Well, after the Marlins preview, let's see who the hat has to check out today...

Hmm, we stay in the National League.

Los Angeles Dodgers - Team Preview

Well, so much of the Dodgers having the most talented group of youngsters in the division.  After a decision to commit too long to the veteren's, the Dodgers have instead decided to embrace their youthful core for the lack of better alternatives.  Still blessed with a solid farm system and a lot of pitching talent, the Dodgers aren't going to be a foe to be triffled with this season.  Still, there are some weaknesses on this team, mostly due to vets that have no business starting likely to be started anyway, thanks to Joe Torre.

Starting Rotation

• Brad Penny (RHP) – Underrated by many, Penny is a top of the rotation starter that can flat out dominate when he’s healthy.  His contract is a steal and the Dodgers wisely held onto him last season after debating about shopping him around.  It’s almost a sure bet that he’ll get his club option exercised next season, giving the Dodgers an extra season before bringing up uberprospect Clayton Kershaw.
• Chad Billingsley (RHP) – A good young pitcher, Billingsley showed last season that he could become a top of the rotation starter if given the chance to prove himself.  With a good combination of stuff and poise, Billingsley should rise through the rotation and establish himself as the next staff ace.
• Derek Lowe (RHP) – Lowe is an innings eater that will generate a lot of groundballs and should post respectable numbers.  All in all, it probably would have been best for Boston to keep him, as he was a good fit for their park, but overall he’s done rather well for himself in LA and should look to cash in free agency next season.
• Hiroki Kuroda (RHP) – The latest Japanese Import, Kuroda is a decent pitcher.  His fastball clocks in the high 80’s/low 90’s with some sink and he’s got a good curveball and a decent breaking ball.  He commands all of his offerings well, however, and though he had a bit of elbow trouble, it was cleared up by Dr. Lewis Yocum.  All in all, he’s a solid bet to be a good number four starter and isn’t expensive. 
• Jason Schmidt (RHP) – Well, it turns out the Giants did know what they were doing when they didn’t make a bigger push to keep their ace.  Schmidt is likely going to be the fifth man in the rotation due to his need for a slow recovery from shoulder surgery, and will likely never be the guy that the Dodgers hoped they signed.  But he could be a very good middle of the rotation man if he successfully bounces back.

Bullpen

• Takashi Saito (Closer) – One of the more effective closers in baseball, and one of the bigger bargains to boot, Saito is money in save opportunities, though I would caution that he is older and he has a lot of mileage on his arm.  Grady Little actually did a good job of keeping him fresh and not abusing him.  The man replacing him isn’t as kind.  Still, a decent season should be expected from him. 
• Jonathan Broxton (Setup Man) – The Dodgers’ closer of the future, Broxton is built like a bull and has great stuff to go with it.  He’s also a prime candidate to be overused by Joe Torre.
• Joe Beimel (LHP) - A dependable lefty that shouldn't be in anymore bar fights anytime soon, Beimel helps augment what should be a dynamite setup corps.
• Hong Chi Kuo (LHP) – Kuo had the stuff to be a starter, but not the stamina.  So, he returns to the middle relief/swingman role that he did well in back in 2006.
• Scott Proctor (RHP) – The one guy that was probably the least thrilled about Joe Torre coming to LA?  Proctor, who was overused by Torre during his time in New York as Torre lost confidence in reliever after reliever and kept on using his old reliables.  Proctor likely could have had a long career as a setup man if Torre wasn’t
• Esteban Loaiza (RHP) – The odd man out of the rotation mix, Loaiza was awful in his limited innings as a Dodger and now will have to accept a swingman role unless he wants out completely. 
• Rudy Seanez (RHP) - A retread of sorts, Seanez isn't exactly an elite reliever anymore, but as long as the Dodgers don't overexpose him, he should be a servicable reliever at best.

