for Mariners fans to see Griffey play out his career in Seattle where his illustrious baseball career began. For the soon to be forty year old, he couldn’t have picked a better spot to call it a career. Griffey and his sweet swing can still play the game at a high level, and for sure he will add to the Mariners’ offense that struggled last year.
To lead off the batting order is Ichiro Suzuki, and is one of the best in the game to lead off, and at his position out in right field. Since signing a lucrative contract two seasons ago that was worth one hundred million dollars over five years, Suzuki really hasn’t impressed much with his offensive output. He can still rack up the hits, and has two hundred or more hits the past four years. Last season his 42 RBI didn’t cut it at all, fans and media alike began questioning him and his contract, and whether or not he was worth it anymore. If Suzuki doesn’t bat in at least sixty or more RBI, he could be traded, and that wouldn’t be the worst thing the Mariners could do. If that were to happen, any contending team would love to have him, and the Mariners could receive a plethora of players and prospects.
At third base the Mariners employ a classic example of a player having a solid year in his contract season, jumps on the richest contract he gets offered, and sits on it. That player is Adrian Beltre, who with the Dodgers in his contract year hit forty plus homeruns and led the Dodgers to the playoffs. Luckily for the Dodgers, the Mariners outbid them and signed Beltre to a five year contract worth more than 50 million dollars. Just in case you are wondering, Beltre in his four years with Seattle hasn’t hit the forty homerun mark, or the thirty homerun mark. The most he has hit is 26, and has not batted more than .270.
At short stop Yuniesky Betancourt had a breakout year with seven homeruns and 51 RBI. Every time he stepped up to the plate, he worked the count and got himself into good hitting situations. This guy just keeps on improving and should have a better year in store for 2009.
The Mariners also saw the emergence of another player on the roster. At second base Jose Lopez really impressed a lot of people in the organization and had a 17 homerun, 89 RBI season. In 2009, a twenty homerun season should be a manageable feat for Lopez to achieve.
The Mariners should have a better offensive year as a few players are ready to take their game to another step, and the addition of Ken Griffey Jr. wasn’t for sentimental reasons only.
As for pitching, the Mariners have one of the best young pitchers in the game, with a pitcher that was good but has lost his game, to a pitcher that is still looking for that breakout year. To top all that off, the Mariners also had a pretty bad bullpen.
Felix Hernandez has electric stuff and was lights out in his third season with fourteen wins and 165 strikeouts. Last year, injuries affected his game and ended the season with a 9-11 record and an ERA of 3.45. If injuries don’t take their toll on this guy, he could really emerge as the staff ace on this team.
The pitcher who lost his game and can’t find it since is Jarrod Washburn. After winning the World Series in 2002 with the Anaheim Angels, Washburn has been a total loss. This guy cannot be relied on to pitch anymore, because the fear of the team losing always lingers when he pitches. In his three years with the Mariners so far, Washburn has compiled a record of 23-43.
The pitcher that is still looking for that breakout season is Erik Bedard. Injuries affected Bedard’s first season with the Mariners after he was traded from Baltimore, and only went 6-4 on the season. This left handed pitcher looks to be the real deal, and won 15 games in Baltimore back in 2006. That season was good, but not great, and Bedard can reach that mark again. Bedard just needs to hit another gear in his game and he’ll be real dominant.
The Mariners have a good team on paper with some good talent, but consistency hurt them last year and that could be the problem again this year.
POSITIVE --> SOLID YOUNG PLAYERS IN FELIX HERNANDEZ, JOSE LOPEZ, AND YUNIESKY BETANCOURT.
NEGATIVE --> PITCHING STAFF IS GOOD WITH FELIX HERNANDEZ AND ERIK BEDARD. AFTER THOSE TWO IT IS TOUGH TO FIND A GOOD ENOUGH STARTER. OFFENSIVELY, THE MARINERS REALLY ONLY HAVE TWO BIG BATS IN KEN GRIFFEY JR. AND JOSE LOPEZ.
X-FACTOR --> ERIK BEDARD NEEDS TO GET HIS GAME BACK ON TRACK FROM INJURIES AND AN OFF YEAR FROM 2006. ICHIRO SUZUKI IS THE CATALYST FOR THIS TEAM OFFENSIVELY.
SLEEPER PICK --> REALLY DON’T SEE ANYONE THAT WILL PUT UP NUMBERS THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR THIS CATEGORY.
PREDICTION --> NO PLAYOFFS FOR THE MARINERS AND WILL HAVE ANOTHER LOSING SEASON.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Whatever the case, the Mariners cannot stand idly by and not do anything. One thing that can be ruled is out, are the Mariners dipping into the free agent market and sign players. For the Mariners, and the state the economy is in right now, signing players to long term deals will kill this franchise, because as it stands right now, they have trouble filling seats at Safeco Field.
One thing that could draw bigger crowds to Mariners games again is the return of Ken Griffey Jr. It will be quite a treat for Mariners fans to see Griffey play out his career in Seattle where his illustrious baseball career began. For the soon to be forty year old, he couldn’t have picked a better spot to call it a career. Griffey and his sweet swing can still play the game at a high level, and for sure he will add to the Mariners’ offense that struggled last year.
To lead off the batting order is Ichiro Suzuki, and is one of the best in the game to lead off, and at his position out in right field. Since signing a lucrative contract two seasons ago that was worth one hundred million dollars over five years, Suzuki really hasn’t impressed much with his offensive output. He can still rack up the hits, and has two hundred or more hits the past four years. Last season his 42 RBI didn’t cut it at all, fans and media alike began questioning him and his contract, and whether or not he was worth it anymore. If Suzuki doesn’t bat in at least sixty or more RBI, he could be traded, and that wouldn’t be the worst thing the Mariners could do. If that were to happen, any contending team would love to have him, and the Mariners could receive a plethora of players and prospects.
At third base the Mariners employ a classic example of a player having a solid year in his contract season, jumps on the richest contract he gets offered, and sits on it. That player is Adrian Beltre, who with the Dodgers in his contract year hit forty plus homeruns and led the Dodgers to the playoffs. Luckily for the Dodgers, the Mariners outbid them and signed Beltre to a five year contract worth more than 50 million dollars. Just in case you are wondering, Beltre in his four years with Seattle hasn’t hit the forty homerun mark, or the thirty homerun mark. The most he has hit is 26, and has not batted more than .270.
At short stop Yuniesky Betancourt had a breakout year with seven homeruns and 51 RBI. Every time he stepped up to the plate, he worked the count and got himself into good hitting situations. This guy just keeps on improving and should have a better year in store for 2009.
The Mariners also saw the emergence of another player on the roster. At second base Jose Lopez really impressed a lot of people in the organization and had a 17 homerun, 89 RBI season. In 2009, a twenty homerun season should be a manageable feat for Lopez to achieve.
The Mariners should have a better offensive year as a few players are ready to take their game to another step, and the addition of Ken Griffey Jr. wasn’t for sentimental reasons only.
As for pitching, the Mariners have one of the best young pitchers in the game, with a pitcher that was good but has lost his game, to a pitcher that is still looking for that breakout year. To top all that off, the Mariners also had a pretty bad bullpen.
Felix Hernandez has electric stuff and was lights out in his third season with fourteen wins and 165 strikeouts. Last year, injuries affected his game and ended the season with a 9-11 record and an ERA of 3.45. If injuries don’t take their toll on this guy, he could really emerge as the staff ace on this team.
The pitcher who lost his game and can’t find it since is Jarrod Washburn. After winning the World Series in 2002 with the Anaheim Angels, Washburn has been a total loss. This guy cannot be relied on to pitch anymore, because the fear of the team losing always lingers when he pitches. In his three years with the Mariners so far, Washburn has compiled a record of 23-43.
The pitcher that is still looking for that breakout season is Erik Bedard. Injuries affected Bedard’s first season with the Mariners after he was traded from Baltimore, and only went 6-4 on the season. This left handed pitcher looks to be the real deal, and won 15 games in Baltimore back in 2006. That season was good, but not great, and Bedard can reach that mark again. Bedard just needs to hit another gear in his game and he’ll be real dominant.
The Mariners have a good team on paper with some good talent, but consistency hurt them last year and that could be the problem again this year.
POSITIVE --> SOLID YOUNG PLAYERS IN FELIX HERNANDEZ, JOSE LOPEZ, AND YUNIESKY BETANCOURT.
NEGATIVE --> PITCHING STAFF IS GOOD WITH FELIX HERNANDEZ AND ERIK BEDARD. AFTER THOSE TWO IT IS TOUGH TO FIND A GOOD ENOUGH STARTER. OFFENSIVELY, THE MARINERS REALLY ONLY HAVE TWO BIG BATS IN KEN GRIFFEY JR. AND JOSE LOPEZ.
X-FACTOR --> ERIK BEDARD NEEDS TO GET HIS GAME BACK ON TRACK FROM INJURIES AND AN OFF YEAR FROM 2006. ICHIRO SUZUKI IS THE CATALYST FOR THIS TEAM OFFENSIVELY.
SLEEPER PICK --> REALLY DON’T SEE ANYONE THAT WILL PUT UP NUMBERS THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR THIS CATEGORY.
PREDICTION --> NO PLAYOFFS FOR THE MARINERS AND WILL HAVE ANOTHER LOSING SEASON.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009 MLB Forecaster SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (72-90, 4th NL WEST)
Not a lot of experts picked the Giants to make the playoffs, or finish with a losing record. In hindsight, no one actually realized how bad this team was heading into the 2008 season. Offensively, this team was challenged and couldn’t score consistently with a prominent bat in their lineup. One area that was sure to get all the accolades was the pitching. For some parts it did, in the way of Tim Lincecum, who ended up winning the National League Cy Young Award with an 18-5 record and a 2.62 ERA. He did all that in just his second season in the Major’s. Lincecum will once again head up the starting rotation as the number one guy.
