After an excitement filled 2011 season in baseball we are left looking toward a new season, a new start for teams that fell short in 2011. While some teams need little to fill the final pieces of a championship team others are just looking for a .500 season. Free agency and the trading market will decide much fate for these teams. Here’s a look at each team.
Arizona Diamondbacks: After a solid 94-68 record to win the NL west they have the talent to push them even deeper in 2012. With young talent like Justin Upton and a young front rotation of Daniel Hudson and Ian Kennedy returning the hope is strong in Arizona. Two big moves have made this team even more of a threat, the addition of free agent left fielder Jason Kubel and the trade for pitcher Trevor Cahill. Kubel hit .273 with 12 HRs and 58 RBIs for the Twins in 2011. Cahill had a 4.16 ERA with a 12-14 record over 207.2 innings last season with the Athletics. The only loss for this team was pitcher Jason Marquis and star prospect Jarrod Parker. With the talent coming in added to the talent already had the D’backs have a shot to make some noise in 2012.
Atlanta Braves: Atlanta finished last season 89-73 to miss the playoffs after the amazing comeback season by the Cardinals. The Braves showed aggression last season making a trade to get center fielder Michael Bourn before the trade deadline. The same cannot be said about the off season. With no added talent so far they could be a late move team. The team has already lost free agents Nate McLouth and Alex Gonzalez. With free agents George Sherrill, Jack Wilson, Peter Moylan, Scott Linebrink and Brad Conrad still not re-signed the team looks to have itself in for a bumpy off season. The big question in Atlanta is whether or not they will be keeping stars Martin Prado and Jair Jurrjens or if they will be heading elsewhere in a trade. As is they seem to be on the border of being contenders in 2012, a big splash is much needed to restore the hope here.
Baltimore Orioles: After a disappointing 69-93 record in Baltimore the hope of last off season’s moves seemed to vanish quickly. Baltimore has a young talented pitching staff but unfortunately they haven’t been living up to expectations to this point. Not many new faces coming to town but high hopes of Baltimore’s new starter Tsuyoshi Wada should bring some new faces into the stands. Wada had a 1.51 ERA with a 16-5 record and 168 strikeouts to only 40 walks in Japan last season. The other new name in town is outfielder Endy Chavez who hit .301 in an injury shortened season for the Rangers. Vladimir Guerrero and Luke Scott both remain unsigned so far. The 2012 season looks like a 4th place AL East placing at best.
Boston Red Sox: The Sox missed out on the playoffs despite their 90-72 record in 2011. With stars Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Jon Lester and Dustin Pedroia many wonder what happened. How much more do they need? With free agent Jonathan Papelbon gone the Red Sox where stuck on getting a closer. The needs were filled when the Red Sox acquired one of the best closers in the game, Andrew Bailey, and Ryan Sweeney from the Athletics in a deal that sent Josh Reddick and 2 prospects to Oakland. The club also added third basemen Nick Punto from the Cardinals and catcher Kelly Shoppach from the Rays. The main focus for the team should now be set on re-signing free agents David Ortiz and Dan Wheeler. There’s no reason to believe Boston won’t be a serious competitor again in 2012.
Chicago White Sox: As major contenders at mid-season in 2011 the Sox fell off at seasons end to finish with a 79-83 record and the 3rd place spot in the AL Central. It seems 2012 will bring no playoffs hopes either as the team is going through the rebuilding process. After losing their ace Mark Buehrle Chicago might be a little weak in the pitching department unless John Danks can pitch at his full potential. Thought to be ready to compete for the division in 2012 GM Ken Williams came out and announced the team is going to rebuild, this announcement came after they traded their closer Sergio Santos for pitching prospect Nestor Molina. Molina has a combined 27-7 record while holding a solid 2.21 ERA throughout his 5-year minor league career. Molina has also played RF, LF, 1B and 3B in his career. This leads you to wonder if they will compete to re-sign speedster Juan Pierre, either way it seems like a few years will pass before their next playoff berth.
