So the Devil Rays signed Pat Burrell over from the Phillies today. I think that wasn't the best idea, but it could pan out. Personally, I am a fan of young players who show promise. I think when teams sign players like Burrell, it shows that they are not one hundred percent confident in the prowess and poise of their younger players. And Burrell wasn't even the best bat on the market. He has never hit over .282 and is guaranteed to strike out at least 150 times. As most young players, especially those on the Devil Rays (or so it seem
ed at times), tend to want to swing for the fences and have little patience, Burrell was not a good pick. The Rays did need a right-handed big bat, and Burrell will hit 20-30 home runs in an average season, but a much better acquisition would have been Bobby Abreu. The Yankees were idiots to let him go, and he will make a team very happy this coming season. He is undersung, but he is a great player to protect a number four (even perhaps a number three or five) hitter because he sees a ton of pitches, makes good contact, and is good for 160 hits and a good number of walks each season. He is only a few years older than Burrell, and has postseason experience (although not Burrell's WS ring from last year). Abreu will last for years as a DH, and is very similar to Bernie Williams at the same point in his career. Bernie only got better (at least until he was in his later 30s), and provided a spark of experience whenever it was needed.
Prediction: Burrell will not disappoint, but the Rays will regret his signing when they look at Abreu's team next year.
On a better note, the Cubs actually did something right and look like they are wrapping up a deal with Milton Bradley. Bradley is one of the better players in the majors, and is definitely the most hated. He plays with intensity, kind of a Paul O'Neill type, but players, coaches, umpires, and fans often react badly to this type of player. But look at what he did for Texas last year. Finally, a team gives him some room, backs off, and he opens up - if I am correct, he was the AL leader in OBP last year and batted .321 with 22 homers. The Cubs couldn't have found a better middle of the lineup bat. This is going to go largely unremarked-on, but look for Bradley to do for the Cubs what Xavier Nady did for the Yankees last year. And maybe with a little fire, the Cubs will learn to finish, finally.
Prediction: Look out, here come the Cubs. Alfonso Soriano, Derrick Lee, and Aramis Ramirez will love a fourth bat to help round out the lineup. Geovany Soto (C) is also a solid player, and if Kosuke Fukudome can hit like he hit in the first half, the Cubs should batter opponents. That is, if Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, and Harden repeat last season's performance.
Okay, on to the Yankees. I have to give them something - my favorite team, you know.Cashman, in a recent news conference, stressed the Yankees desire for pitching and defense. I think they are all set, for the most part, and can afford (ha. what can't they afford?) to sit back and watch as other teams scramble to set up deals.Here's what I see as a potential lineup for next season:
Johnny Damon (LF)...yeah, he has bum knees. But it's still the offseason, and he is Johnny Damon. Take the first month as a test, and if he can still pull it off, fine. If not, he can platoon in the outfield, rotating with Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner (who I think is too young and inexperienced to start full-time just yet)
Derek Jeter (SS)...also getting old, experiencing fading production, but he can still hit and do those little things that have made him worthy of the captaincy of the Yankees. He shouldn't be a problem.
Alex Rodriguez (3B)...people say A-Rod has a terrible year if he hits 45 homers instead of 50 and bats .295 instead of .300. He is a great player playing in the world's toughest sports city. I think he is doing a damn fine job. He's won 2 MVPs as a Yankee, for crying out loud. I think they finally have the supporting cast he needs to really shine. Look for an amazing season next year.
Mark Teixeira (1B)...what an acquisition. That's all I can say. Solid hitter, great (and I mean GREAT) defensive first baseman, and an all-around good guy and team player. Nobody in the league has anything but praise for Tex, and I think he will benefit from being behind A-Rod, and vice versa.
Jorge Posada (C)...he won't be able to catch 140 games, I don't think, but he has become a solid hit-for-average kind of guy. Had that great season a few years ago where he hit well over .300, and now he has to show that he can maintain that after coming from a tough injury. He won't be as solid behind the plate as Molina, but with our pitching this year, hopefully there won't be as many baserunners to worry about.
Xavier Nady (RF)...the Yankees' best steal last year. He is one of those players who does what he has to without being noticed too much. He reminds me of Paul O'Neill in that aspect (minus the temper) and a little bit of Bernie Williams. I think he has the capability to hit well over .300. Everyone noticed Jason Bay on the Sox last year, but with a full season to play, Nady will show that he has more talent.