Starting Lineup

• Rafael Furcal (SS) – Still a good shortstop with a solid bat, power and speed, Furcal is entering the last year in his deal and wants a contract extension to stay with LA.  I don’t think it’ll happen, now with Hui down in Triple A ready to start, so expect Furcal to have a solid year before leaving LA to go elsewhere, giving the Dodgers some nice draft picks in the process.
• Juan Pierre (LF) – Does Pierre deserve to be starting ahead of the more talented Andre Ethier?  #### No.  Does that mean he will?  Yes, because we have seen throughout the ages that there is one common trait about Joe Torre.  He always starts his veteran’s and won’t start a youngster unless he has no choice.  In this case, he’ll likely start Pierre in left, where his speed should help him, but other than that, he’s got little value.
• James Loney (1B) – A nifty young player that the Dodgers finally appear to be done screwing wtih, Loney has a solid bat with plenty of power potential and should be a solid middle of the order presence for years.
• Andruw Jones (CF) – Last season’s down year resulted in Jones going from the top centerfielder on the market to a considerable risk.  I do credit the Dodgers for getting him at two years, as if he bombs, they’ll only be on the hook for one more year, unlike Juan Pierre.  Jones is still a good defensive center fielder who hits for power and shows some patience, but he also lengthens his swing as he tries to crush the ball and he’s lost a step as far as his speed goes.  Still, he’s an excellent buy and should give the Dodger lineup more thunder. 
• Jeff Kent (2B) – Kent can still hit and he’s still a reliable power source in the middle of the order, but he has no business playing second base anymore.  He really should be either at first base or a DH, but he doesn’t seem inclined to do either.  Still, expect Kent to put up some serious numbers here, especially if the Dodgers finally allow Kemp and Loney to stay in everyday and not want to switch to retreads and vets with nothing left in the tank.
• Matt Kemp (RF) – Kemp has all the tools to be a superstar, as he could become a power hitting right fielder in the mold of a J.D. Drew, but he’s still raw in several facets of the game.  Nonetheless, these flaws will only be worked out with playing time, so the Dodgers need to play him, as he is a big part of the Dodgers’ future once some of the vets move on.
• Russell Martin (C) – One of the best young catchers in the NL, Martin was probably a bit overworked last season, but his offensive performance didn't suffer much for it.  Overall, I think he's a great young player that should continue to be a presence in the lineup.   Also, he'd be a nice fit hitting second, but that likely won't happen.
• Nomar Garciaparra (3B) –Nomar is no longer the offensive player he was and he’s too brittle for the hot corner, so I’m not sure why Torre would start him, as his power is gone and all he really is able to do is hit for a superficially high average.  But, as I said, Torre won’t start kids unless he has no choice, meaning that the Dodgers will see a lot of Nomar hitting 8th.

Bench

• Andre Ethier (COF) – Ethier would be a solid left fielder, but it seems that the Dodgers are determined to get as much use out of Juan Pierre's contract as possible.  Plus, knowing Torre's affinity for Vets, and it's likely that Ethier will strictly be used in pinch hit duty until Pierre plays himself out of the lineup.
• Andy LaRoche (CINF) – Another casualty of Joe Torre will likely be Andy LaRoche, who will be on the bench as Nomar Garciaparra is started.  Still, I do give the Dodgers some credit to committing to at least carrying with the big league club.  LaRoche has all the tools to be a star third baseman in the mold of Troy Glaus, though only the Dodgers
• Gary Bennett (C) – A decent backup catcher with an okay bat, look at Bennett to be able to relieve Russell Martin, who was overworked last season.
• Wilson Valdez (UTIL) - Strictly a gloveman with no offensive value.
• Tony Abreu (UTIL) – A decent utility man, Abreu will likely backup all the middle infield positions, plus get the occasional start in the outfield.  He’s not a bad hitter either and could pinch hit in necessary.

Minor League Notables

• Clayton Kershaw (LHP) - The Dodgers' top prospect, Kershaw has already reached Double A at the age of 19.  He's got a big fastball and slider and potentially could be a major league ace.  While the Dodgers won't rush him, it's not inconcievable that Kershaw could get a big league look in the pen at the end of the season.
• Chin-lung Hu (SS) - Chien Ming Wang's ex-classmate, Hu has an incredible glove and enough of a bat that he won't be a drag on the offense.  He'll likely be Furcal's successor at short, though he could be called up in case of injury.
• Justin Meloan (RHP) - A solid setup man, Meloan is also a potential call up should one of the relievers flame out.

Final Analysis

Overall, the Dodgers have a good squad and will be in the mix for the National League Wild Card.  However, I don't feel that they'll have quite an easy run at the division or the WC thanks to the rise of the Diamondbacks and the Rockies.  Overall, this squad is dependant on it's youth.  If Torre decides to play the vets like Pierre and Garciaparra over more deserving talent, it will ultimately cost the Blue Crew at chance at the post-season.