Chicago Cubs: Another poor season for the Cubs put them 5th in the NL Central last season at a disappointing 71-91 record. It seems a miracle is needed for the Cubs to be contenders to win their first championship since 1908. That miracle could be a free agent. With slugger Aramis Ramirez gone and many free agents un-signed, such as Carlos Pena, Kerry Wood, John Grabow and Reed Johnson, the pressure is on. The Cubs mover their star reliever Sean Marshall to strengthen their rotation with Travis Wood, the Cubs also received outfielder Dave Sappelt and minor league infielder Ronald Torreyes. The Cubs have already signed a 2 year deal with outfielder David DeJesus but will need much more; they will need prized free agent Prince Fielder. Fielder hit .299 with 38 HRs and 120 RBIs last season to place him 3rd in the NL MVP race. Without Fielder the Cubs seemed doomed to another losing season, we will have to wait to see how serious the Cubs are about winning.
Cincinnati Reds: A young starred Cincinnati team seems to be on the rise. While only putting together a 79-83 record in 2011 they have proven they have talent. Much of that talent comes from the superstar first baseman Joey Votto. Young outfielders Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs have also showed much talent level, but more talent is hidden in these players. With pitchers Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake and Aroldis Chapman returning the team will remain contenders. The team started showing aggression in the off-season by putting together two major trades. The first move of the year came when they sent star prospect Yonder Alonso, pitcher Edinson Volquez and two other minor league players to San Diego in return for pitcher Mat Latos. Latos could be a solid addition as the number 2 pitcher behind Cueto. The second trade was moving pitcher Travis Wood, outfielder Dave Sappelt and minor league infielder Ronald Torreyes to get one of the games best set-up men in Sean Marshall. These moves should make Cincinnati dangerous in 2012; watch out for a surprise playoff team here.
Cleveland Indians: A team that has been rebuilding for years finally showed there ready last season putting up an 80-82 record to finish 2nd in the AL Central. With the same team returning with more experience the American League should be aware. Justin Masterson was one of the games best pitchers last season and could be set for another great season with veteran Derek Lowe coming in to help him improve his game. The team has signed second baseman Jose Lopez to a minor league deal and re-signed centerfielder Grady Sizemore. Only lose for this team is veteran Jim Thome who should be just about done with his career. Only reliever Chad Durbin and right fielder Kosuke Fukudome remain unsigned free agents for the up and coming Indians. The season could lay in the hands of their mid-season addition last season Ubaldo Jimenez. Jimenez has a career record of 60-49 with a 3.76 ERA. Cleveland better hope for the star Jimenez and not the flunk he was last season.
Colorado Rockies: Hopes were high going into the 2011 season for the Rockies. Unfortunately for the city they staggered through the season only to put up a 73-89 record and trail Arizona by 21 games in the AL West. With the best shortstop in the game in Troy Tulowitzki and all-star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez they should not be taken lightly. So far the Rockies are one of the top winners for free agency to this point. While losing reliever J.C. Romero and second baseman Mark Ellis they have put together some solid additions. The big addition for the club came from a 3 year deal worth $31.5M to right fielder Michael Cuddyer. Cuddyer batted .284 with 20 HRs and 70 RBIs last season. Much smaller additions came from signings of catcher Ramon Hernandez and third baseman Casey Blake. The batting should be no problem for the Rockies but the pitching is a question mark. With Alex White, Jhoulys Chacin, Jason Hammel, Drew Pomeranz, Esmil Rogers and Jorge De La Rosa they have the talent. The Rockies need the dominant De La Rosa back and healthy and for a repeat season from Chacin. If the pitching locks on we could see a new division champ in the NL West next season.
Detroit Tigers: After a 95-67 season that ended only a few games short of a World Series spot the Tigers look to be in shape for another run. Led by MVP and Cy Young winner Justin Verlander and all-star Miguel Cabrera they could be one of the scariest teams in the American League. The biggest loss for Detroit will be the absence of former batting champ Magglio Ordonez. With some of the best bats in the league Detroit needs to improve their pitching and fielding. They took a small step at both by adding back-up catcher Gerald Laird and reliever Octavio Dotel. The biggest question facing the Tigers is whether prospect Jacob Turner will take the 5th starting spot or if we will add another arm. To become a championship team Detroit will need to add a solid player at both second and third base. If played right Detroit could be back to challenge in the playoffs in 2012.
Houston Astros: Another last place finish with a 56-106 record in 2011. After trading away all their talent and losing their owner the Astros are in a horrible position. To only make things worse they will be soon playing in the heavy hitting American League. After losing shortstop Clint Barmes this off season things can’t get any worse, all the city of Houston can do is hope for their new owner to go out and spend more than the team ever has. This team has a shot to be the worst team in history without Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn playing for them. Houston has a problem, a miracle and more is needed just to not get last place.
