Breaking Down the 2011 MLB Season- Part 4 NL East

Today I continue my detailed breakdown of the upcoming baseball season by moving to the National League. Now before you dismiss the National League as the lesser league that can't even win an All Star Game (except last year of course), let me point out that the National League yielded two of the last three World Series winners. It's very possible that this year could also see a team from the senior circuit hoisting a World Series trophy at season's end. Anyway, here's part 1 for the NL, predicting where teams will finish in the NL East.

The Phillies starting rotation will awe, dominate, and quite possibly bring a title back to Philly.

1. Philadelphia Phillies

OFFENSE- B-

Once one of the Phillies greatest strengths, it took a major blow with the losses of Jayson Werth (to free agency) and Chase Utley (injury, return date uncertain). Howard will continue to crush the ball, but unless Victorino and Rollins can post better OBP's, it might not matter.

STARTING PITCHING- A++

The Phillies have one of the best starting rotations the game of baseball has ever seen. Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, and Hamels all have ace potential, and will carry this team into the playoffs. If the offense can make a decent contribution look for the Phillies to go all the way this year.

BULLPEN- B

After a horrible 2009 season, Brad Lidge was able to reestablish himself as a valuable closer. With a repeat effort, he and Ryan Madson should head an effective bullpen.

2. Atlanta Braves

OFFENSE- B

McCann, Heyward, and new arrival Dan Uggla are all elite offensive players. However, the rest of the offense is comprised of uncertain veterans (Chipper Jones, Alex Gonzalez) and developing youngsters (Freddie Freeman). If all the pieces come together, this offense could be very good and help the Braves contend for the NL Wild Card.

STARTING PITCHING- B+

Atlanta's rotation might lack the flare and dominance of the Phillies' starters, but it nevertheless is a solid unit that will get the job done. Tim Hudson won 17 games last year, and Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hunters are talented youngsters. If Derek Lowe can rebound from recent struggles, the rotation will receive a huge boost.

BULLPEN- B-

Atlanta's bullpen is full of youth and potential; however, handing the reigns of closer to an unestablished young player (Craig Kimbrel) is always risky. The setup men (Venters and Moylan) look solid, so the success of the bullpen will ultimately depend entirely on Kimbrel's development.

3. Florida Marlins

OFFENSE- C+

Hanley Ramirez is one of the best offensive players in the game, second only to maybe Pujols. However, most of the team's other hitters (Omar Infante, John Buck, Gaby Sanchez) are contributing players at best. This team needs Mike Stanton to develop quickly if they're going to score enough runs to win ball games and even have an outside chance at a playoff spot.

STARTING ROTATION- B-

Josh Johnson is an ace when he's healthy. However, in order to really have a successful rotation, the Marlins will need Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez and newcomer Javier Vazquez to pitch to their potential.

BULLPEN- C-

Closer Leo Nunez is decent but does little to inspire confidence in the fans. Clay Hensley and Ryan Raburn were both effective in relief last year.

4. NY Mets

OFFENSE- B-

Angel Pagan is largely underrated as a leadoff man, and Wright and Reyes are superstars. If Carlos Beltran and Jason Bay can stay healthy and out of slumps, this offense will be very good. Right now, however, there are simply too many uncertainties.

STARTING ROTATION- C-

The injury to ace Johan Santana hurts a lot. Guys like Mike Pelfrey and R.A. Dickey can keep the Mets in games, but their rotation completely lacks elite star power. Look for the new additions of veterans Chris Young and Chris Capuano to fight to reestablish themselves as legitimate starters in New York.

BULLPEN- B+

Francisco Rodriguez, despite beginning to experience some decline, still has top 5 closer potential. The loss of lefty specialist Pedro Feliciano will hurt, but Manny Accosta and Bobby Parnell should succeed in the Mets bullpen.

5. Washington Nationals

OFFENSE- B-

There is reason for Nats fans to have hope here. Newcomer Jayson Werth, coupled with Adam LaRoche and Ryan Zimmerman, will drive in more than enough runs to keep the fans happy. This is far from a playoff team, but they have both the talented base and promising youngsters (like Byrce Harper and Stephen Strausberg) to give fans hope for the future.