Final Prediction - 2nd Place, National League West 

There's been a lot of talk recently that the Rangers would consider trading Mark Teixiera to one of the big AL East teams, mainly because of the fact that there is a snowball's chance in hell to re-sign him.   Most of this talk has come from the New York papers, and of course, the YESNetwork.

It's not going to happen people.

Here's the reasons.

#1 - Teixiera Is A Big Attraction In Texas

It may be Michael Young's team, but Tex is a drawing card for Texas.  People come to see Tex blast one into the stands and rive in two or more runs, depending on who's on base.  The Rangers have built a marketing campaign around their two cornerstones of the organization and to do so would be a clear signal to the fanbase that the Rangers are valuing their pocketbook over winning a division title.  Texas would prefer to do what it can to re-sign him in his walk year, that way, if they lose him, the fault will not rest on the team but on Teixiera himself.  It's brutal, but that's how the game i. 

#2 - Lack of Replacement's Available At First

The Rangers would also have to find a replacement at First if Teixiera is dealt.  Right now, there is a lack of adequate first baseman available that would give Texas what they will lose in a deal.  Looking at Free Agency, the only three players that would make any sense would be Craig Wilson, Nomar Garciaparra, and Sean Casey. 

Nomar is the highest profile member of the trio and he has the best power numbers.  Unfortuatnely, Nomar isn't durable enough to last a whole season, though he could take some turns at DH.  He's also going to be the most expensive member on the board to sign.  If the Rangers could possibly swing him for 3 years, $30 million, with some of that performance based, he'd be fine.  Anything more than that is a gamble.

Craig Wilson would be relatively inexpensive, but he's flopped upon changing to the National League, which isn't heartening.  If his half season with the Yankees is a fluke, Wilson would have moderately comparable power production to Teixiera.

Sean Casey had high batting averages and decent plate discipline, but again, he's taken a dive upon his arrival to the AL, plus his power numbers are terrible for that position. 

#3 - Price

That's right.  The price it will take to land Teixiera is going to be big.

Because the Rangers have no shortage of offense (and the fact that a reasonable bat that can assist the Rangers in the short term until one of their prospects matures) the price is going to be pitching.

And here's what they would demand out of each team that is after Teixiera.

New York Yankees - The price is either Chein-Ming Wang or Philip Hughes, neither of whom the Yankees have shown a willingness to move or lose.  In spite of all the rantings of baseball writers like Steve Goldman from the Yes Network, the Yankees won't part with this price.  Plus, they've got enough damn offense.

Boston Red Sox - The Sox would like to offer a package of Mike Lowell and Matt Clement.  Not going to happen.  It would have to be Lester and another position prospect, possibily Youkilies or someone else.  The Rangers could offer position prospect Joaquin Arias, a shortstop that has no place for the Rangers to have him play, with Michael Young at short and Ian Kinsler at second.  There's no deal to be made wtih Boston.

Baltimore Orioles - The most natural choice, considering Tex is from the area.  But not so fast, we've got problems making a trade here too.  The Rangers would want Eric Bedard and/or another quality prospect in return, something the Orioles have very little of.

So sorry AL East Fans, but one of the biggest power hitters from the West won't be switching teams anytime soon.

Friday Morning Closer

Because of there is a lot of stuff that I want to get to, some of which isn’t big enough to talk about in the usual free writing columns, today the Closer comes in for an extended outing.

Free Agent Gambles Ahead

If you’re a team in need of a veteran on the free agent market next year, there could be some vets that could help your team if you decide to give them a shot.  Here’s an early look at the market:

Kaz Matsui (2B/SS) – Won’t be earning the kind of money that he did with the Mets, but he might be a decent bench player.

Rich Aurilia (SS) – Not all that great with a glove, but can hit decently.  He’s an older player and could be a short term fix if you got a prospect in the over at Double or Triple A. 

Shea Hillenbrand (1B/3B) – If he’s not traded to the Angels, he’ll be a reasonably good pickup.  He’s go some power and get’s on base.  He’s also young enough where he could be kept around for 3 years as a position player, maybe 4 if he DH’s part time. 

Nomar Garciaparra (1B) – Will be on the market again next season, but this time Nomar will be in the driver’s seat as far as value.  He’s 33, but can still hit and field well and seems to have left his major injury troubles behind.  He’d be an exceptional DH and would probably do well in a DH/1B Platoon in order to keep the wear and tear on his body down.

