THE POST PANEL

5

Who is your rookie to watch in 2012?

Bray Yoenis Cespedes, A’s. And I won’t have to listen to the creepy opening music for the 20-minute Youtube video pimping the Cuban outfielder in the off-season.

Keri Matt Moore, Rays and Yu Darvish, Rangers. They have vastly different profiles. Moore is an eighth-round draft pick who has progressed from interesting project to best pitching prospect in the game. Darvish is already 25 and a veteran of Japanese league baseball. Both are good bets to put up impressive numbers this year. Parkes In the AL, Yu Dar

vish, Rangers. It appears as though he is the rarity whose skill matches hype. In the NL, catcher Devin Mesoraco, Reds, is going to turn heads.

Spurrier Matt Moore, Rays. He arrives with more innings pitched in the post-season than the regular season (109.1).

6

What prospect are you waiting for, this year or beyond?

Bray Bryce Harper, Nation

als. A five-tool talent who just might invent a few more. Plus he’s filter-free, minus the baseball GQ shoved in his mouth for a photo shoot.

Keri Bryce Harper, Nation

als. I mean, who else could it possibly be? In terms of prospect hype, he’s baseball’s Lebron. Actually, as a Sports

Illustrated cover boy at 16, he has been baseball’s Lebron for years now.

Parkes Bryce Harper, Nationals. If not him, you better go with Mike Trout or Matt Moore, and if neither of them you probably shouldn’t watch baseball anymore.

Spurrier Trevor Bauer, Dia

mondbacks. Egotistical manchildren aside, baseball is such a game of tradition that it is interesting to see people who shake up the status quo with new ideas. Bauer has interesting ideas on keeping his arm fresh and strong.

7

Who do you expect to have a breakthrough or breakout season?

Bray Brandon Belt, Giants. He has hit .343 in two minorleague seasons and was fourth on the Giants in homers last year despite playing just 63 games. Yes, San Francisco can use him.

Keri There are a bunch. Some players, like Brett Lawrie, Mat

Gamel and Chris Sale, will have breakout seasons with regular playing time or a higher-profile job for the first time, or by playing their first full season. Others, like Brandon Morrow, Matt Joyce and Derek Holland, could be entering their prime.

Parkes Carlos Santana, Indi

ans. A very decent first baseman whose bat makes him absolutely elite as a catcher. Last season was only the beginning

Spurrier Brett Lawrie, Blue

Jays. He is part Tigger and part Pete Rose and already looks like he will be the engine in the Jays offence.

8

What player is most likely to bounce back from an off year?

Bray Joe Mauer, Twins. He never got his legs under him last year, missing half the season with bilateral leg weakness. Still, he is a three-time batting champion.

Keri Adam Dunn, White Sox. Unless he’s suffered a debilitating injury we don’t know about, you have to assume regression toward the mean the year after a perennial 40homer guy hits .159 with just 11 homers.

Parkes Jason Heyward, Braves. Plenty of comeback candidates — Strasburg, Posey, Wainwright, Morales — but Heyward will improve most from last year’s disasterpiece.

Spurrier David Wright, Mets. The fences have been moved in at Citi Field and there are zero expectations on the Mets. He can just relax and play.

9

Who do you expect to fall back this season?

Bray Mike Napoli, Rangers. He hit a career-best .320 last year and — cover your ears, Alex Anthopoulos— had a 1.046 OPS. But everything’s bigger in Texas, including the fall.

Keri Mike Napoli, Rangers. Great hitter, I’ve been a fan since he first broke in with the Angels. Pretty sure he’s not vintage Mike Piazza, though.

Parkes Jeremy Hellickson,

Rays. Peripheral stats suggest the rookie of the year is going to be better in 2012, while most likely putting up a worse ERA.

Spurrier Justin Upton, Diamondbacks. Not to be the wet blanket here, but Upton’s most similar comparable according to Baseball-reference.com is Ruben Sierra, who peaked at 23.

10

Which team has baseball’s best infield?

Bray New York Yankees, even if A-rod and Jeter are in their late 30s now. The best half of an infield might be Miami’s Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes.

Keri Texas Rangers. Ian Kinsler, Adrian Beltre, and Elvis Andrus form the best defensive infield trio in the majors, and Kinsler and Beltre are mashers too. Throw in a reasonable semi-platoon of Mitch Moreland and Michael Young and Texas has it.