Of course Lincecum was the only bright spot on the Giants roster, and the only conceivable reason for a fan to come out and watch the Giants play. With his stats alone, he single handedly kept the Giants out of the bottom in most team pitching stats.
After Lincecum, the Giants thought they found the number two pitcher that would follow him. Giants’ management did, and they were so excited about having him on the team, that they offered him a seven year contract worth 117 million dollars. It turned out that left hander Barry Zito took the whole 2008 season off, and was on vacation on the shores of the sunny San Francisco beaches. When Zito was signed, he was supposed to be the number one pitcher, and let Lincecum ease into a star pitcher. Things changed quickly as Lincecum sped up his career with an outstanding season, and Zito didn’t exactly provide the dynamic duo punch the Giants were looking for. Instead he posted a record of 10-17, and had an ERA of 5.15.
Even Giants management misjudged Zito, who has hardly had any success by his standards when he won the American League Cy Young Award with the Oakland Athletics in 2002. In 2007, which was his final year of his contract in Oakland, you’d think he would pitch lights out for a long term contract. Even then he only posted eleven wins and thirteen losses, with an ERA of 4.53. What was Giants management thinking when they offered Zito the contract they did?
To shore up the starting five, Giants management this time didn’t make a mistake in signing crafty left hander, former NL Cy Young Award winner, and World Series Champion Randy Johnson. This 45 year old can still pitch, and probably better than Barry Zito. Johnson still has one of the nastiest slider’s in the game, and can still throw it at a high velocity.
If Zito can get his head on straight, the Giants will have a good enough starting rotation to improve the overall team record from last season.
As mentioned above, the Giants will be offensively challenged. They are full of young players on their roster and will be hungry to make a name for themselves and get playing time. Which is a plus, and that could possibly make them better hitters. Reality check, more than three quarters of the San Francisco roster is full of rookies, sophomores and third years players, with the majority having yet to play a full year in the Bigs. With that, don’t expect the Giants to crank out homeruns on the regular.
Besides all those players still trying to find their way, the Giants do have some veteran bats in the lineup that can hit. Behind the plate, and a defensive rock is Bengie Molina, but don’t expect him to track down wild pitches that get thrown behind him. His speed is a killer, because Molina is a solid hitter and can get on base, but driving him in is a problem, he is so damn slow. At the plate Molina always puts up respectable numbers and just came off a 16 homerun and 95 RBI season.
The only veteran player in the infield is Edgar Renteria, who will be the everyday starting short stop. His power numbers sure have dipped the last four years, but defensively he gets the job done, and the Giants will need that, especially in one of the most demanding positions in baseball.
In the outfield, the Giants have two veterans, one better than their infield. Aaron Rowand and Randy Winn will occupy centre and right field. Of the two players, Rowand is more of the power hitter, and can at least hit twenty homeruns and 90 RBI. With those types of numbers, Rowand will most likely bat out of the three or four hole.
As for Randy Winn, he has spent the last four years of his career in San Francisco and is on the cusp of calling it a career. At the same time, he is no slouch when it comes to batting. He can easily hit twelve homeruns, and at least sixty RBI. The Giants at this point aren’t worried about his numbers more than they are about his presence and what he will bring to the clubhouse. He is one of the leaders on this team and will have to guide the younger players in all aspects of the game.
Beyond that, at least four starting positions on the Giants roster will be played by sophomores or third year players. Again, those who will start, probably haven’t played at least two hundred games in their careers. The only player out of the youngsters who has played more than two hundred games is Fred Lewis. He barely reached that mark with 204 games played, and will most likely be the opening day left fielder, as he played 133 games game there last season.
POSITIVE --> GOOD PITCHING STAFF WITH TIM LINCECUM AND RANDY JOHNSON.
NEGATIVE --> A TEAM FULL OF YOUNG PLAYERS ISN’T NECESSARILY A BAD THING, BUT THE TEAM WILL STRUGGLE DUE TO EXPERIENCE.
X-FACTOR --> BARRY ZITO NEEDS TO STRAIGHTEN OUT HIS GAME BECAUSE HE IS ANOTHER LEFT HANDER IN THE ROTATION. IF HE PITCHES WELL ENOUGH TO EARN 15 VICTORIES, THEN HE AND OTHER LEFTY RANDY JOHNSON WILL GO BACK TO BACK IN THE ROTATION, WHICH WILL ONLY IMPROVE THE GIANTS AS A WHOLE.
SLEEPER PICK --> IT HAS TO BE ONE OF THE YOUNGSTERS, SO FRED LEWIS. HE PLAYED 133 GAMES LAST YEAR AND PUT UP DECENT NUMBERS.
PREDICTION --> NO PLAYOFFS FOR THE GIANTS THIS YEAR AND WILL AT LEAST FINISH VERY CLOSE TO, OR JUST ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Of course Lincecum was the only bright spot on the Giants roster, and the only conceivable reason for a fan to come out and watch the Giants play. With his stats alone, he single handedly kept the Giants out of the bottom in most team pitching stats.
After Lincecum, the Giants thought they found the number two pitcher that would follow him. Giants’ management did, and they were so excited about having him on the team, that they offered him a seven year contract worth 117 million dollars. It turned out that left hander Barry Zito took the whole 2008 season off, and was on vacation on the shores of the sunny San Francisco beaches. When Zito was signed, he was supposed to be the number one pitcher, and let Lincecum ease into a star pitcher. Things changed quickly as Lincecum sped up his career with an outstanding season, and Zito didn’t exactly provide the dynamic duo punch the Giants were looking for. Instead he posted a record of 10-17, and had an ERA of 5.15.
Even Giants management misjudged Zito, who has hardly had any success by his standards when he won the American League Cy Young Award with the Oakland Athletics in 2002. In 2007, which was his final year of his contract in Oakland, you’d think he would pitch lights out for a long term contract. Even then he only posted eleven wins and thirteen losses, with an ERA of 4.53. What was Giants management thinking when they offered Zito the contract they did?
To shore up the starting five, Giants management this time didn’t make a mistake in signing crafty left hander, former NL Cy Young Award winner, and World Series Champion Randy Johnson. This 45 year old can still pitch, and probably better than Barry Zito. Johnson still has one of the nastiest slider’s in the game, and can still throw it at a high velocity.
If Zito can get his head on straight, the Giants will have a good enough starting rotation to improve the overall team record from last season.
As mentioned above, the Giants will be offensively challenged. They are full of young players on their roster and will be hungry to make a name for themselves and get playing time. Which is a plus, and that could possibly make them better hitters. Reality check, more than three quarters of the San Francisco roster is full of rookies, sophomores and third years players, with the majority having yet to play a full year in the Bigs. With that, don’t expect the Giants to crank out homeruns on the regular.
Besides all those players still trying to find their way, the Giants do have some veteran bats in the lineup that can hit. Behind the plate, and a defensive rock is Bengie Molina, but don’t expect him to track down wild pitches that get thrown behind him. His speed is a killer, because Molina is a solid hitter and can get on base, but driving him in is a problem, he is so damn slow. At the plate Molina always puts up respectable numbers and just came off a 16 homerun and 95 RBI season.
The only veteran player in the infield is Edgar Renteria, who will be the everyday starting short stop. His power numbers sure have dipped the last four years, but defensively he gets the job done, and the Giants will need that, especially in one of the most demanding positions in baseball.
In the outfield, the Giants have two veterans, one better than their infield. Aaron Rowand and Randy Winn will occupy centre and right field. Of the two players, Rowand is more of the power hitter, and can at least hit twenty homeruns and 90 RBI. With those types of numbers, Rowand will most likely bat out of the three or four hole.
As for Randy Winn, he has spent the last four years of his career in San Francisco and is on the cusp of calling it a career. At the same time, he is no slouch when it comes to batting. He can easily hit twelve homeruns, and at least sixty RBI. The Giants at this point aren’t worried about his numbers more than they are about his presence and what he will bring to the clubhouse. He is one of the leaders on this team and will have to guide the younger players in all aspects of the game.
Beyond that, at least four starting positions on the Giants roster will be played by sophomores or third year players. Again, those who will start, probably haven’t played at least two hundred games in their careers. The only player out of the youngsters who has played more than two hundred games is Fred Lewis. He barely reached that mark with 204 games played, and will most likely be the opening day left fielder, as he played 133 games game there last season.
POSITIVE --> GOOD PITCHING STAFF WITH TIM LINCECUM AND RANDY JOHNSON.
NEGATIVE --> A TEAM FULL OF YOUNG PLAYERS ISN’T NECESSARILY A BAD THING, BUT THE TEAM WILL STRUGGLE DUE TO EXPERIENCE.
X-FACTOR --> BARRY ZITO NEEDS TO STRAIGHTEN OUT HIS GAME BECAUSE HE IS ANOTHER LEFT HANDER IN THE ROTATION. IF HE PITCHES WELL ENOUGH TO EARN 15 VICTORIES, THEN HE AND OTHER LEFTY RANDY JOHNSON WILL GO BACK TO BACK IN THE ROTATION, WHICH WILL ONLY IMPROVE THE GIANTS AS A WHOLE.
SLEEPER PICK --> IT HAS TO BE ONE OF THE YOUNGSTERS, SO FRED LEWIS. HE PLAYED 133 GAMES LAST YEAR AND PUT UP DECENT NUMBERS.