Robinson Cano (2B)...he has had a rough season to contend with. This go-round will tell us if he is a good player, a soon-to-be great player, or a flash in the pan. Did the pitchers figure him out? Or was his timing off? We shall discover this soon enough. Apparently he has been working out with Kevin Long, so look for possible Robbie of two years ago. If he shows improvement, move him up. His OBP is low, but he could certainly bat higher if necessary.
Nick Swisher (DH)...somewhat of a dud. A remnant of the Oakland A's "Moneyball" years with Billy Beane. He never really panned out - a decent player, but nothing special. He will fill in for the outfield, and at 1B if necessary, so he is good to have around in that sense as the replacement for Wilson Betemit. Not a great hitter, though, and he strikes out a LOT. But he will hit 20 homers.
Melky Cabrera (CF)...wild card pick right here. Or perhaps one of them. Like Brett Gardner, I don't know if he is ready. His good performance a few years ago when the Yankees rushed him up surrounded him with hype that he will now have to live up to if he wants to succeed. I think that he will evolve into a Swisher type, with a better outfield arm. He is a streaky hitter, and still needs to learn the strike zone. But he is young, so maybe I am wrong, and he will improve.
The Yankees also have Hideki Matsui to throw into the outfield mess, but I don't quite know how they will use him. His knees are pretty beat up. But I think a Matsui/Damon/Gardner platoon will work. Damon and Matsui are subpar defensively, but they can still hit. Nady and Cabrera and Swisher can also play the outfield respectably, but I think Nady should be the only regular at this point. Spring training can help decide the rest.
Pitching:
C.C. Sabathia...a beast of a man. But will he hold up, and in the American League East? For what the Yankees are paying him, each loss will bring a host of criticism, but he is only human. Pitching for the Brewers in the National League Central is a bit of a statistics booster, and if you remember, he wasn't having the greatest season over in Cleveland. Back in the American League, don't expect what he did last year, but he should win at least 17 games and have a solid ERA of 3.25, but I would love to see 20 wins and a 2.82 ERA out of this guy. Should be a wrap for 200 IP, at least.
A.J. Burnett...I thought the Yankees should have gotten J.J. Putz and gone 3 for 3 on initials. But A.J. will do well, I think. The word on the street is that he is injury prone, but I think he has matured. He still throws 98, at least, but he has discovered a few other pitches and isn't afraid to use them. I think that is why he succeeded last year - hitters expected to see straight fastballs, and he messed with their heads a bit. I would expect similar production out of him, if he is coached well. His ERA was a little high last year (4.07) but respectable, and he WAS playing for Toronto. He is a big-game kind of guy, and shouldn't mind the Big Apple. Look for 15 wins, at least, and possibly a slightly higher ERA.
Chien-Ming Wang...he will take Mike Mussina's place in the rotation. Totally undersung as a pitcher, Wang has been stuck without a supporting cast ever since he joined the Yankees. He is healthy this year, and I would expect him to come back with 16 wins or so and a healthily low ERA. He won't intimidate, but that sinker of his is nasty, and Teixiera at first base to scoop those grounders should help him out. He served well as a number 1 starter, so look for him to step up if A.J. or C.C. goes down.
Joba Chamberlain...yes, I said it. He should start. But it might benefit him to be the number 5 instead of the number 4, so his innings and rest days can be more varied and open to change. But he pitched really solid last year, both as a starter and reliever. Don't expect 200 IP here, because the Yankees want to protect him at all costs, but he will produce. Unless something has changed, I am thinking an ERA around 2.95 and 12-14 wins as a starter. If he gets relegated to the bullpen because Hughes or Aceves does well, he will do even better. He might be nursing his shoulder at first, so watch for a slower start than expected. But be patient.
Hughes/Aceves/Kennedy/Pettitte...interesting case here. Hughes might be ready for another shot. He did really well when he was sent down last year. I think Aceves is a great middle reliever type and spot starter, but no more. He should stay in the pen, he was a boon there last year. Kennedy may not be a big league pitcher. He needs to toughen up his mind before he is truly ready. I think he is suffering from Melky syndrome, so just wait and see. He should start the season in long relief to warm up. I don't think Pettitte should come back, but if they get him, I suppose he would be the fifth starter. I think they need to move on, but that is just my opinion.
Bullpen:
Young, but should be solid. Brian Bruney, Damaso Marte, and Jonathan Albaladejo form a good team to set up for Mariano Rivera to close them out. They will have to be good, though, and don't expect many two-inning saves for Mo this year. Phil Coke was exceptional last year in middle relief, and Jose Veras and any younger starters can fill in there as well. I have no worries about the pen, and they should be in nice spots this year with the starting rotation looking as it is.