Kansas City Royals: After trading away their best arm in Zack Grienke the Royals should have seen their 71-91 record in 2011 coming. With young star Eric Hosmer they finally have something to look forward to. A trade sending Melky Cabrera to San Francisco in return for hurler Jonathan Sanchez opens a lot of opportunities for the club. Not only did the move improve their weak pitching rotation but it opened the doors for the highly regarded outfielder Lorenzo Cain to get the job at center. Additions of Jonathan Broxton, Yuniesky Betancourt and Jose Mijares show the team is getting on track. Don’t expect a playoff spot this season but with a few more years and some experience in the future they could become contenders sooner than many expect.
Los Angeles Angels: After an 86-76 record in 2011 and a missed playoff spot the Angels are determined. They showed just how determined they were by signing prized free agent Albert Pujols to a 10 year contract worth $254M. With Pujols signed the Angels should be looking to trade the rookie of the year runner up Mark Trumbo. After breaking the ice they added the top pitching free agent C.J. Wilson. With a top rotation of Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, C.J. Wilson and Ervin Santana the Phillies will be contended for the best pitching staff in baseball. With all the stars and one of the best prospects in the nation, Mike Trout, the Angels can take back over the AL West.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Not the season they had in mind but with all the season struggles the Dodgers were lucky to put up an 82-79 record. Although MVP runner up Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier lead their bats they will need some offensive production from bats like James Loney and Dee Gordon. The pitching is led my Triple Crown and Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. Much is needed to make a playoff spot but additions of veterans Chris Capuano, Mark Ellis, Matt Treanor, Juan Rivera, Adam Kennedy, Aaron Harang and Jerry Hairston Jr. shows they won’t wait. Losing Jonathan Broxton, Jamey Carroll, Rod Barajas and Casey Blake will hurt; the main worry is re-signing Jon Garland and Hiroki Kuroda. If these two slip away the Dodgers are in for rough season.
Miami Marlins: As the Florida Marlins in 2011 they finished with a 72-90 record. It’s been made obvious this isn’t the same team. After a new stadium and new city the team started by adding one of the better managers in baseball in Ozzie Guillen. Three additions for the team have run them almost $200M. The main additions for the team are shortstop Jose Reyes, pitcher Mark Buehrle and reliever Heath Bell. With the addition of Reyes the Marlins will have to move all-star Hanley Ramirez over to third. The worry about this team will be Ramirez’s attitude and the health of Jose Reyes, who has had many injuries over the past few years. If this team works together without any attitudes and stays healthy they can compete with the Phillies.
Milwaukee Brewers: 2011 is a season to remember in Milwaukee after a 96-66 record led them to win the NL Central. Things all started crashing during the off season though. With free agent Prince Fielder still unsigned its seeming more likely he will be elsewhere in 2012. When the city thought things couldn’t get worse they did. MVP winner Ryan Braun tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and is facing a 50 game suspension. Even with a front rotation of Yovani Gallardo, Zack Grienke and Shaun Marcum and the addition of third baseman slugger Aramis Ramirez this team seems doomed for 2012. Milwaukee should cherish the 2011 season and realize a repeat is unlikely.
Minnesota Twins: As one of the most consistent teams in the league a 63-99 record and last place in the AL Central was a shock to most. The Twins will need a healthy Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer in 2012 to compete. After losing Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, Jose Mijares and Joe Nathan to free agency and trading Kevin Slowey for a player to be named the team is in bad shape. Moves signing Josh Willingham, Jason Marquis, Ryan Doumit and Jamey Carroll will help but not enough. With the talent coming in compared to the talent leaving the Twins are a worse team than last season. The only hope for this team is in Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.
New York Yankees: To no surprise the Yankees took the number 1 seed in the American League with a 97-65 record. After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs the Yankees feel they have a lot to prove in 2012. With Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano and CC Sabathia leading the team they will be back and more determined. The Yankees win rights to the Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima but the deadline is closing for them to reach a contract. Nakajima is a career .310 hitter over 5 years in Japan. With catcher Jorge Posada on the free agent market the Yankees will look for prospect Jesus Montero to be the everyday starter behind the plate. With the roster the Yankees have they are always contenders; 2012 could easily bring the city another pennant.
