TEAM BY TEAM
Everything you need to know about every club in MLB,
AL EAST
1. NEW YORK YANKEES (95-67) Manager: Joe Girardi Player to watch: Michael Pineda 2. BOSTON RED SOX (90-72) Manager: Bobby Valentine Player to watch: Andrew Bailey 3. TORONTO BLUE JAYS (81-81) Manager: John Farrell Player to watch: Brett Lawrie 4. TAMPA BAY RAYS (91-71) Manager: Joe Maddon Player to watch: Matt Moore 5. BALTIMORE ORIOLES (69-93) Manager: Buck Showalter Player to watch: Matt Wieters
HOW DIVISION SHAPES UP
This is baseball’s strongest division, four deep with the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and Jays.
With two wild card spots up for grabs, some experts believe both of the best runners-up could come from the AL East, but the intra-division strength works against that.
The Yankees are again counting on SS Derek Jeter at the top of the order, also defensively. Mistake? When will CL Mariano Rivera start to slow down? Can CF Curtis Granderson repeat his breakout numbers and what of 3B Alex Rodriguez?
The Red Sox have changed management and there are questions about how veterans will respond to MGR Bobby Valentine. Can RH Daniel Bard be an effective member of the rotation, and will CL Andrew Bailey thrive under a brighter spotlight?
As for the Rays, having C Jose Molina handle the starting load is a question mark, while the closing situation is sketchy. They have the best rotation in the division.
For the Jays, spring training has improved their stock, not because of the won-lost record, but because of the depth of the system that will help them overcome pitching injuries. The question marks surround RH Brandon Morrow, LH Brett Cecil and 1B Adam Lind. The O’s may end up being better than their final record indicates, but they will be pounded inside the division.
AL CENTRAL
1. DETROIT TIGERS (95-67) Manager: Jim Leyland Player to watch: Prince Fielder 2. CLEVELAND INDIANS (80-82) Manager: Manny Acta Player to watch: Justin Masterson 3. KANSAS CITY ROYALS (71-91) Manager: Ned Yost Player to watch: Eric Hosmer 4. CHICAGO WHITE SOX (79-83) Manager: Robin Ventura Player to watch: Gavin Floyd 5. MINNESOTA TWINS (63-99) Manager: Ron Gardenhire Player to watch: Justin Morneau
HOW DIVISION SHAPES UP
The Tigers have the best 1-2 hitting punch in baseball with 1B Prince Fielder and 3B Miguel Cabrera. Oddly enough, Cabrera had actually been asking the organization to play more third base, so having the all-star move across the diamond won’t be an issue. Add to that reigning MVP and Cy Young winner RH Justin Verlander and one of the best young receivers in C Alex Avila, plus a deep and talented bullpen, and what you have is four teams fighting for second.
And it is unlikely the second-place team, whether it’s the Indians, Royals or White Sox, will be good enough to grab the extra wild card. The Royals are a team on the rise with 1B Eric Hosmer, LF Alex Gordon and acquired LH Jonathan Sanchez. Don’t be surprised if they crack .500.
The Tribe has a nice rotation with RH Justin Masterson, RH Derek Lowe and RH Ubaldo Jimenez, with emerging stars in C Carlos Santana and SS Asdrubal Cabrera, but after the fast start last year they faded badly.
The White Sox seemed to have miscalculated the market this off-season, underbidding and over-demanding to the point where they are not as good as they were a year ago.
The Twins are an enigma and it all depends on the health and work of 1B Justin Morneau and C Joe Mauer.
AL WEST
1. TEXAS RANGERS (96-66) Manager: Ron Washington Player to watch: Yu Darvish 2. LOS ANGELES ANGELS (86-76) Manager: Mike Scioscia Player to watch: Albert Pujols 3. SEATTLE MARINERS (67-95) Manager: Eric Wedge Player to watch: Jesus Montero 4. OAKLAND A’S (74-88) Manager: Bob Melvin Player to watch: Yoenis Cespedes
HOW DIVISION SHAPES UP
This division will be significantly stronger, but with the A’s reshaping their pitching staff, it will be a long summer in Oakland. The Rangers lost LH C.J. Wilson, who stayed in the division with the Angels, but Texas signed RH Yu Darvish, who brings a rock-star presence to the Lone Star State. The Rangers also shifted RH Neftali Feliz to the rotation and are counting on a healthy CL Joe Nathan. The Rangers’ fortunes may rise or fall depending on the mental and physical state of LF Josh Hamilton. The emergence of C Mike Napoli as an impact player gives them a rock-solid batting order, with both speed and power. The Angels added 1B Albert (Don’t Call Me Hombre) Pujols to give them the power bat to compete in the AL. The outfield defence helps out what may be the deepest starting rotation in the AL led by RH Dan Haren, RH Jered Weaver, RH Ervin Santana and Wilson. The Mariners might be a surprise team, with all the players they brought in last summer starting to emerge. The key addition to a moribund offence is C Jesus Montero, who rates as one of the top prospects in baseball the past three years, but with suspect catching tools. He will likely DH. 2B Dustin Ackley and 1B Justin Smoak are ready to become contributing stars. The A’s are building for the future and it’s the wrong time to be doing it in a division that got better in every other city.