PREDICTION --> NO PLAYOFFS FOR THE GIANTS THIS YEAR AND WILL AT LEAST FINISH VERY CLOSE TO, OR JUST ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009 MLB Forecaster SAN DIEGO PADRES (63-99, 5th NL WEST)
Things looked bright for the Padres organization a few years back when they consistently challenged for, and made the playoffs. Now, that is an afterthought, and this franchise is looking to get back on track with a talent pool full of young prospects looking to make their mark in the Major’s as everyday players. Of course, with that will come a few years of losing baseball, and that is exactly what will happen this year, unless every player has a monster year.
The Padres used to be stacked in a lot of positions, but now they will be happy to have at least a couple of players who can play the game properly. Starting with pitching, the Padres are led by staff ace Jake Peavy, who can offer a lot of talent. In 2007, Peavy pitched remarkably and ended the year with a 19-6 record, and an ERA of 2.54. Last year, Peavy drifted off from that record and struggled to repeat those numbers and finished with a 10-11 record, but managed to keep his ERA down at 2.85. At the same time, the Padres bullpen was very weak and they had trouble closing games, holding leads, or keep the score close if the Padres were losing.
If you look at it the other way in the bullpens’ defense, beyond Jake Peavy, the rest of the starting staff really sucked and never gave the Padres a chance in winning any game.
Chris Young was thought to be a good enough second starter, but in three years with the Padres, Young has struggled to win, keep his ERA low, which has always been above 3.10, or have a big season. Young does deserve some credit as well, as he has been able to pitch above five hundred and not have a losing season yet. It is safe to say he has been a bust with the Padres, as they were looking for someone to back-up Jake Peavy.
In the three, four and five spots are Cha Seung Baek, Kevin Correia and Josh Geer. In Baek and Correia, are two pitchers that are still learning their mechanics. For Baek he has pitched overseas in Asia and has some experience, but pitching in the Bigs is a whole new world. Correia has yet to prove himself as a starter or as a strong relief pitcher out of the bullpen in his time with the San Francisco Giants, which led to his release. Pitching out of the fifth spot will be rookie Josh Geer who started five games and won two of them with an ERA of 2.67, which isn’t bad at all.
Pitching will be a problem for the Padres this year and that will hurt the teams’ chances of having a winning season. On the flip side, the offense for the Padres didn’t do their job either, and really, only had one good, all round, solid batter, in Adrian Gonzalez.
Since signing on with the Padres three years ago to play in his home city, Gonzalez has been the real deal, and has just produced year after year. From his first year with the Padres back in 2006, he has increased his homerun and RBI totals each year. He hit 24 homeruns in ’06, then thirty in ’07, and 36 last year. Gonzalez has been a real run producer as well, having batted in 82 runs in his first year, then upped that total to 100, and last season batted in 119 runs. Gonzalez is the leader of this ball club, and the scary part is, he hasn’t entered his prime yet, so imagine what he will be able to accomplish the next four to five years. A lot of the Padres offense will be generated by Gonzalez and he is fully aware of that.
Making the transition back to second base is veteran David Eckstein. He will bring a world of experience to the Padres, especially to the youngsters, with his two World Series rings, and MVP of the 2006 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. Eckstein may not have that offensive flair he used to have when with the Anaheim Angels, but he is still a good leadoff hitter that can really work the opposing pitcher to start off a game. He can still run and is still a threat to steal a base here and there.
Another veteran bat the Padres employ is Brian Giles, who is nearing the end of his career at the age of 38. Last year, he still showed he could swing the bat and had an average of .306. Giles’ power numbers have dropped off the last two years, but he can still hit for average, and drive in about 65 runs. The extra leadership he will provide in the clubhouse will be a bonus for the Padres.
As for the rest of the batting order, the Padres have brought in some experienced bats in Cliff Floyd and Jody Gerut. Still, at the end of the day the Padres will have trouble to score runs, because the lineup isn’t at all balanced, and is very spotty. Some players are really good and can hit for power, then you’ll see a batter who can’t hit for power, or hit at all.
The Padres will struggle this year, and there fan base will have to go through another losing season.
POSITIVE --> THE CHANCE FOR PADRES FANS TO SEE ADRIAN GONZALEZ PLAY.
NEGATIVE --> A LOT OF THINGS ARE WRONG WITH THIS TEAM, FROM THE PITCHING TO THE BATTING ORDER.
X-FACTOR --> TAKE YOUR PICK, JAKE PEAVY OR ADRIAN GONZALEZ? PEAVY HAS TO HOLD DOWN THE PITCHING STAFF, AND THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR GONZALEZ IN THE BATTING ORDER. IF PEAVY PITCHES BAD, THEN THE TEAM PITCHING NUMBERS WILL RISE. IF GONZALEZ CAN’T HIT LIKE HE CAN, THEN THE PADRES WON’T SCORE AS MANY RUNS.
SLEEPER PICK --> ROOKIE PITCHER JOSH GEER MAINTAINED A LOW ENOUGH ERA IN HIS FIVE STARTS, AND COULD EARN AT LEAST TEN VICTORIES IF GIVEN A STARTERS ROLE.
PREDICTION --> ANOTHER LOSING SEASON, WILL FINISH FOURTH OR FIFTH IN DIVISION, WITH 60-67 WINS.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
The Padres used to be stacked in a lot of positions, but now they will be happy to have at least a couple of players who can play the game properly. Starting with pitching, the Padres are led by staff ace Jake Peavy, who can offer a lot of talent. In 2007, Peavy pitched remarkably and ended the year with a 19-6 record, and an ERA of 2.54. Last year, Peavy drifted off from that record and struggled to repeat those numbers and finished with a 10-11 record, but managed to keep his ERA down at 2.85. At the same time, the Padres bullpen was very weak and they had trouble closing games, holding leads, or keep the score close if the Padres were losing.
If you look at it the other way in the bullpens’ defense, beyond Jake Peavy, the rest of the starting staff really sucked and never gave the Padres a chance in winning any game.
Chris Young was thought to be a good enough second starter, but in three years with the Padres, Young has struggled to win, keep his ERA low, which has always been above 3.10, or have a big season. Young does deserve some credit as well, as he has been able to pitch above five hundred and not have a losing season yet. It is safe to say he has been a bust with the Padres, as they were looking for someone to back-up Jake Peavy.
In the three, four and five spots are Cha Seung Baek, Kevin Correia and Josh Geer. In Baek and Correia, are two pitchers that are still learning their mechanics. For Baek he has pitched overseas in Asia and has some experience, but pitching in the Bigs is a whole new world. Correia has yet to prove himself as a starter or as a strong relief pitcher out of the bullpen in his time with the San Francisco Giants, which led to his release. Pitching out of the fifth spot will be rookie Josh Geer who started five games and won two of them with an ERA of 2.67, which isn’t bad at all.
Pitching will be a problem for the Padres this year and that will hurt the teams’ chances of having a winning season. On the flip side, the offense for the Padres didn’t do their job either, and really, only had one good, all round, solid batter, in Adrian Gonzalez.
Since signing on with the Padres three years ago to play in his home city, Gonzalez has been the real deal, and has just produced year after year. From his first year with the Padres back in 2006, he has increased his homerun and RBI totals each year. He hit 24 homeruns in ’06, then thirty in ’07, and 36 last year. Gonzalez has been a real run producer as well, having batted in 82 runs in his first year, then upped that total to 100, and last season batted in 119 runs. Gonzalez is the leader of this ball club, and the scary part is, he hasn’t entered his prime yet, so imagine what he will be able to accomplish the next four to five years. A lot of the Padres offense will be generated by Gonzalez and he is fully aware of that.
Making the transition back to second base is veteran David Eckstein. He will bring a world of experience to the Padres, especially to the youngsters, with his two World Series rings, and MVP of the 2006 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. Eckstein may not have that offensive flair he used to have when with the Anaheim Angels, but he is still a good leadoff hitter that can really work the opposing pitcher to start off a game. He can still run and is still a threat to steal a base here and there.
Another veteran bat the Padres employ is Brian Giles, who is nearing the end of his career at the age of 38. Last year, he still showed he could swing the bat and had an average of .306. Giles’ power numbers have dropped off the last two years, but he can still hit for average, and drive in about 65 runs. The extra leadership he will provide in the clubhouse will be a bonus for the Padres.
As for the rest of the batting order, the Padres have brought in some experienced bats in Cliff Floyd and Jody Gerut. Still, at the end of the day the Padres will have trouble to score runs, because the lineup isn’t at all balanced, and is very spotty. Some players are really good and can hit for power, then you’ll see a batter who can’t hit for power, or hit at all.
The Padres will struggle this year, and there fan base will have to go through another losing season.
POSITIVE --> THE CHANCE FOR PADRES FANS TO SEE ADRIAN GONZALEZ PLAY.
NEGATIVE --> A LOT OF THINGS ARE WRONG WITH THIS TEAM, FROM THE PITCHING TO THE BATTING ORDER.
X-FACTOR --> TAKE YOUR PICK, JAKE PEAVY OR ADRIAN GONZALEZ? PEAVY HAS TO HOLD DOWN THE PITCHING STAFF, AND THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR GONZALEZ IN THE BATTING ORDER. IF PEAVY PITCHES BAD, THEN THE TEAM PITCHING NUMBERS WILL RISE. IF GONZALEZ CAN’T HIT LIKE HE CAN, THEN THE PADRES WON’T SCORE AS MANY RUNS.
SLEEPER PICK --> ROOKIE PITCHER JOSH GEER MAINTAINED A LOW ENOUGH ERA IN HIS FIVE STARTS, AND COULD EARN AT LEAST TEN VICTORIES IF GIVEN A STARTERS ROLE.