New York Mets: Another let down by the Mets led to a 77-85 record in 2011. Age is starting to catch up on a veteran team and with no success in their prime it doesn’t seem any success will come with this group. After losing their superstar shortstop Jose Reyes the offense will have to be led by Jason Bay, David Wright and Ike Davis. Chris Capuano also left the city through free agency. With injury prone Chris Young still available it seems he may have a little hope to bring to wherever he goes, which seems to be somewhere other than the Mets. The Mets have improved their bullpen by adding Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco to contracts. The Mets need talent, in every category. Unless some major changes are made the city will once again only have one team in the playoffs.
Oakland Athletics: A 74-88 record in 2011 has brought the team back into the rebuilding process. With no free agents signed and both David DeJesus and Josh Willingham leaving they are weak on offense. Free agents Coco Crisp, Rich Harden and Hideki Matsui are all still unsigned and should be targets to bring in some fans, yet they aren’t. Not only is the team losing talent through free agency but three trades have moved their most talented young players. The biggest deal was one that included sending pitcher Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals in return for catcher Derek Norris and pitchers A.J. Cole, Brad Peacock and Tommy Milone. The second deal sent pitcher Trevor Cahill and reliever Craig Breslow to Arizona in return for prized pitching prospect Jarrod Parker, pitcher Ryan Cook and outfielder Collin Cowgill. Parker went 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA last season in the minors. The final trade Oakland made was to send star closer Andrew Bailey and outfielder Ryan Sweeney to Boston for outfielder Josh Reddick, pitcher Raul Alcantara and first baseman Miles Head. Oakland will be competing for the worst record in the American League in 2012.
Philadelphia Phillies: The best rotation in baseball led the Phillies to a 102-60 season. The major concern going into the off season for the Phillies was re-signing shortstop Jimmy Rollins. The club fixed the situation by signing the former MVP to a 3 year deal. With free agents Ross Gload, Roy Oswalt, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson and Raul Ibanez still on the market we could see some re-signings but it’s hard to see any major deals being made. The Phillies already added a handful of free agents including closer Jonathan Papelbon. Veterans Laynce Nix and Jim Thome were also signed by the team. The last and most critical signing for the Phillies was pitcher Dontrelle Willis. Willis has had his struggles but with the pitching staff in Philadelphia we could see the Dontrelle Willis we did his rookie season. With the staff this team has their a no-brainer for the playoffs in 2012.
Pittsburgh Pirates: After a strong start the team fell off to finish with a 72-90 record. With young stars Jose Tabata and Andrew McCutchens leading the outfield they have plenty of talent. The infield is really weak though, led by the addition of third baseman Casey McGehee , Neil Walker and Garrett Jones they will need some help. The signing of Rod Barajas gave them a solid cather and signing veterans Clint Barnes, Erik Bedard and Nate McLouth should help out the team. The team should now move focus to re-signing free agents Ryan Ludwick and Paul Maholm. The pitching is also a concern for the Pirates, the addition of a solid arm or two could make this team compete for the 2nd place spot in the NL Central.
San Diego Padres: With a 71-91 record San Diego finished dead last in the NL West.The big loses for San Diego are closer Heath Bell and pitcher Aaron Harang. The first move the Padres made to improve was trading a player to be named and cash for closer Huston Street. The Padres then traded pitcher Mat Latos to the Reds in return for pitcher Edinson Volquez, catcher Yasmani Grandal and first baseman Yonder Alonso. Alonso batter .330 with 5 HRs and 15 RBIs in 88 at bats last season in Cincinnati. With young talented players like Alonso, Anthony Rizzo, Cameron Maybin, Everth Cabrera, Corey Luebke and Jesus Guzman the Padres have the potential to be a good team.
San Francisco Giants: A great pitching staff led the Giants to a 86-76 record and a missed playoff appearance. The question surrounding the team came down to their hitting. With losing outfielder Carlos Beltran and utility man Mark DeRosa the team would be in a horrible situation was it not for a trade made earlier in the off season that sent pitcher Jonathan Sanchez to the Royals in return for outfielder Melky Cabrera. Cabrera hit 18 HRs with 87 RBIs while compiling a .305 average last season in Kansas City. If Cabrera can hit like he did last season the Giants could be looking toward a playoff spot this season.
Seattle Mariners: With a poor season from Japanese sensation Ichiro Suzuki the Mariners were left to finish with a 67-95 record in 2011. With no major off season moves the Mariners don’t seem to be falling behind in the AL West. The only thing that could bring this team back into contention would be slugger Prince Fielder. Young talent is on the team in Michael Pineda and Dustin Ackley but more help is needed in Seattle. Unless they can get Fielder they will be watching the playoffs from home again in 2012.