STARTING PITCHING- D

Unfortunately, this team is still the Nationals, and the praise must stop with the offense. Every single one of their starters, with the possible exception of "ace" Livan Hernedez, will struggle to post an ERA below 4.

BULLPEN- D+

Drew Storen is largely an unknown at closer, and despite limited success by Tyler Clippard and Sean Burnett, this unit be a question mark.

Breaking Down the 2011 MLB Season- Part 3 AL West

And now its time for my baseball prediction road trip to head out West, and discuss the American League's mini-division (its the only division to have only four teams). Don't be quick to dismiss the AL West, however, as it yielded the defending AL champion Rangers last year. Although the Angels will make a run at the AL West and Wild Card, expect the Rangers to continue their reign of dominance within the division. The way I see each team in the AL West finishing is as follows...


Josh Hamilton and Co will help the Rangers retake the West.

1. Texas Rangers

OFFENSE- A

Cruz, Hamilton, Young, Andrus, and new addition Beltre will hit at will. If Kinsler stays healthy and youngsters Bourbon and Mooreland develop quickly, the offense could be on par with that of the Red Sox.

STARTING PITCHING- B

C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis and Tommy Hunter have all been very effective, if not great pitchers. If Webb is healthy this rotation will almost forget losing Cliff Lee. Almost...

BULLPEN- A

Neftali Feliz has established himself as an elite closer, completing 40 of 43 save opportunities. Darren O'day and new arrival Arthur Rhodes add depth and stability to the bullpen.

2. LA Angels

OFFENSE- B+

An outfield of sluggers (Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu, and newcomer Vernon Wells) plus solid players like Kendrick and rookie Peter Bourjos should result in a good offense for the Angels. The Angels will receive a considerable boost once Kendry Morales comes back, but even without him, they always find ways to manufacture runs.

STARTING PITCHING- A

Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana all could easily win 15+ games. Joel Pinero and Scott Kazmir round out the rotation nicely.

BULLPEN- B-

The Angels undoubtedly miss the heydays of K-Rod and Shields. Fernando Rodney will attempt to take over the closer role, with newcomers Takahashi and Scott Downs serving to bridge the gap to the 9th. If Rodney doesn't struggle too much, the new unit should be alright, but its shaky.

3. Oakland A's

OFFENSE- C-

Matsui, David Dejesus, Kurt Suzuki, Kevin Kouzmanoff, and Coco Crisp are all fair hitters, but no one really stands out in this offense.

STARTING PITCHING- A-

The A's have a ton of good young pitchers that are mostly unknowns. Trevor Cahill won 18 games last year. Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson, and Dallas Braden all had ERA's below 4. Whether or not you've heard of them, the stats speak for themselves. This is a very good rotation that will keep the A's in most games.

BULLPEN- B+

Andrew Bailey has established himself as a good closer; with Brian Fuentes and Grant Balfour, this bullpen will help the A's win many close games.

4. Seattle Mariners

OFFENSE- D

Ichiro and Figgins are great table setters. Too bad there aren't any elite bats on this team to drive them in. Barring a huge year from Smoak, Cust or Guiterrez, the Mariners' offensive troubles will continue.

STARTING PITCHING- B-

Felix Hernandez is one of the best in the game. Jason Vargas and Doug Fister are respectable, but a healthy Erik Bedard would ultimately provide the biggest boost to the rotation. Keep an eye on Micheal Pineda as well.

BULLPEN- C

The Mariners aren't huge on closer David Aardsma (who's recovering from surgery), putting Brandon League into play as well for the 9th. Overall, the bullpen could be worse, but its not great. Another guy to keep an eye on is Chris Ray, a former great closer who's fallen on hard times as of late.

Breaking Down the 2011 MLB Season- Part 2 AL Central

Today I continue my discussion of the upcoming MLB season by predicting the AL Central. So who is going to emerge on top in the AL Central? Will the much maligned Indians or Royals finally stand a chance (short answer: no)? Finally, does this division matter, or is its winner destined to be once again beaten by an AL East team in the first round of playoffs? Read on...