PREDICTION --> ANOTHER LOSING SEASON, WILL FINISH FOURTH OR FIFTH IN DIVISION, WITH 60-67 WINS.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009 MLB Forecaster PITTSBURGH PIRATES (67-95, 6th NL CENTRAL)
It sure has been a while now since this once proud franchise made the playoffs, won some sort of a championship, or even had a winning season. The Pirates play in one of the best ballparks in all of baseball, but fail to draw large crowds, and it is safe to say that the magic of baseball in Pittsburgh is lost. Especially when you look around the city and the other pro sports franchises. For instance, the Steelers just won their record sixth Super Bowl, and the Penguins are on the rise and made the Stanley Cup Finals last year. With the economy that is in place, it is tough for Pittsburghers to make room for their Pirates. That sure is sad.
Things looked good for the Pirates when they had outfielder’s Jason Bay and Xavier Nady. Both were and still are young players, who came into their own with the Pirates, and a rebuild plan, looked to be in place. Gone now is what was supposed to be the future of the Pirates in Jason Bay and Xavier Nady. Bay was traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for prospects and draft picks. Nady was traded off to the New York Yankees, also for prospects and draft picks. Once again, another rebuild plan is in place for the Pirates, and who knows if this one will pan out, or if they’ll be able to produce another Jason Bay or Xavier Nady.
This upcoming season, the Pirates will once again struggle and will probably finish in fifth or sixth place again, with a below five hundred record.
Starting with pitching, the Pirates are very thin on big names or players who have been around. The only player that really stands out is pitcher Zach Duke, who has good stuff, but sadly for him a bad batting order mixed with weak pitching really has hurt his record. His ERA has also been inflated, and hasn’t had an ERA below 4.50 the past three years. As for wins, those have been very scarce, and Duke has only won 18 games along with 37 losses the last three years. Duke is a good guy and is loyal to the Pirates organization and could’ve demanded a trade or a buyout. He has stuck around and taken punishment from a lot of teams.
Beyond Zach Duke, the Pirates will have a very spotty pitching rotation and bullpen. Last year, the Pirates were one of the worst teams in overall team ERA with the highest, and had a horrible bullpen. This season will be no different.
Offensively, the Pirates will struggle to produce runs, as a lot of rookies, sophomores, prospects and veterans who just want to play will occupy the eight batting slots.
The same deal applies to the batting order as they barely have any names that jump out at you. Only a few are recognizable, like Eric Hinske and Adam LaRoche. Both of these players are hardly the big boppers at the plate.
Eric Hinske looked to have a bright future with the Toronto Blue Jays when he won the rookie of the Year award in 2003. Since then, he struggled, was dropped in the depth charts, lost his starting position at third base, and was traded to Boston. Since then, Boston let him go, and Hinske found himself in Tampa Bay and in the World Series last year, but again, things didn’t work out. Right now, Hinske has an opportunity to be an everyday player at third base, something that will happen, and really get his career back on track. Hinske has a lot of potential and needs a breakout season.
Adam LaRoche was the only bright spot on the Pirates last year when he hit 25 homeruns, and that is something he can do consistently. After LaRoche, the Pirates will struggle to find run production from other players on the roster.
Overall, the Pirates are in for another down year, and the fan base is getting smaller and smaller.
POSITIVE --> ONLY STRONG POINT WITH THIS CLUB IS PNC PARK.
NEGATIVE --> NO ONE KNOWS THE DIRECTION THIS FRANCHISE IS HEADED TOWARDS, OR WHERE THEY ARE AT RIGHT NOW.
X-FACTOR --> EVERY PLAYER JUST NEEDS TO PLAY A GOOD SOLID GAME.
SLEEPER PICK --> ERIC HINSKE SHOULD BREAKOUT AND THERE REALLY ISN’T ANY PRESSURE ON HIM AND CAN GET BACK TO HIS GAME FROM 2003.
PREDICTION --> DEFINETLY NO PLAYOFFS, ANOTHER LAST PLACE FINISH AND LOSING SEASON. THE PIRATES WILL PROABALY EARN 65-72 VICTORIES.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Things looked good for the Pirates when they had outfielder’s Jason Bay and Xavier Nady. Both were and still are young players, who came into their own with the Pirates, and a rebuild plan, looked to be in place. Gone now is what was supposed to be the future of the Pirates in Jason Bay and Xavier Nady. Bay was traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for prospects and draft picks. Nady was traded off to the New York Yankees, also for prospects and draft picks. Once again, another rebuild plan is in place for the Pirates, and who knows if this one will pan out, or if they’ll be able to produce another Jason Bay or Xavier Nady.
This upcoming season, the Pirates will once again struggle and will probably finish in fifth or sixth place again, with a below five hundred record.
Starting with pitching, the Pirates are very thin on big names or players who have been around. The only player that really stands out is pitcher Zach Duke, who has good stuff, but sadly for him a bad batting order mixed with weak pitching really has hurt his record. His ERA has also been inflated, and hasn’t had an ERA below 4.50 the past three years. As for wins, those have been very scarce, and Duke has only won 18 games along with 37 losses the last three years. Duke is a good guy and is loyal to the Pirates organization and could’ve demanded a trade or a buyout. He has stuck around and taken punishment from a lot of teams.
Beyond Zach Duke, the Pirates will have a very spotty pitching rotation and bullpen. Last year, the Pirates were one of the worst teams in overall team ERA with the highest, and had a horrible bullpen. This season will be no different.
Offensively, the Pirates will struggle to produce runs, as a lot of rookies, sophomores, prospects and veterans who just want to play will occupy the eight batting slots.
The same deal applies to the batting order as they barely have any names that jump out at you. Only a few are recognizable, like Eric Hinske and Adam LaRoche. Both of these players are hardly the big boppers at the plate.
Eric Hinske looked to have a bright future with the Toronto Blue Jays when he won the rookie of the Year award in 2003. Since then, he struggled, was dropped in the depth charts, lost his starting position at third base, and was traded to Boston. Since then, Boston let him go, and Hinske found himself in Tampa Bay and in the World Series last year, but again, things didn’t work out. Right now, Hinske has an opportunity to be an everyday player at third base, something that will happen, and really get his career back on track. Hinske has a lot of potential and needs a breakout season.
Adam LaRoche was the only bright spot on the Pirates last year when he hit 25 homeruns, and that is something he can do consistently. After LaRoche, the Pirates will struggle to find run production from other players on the roster.
Overall, the Pirates are in for another down year, and the fan base is getting smaller and smaller.
POSITIVE --> ONLY STRONG POINT WITH THIS CLUB IS PNC PARK.
NEGATIVE --> NO ONE KNOWS THE DIRECTION THIS FRANCHISE IS HEADED TOWARDS, OR WHERE THEY ARE AT RIGHT NOW.
X-FACTOR --> EVERY PLAYER JUST NEEDS TO PLAY A GOOD SOLID GAME.
SLEEPER PICK --> ERIC HINSKE SHOULD BREAKOUT AND THERE REALLY ISN’T ANY PRESSURE ON HIM AND CAN GET BACK TO HIS GAME FROM 2003.
PREDICTION --> DEFINETLY NO PLAYOFFS, ANOTHER LAST PLACE FINISH AND LOSING SEASON. THE PIRATES WILL PROABALY EARN 65-72 VICTORIES.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009 MLB Forecaster PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (92-70, NL EAST DIV. CHAMPS., WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS)
After a short lived 2007 playoff drive, the Phillies really redeemed themselves with a World Series Championship the following season. For the franchise, it was just their second World Series in over 100 years of existence. The Phillies won the championship with a complete team effort, every player played at his best, and most importantly, the Phillies got solid pitching. With the same pitching rotation back for the 2009 season, the Phillies are serious contenders once again.
Led by Cole Hamels in the pitching staff, Joe Blanton, Brett Myers, and Jamie Moyer follow up. These four pitchers shone most in the playoffs.
For Cole Hamels, this season is all about proving he is the best left hander in the National League, and at least contend for the Cy Young award. In his last two seasons, Hamels has won 29 games with an ERA a little above three. Winning 18 games this year won’t be a stretch for the 26 year old, because during the playoff run, Hamels was lights out, didn’t lose a game, and earned MVP honors in the World Series. Against a tough Tampa Bay Rays hitting lineup, Hamels made them look like fools with his devastating change-up.
Joe Blanton was probably the piece that put the Phillies over the top when they acquired him at mid-season from the Oakland Athletics. His 9-12 record may make you think otherwise about Blanton, but with the Phillies he pitched above five hundred. In the three seasons before 2008, Blanton was averaging 13-14 wins a year. With a full season in Philadelphia, Blanton should hit the 14 win mark. It is very important for the Phillies to have a strong number two pitcher behind Cole Hamels.
Who knew Brett Myers was a slugger with the bat? This guy was aggressive at the plate versus the Brewers in the NLDS, and had big hits in a few games that really broke it open and paved the way for a Phillies victory. Pitching wise, Myers needs to improve, because his 10-13 record was good but not good enough. For a team that has to contend with the Mets, Myers needs to get back to winning 12 games a year. Something he did in the 2005-06 seasons.
The ageless wonder Jamie Moyer, at 46 years old this guy is still pitching and at a high level. How about his 16-7 record with an ERA of 3.71? That was truly amazing what Moyer did last season, and continued his solid pitching through the playoffs. Now for 2009, he may not put up 16 wins, which will be unbelievable if he does. But, in the last four years, and in his forties, Moyer averaged 12 wins a year. Even ten wins will be acceptable from Moyer.
Overall, the Phillies have a pretty good starting rotation, and Cole Hamels will only boost their record, because he is ready for a big win year. To back-up the rotation, the Phillies have one of the best bullpens, which feature All-Start closer Brad Lidge, who was perfect in save opportunities during the season, and in the playoffs. Even before Lidge, the Phillies have very strong set-up men that really stepped up their game during the stretch drive and playoffs.