Parkes Texas Rangers, even with the hole at first base. Ian Kinsler is so good, it might still be Texas with him and three minor-leaguers.

Spurrier Cincinnati Reds. Scott Rolen is not the same defensive difference-maker he once was, but — with Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and rookie Zack Cozart — there are no holes in this infield.

15

What was the worst move of the off-season?

Bray Marlins trade for Carlos Zambrano. And all the Cubs asked for in return was some plaster to repair their dugout wall.

Keri Rangers sign Joe Nathan. Two years and Us$14.75-million for a 37-year-old closer hoping he can shake off age, diminished velocity and Tommy John surgery. This could blow up in the team’s face.

Parkes Phillies sign Jonathan Papelbon. An elite reliever, but he will never face as many as 300 batters in a season. Wasting Us$50-million on him is foolish.

Spurrier Reds sign Ryan

Madson. Did we mention Madson is out for the season? There is no truth to rumour the Reds inquired about David Weathers’ availability to pitch.

16

Which team will surprise in 2012?

Bray Colorado Rockies, although with 49-year-old Jamie Moyer starting the season in the rotation,they will probably have to do it with offence, again.

Keri Miami Marlins. The offseason plan was to land Jose Reyes, a solid starting pitcher, a solid closer, and Albert Pujols. They hit three out of four. A raft of emerging hitting talent and a deep rotation will still carry them into the playoffs.

Parkes Both Miami and Washington could cause havoc in the NL East standings, but the real surprise will be the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Spurrier Toronto Blue Jays. No one wants to say that the Jays’ spring training record means anything but if they were a horse, the railbirds would say they are sitting on a monster performance.

17

And which team will disappoint?

Bray Kansas City Royals. Talented youth in Butler, Gordon, Hosmer, Moustakas, Perez, etc. But the opening-day starter … Bruce Chen!

Keri The AL has six very good to great teams (Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, Tigers, Angels and Rangers). One of those teams is going to miss the playoffs, possibly by a game or two. After two straight trips to the World Series, I’ll say the Texas Rangers are that team.

Parkes Detroit Tigers. They get a slight upgrade replacing injured Victor Martinez with Prince Fielder, but the rest of the lineup, outside of Avila and Cabrera, remains terrible.

Spurrier Miami Marlins. This is the Land of Misfits Toys, owned by Burgermeister Meisterburger and managed by The Joker. Despite my mixed metaphors, how can this end well? (OK, it can, but who wants that?)

18

Which team will benefit from the extra wild card?

Bray Texas Rangers. Anaheim’s additions of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson and the return of Kendrys Morales — OK, Pujols is enough — make the AL West a race again.

Keri Boston Red Sox. Carl Crawford is out for all of April and new closer Andrew Bailey will miss the start of the season. But the top five in Boston’s loaded lineup, and the money and the will to upgrade as needed could nudge the Sox into the playoffs.

Parkes A loaded question to raise expectations for the Blue Jays? Let’s be realistic, Toronto still has to get past Boston, New York or Tampa Bay.

Spurrier Bruce Arthur lent me the coin he uses for his NFL Picks. Let’s say … the Mil

waukee Brewers.

19

Which team will win the World Series?

Bray Philadelphia Phillies. Their pitching will have to get them there but, the way things are going, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley should be wellrested for October.

Keri New York Yankees. The best team in baseball rarely wins the World Series, since the playoffs often come down to matchups, who’s healthiest at a given moment, or dumb luck. I’ll say the Yankees, but only because I’ve been promised a poutine if I go through with this silly exercise.

Parkes Texas Rangers. Third time is the charm — great lineup, fantastic pitching and quality depth make them my favourite.

Spurrier Boston Red Sox. Since absolutely everyone picked them last year and absolutely no one is picking them this year.

20

And which team is a world away from any post-season series?

Bray Houston Astros. They are on their way out of the National League. But with that roster, you would think they were leaving the major leagues.

Keri Baltimore Orioles. The Astros will probably lose more games this year, but I’d say the Orioles have furthest to go, between their lousy major-league roster, the division they play in, and the meddling owner I don’t trust to leave the people in charge alone.

Parkes If the Houston Astros make the playoffs I will gladly knit every single National Post reader a sweater in time for November.

Spurrier Houston Astros. They are moving to the American League in 2013. As a parting gift to the NL: 162 easy victories!