NL EAST
1. ATLANTA BRAVES (89-73) Manager: Fredi Gonzalez Player t o watch: Bri an Mccann 2. MIAMI MARLINS (72-90) Manager: Ozzie Guillen Player to watch: Hanley Ramirez 3. PHIL. PHILLIES (102-60) Manager: Charlie Manuel Player to watch: Jonathan Papelbon 4. WASH. NATIONALS (80-81) Manager: Davey Johnson Player to watch: Steven Strasburg 5. NEW YORK METS (77-85) Manager: Terry Collins Player to watch: David Wright
HOW DIVISION SHAPES UP
The story of this division is the Marlins and their new stadium and the additions they made to try and field a winner. Can CL Heath Bell do the job for a contender? Can SS Jose Reyes stay healthy and can 3B Hanley Ramirez stay happy? Can the out-there personality of MGR Ozzie Guillen co-exist with an equally out-there ownership? Meanwhile, the Phillies’ dream rotation was a one-year thing. Roy Oswalt is gone and RH Joe Blanton is being dangled at a discount. LH Cole Hamels is looking at free agency and questions are being asked about RH Roy Halladay’s velocity. The Phillies’ offence was being questioned last year, and 1B Ryan Howard won’t be available to start the season. They re-signed SS Jimmy Rollins and added CL Jonathon Papelbon, but closing was not the Phillies’ problem. The Braves were right there as the wild card a year ago but imploded on the collapse of CL Craig Kimbrel and their exhausted bullpen. They have learned from that, and C Brian Mccann and 1B Freddie Freeman lead an offence that is good enough. The Nats are the sexy pick in the division, with the addition of LH Gio Gonzalez and RH Edwin Jackson to RH Steven Strasburg and a solid fiveman rotation. RF Jayson Werth was a huge disappointment in his first year. They may still be a year away from contending. Meanwhile, the Mets are in an untenable situation with ownership battling for their own futures ahead of the fortunes of the ballclub. The Mets will get worse before they get better.
NL CENTRAL
1. CINCINNATI REDS (79-83) Manager: Dusty Baker Player to watch: Mat Latos 2. MILWAUKEE BREWERS (96-66) Manager: Ron Roenicke Player to watch: Aramis Ramirez 3. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (90-72) Manager: Mike Matheny Player to watch: Carlos Beltran 4. CHICAGO CUBS (71-91) Manager: Dale Sveum Player to watch: Matt Garza 5. PITTSBURGH PIRATES (72-90) Manager: Clint Hurdle Player to watch: Andrew Mccutchen 6. HOUSTON ASTROS (56-106) Manager: Brad Mills Player to watch: Carlos Lee
HOW THE DIVISION SHAPES UP
This division was already the softest in baseball and it didn’t help that the Brewers and Cardinals each lost their best hitter to the AL. The Reds have taken advantage of the opening and are looking to return to the post-season on the strength of 1B Joey Votto and RF Jay Bruce, plus a rotation that added talented RH Mat Latos from the Padres. They need 3B Scott Rolen and 2B Brandon Phillips to stay healthy. CL Ryan Madson was added as a free agent. The Cards lost Pujols but added RF Carlos Beltran. RH Adam Wainwright missed the entire 2011 season and the annual question of RH Chris Carpenter’s health has surfaced. The Cards snuck into the World Series with a late rush and are not as good this year.
The Brewers lost Prince Fielder but added 3B Aramis Ramirez. That’s not a fair trade. LF Ryan Braun avoided a suspension, which helps.
The Cubs have begun a reinvention under Theo Epstein and MGR Dale Sveum. There are question marks all around the diamond, led by LF Alfonso Soriano and C Geovany Soto. The addition of RF David Dejesus was for the present, while the addition of 1B Anthony Rizzo is for the future.
The Pirates were the story of the first half last year, hanging in among the leaders under MGR Clint Hurdle. But it all unravelled in the second half and they still have not finished above .500 since Barry Bonds left town.
The Astros are a young team with a new GM and new ownership. They will remain the worst in the division and things won’t get any easier in 2013 in the uber-tough AL West.
NL WEST
1. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (86-76) Manager: Bruce Bochy Player to watch: Buster Posey
2. ARIZONA D-BACKS (94-68) Manager: Kirk Gibson Player to watch: Justin Upton
3. L.A. DODGERS (82-79) Manager: Don Mattingly Player to watch: Matt Kemp
4. COLORADO ROCKIES (73-89) Manager: Jim Tracy Player to watch: Troy Tulowitzki
5. SAN DIEGO PADRES (71-91) Manager: Bud Black Player to watch: Yonder Alonso
HOW THE DIVISION SHAPES UP
The Giants have a ridiculously good top three in their rotation with RH Tim Lincecum, RH Matt Cain and LH Madison Bumgarner. The return of C Buster Posey after the terrible home plate accident a year ago is like adding an all-star. Giants added LF Melky Cabrera as a catalyst at top of order.
The D-backs are division champs until proven otherwise, and if RH Ian Kennedy and RH Daniel Hudson can build off their breakout years, then they have a chance to repeat. Snakes have one superstar in RF Justin Upton and some good support players.
The top two teams are in one class, while the Dodgers and Rockies are at the next level.
Dodgers are looking ahead without the ownership distractions of a year ago. They are led by Triple Crown candidate CF Matt Kemp and Cy Young winner LH Clayton Kershaw.
The Rockies have SS Troy Tulowitzki and LF Carlos Gonzalez. The rotation doesn’t add up to others in division.
The Padres seem to be building for the future, loading up on prospects. But the rotation does not measure up. The offence is built around LF Carlos Quentin and CF Cameron Maybin. San Diego is hoping for the emergence of 1B Yonder Alonso and young talent they pulled in over the winter.