Complimenting the pitching staff is one of the best infields in all of baseball. At first base is slugger Ryan Howard, at second base is power hitting Chase Utley, and at short stop is defensive wizard Jimmy Rollins. These three have been the nucleus for the Phillies the past three years, and winning a World Series came down to how those three players would play. Well, they didn’t upset, as each player contributed the best he could, either with the bat or with the glove.
Ryan Howard is truly one of the best homerun hitters right now, as he has hit 45 or more homeruns the past two seasons, and hit 58 in his sophomore season. So far in his four big league seasons, Howard has hit 175 homeruns, and is currently on pace to have hit 350 after eight years. Last season Howard really stole the show with 48 homeruns, 146 RBI and 153 hits. He did strikeout a tone, and also led the Major’s in that category as well. During the playoffs Howard really struggled at the plate and wasn’t that big of a threat as the playoffs wore one. If he can continue to play like an All-Star during the season, the Phillies would take it.
Chase Utley is probably the best second basemen in baseball right now, and has easily averaged 25 homeruns a year, and over 100 RBI. Defensively he is just as good. During the playoffs he really brought a new attitude to the plate and made up for Howard not hitting the ball well.
Jimmy Rollins is a great leadoff hitter, can steal bases, and is in his prime right now. Rollins can easily hit twenty homeruns, something he has accomplished in his career. Defensively, he is sound, and doesn’t let many balls get by him, or commit many errors. Any three of the hitter’s mentioned above can win the MVP award, and all three have already won that award.
The loss of Pat Burrell was a tough one for the Phillies, who before the off-season, spent his entire career in Philadelphia, but management filled his void with the signing of Raul Ibanez. With Seattle, Ibanez had great years, but when a team is losing, players tend to drift off a bit and that hit him. With the Phillies now, he will easily fit in and make the loss of Burrell a non-factor.
Who can forget about Shane Victorino and what he can bring to any ball club. He has proved he is a tough out, and once on base, he can fly and is a guaranteed run for the Phillies.
In the catcher’s spot, Carlos Ruiz really made a name for himself, and came into his own in his third year in the Major’s. Look for him to hit the double figure’s mark in homeruns.
The Phillies have the same team in place from last season, and a few players are on the verge of improving their game and really breakout for big years. That will only increase the Phillies’ chance of winning the division for the third straight year.
POSITIVE --> SOLID NUCLEUS WITH RYAN HOWARD, CHASE UTLEY, JIMMY ROLLINS, AND COLE HAMELS. OVERALL, JUST A GOOD, SOLID, GRITTY TEAM. A REFELCTION OF THE CITY THEY PLAY IN.
NEGATIVE --> JOE BLANTON AND BRETT MYERS HAD BELOW FIVE HUNDRED RECORDS, AND IF THEY CAN PITCH FOR AN ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED RECORD, THE CHANCES OF THE PHILLIES WINNING THE DIVISION INCREASE.
X-FACTOR --> CHASE UTLEY IS THE LEADER OF THIS TEAM. RYAN HOWRD CAN HIT, NO PROBLEM THERE. BUT WITH UTLEY HE IS ANOTHER POWER BAT AND IWTHOUT HIM IN PHILADELPHIA, WHERE WOULD THE PHILLIES BE?
SLEEPER PICK --> CARLOS RUIZ IS KNOWN MORE FOR HS DEFENSE, BUT A LARGE OFFENSIVE OUTPUT MAY BE PRODUCED FROM HIM.
PREDICTION --> THE ONLY OTHER COMPETITION THE PHILLIES HAVE FOR THE DIVISION ARE THE NEW YORK METS. THE CHANGES THE METS MADE TO THEIR PITCHING REALLY MATCHES THE TWO TEAMS NOW. IT WILL BE AN EVEN AND TIGHT RACE ALL THE WAY, AND THE PHILLIES WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AS THE WILD CARD WINNERS IF THEIR PITCHING AFTER COLE HAMELS IS SOLID.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Led by Cole Hamels in the pitching staff, Joe Blanton, Brett Myers, and Jamie Moyer follow up. These four pitchers shone most in the playoffs.
For Cole Hamels, this season is all about proving he is the best left hander in the National League, and at least contend for the Cy Young award. In his last two seasons, Hamels has won 29 games with an ERA a little above three. Winning 18 games this year won’t be a stretch for the 26 year old, because during the playoff run, Hamels was lights out, didn’t lose a game, and earned MVP honors in the World Series. Against a tough Tampa Bay Rays hitting lineup, Hamels made them look like fools with his devastating change-up.
Joe Blanton was probably the piece that put the Phillies over the top when they acquired him at mid-season from the Oakland Athletics. His 9-12 record may make you think otherwise about Blanton, but with the Phillies he pitched above five hundred. In the three seasons before 2008, Blanton was averaging 13-14 wins a year. With a full season in Philadelphia, Blanton should hit the 14 win mark. It is very important for the Phillies to have a strong number two pitcher behind Cole Hamels.
Who knew Brett Myers was a slugger with the bat? This guy was aggressive at the plate versus the Brewers in the NLDS, and had big hits in a few games that really broke it open and paved the way for a Phillies victory. Pitching wise, Myers needs to improve, because his 10-13 record was good but not good enough. For a team that has to contend with the Mets, Myers needs to get back to winning 12 games a year. Something he did in the 2005-06 seasons.
The ageless wonder Jamie Moyer, at 46 years old this guy is still pitching and at a high level. How about his 16-7 record with an ERA of 3.71? That was truly amazing what Moyer did last season, and continued his solid pitching through the playoffs. Now for 2009, he may not put up 16 wins, which will be unbelievable if he does. But, in the last four years, and in his forties, Moyer averaged 12 wins a year. Even ten wins will be acceptable from Moyer.
Overall, the Phillies have a pretty good starting rotation, and Cole Hamels will only boost their record, because he is ready for a big win year. To back-up the rotation, the Phillies have one of the best bullpens, which feature All-Start closer Brad Lidge, who was perfect in save opportunities during the season, and in the playoffs. Even before Lidge, the Phillies have very strong set-up men that really stepped up their game during the stretch drive and playoffs.
Complimenting the pitching staff is one of the best infields in all of baseball. At first base is slugger Ryan Howard, at second base is power hitting Chase Utley, and at short stop is defensive wizard Jimmy Rollins. These three have been the nucleus for the Phillies the past three years, and winning a World Series came down to how those three players would play. Well, they didn’t upset, as each player contributed the best he could, either with the bat or with the glove.
Ryan Howard is truly one of the best homerun hitters right now, as he has hit 45 or more homeruns the past two seasons, and hit 58 in his sophomore season. So far in his four big league seasons, Howard has hit 175 homeruns, and is currently on pace to have hit 350 after eight years. Last season Howard really stole the show with 48 homeruns, 146 RBI and 153 hits. He did strikeout a tone, and also led the Major’s in that category as well. During the playoffs Howard really struggled at the plate and wasn’t that big of a threat as the playoffs wore one. If he can continue to play like an All-Star during the season, the Phillies would take it.
Chase Utley is probably the best second basemen in baseball right now, and has easily averaged 25 homeruns a year, and over 100 RBI. Defensively he is just as good. During the playoffs he really brought a new attitude to the plate and made up for Howard not hitting the ball well.
Jimmy Rollins is a great leadoff hitter, can steal bases, and is in his prime right now. Rollins can easily hit twenty homeruns, something he has accomplished in his career. Defensively, he is sound, and doesn’t let many balls get by him, or commit many errors. Any three of the hitter’s mentioned above can win the MVP award, and all three have already won that award.
The loss of Pat Burrell was a tough one for the Phillies, who before the off-season, spent his entire career in Philadelphia, but management filled his void with the signing of Raul Ibanez. With Seattle, Ibanez had great years, but when a team is losing, players tend to drift off a bit and that hit him. With the Phillies now, he will easily fit in and make the loss of Burrell a non-factor.
Who can forget about Shane Victorino and what he can bring to any ball club. He has proved he is a tough out, and once on base, he can fly and is a guaranteed run for the Phillies.
In the catcher’s spot, Carlos Ruiz really made a name for himself, and came into his own in his third year in the Major’s. Look for him to hit the double figure’s mark in homeruns.
The Phillies have the same team in place from last season, and a few players are on the verge of improving their game and really breakout for big years. That will only increase the Phillies’ chance of winning the division for the third straight year.
POSITIVE --> SOLID NUCLEUS WITH RYAN HOWARD, CHASE UTLEY, JIMMY ROLLINS, AND COLE HAMELS. OVERALL, JUST A GOOD, SOLID, GRITTY TEAM. A REFELCTION OF THE CITY THEY PLAY IN.
NEGATIVE --> JOE BLANTON AND BRETT MYERS HAD BELOW FIVE HUNDRED RECORDS, AND IF THEY CAN PITCH FOR AN ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED RECORD, THE CHANCES OF THE PHILLIES WINNING THE DIVISION INCREASE.
X-FACTOR --> CHASE UTLEY IS THE LEADER OF THIS TEAM. RYAN HOWRD CAN HIT, NO PROBLEM THERE. BUT WITH UTLEY HE IS ANOTHER POWER BAT AND IWTHOUT HIM IN PHILADELPHIA, WHERE WOULD THE PHILLIES BE?
SLEEPER PICK --> CARLOS RUIZ IS KNOWN MORE FOR HS DEFENSE, BUT A LARGE OFFENSIVE OUTPUT MAY BE PRODUCED FROM HIM.