Craig Wilson (1B/OF) – A good player on the wrong team, as the Pirates don’t play him nearly as often as they should.  He’s got good power and gets on base and isn’t a bad fielder.  He’s one of the most underrated players in the majors and would be a steal by any team that gave him a shot to be their everyday first baseman.

Gregg Zaun (C) – No longer an everyday catcher, but is a good backup guy who can hit decently.  Could be a good option for the Yankees, Dodgers, or Angels.

Bengie Molina (C) – Will be 33 next year and is likely headed for the market again because Molina will be 33 next year, usually the age when catchers start to break down.  Still has a potent bat, but making him the starting catcher for more than two years is dangerous. 

Mike Piazza (C) – Has proven that he can still hit over in San Diego, but at his age, it’s unwise to sign him as your starting catcher.  Is likely to be a backup catcher/Designated Hitter. 

Rod Barajas(C) – Is not going to be with the Rangers next year because Gerald Laird has done well.  He’s got a pretty good bat and is an average defender, but will be 32 next year and will likely begin to break down soon after.  Could be a backup next year, or play in tandem with a developing catcher. 

Sights and Sounds Around The Major League Draft

Here’s some thoughts about the Major League Draft that I felt I should note about:

·          Kansas City – As some expected, the Royals went out and chose Fort Worth Cats pitcher Luke Hochevar with the number one pick.  While part of the reason was that he was willing to sign for a smaller signing bonus than North Carolina pitcher Andrew Miller, Hochevar is still a solid signing.  He’s got the stuff to be a big time starter and could be ready for the bigs as soon as the end of next year.

·          Tampa Bay – The Devil Rays didn’t draft a pitcher, but in their defense, you couldn’t resist taking Evan Longoria at number three.  Arguably the best position player in the draft, Longoria is currently slotted at third base, a position of need for the Rays since Aubrey Huff is in his walk year and the Rays don’t have anyone in the system that could play there.

·          Detroit – Andrew Miller fell down to the Tigers are 6, a steal for the Tigres.  Miller’s got the second best stuff in the draft after Hochevar and he’s a big pitcher to boot.

·          Cincinnati – The Reds took Ken Griffey Jr’s successor, with Texas centerfielder Drew Stubbs.  He’s got great defense, but his strikeout ratios are going to get worse in the majors.  He’s not going to be Junior at the plate, but he should soar out in center.

·          San Diego – Matt Antonelli, who I really liked going in, fell to the Padres at 17.  He’s a good hitter, who makes contract and has extraordinary patience at the plate.  He’s also quick and athletic enough to play any position on the infield, though he’s likely going to have to move to shortstop, as he doesn’t have the power numbers to play at third.

·          Philadelphia – The Phillies took Kyle Drabek at 18, a steal at the pick.  Kyle arguably has the best arm in the draft, with a mid-90’s fastball and two solid breaking pitches.  However, Drabek has had off the field issues.  Nothing solid has appeared, but the fact that these rumors have not disappeared and in fact continue to grow appears to lend some credibility to them.  The one thing I was able to find out was that he is hard to coach and appears to be argumentative.

·          New York (AL) – The Yankees took a pitcher, USC’s Ian Kennedy.  Kennedy was rumored to be the top pick in the draft until he began to lose some velocity on his fastball.  But he still has good command and a hard curve that should make him interesting to follow.  Other teams shied away from Kennedy because of his agent, Scott Boras, and the fear of his high signing demands.  This won’t happen with New York.

·          Washington – The Nats drafted a pitcher and they got a good one, Cotton Willems from John Carrol H.S. (FL).  Willems has good height for a pitcher (6’4”) and while he’s thin, he can still fill out as he develops.  Willems has a good fastball, a good curveball and a great slider.  If he manages to put his work in, he could be a good middle of the rotation starter for the Nats come 2010.

Major League: Back To The Minors, Rocket – Part 1

Roger Clemens took the mound on Tuesday for the Lexington Legends, the High A affiliate of the Houston Astros, and also played with his son, something he’s wanted to do for a long time, being the first father-son combo since Ken Griffey Jr. and Sr. to play together on the same team.  Despite it being a minor league game, Clemens prepared seriously for the game, something that the Lake County Captains did not appreciate.  Clemens threw 62 pitches, 41 of those for strikes and only allowed one run on three hits, the one run being a homer, and struck out six with no walks.  Clemens has already left his mark on the franchise in one way.  Before Clemens arrived, the clubhouse had only one small television and an old, musty couch in the center.  By the end of the day, Clemens had furnished the clubhouse with four new black leather couches, two love seats, a 42-inch plasma television, a 20-inch television, a microwave, DVD and a VCR.