AL Central

The addition of Adam Dunn should finally be enough to help the White Sox pass the Twins for AL Central dominance.


1. Chicago White Sox

OFFENSE- B+

Without a doubt this is the White Sox's strongest point. Konerko should be able to fend off old age for one more year, and Rios, Quentin and new super slugger Adam Dunn will crush the ball. Juan Pierre and Alexei Ramirez are prime contributors too. Look for this offense to make or break their chances at winning the division.

STARTING PITCHING- C

Their rotation is average with good depth. Buehrle is a poor excuse for an ace at the front end, but starters Edwin Jackson, John Danks and Gavin Floyd will post average numbers and keep the offense in most games. If Peavy can return to form, this rotation gets a huge boost.

BULLPEN- B+

Matt Thornton has posted good numbers throughout his career and shouldn't have a problem filling in for the shaky Bobby Jenks. Other relievers like Chris Sale and new addition Jesse Crain have good numbers as well.

2. Minnesota Twins

OFFENSE- B-

Morneau, Mauer, Kubel and Cuddyer prove the Twins have some talented bats in their lineup, but most of the other guys are average role players. Look for Span to serve as an effective table setter for the offense and keep an eye on Japanese import Niskioka, but apart from them this unit should perform sufficiently, not exceptionally.

STARTING PITCHING- B

Liriano, after many years of being delayed by injuries, seems to finally be establishing himself as a top-of-the-rotation starter. If Pavano and youngster Brian Duensing can keep up last year's success, this should be a pretty good rotation.

BULLPEN- C

Ultimately, the fate of the Twin's bullpen comes down to the health of their closer, Joe Nathan. If he's right, their bullpen should be great. If backup Matt Capps is forced to close for an extended portion of the season, the bullpen becomes average.

3. Detroit Tigers

OFFENSE- B-

If Miguel Cabrera can stay out of trouble and get focused, his bat and the efforts of fellow hitters Victor Martinez, Austin Jackson, and Magglio Ordonez should result in a respectable offensive attack. Not great, but respectable.

STARTING PITCHING- B+

Justin Verlander can match up against any other starter in the game. Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello are talented, and a team could choose far worse starters to round out a rotation with than Brad Penny and Phil Coke. The starting rotation should be solid in Detroit this year.

BULLPEN- B-

Jose Valverede usually finds a way to get the job done at closer. A key figure to watch in this bullpen is Joaquin Benoit, who was offered a huge multiyear from the Tigers to serve as the setup man. If he can be successful in that role, the bullpen will fare well.

4. Cleveland Indians

OFFENSE- D+

Shin Soo Choo can provide some offense, but its unrealistic to expect elite years from Travis Hafner or Grady Sizemore anymore. If youngsters like Matt LaPorta or Carlos Santana could take big steps forward this year, the unit could become acceptable.

STARTING PITCHING- D

I hold out hope that Carmona will return to ace form. The rest of the rotation, however (with guys like Justin Materson and Mitch Talbot) would cause fans of the Indians to shake their heads in frustration...that is, if they knew who any of these guys are. Still, some young guys (like Carlos Carrasco) might inspire hope for later seasons. I suppose stranger things have happened.

BULLPEN- C-

If closer Chris Perez can build off of last year's success, then he and setup man Rafael Perez should form an effective duo.

5. Kansas City Royals

OFFENSE- D-

The Royals best hitter is Billy Butler, a good average guy who lacks the elite first basemen type power this team desperately needs. Guys like Mike Aviles and Jeff Francouer might hit a little, but barring incredible development by a ton of young guys (I'm looking at you, Alex Gordon) their offense will be poor.

STARTING PITCHING- D-

When Bruce Chen was one of your best starters last year, you know you're in trouble. Couple that with the loss of ace Zach Greinke, and you have a pretty hopeless starting rotation. The only reason they don't get an "F" is because of the addition of Jeff Francis. If he can return to past form, and thats a huge "if", they might find an ace.

BULLPEN- B

There is one strength in KC; it lies in ace closer Joakim Soria, who somehow managed 43 saves on this team last year. With adequate setup man Robinson Tejada, the bullpen should be the only thing that isn't a problem for the Royals in 2011.