PREDICTION --> THE ONLY OTHER COMPETITION THE PHILLIES HAVE FOR THE DIVISION ARE THE NEW YORK METS. THE CHANGES THE METS MADE TO THEIR PITCHING REALLY MATCHES THE TWO TEAMS NOW. IT WILL BE AN EVEN AND TIGHT RACE ALL THE WAY, AND THE PHILLIES WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AS THE WILD CARD WINNERS IF THEIR PITCHING AFTER COLE HAMELS IS SOLID.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Monday, March 16, 2009
NOTHING CAN SAVE THE RAPTORS NOW
What a horrible season the Toronto Raptors and their fans have to put up with, and there’s still more to go. The Raptors hit rock bottom many games ago, but with each loss, it’s just another blow to what was supposed to be a promising season with a 3-0 start.
Now, the Raptors are again twenty games below five hundred (24-44) following another loss, this time at the hands of the surging Charlotte Bobcats who completely re-tooled their roster the last time these two teams met with eight new faces in the line-up. The Raptors are also mired in another losing funk, now having lost eight of their last ten games. Sandwiched in that ugly streak was a seven game losing streak, but that was snapped yesterday with a dominating win over the Indiana Pacers.
Back to back games are always tough, but this is the NBA, and you have to withstand the schedule no matter how awkward it maybe. On the second game to complete the back to back, the Raptors looked out of it, very fatigued and probably played ten good minutes. That’s hardly enough to get a win in this league, or even stay in a game. The Bobcats walked all over the Raptors, who were decked out in green jersey’s for the second straight game to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, 112-86.
It was as if the Raptors had picked up where they left off when they beat the Pacers at the Air Canada Centre and started off tonight’s game real strong. The first seven minutes of this game were real good for the Raptors, but then took a break until the half.
Jose Calderon who said before the game that he was finally at one hundred percent, played like it, and really set the tempo the Raptors would play at- fast up-tempo game-and it worked. Trouble a brewed when Calderon and Chris Bosh got into foul trouble as they picked up two early fouls and sat the rest of the quarter. Chris Bosh also picked up a technical foul after his second foul, as he was fed up with some bad officiating early in the game. In the fourth quarter, Calderon also earned a technical, as he let out his frustration towards the referee’s. With those two out, the Raptors faltered and lost control of the game.
The Raptors did it all, they drove to the bucket, got good looks and nailed them, and most important of all, they defended the paint. Again, all that happened with Bosh and Calderon on the floor, and the Raptors built a strong 10-6 lead, but that vanished as rookie Roko Ukic came into the game, and clearly showed that he can’t be trusted just yet. The Bobcats trapped Ukic whenever they could, which led to turnovers, and that led to a 21-12 run for Charlotte to close out the quarter with Anthony Parker running the point.
After the first quarter the Bobcats were up 27-22 and kept adding to that lead.
To start the second, Bosh and Calderon played and there was a slight improvement but they were still in foul trouble and the Bobcats attacked Bosh down low and easily scored, as Bosh didn’t want to pick up a third foul. With the strength of Gerald Wallace driving to the basket when given the chance, and some strong defence by the Bobcats, Charlotte led at the half, 57-43, and built an even bigger lead.
The Raptors only shot 4/17 from the floor in the quarter, and had a great opportunity to climb back in the game as they were in the bonus situation from the stripe, but shied away from driving the ball.
Just like the first quarter, the Raptors started off strong on a 7-0 run, to shave the Charlotte lead to seven points at 57-50, but Toronto couldn’t play any defence. The Bobcats went on a run of their own to close out another quarter strong, and outscored the Raptors 32-22 in nine minutes.
The game was pretty much over and the Raptors were down 89-72, and most of the starters were glued to the bench. The Bobcats did a nice job of continuing to run their offence, and play defense.
The Raptors did a lot of good things in this game, such as get to the line and attempted 36 shots, making good on 29 of them. They had spurts of good defensive coverage, but couldn’t hold it down for the whole game and lost their offensive rhythm. Every time the Raptors got hit with a bad play, they wouldn’t rise up, but instead get even worse.
For the Bobcats, Gerald Wallace was the real story and led his team with 25 points, which was also a game high, and added nine rebounds, and five assists. DJ Augustin off the bench in the second quarter provided a real spark and propelled the Bobcats to play at a higher level, and he finished with fifteen points and six assists. Four of the Charlotte starters finished in double figures, and had five overall.
As for the Raptors, no player scored more than twenty points, and Bosh led the team with 18, and fourteen rebounds. In two games versus the Bobcats, Bosh has averaged 34 points. The Raptors did have four players in double figure scoring, but they all struggled to reach that mark with horrible shooting percentages.
In a so far horrible season, the Raptors can at least give their loyal fans something to cheer about as they begin a five game home stand starting this Friday against these same Charlotte Bobcats.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Now, the Raptors are again twenty games below five hundred (24-44) following another loss, this time at the hands of the surging Charlotte Bobcats who completely re-tooled their roster the last time these two teams met with eight new faces in the line-up. The Raptors are also mired in another losing funk, now having lost eight of their last ten games. Sandwiched in that ugly streak was a seven game losing streak, but that was snapped yesterday with a dominating win over the Indiana Pacers.
Back to back games are always tough, but this is the NBA, and you have to withstand the schedule no matter how awkward it maybe. On the second game to complete the back to back, the Raptors looked out of it, very fatigued and probably played ten good minutes. That’s hardly enough to get a win in this league, or even stay in a game. The Bobcats walked all over the Raptors, who were decked out in green jersey’s for the second straight game to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, 112-86.
It was as if the Raptors had picked up where they left off when they beat the Pacers at the Air Canada Centre and started off tonight’s game real strong. The first seven minutes of this game were real good for the Raptors, but then took a break until the half.
Jose Calderon who said before the game that he was finally at one hundred percent, played like it, and really set the tempo the Raptors would play at- fast up-tempo game-and it worked. Trouble a brewed when Calderon and Chris Bosh got into foul trouble as they picked up two early fouls and sat the rest of the quarter. Chris Bosh also picked up a technical foul after his second foul, as he was fed up with some bad officiating early in the game. In the fourth quarter, Calderon also earned a technical, as he let out his frustration towards the referee’s. With those two out, the Raptors faltered and lost control of the game.
The Raptors did it all, they drove to the bucket, got good looks and nailed them, and most important of all, they defended the paint. Again, all that happened with Bosh and Calderon on the floor, and the Raptors built a strong 10-6 lead, but that vanished as rookie Roko Ukic came into the game, and clearly showed that he can’t be trusted just yet. The Bobcats trapped Ukic whenever they could, which led to turnovers, and that led to a 21-12 run for Charlotte to close out the quarter with Anthony Parker running the point.
After the first quarter the Bobcats were up 27-22 and kept adding to that lead.
To start the second, Bosh and Calderon played and there was a slight improvement but they were still in foul trouble and the Bobcats attacked Bosh down low and easily scored, as Bosh didn’t want to pick up a third foul. With the strength of Gerald Wallace driving to the basket when given the chance, and some strong defence by the Bobcats, Charlotte led at the half, 57-43, and built an even bigger lead.
The Raptors only shot 4/17 from the floor in the quarter, and had a great opportunity to climb back in the game as they were in the bonus situation from the stripe, but shied away from driving the ball.
Just like the first quarter, the Raptors started off strong on a 7-0 run, to shave the Charlotte lead to seven points at 57-50, but Toronto couldn’t play any defence. The Bobcats went on a run of their own to close out another quarter strong, and outscored the Raptors 32-22 in nine minutes.
The game was pretty much over and the Raptors were down 89-72, and most of the starters were glued to the bench. The Bobcats did a nice job of continuing to run their offence, and play defense.
The Raptors did a lot of good things in this game, such as get to the line and attempted 36 shots, making good on 29 of them. They had spurts of good defensive coverage, but couldn’t hold it down for the whole game and lost their offensive rhythm. Every time the Raptors got hit with a bad play, they wouldn’t rise up, but instead get even worse.
For the Bobcats, Gerald Wallace was the real story and led his team with 25 points, which was also a game high, and added nine rebounds, and five assists. DJ Augustin off the bench in the second quarter provided a real spark and propelled the Bobcats to play at a higher level, and he finished with fifteen points and six assists. Four of the Charlotte starters finished in double figures, and had five overall.
As for the Raptors, no player scored more than twenty points, and Bosh led the team with 18, and fourteen rebounds. In two games versus the Bobcats, Bosh has averaged 34 points. The Raptors did have four players in double figure scoring, but they all struggled to reach that mark with horrible shooting percentages.
In a so far horrible season, the Raptors can at least give their loyal fans something to cheer about as they begin a five game home stand starting this Friday against these same Charlotte Bobcats.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009 MLB Forecaster OAKLAND ATHLETICS (75-86, 3rd AL WEST)
The Athletics had a pretty busy off season as they brang in some new faces, old faces, and faces that haven’t been seen in a while. Bringing in a new face and a fresh new beginning is star outfielder Matt Holiday, who was acquired from the Colorado Rockies in a multi player deal that saw closer Huston Street packing. Returning is an old face, Jason Giambi, after a five year hiatus in which Giambi spent with the New York Yankees. Things didn’t work out there, and playoff success with Giambi and other sluggers was limited. A face that has rarely been seen is Nomar Garciaparra, and has really travelled around the major’s.
With those roster improvements the Athletics should at least be able to contend with their only other AL West competition in the LA Angels of Anaheim on an offensive basis only. Pitching wise, the Angels hold a distinct advantage over the Athletics and their very young pitching staff.
A couple of top prospects are at camp this year for the Athletics and the opening day start is still up for grabs. More realistically, the final decision will most likely come down to either Justin Duchscherer or Dana Eveland. Both pitchers showed last year they can pitch on a consistent level, but opening day just has a different feel to it, and it means more. Whoever gets the nod, it will show the Manager has plenty of faith in that pitcher, and that could really boost one of the two players’ confidences.