White Sox Looking To Make A Deal

I think that White Sox are regretting rushing Brian Anderson.

When the Sox sent Aaron Rowand to the Phillies, they decided that their young prospect was ready for the bigs.  After what we’ve seen so far in his performance, that was obviously an overstatement.  Anderson has played a solid centerfield as a defender, but his lack of offense has resulted in Anderson likely being sent back to Triple A – Charlotte for more work.

This isn’t the first time it’s happen, not even the first time this season, as the Angels know from their rushing of catcher Jeff Mathis before he was ready.  Because GM Kenny Williams would rather deal from the farm system (a dangerous prospect as the Yankees know) instead of dealing his veterans, the White Sox are now looking for a more offensive centerfielder, especially since there are no ready replacements in the system.  Here’s the available options at the moment:

·          Aaron Rowand, Philadelphia Phillies – The White Sox could offer the Phillies prospects in order to get their old man back, but the fact of the matter remains that the Phillies love Rowand and the leadership he brings to the team.  He’s not going anywhere.

·          David Dellucci, Philadelphia Phillies – The Phillies could be more inclined to listen to offers for Dellucci, who has the athleticism to play centerfield.  He can also hit, as his 2005 season with the Rangers indicated.  And he likely wouldn’t cost the White Sox the moon, as he could be had for a Class B Prospect pitcher. 

·          Torii Hunter, Minnesota Twins – The Twins are listening to offers for him at the moment, because it looks like the team may be willing to let him walk in 2007 rather than exercise his 2007 option.  General manager Terry Ryan has made it clear he would deal Hunter to a division rival, a clear indication that the Twins are getting ready to concede the division and begin rebuilding for the future.  This type of deal reminds me of the proposed Sammy Sosa trade to the Yankees in 2000, where the Cubs wanted 5 top prospects for the slugger.  The Twins are likely demanding the same type of deal for Hunter.

·          Joe Borchard, Florida Marlins – A slight improvement over Anderson at the moment, hitting .247 with four home runs and 14 RBI, but realistically, the White Sox are looking for something more.

Yankees Better Off Without Sheff

With all the bad contracts and All-Stars that are currently residing in the Bronx, the Yankees should probably wave goodbye to Gary Sheffield and proceed with Cabrera in his spot.  Cabrera has been great for the Yankees so far.  The move from centerfield to left field has done wonders for him and his improvement with his patience at the plate and his contact with his bat have helped keep the Crankees afloat for the meantime. 

And all of this was had for the major league minimum salary.

General Manager Brian Cashman wants a younger and cheaper team, and starting Cabrera would satisfy both goals.  The Yankees' lineup has managed fine without Sheffield and Matsui, ranking 10th in the American League in home runs but first in runs scored, a practice that has gone back to the Yankees’ days during their World Series run from 1996-2001.  If the Yankees do keep Cabrera, they will have a good young core of Cabrera, Cano and Wang to build their team of the future around.

Still, don’t count on the Yankees sitting still this off-season.  As of this moment, they will also have about $25 million coming off the books this year, with Sheffield’s and Mussina’s contracts finishing up and could have another $3 million of Jaret Wright’s deal is bought out (it’s starting to look less likely though, as Wright as actually been one of the more consistent starters this year.)  Mussina is likely to return next season at a rate of around $5 million or so a year.  Which leaves $20 million for the team to make other improvements.

Barry Zito’s ears must be burning already.

And no, I’m not a Yankee fan.  Just a lot of them read this blog for some reason.  And I guess posting my email from when I first started the blog wasn’t such a hot idea.

Stupid Person Of The Week

George #### Lucas.

Why?

The creator of the Star Wars franchise is releasing the original trilogy, unaltered, in a tandem set with the Special Editions.  However, Star Wars fans are disappointed to find out that these versions aren’t restored original cuts, but rather direct ports of the laserdisc versions from the early nineties.

Lucas has an explanation though.

He taped over the original films.

Even more alarming, is that he did it on purpose, in order to force fans to like his newer, spiffier versions.

I still got my tapes George.  #### you.

Programming Notes

I’ve got some good stuff lined up for you guys during All-Star week.  Stay tuned.