Alright. That's all for now. I think I am going to make these posts a habit, because it gets lonely without having anyone to talk baseball about down here. But they won't generally be this long. So don't get scared away.
Harrison
ed at times), tend to want to swing for the fences and have little patience, Burrell was not a good pick. The Rays did need a right-handed big bat, and Burrell will hit 20-30 home runs in an average season, but a much better acquisition would have been Bobby Abreu. The Yankees were idiots to let him go, and he will make a team very happy this coming season. He is undersung, but he is a great player to protect a number four (even perhaps a number three or five) hitter because he sees a ton of pitches, makes good contact, and is good for 160 hits and a good number of walks each season. He is only a few years older than Burrell, and has postseason experience (although not Burrell's WS ring from last year). Abreu will last for years as a DH, and is very similar to Bernie Williams at the same point in his career. Bernie only got better (at least until he was in his later 30s), and provided a spark of experience whenever it was needed.Prediction: Burrell will not disappoint, but the Rays will regret his signing when they look at Abreu's team next year.
On a better note, the Cubs actually did something right and look like they are wrapping up a deal with Milton Bradley. Bradley is one of the better players in the majors, and is definitely the most hated. He plays with intensity, kind of a Paul O'Neill type, but players, coaches, umpires, and fans often react badly to this type of player. But look at what he did for Texas last year. Finally, a team gives him some room, backs off, and he opens up - if I am correct, he was the AL leader in OBP last year and batted .321 with 22 homers. The Cubs couldn't have found a better middle of the lineup bat. This is going to go largely unremarked-on, but look for Bradley to do for the Cubs what Xavier Nady did for the Yankees last year. And maybe with a little fire, the Cubs will learn to finish, finally.
Prediction: Look out, here come the Cubs. Alfonso Soriano, Derrick Lee, and Aramis Ramirez will love a fourth bat to help round out the lineup. Geovany Soto (C) is also a solid player, and if Kosuke Fukudome can hit like he hit in the first half, the Cubs should batter opponents. That is, if Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, and Harden repeat last season's performance.
Okay, on to the Yankees. I have to give them something - my favorite team, you know.Cashman, in a recent news conference, stressed the Yankees desire for pitching and defense. I think they are all set, for the most part, and can afford (ha. what can't they afford?) to sit back and watch as other teams scramble to set up deals.Here's what I see as a potential lineup for next season:
Johnny Damon (LF)...yeah, he has bum knees. But it's still the offseason, and he is Johnny Damon. Take the first month as a test, and if he can still pull it off, fine. If not, he can platoon in the outfield, rotating with Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner (who I think is too young and inexperienced to start full-time just yet)
Derek Jeter (SS)...also getting old, experiencing fading production, but he can still hit and do those little things that have made him worthy of the captaincy of the Yankees. He shouldn't be a problem.
Alex Rodriguez (3B)...people say A-Rod has a terrible year if he hits 45 homers instead of 50 and bats .295 instead of .300. He is a great player playing in the world's toughest sports city. I think he is doing a damn fine job. He's won 2 MVPs as a Yankee, for crying out loud. I think they finally have the supporting cast he needs to really shine. Look for an amazing season next year.
Mark Teixeira (1B)...what an acquisition. That's all I can say. Solid hitter, great (and I mean GREAT) defensive first baseman, and an all-around good guy and team player. Nobody in the league has anything but praise for Tex, and I think he will benefit from being behind A-Rod, and vice versa.
Jorge Posada (C)...he won't be able to catch 140 games, I don't think, but he has become a solid hit-for-average kind of guy. Had that great season a few years ago where he hit well over .300, and now he has to show that he can maintain that after coming from a tough injury. He won't be as solid behind the plate as Molina, but with our pitching this year, hopefully there won't be as many baserunners to worry about.
Xavier Nady (RF)...the Yankees' best steal last year. He is one of those players who does what he has to without being noticed too much. He reminds me of Paul O'Neill in that aspect (minus the temper) and a little bit of Bernie Williams. I think he has the capability to hit well over .300. Everyone noticed Jason Bay on the Sox last year, but with a full season to play, Nady will show that he has more talent.
Robinson Cano (2B)...he has had a rough season to contend with. This go-round will tell us if he is a good player, a soon-to-be great player, or a flash in the pan. Did the pitchers figure him out? Or was his timing off? We shall discover this soon enough. Apparently he has been working out with Kevin Long, so look for possible Robbie of two years ago. If he shows improvement, move him up. His OBP is low, but he could certainly bat higher if necessary.