At the same time, Duchscherer and Eveland will also pitch to see who gets the number one spot in the pitching rotation. These two players should really be able to breakout this year, because in just half a season they both pitched solid. Duchscherer also made the All-Star team and finished the season with ten wins, while Eveland finished with nine victories. After those two, the Athletics will be hard pressed to find other reliable starters in the rotation or out of the bullpen for a spot start.
Even the bullpen for the Athletics struggled last season and that really increased the losses. Without a shut down closer anymore, the Athletics bullpen got weaker, as they traded Huston Street for power hitting in Matt Holliday.
Which means the offensive abilities of the Athletics will have to carry this team, or else they will be out of the division race real fast. A lot more pressure will be placed on Matt Holliday to produce runs, because the Athletics weakened one important aspect of their team for him. Holliday will have to get back to his thirty homerun hitting self, because last season he only hit 25, with 88 RBI. Playing in Oakland isn’t as pressure packed, but there is a slight difference in media coverage, and this won’t be like playing in Colorado. Playing in front of a half empty stadium in Oakland will probably make it feel like Colorado though.
With the return of Jason Giambi, he can now move into the DH role full time, or he and other DH Jack Cust will swap time from time. Both play at the same skill set when at first base, but Giambi can still ht for more power even in his late thirties now. Then again, Jack Cust is pretty strong to and belted 33 homeruns and really broke out last season.
In Giambi’s final four seasons in New York, he hit thirty or more homeruns three times. Just last year he hit 32 homeruns and batted in 96 RBI. Giambi and Holliday do present a problem for opposing pitchers, and these two can carry the team.
The past two years have been injury plagued for third basemen Eric Chavez, as he has only played in 113 games. Chavez usually is the go to guy on this Oakland team, and he has produced to earn that right as well. If healthy, and Chavez can play the whole season, he will only add and make the Athletics even more dangerous. A lot of the pressure will be eased on him too, because Holliday and Giambi can put up power numbers.
Nomar Garciaparra and Orlando Cabrera have bounced around from a number of different teams. Both can still play the game, but not like they used too. If given the starters role in their respective positions, each player can average at least 55 RBI each and can handle the bat at the top of the line-up.
Mark Ellis has been a very sound player for the Athletics over the years, and is great defensively. This is a payer that goes out and plays the game to the best of his ability. His power numbers have dwindled lately, but he is a tough out.
Bobby Crosby finally got to play a full year last season with 145 games, and really didn’t impress a whole lot. His Homerun total was seven, which was one worse than his eight from 2007 in 93 games. Crosby is getting to the point in his career where he has to show he can play consistently, or else he will be done with the Athletics. According to the depth charts, Crosby isn’t listed as a starter.
The Athletics have the offense to keep up with the LA Angels of Anaheim, but their pitching is weak, and don’t have a deep bench.
POSITIVE --> BATTING ORDER IS PRETTY GOOD WITH MATT HOLLIDAY, JASON GIAMBI AND A HEALTHY ERIC CHAVEZ.
NEGATIVE --> PITCHING STAFF IS WEAK.
X-FACTOR --> DANA EVELAND AND JUSTIN DUCHSCHERER WILL HAVE TO HAVE REALLY GOOD SEASONS AND MAKE UP FOR THE LACK OF GOOD PITCHING ON THIS TEAM.
SLEEPER PICK --> CATCHER KURT SUZUKI HAS QUIETLY EMERGED AS A SOLID EVERYDAY PLAYER, AND HIS STATS HAVE ALSO RISEN.
PREDICTION --> NO PLAYOFFS, WILL LOSE THE DIVISION RACE TO THE ANGELS, AND WILL FINISH ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
With those roster improvements the Athletics should at least be able to contend with their only other AL West competition in the LA Angels of Anaheim on an offensive basis only. Pitching wise, the Angels hold a distinct advantage over the Athletics and their very young pitching staff.
A couple of top prospects are at camp this year for the Athletics and the opening day start is still up for grabs. More realistically, the final decision will most likely come down to either Justin Duchscherer or Dana Eveland. Both pitchers showed last year they can pitch on a consistent level, but opening day just has a different feel to it, and it means more. Whoever gets the nod, it will show the Manager has plenty of faith in that pitcher, and that could really boost one of the two players’ confidences.
At the same time, Duchscherer and Eveland will also pitch to see who gets the number one spot in the pitching rotation. These two players should really be able to breakout this year, because in just half a season they both pitched solid. Duchscherer also made the All-Star team and finished the season with ten wins, while Eveland finished with nine victories. After those two, the Athletics will be hard pressed to find other reliable starters in the rotation or out of the bullpen for a spot start.
Even the bullpen for the Athletics struggled last season and that really increased the losses. Without a shut down closer anymore, the Athletics bullpen got weaker, as they traded Huston Street for power hitting in Matt Holliday.
Which means the offensive abilities of the Athletics will have to carry this team, or else they will be out of the division race real fast. A lot more pressure will be placed on Matt Holliday to produce runs, because the Athletics weakened one important aspect of their team for him. Holliday will have to get back to his thirty homerun hitting self, because last season he only hit 25, with 88 RBI. Playing in Oakland isn’t as pressure packed, but there is a slight difference in media coverage, and this won’t be like playing in Colorado. Playing in front of a half empty stadium in Oakland will probably make it feel like Colorado though.
With the return of Jason Giambi, he can now move into the DH role full time, or he and other DH Jack Cust will swap time from time. Both play at the same skill set when at first base, but Giambi can still ht for more power even in his late thirties now. Then again, Jack Cust is pretty strong to and belted 33 homeruns and really broke out last season.
In Giambi’s final four seasons in New York, he hit thirty or more homeruns three times. Just last year he hit 32 homeruns and batted in 96 RBI. Giambi and Holliday do present a problem for opposing pitchers, and these two can carry the team.
The past two years have been injury plagued for third basemen Eric Chavez, as he has only played in 113 games. Chavez usually is the go to guy on this Oakland team, and he has produced to earn that right as well. If healthy, and Chavez can play the whole season, he will only add and make the Athletics even more dangerous. A lot of the pressure will be eased on him too, because Holliday and Giambi can put up power numbers.
Nomar Garciaparra and Orlando Cabrera have bounced around from a number of different teams. Both can still play the game, but not like they used too. If given the starters role in their respective positions, each player can average at least 55 RBI each and can handle the bat at the top of the line-up.
Mark Ellis has been a very sound player for the Athletics over the years, and is great defensively. This is a payer that goes out and plays the game to the best of his ability. His power numbers have dwindled lately, but he is a tough out.
Bobby Crosby finally got to play a full year last season with 145 games, and really didn’t impress a whole lot. His Homerun total was seven, which was one worse than his eight from 2007 in 93 games. Crosby is getting to the point in his career where he has to show he can play consistently, or else he will be done with the Athletics. According to the depth charts, Crosby isn’t listed as a starter.
The Athletics have the offense to keep up with the LA Angels of Anaheim, but their pitching is weak, and don’t have a deep bench.
POSITIVE --> BATTING ORDER IS PRETTY GOOD WITH MATT HOLLIDAY, JASON GIAMBI AND A HEALTHY ERIC CHAVEZ.
NEGATIVE --> PITCHING STAFF IS WEAK.
X-FACTOR --> DANA EVELAND AND JUSTIN DUCHSCHERER WILL HAVE TO HAVE REALLY GOOD SEASONS AND MAKE UP FOR THE LACK OF GOOD PITCHING ON THIS TEAM.
SLEEPER PICK --> CATCHER KURT SUZUKI HAS QUIETLY EMERGED AS A SOLID EVERYDAY PLAYER, AND HIS STATS HAVE ALSO RISEN.
PREDICTION --> NO PLAYOFFS, WILL LOSE THE DIVISION RACE TO THE ANGELS, AND WILL FINISH ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009 MLB Forecaster NEW YORK YANKEES (89-73, 3rd AL EAST)
What an off season the Yankees had, that saw management spend and commit over 400 million dollars to three players, which will span at least five years. An off season like that was expected from the Yankees, after having the most expensive payroll in 2008, but missed the playoffs after twelve years. With New Yankee Stadium already up and built, all that’s left now is a playoff run to christen the new park and pay those outrageous salaries.
The Yankees have money, have extravagant owners, and everyone knows about it. When the Yankees won four World Series in a span of five years, that team was built through draft picks and a solid farm team. After the 2000 season, the Yankees have made fruitless trip after fruitless trip to the post season. That’s due to the fact that, the Yankees keep signing high priced talent, but the players don’t deliver. Just look at Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield.
Finally, the Yankees got out have that hole, but low and behold, what do they do, they go out and sign high priced talent to long term deals, and screw themselves out of draft picks and a future. The off season got started off with a bang, when the Yankees signed top free agent pitcher CC Sabathia to a seven year deal worth 161 million dollars. Then they signed second best free agent pitcher AJ Burnett to a five year deal worth 82.5 million dollars. Then to top it all off, the Yankees signed free agent hitter Mark Teixeira to an eight year deal worth 180 million dollars.
The pitching staff now looks like this for the Yankees: 1. CC Sabathia, 2. AJ Burnett, 3. Chien-Ming Wang, 4. Andy Pettitte, 5. Joba Chamberlain. That looks pretty damn good and it is, but there are a few problems as well. First off CC Sabathia has proven he can pitch in big games, and really showed that when he was traded to the Brewers. With AJ Burnett, he has only pitched two great seasons in his big league career and is at five hundred for his career. He only reached 18 wins last year for the second time, and pitched a full season just once in his three with Toronto. Burnett has yet to prove himself, and the pressures of New York will eat him alive, so look for him to make plenty of stints on the disabled list in his time in New York.