Breaking Down the 2011 MLB Season- Part 1 AL East

Its that time of year again. Spring is here, which means the arrival of baseball. Just in time too, as there is literally nothing else in sports to watch in March. Like nothing at all; it is terrible. I mean, you'd think there would at least be some college athletics or something, but no, televised sports are essentially non-existent in March. So you can imagine my jubilation over the arrival of spring training baseball, culminating in the beginning of the regular season March 31st. In order to save everyone the time and anguish of wondering whether or not their team has any chance this year, allow me to break down what every team will do this year.

Today I start my preview by breaking down the American League East.

AL EAST

The Yankees and Red Sox will once again battle for AL East supremacy


1. Boston Red Sox

OFFENSE- A+
The additions of Crawford and Gonzalez more than makes up for the losses of Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre, and ensures that Boston will have one of the best offenses in baseball. A healthy Ellsbury, coupled with new addition Crawford, will create one of the most dynamic stolen base duos in the game, and Gonzalez, Youkilis, Pedroia, and Ortiz will provide a ton of pop.

STARTING PITCHING- B+
Jon Lester has established himself as a legitimate ace, and Bucholtz is solid. After that, it comes down to whether or not veterans Beckett, Lackey and Matusaka will be able to rebound from off years.

BULLPEN- A
The addition of Jenks to an already solid bullpen of Papelbon and Bard ensures this will remain a strength in Boston.

2. NY Yankees (Wild Card)

OFFENSE- A
The Yankees are always an elite offensive team, and Rodriguez, Texiera, Cano, and Swisher will continue to mash. Rebounds from Jeter, new addition Russel Martin and Granderson could make a good offense great.

STARTING PITCHING- C+
Without a doubt, the Yankees biggest weakness and the one obvious factor that could keep them out of the playoffs. Sabathia is as good as they come, Hughes is solid and everyone else is a prayer. If some combination of Nova, Garcia, Colon, Burnett, etc. can be effective, or if they can grab a starter at the deadline they should be okay, but right now the rotation is a big uncertainty.

BULLPEN- A+
Rivera is the best closer of all time, and adding 40+ save former closer Soriano as a setup man with lefty specialist Feliciano ensures that this bullpen will be an elite unit.

3. Tampa Bay Rays

OFFENSE- C
Losing Pena and Crawford was a huge blow to the Rays; although veteran additions Manny and Damon will certainly add some talent and charisma to this group, their offense took a major step back from last year.

STARTING PITCHING- C+
Price is an ace and Shields is solid. After that their rotation is mostly average with some upside. Jeremy Hellickson could be the exception to that rule, and is definitely a player to watch.

BULLPEN- D
They have some talent here, but the fact that they're one of the few teams in baseball without a set closer tells you all you need to know.

4. Baltimore Orioles

OFFENSE- B
The additions of sluggers Vladimir Guerrero, Mark Reynolds, Derek Lee,and JJ Hardy will result in a vastly improved offense in Baltimore. Combine them with standouts Matt Wieters and Nick Markakis and there is definitely reason to have hope here.

STARTING PITCHING- D+
Guys like Guthrie and Matusz come highly touted but haven't a chance to prove themselves. The rest of the rotation is young, with only Duchscherer providing any real veteran experience. Its a wait and see with this group, but a good performance by the starting rotation could clinch them 3rd in the division.

BULLPEN- C
Kevin Gregg is far from elite, but usually gets the job done at closer. Mike Gonzalez has good potential as a setup man.

5. Toronto Blue Jays

OFFENSE- C
This group has some talent (Bautista, Rajai Davis, Adam Lind, Yunel Escobar) but looks mostly average. Underperformer or not, the loss of Vernon Wells to the Angels will hurt them.

STARTING PITCHING- C-
Romero and Morrow have potential, but after that its mostly young unproven guys in the rotation. Barring drastic improvements by a lot of young players, this rotation won't impress anyone.

BULLPEN- C
Both Frank Franscisco and Octavio Dotel can close, but no team would want to have to resort to making either a closer. Combined with Jon Rauch, this unit should fare fine but is far from elite.