Nick Swisher (DH)...somewhat of a dud. A remnant of the Oakland A's "Moneyball" years with Billy Beane. He never really panned out - a decent player, but nothing special. He will fill in for the outfield, and at 1B if necessary, so he is good to have around in that sense as the replacement for Wilson Betemit. Not a great hitter, though, and he strikes out a LOT. But he will hit 20 homers.
Melky Cabrera (CF)...wild card pick right here. Or perhaps one of them. Like Brett Gardner, I don't know if he is ready. His good performance a few years ago when the Yankees rushed him up surrounded him with hype that he will now have to live up to if he wants to succeed. I think that he will evolve into a Swisher type, with a better outfield arm. He is a streaky hitter, and still needs to learn the strike zone. But he is young, so maybe I am wrong, and he will improve.
The Yankees also have Hideki Matsui to throw into the outfield mess, but I don't quite know how they will use him. His knees are pretty beat up. But I think a Matsui/Damon/Gardner platoon will work. Damon and Matsui are subpar defensively, but they can still hit. Nady and Cabrera and Swisher can also play the outfield respectably, but I think Nady should be the only regular at this point. Spring training can help decide the rest.
Pitching:
C.C. Sabathia...a beast of a man. But will he hold up, and in the American League East? For what the Yankees are paying him, each loss will bring a host of criticism, but he is only human. Pitching for the Brewers in the National League Central is a bit of a statistics booster, and if you remember, he wasn't having the greatest season over in Cleveland. Back in the American League, don't expect what he did last year, but he should win at least 17 games and have a solid ERA of 3.25, but I would love to see 20 wins and a 2.82 ERA out of this guy. Should be a wrap for 200 IP, at least.
A.J. Burnett...I thought the Yankees should have gotten J.J. Putz and gone 3 for 3 on initials. But A.J. will do well, I think. The word on the street is that he is injury prone, but I think he has matured. He still throws 98, at least, but he has discovered a few other pitches and isn't afraid to use them. I think that is why he succeeded last year - hitters expected to see straight fastballs, and he messed with their heads a bit. I would expect similar production out of him, if he is coached well. His ERA was a little high last year (4.07) but respectable, and he WAS playing for Toronto. He is a big-game kind of guy, and shouldn't mind the Big Apple. Look for 15 wins, at least, and possibly a slightly higher ERA.
Chien-Ming Wang...he will take Mike Mussina's place in the rotation. Totally undersung as a pitcher, Wang has been stuck without a supporting cast ever since he joined the Yankees. He is healthy this year, and I would expect him to come back with 16 wins or so and a healthily low ERA. He won't intimidate, but that sinker of his is nasty, and Teixiera at first base to scoop those grounders should help him out. He served well as a number 1 starter, so look for him to step up if A.J. or C.C. goes down.
Joba Chamberlain...yes, I said it. He should start. But it might benefit him to be the number 5 instead of the number 4, so his innings and rest days can be more varied and open to change. But he pitched really solid last year, both as a starter and reliever. Don't expect 200 IP here, because the Yankees want to protect him at all costs, but he will produce. Unless something has changed, I am thinking an ERA around 2.95 and 12-14 wins as a starter. If he gets relegated to the bullpen because Hughes or Aceves does well, he will do even better. He might be nursing his shoulder at first, so watch for a slower start than expected. But be patient.
Hughes/Aceves/Kennedy/Pettitte...interesting case here. Hughes might be ready for another shot. He did really well when he was sent down last year. I think Aceves is a great middle reliever type and spot starter, but no more. He should stay in the pen, he was a boon there last year. Kennedy may not be a big league pitcher. He needs to toughen up his mind before he is truly ready. I think he is suffering from Melky syndrome, so just wait and see. He should start the season in long relief to warm up. I don't think Pettitte should come back, but if they get him, I suppose he would be the fifth starter. I think they need to move on, but that is just my opinion.
Bullpen:
Young, but should be solid. Brian Bruney, Damaso Marte, and Jonathan Albaladejo form a good team to set up for Mariano Rivera to close them out. They will have to be good, though, and don't expect many two-inning saves for Mo this year. Phil Coke was exceptional last year in middle relief, and Jose Veras and any younger starters can fill in there as well. I have no worries about the pen, and they should be in nice spots this year with the starting rotation looking as it is.
Alright. That's all for now. I think I am going to make these posts a habit, because it gets lonely without having anyone to talk baseball about down here. But they won't generally be this long. So don't get scared away.
Harrison
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