St. Louis Cardinals: After a slow start the Cardinals made a 10.5 game comeback to clinch the wildcard spot on the last day of the regular season with a 90-72 record. The comeback led to the Cardinals winning the World Series. The year should be cherished by the fans because a repeat looks very unlikely. After the miraculous season the Cardinals have lost many players through free agency already, including one of the games best hitter Albert Pujols. Other than losing their star they also lost reliever Octavio Dotel, catcher Gerald Laird and third baseman Nick Punto. The big free agent left from their 2011 team is pitcher Edwin Jackson. If Jackson doesn’t come back the Cardinals will be left thin in pitching if Adam wainwright can’t stay healthy. The team has starters Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, Kyle Lohse and Jake Westbrook seto fill four of the pitching spots. The Cardinals did show some aggression by adding outfielder Carlos Beltran and reliever J.C. Romero. The Cardinals could find a way to slide into a playoff spot but what they do once they get there will depend on coaching.
Tampa Bay Rays: A walk-off homer in the 12th inning by third baseman Evan Longoria on the last day of the season gave the Rays a 91-71 record and a playoff spot. Tampa Bay didn’t last long after being knocked out in the first round by the Texas Rangers. With Evan Longoria, Desmond Jennings, Matt Joyce, B.J. Upton, Sam Fuld, James Shields, David Price and highly regarded prospect Matt Moore the Rays have a great level of talent. Moore has an unbelievable amount of talent and can be a great pitcher in the MLB; next year will be his chance to show he has the endurance to pitch a lot of innings. Catcher Kelly Shoppach and pitcher Andy Sonnanstine will be elsewhere in 2012. Tampa would love to see free agents Casey Kotchman and Johnny Damon return for 2012; at least one should be re-signed. After losing their catcher the Rays went out and signed a one-year deal with free agent catcher Jose Molina. If the pitching staff holds up in 2012 the Rays will be back in the playoffs and could easily earn a spot in the World Series.
Texas Rangers: A 96-66 record took the Rangers to another World Series and a second consecutive season of falling short of a championship. The off season started bad with losing outfielder Endy Chavez, catcher Matt Treanor and their ace C.J. Wilson. The Rangers responded by making getting two big players, including former closer Joe Nathan. With Nathan as the new closer the rangers will possibly move their closer in 2011, Neftali Feliz, into the starting rotation. The biggest move of the off season was winning the bid on the Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish. The club has not yet signed the pitcher but is the only team allowed to talk to him. Darvish has a career 76-28 record with an amazing 1.72 ERA in five seasons in Japan. If Darvish is signed the Rangers could use a six-man rotation that would include Darvish, Colby Lewis, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Alexi Ogando and Neftali Feliz. The Rangers season will come down to the success of Darvish.
Toronto Blue Jays: Toronto was able to put together an 81-81 record last season yet still finished 4th in the AL East. Led by slugger Jose Bautista and third baseman Brett Lawrie the Blue Jays have the bats to compete. Add in young pitchers Brett Cecil, Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow, Henderson Alverez and Kyle Drabek and the team can pitch. Cecil and Morrow haven’t been living up to potential but if they turn it on watch out. Losing relievers Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco will hurt them but they have made some quiet and solid trades. The Blue Jays got back some of their bullpen talent by trading minor leaguer Nester Molina to the White Sox in return for their closer Sergio Santos. Santos got 30 saves for the White Sox in 2012 while posting a 3.55 ERA. Another silent trade was sending pitcher Frank Gailey to Philadelphia for outfielder Ben Francisco. In any other division Toronto could be a contender but in the AL East it’s going to take more to compete than what they have.
Washington Nationals: The young team was able to have one of their better season and finish with an 80-81 record. With youngsters Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper leading the team there’s no reason to doubt them. The team has many other talented players in Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth, Michael Morse, Jordan Zimmerman, and John Lannan coming back to show Washington can compete. The Nationals improved their offense by adding utility man Mark DeRosa through free agency but the move was overshadowed by a major trade, a trade that sent catcher Derek Norris, amd pitchers A.J. Cole, Brad Peacock and Tommy Milone to Oakland for star pitcher Gio Gonzalez and minor league pitcher Robert Gilliam. Gonzalez posted a 16-12 record with a 3.12 ERA in 2011 for Oakland. With the young talent on this team they are not only competitors for 2012 but will compete for years to come.
Great job... Lots of insight
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