Chien-Ming Wang has proven he can pitch in New York, and before missing the majority of last year with an 8-2 record, Wang had posted back to back 19 win seasons. The veteran Andy Pettitte is in a perfect situation right now, pitching fourth in the rotation, and will barely have any pressure on him, as he doesn’t have to live up to a mega contract. As for Joba Chamberlain, his transition from set-up man to starter was a bumpy path. He struggled for parts of last year, and will go through a learning curve once again. Chamberlain has some explosive stuff which can carry him though games. If he doesn’t succeed, the Yankees still have second year pitcher Phil Hughes, who can fill in for Chamberlain, or even takeover as the fifth starter.
The bullpen last year really struggled for the Yankees and lost plenty of games due to blown saves. The Yankees slightly improved in that situation, but not a whole lot.
Now the batting order, and who else to start with, none other than Mr. Steroids, Alex Rodriguez. What a stupid idiot this man is. He was caught cheating, denied it plenty of times, then tried to play it off by being a good boy and admitted to steroid use. What a loser. Rodriguez knows he will be under a heavy microscope, and if he doesn’t produce a 30 plus homerun and 100 plus RBI season, he will be ridiculed, and deservedly so.
The Yankees will return with Jorge Posada behind the plate, and he is coming off a season to forget after he missed 111 games with injuries. He too is one of those long term contract mistakes made by the Yankees. For all we know, Posada probably milked his injuries and sat on his contract.
In the infield, second basemen Robinson Cano had an off year compared to his 2007 numbers. This guy has the potential to lead the league in hits and batting average, and must pick up his game for 2009. At shortstop is Captain Derek Jeter, who is still dangerous with his hitting ability and great defensively. At first base is Mark Teixeira, who is an excellent switch hitter, but went for the biggest contract he could get. This guy has never played in a pressure packed environment, with that will struggle because he will press and try to do too much. That puts Teixeira in the same boat as A-Ro(i)d and has to hit a minimum of 35 homeruns and over 110 RBI to live up to his contract.
In the outfield, there really isn’t a lot of power in Johnny Damon, Nick Swisher, Melky Cabrera, and Xavier Nady. Damon has been on the decline since he first joined the Yankees back in 2005, and presents no power at all. Melky Cabrera was given all the chances he could get to assert himself as one of the everyday outfielders, but couldn’t hit consistently. With Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady, both players can hit the long ball and play a little bit of defense. These two are perfect players to fill out a strong batting order.
In the DH slot is Hideki Matsui, who is still one of the better left handed hitters, but injuries have affected his playing ability the last three years.
Overall, Yankees management has dished out the big bucks in seasons past and has been burned. This season could be different though, but then again you never know, when you pay a player millions upon millions of dollars to play and live in New York.
POSITIVE --> GOOD LOOKING PITCHING ROTATION AND BATTING ORDER.
NEGATIVE --> PLAYERS MAY JUST SIT ON THEIR CONTRACTS AND PLAY SUB-PAR BASEBALL, AND BULLPEN COULD USE TWO MORE VETERAN ARMS.
X-FACTOR --> AJ BURNETT IS ONE AND ALEX RODRIGUEZ IS THE SECOND. WITH BURNETT, IF HE COULD PITCH LIKE HE DID IN 2008 AND WIN 18 GAMES, THE YANKEES WILL ARGUABLY HAVE THE BEST PITCHING STAFF. WITH RODRIGUEZ, HE HAS CARRIED THIS TEAM ON HIS BACK THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES, HE WILL REALLY HAVE TO PLAY.
SLEEPER PICK --> XAVIER NADY HAS POSTED GREAT SEASONS IN THE PAST, BUT ALWAYS WENT UNNOTICED IN PITTSBURGH. EVEN NOW IN NEW YORK, OTHERS PLAYERS WILL BE LOOKEDA T FIRST BEFORE THEY GET TO NADY.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
PREDICTION --> WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND WIN 94-98 GAMES. YANKEES AND RED SOX ARE EVENLY MATCHED AND ONE OF THE TWO TEAMS WILL EITHER WIN THE DIVISION OR WILD CARD.
The Yankees have money, have extravagant owners, and everyone knows about it. When the Yankees won four World Series in a span of five years, that team was built through draft picks and a solid farm team. After the 2000 season, the Yankees have made fruitless trip after fruitless trip to the post season. That’s due to the fact that, the Yankees keep signing high priced talent, but the players don’t deliver. Just look at Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield.
Finally, the Yankees got out have that hole, but low and behold, what do they do, they go out and sign high priced talent to long term deals, and screw themselves out of draft picks and a future. The off season got started off with a bang, when the Yankees signed top free agent pitcher CC Sabathia to a seven year deal worth 161 million dollars. Then they signed second best free agent pitcher AJ Burnett to a five year deal worth 82.5 million dollars. Then to top it all off, the Yankees signed free agent hitter Mark Teixeira to an eight year deal worth 180 million dollars.
The pitching staff now looks like this for the Yankees: 1. CC Sabathia, 2. AJ Burnett, 3. Chien-Ming Wang, 4. Andy Pettitte, 5. Joba Chamberlain. That looks pretty damn good and it is, but there are a few problems as well. First off CC Sabathia has proven he can pitch in big games, and really showed that when he was traded to the Brewers. With AJ Burnett, he has only pitched two great seasons in his big league career and is at five hundred for his career. He only reached 18 wins last year for the second time, and pitched a full season just once in his three with Toronto. Burnett has yet to prove himself, and the pressures of New York will eat him alive, so look for him to make plenty of stints on the disabled list in his time in New York.
Chien-Ming Wang has proven he can pitch in New York, and before missing the majority of last year with an 8-2 record, Wang had posted back to back 19 win seasons. The veteran Andy Pettitte is in a perfect situation right now, pitching fourth in the rotation, and will barely have any pressure on him, as he doesn’t have to live up to a mega contract. As for Joba Chamberlain, his transition from set-up man to starter was a bumpy path. He struggled for parts of last year, and will go through a learning curve once again. Chamberlain has some explosive stuff which can carry him though games. If he doesn’t succeed, the Yankees still have second year pitcher Phil Hughes, who can fill in for Chamberlain, or even takeover as the fifth starter.
The bullpen last year really struggled for the Yankees and lost plenty of games due to blown saves. The Yankees slightly improved in that situation, but not a whole lot.
Now the batting order, and who else to start with, none other than Mr. Steroids, Alex Rodriguez. What a stupid idiot this man is. He was caught cheating, denied it plenty of times, then tried to play it off by being a good boy and admitted to steroid use. What a loser. Rodriguez knows he will be under a heavy microscope, and if he doesn’t produce a 30 plus homerun and 100 plus RBI season, he will be ridiculed, and deservedly so.
The Yankees will return with Jorge Posada behind the plate, and he is coming off a season to forget after he missed 111 games with injuries. He too is one of those long term contract mistakes made by the Yankees. For all we know, Posada probably milked his injuries and sat on his contract.
In the infield, second basemen Robinson Cano had an off year compared to his 2007 numbers. This guy has the potential to lead the league in hits and batting average, and must pick up his game for 2009. At shortstop is Captain Derek Jeter, who is still dangerous with his hitting ability and great defensively. At first base is Mark Teixeira, who is an excellent switch hitter, but went for the biggest contract he could get. This guy has never played in a pressure packed environment, with that will struggle because he will press and try to do too much. That puts Teixeira in the same boat as A-Ro(i)d and has to hit a minimum of 35 homeruns and over 110 RBI to live up to his contract.
In the outfield, there really isn’t a lot of power in Johnny Damon, Nick Swisher, Melky Cabrera, and Xavier Nady. Damon has been on the decline since he first joined the Yankees back in 2005, and presents no power at all. Melky Cabrera was given all the chances he could get to assert himself as one of the everyday outfielders, but couldn’t hit consistently. With Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady, both players can hit the long ball and play a little bit of defense. These two are perfect players to fill out a strong batting order.
In the DH slot is Hideki Matsui, who is still one of the better left handed hitters, but injuries have affected his playing ability the last three years.
Overall, Yankees management has dished out the big bucks in seasons past and has been burned. This season could be different though, but then again you never know, when you pay a player millions upon millions of dollars to play and live in New York.
POSITIVE --> GOOD LOOKING PITCHING ROTATION AND BATTING ORDER.
NEGATIVE --> PLAYERS MAY JUST SIT ON THEIR CONTRACTS AND PLAY SUB-PAR BASEBALL, AND BULLPEN COULD USE TWO MORE VETERAN ARMS.
X-FACTOR --> AJ BURNETT IS ONE AND ALEX RODRIGUEZ IS THE SECOND. WITH BURNETT, IF HE COULD PITCH LIKE HE DID IN 2008 AND WIN 18 GAMES, THE YANKEES WILL ARGUABLY HAVE THE BEST PITCHING STAFF. WITH RODRIGUEZ, HE HAS CARRIED THIS TEAM ON HIS BACK THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES, HE WILL REALLY HAVE TO PLAY.
SLEEPER PICK --> XAVIER NADY HAS POSTED GREAT SEASONS IN THE PAST, BUT ALWAYS WENT UNNOTICED IN PITTSBURGH. EVEN NOW IN NEW YORK, OTHERS PLAYERS WILL BE LOOKEDA T FIRST BEFORE THEY GET TO NADY.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
PREDICTION --> WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND WIN 94-98 GAMES. YANKEES AND RED SOX ARE EVENLY MATCHED AND ONE OF THE TWO TEAMS WILL EITHER WIN THE DIVISION OR WILD CARD.
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