Young Diamondbacks look to continue on success of last year. The Arizona Diamondbacks surprised a great number of people last year as they struck out of nowhere to claim the National League West division title. The Diamondbacks return most of their young prospects and added big names in order to take that next step in the playoffs.

Bats. This Diamondbacks team is simply loaded with young offensive talent. There really isn’t any other way to put it. The offense will rely on the young bats the likes of Conor Jackson, Stephen Drew, Justin Upton, and Chris Young. All four of these guys proved that they belong in the bigs, and all of them are destined for great careers. The fact that they are all starting out in the same place at the same time is a testament to how well this organization has been run. In addition the Diamondbacks have Eric Byrnes, who will look to repeat his career year form last year, and hopefully avoid any announcing booths this fall. Mark Reynolds at third base is another young stud who had a good year in somewhat limited duties last year. Besides Byrnes the only real veteran of note is Orlando Hudson who will be about as consistent as you could ask for at second base hitting a solid .280 and hitting anywhere between 10-15 home runs and being solid defensively. This line is filled with talent, and the scariest part for the rest of the National League is that they’re all so very young, and that could be a concern for the Diamondbacks as well. What happens if all of these guys hit a sophomore slump? Fortunately for them it doesn’t appear as if that will happen, and really there isn’t a weak spot in this lineup. Read the rest of this entry »

Promising Youth Set to Bring Back Dodger Glory. This is what Dodgers fans around the country have been waiting for. The massive influx of young talent is now Major League ready. Now, with a certain Hall of Famer calling the shots, Azul appears set on getting back into the postseason…and actually winning a series for the first time since the 1988 World Series.

Bats. One of the biggest stories of Los Angeles’ offseason was the status of leadoff hitter and $44 million man. In regards to Pierre, there’s two types of people. There’s the people that love his effort, durability and speed. On the other hand, there’s the group of people that hate his lack of power, arm and anemic on base percentage. It appears Joe Torre falls into the second camp. Pierre’s consecutive games streak is already snapped and he should lose at-bats to promising Andre Ethier all season.

The Dodgers’ lineup is a mix of old and young. Starting with the veterans, it’s time for 2nd baseman Jeff Kent to stop being the racist prick he is and start serving as a mentor to Los Angeles’ younger players. Despite a clubhouse demeanor that would make Stalin blush, Porn ‘Stache can still swing it, as displayed by his .302-20-79 line in 2007. His middle infield mate, Rafael Furcal, is still among the game’s best. The career .285 hitter has plenty of speed and for some reason, never hit leadoff for Grady Little despite owning Juan Pierre in the OBP department. Read the rest of this entry »

Holliday and crew try to bring another year of Rocky Mountain refreshment to NL West. There’s no argument; the Colorado Rockies were the surprise of the 2007 baseball season. Going on an improbable run in September that saw them win over 20 games in a row, the Rockies surged up the National League West standings into the playoffs and eventually the World Series. Even though Colorado’s mile high run through the playoffs ended in a mountain of disappointment at the hands of the Red Sox, the Rockies have an avalanche of young talent that is here to stay.

Bats. Pound for pound, the Colorado Rockies may have the best lineup in the National League. The emergence of two unbelievable talents in Troy Tulowitzki and Matt Holliday (finally) has turned this lineup into one of the league’s most potent. All Tulowitzki did in his first major league season was rake .291 while hitting 24 home runs and driving in 99 RBI’s. Combined with his superb defensive ability, Tulowitzki was a stand out rookie and finished second to Ryan Braun in the Rookie of the Year voting. Unlike former Rockies flashes in the pan, Tulowitzki isn’t allowed to carry deer meat up stairs. He’s also not going to be given any room to slack off from his 2007 success, setting the bar high enough that he’ll be expected to perform like an all-star for seasons to come whether he likes it or not. Like Tulo, Matt Holliday had an unbelievable 2007 campaign. The runner-up in MVP voting to Jimmy Rollins hit .340 while slugging 36 home runs and driving in 137 RBI’s. In one swoop, Holliday took Todd Helton’s leader torch and ran with it to left field, carrying the burden of being the featured offensive threat in the lineup with him. Don’t expect teams to sleep on Holliday anymore; not after last year’s success and the publicity generated by it. He’s one of the most dangerous hitters in the National League and, combined with the way balls fly out of Coors Field, should put together another MVP caliber season. Speaking of Helton, the gritty first baseman returns for yet another year in Colorado. Unlike years past where Helton was rumored to be traded, he’ll remain the wily veteran in the clubhouse and come up with big hits in big moments. Helton can still play, and if he has to take you out “on a hunting trip deep in the woods” to prove it, he will. Read the rest of this entry »

Another Year of Pitching Duels: The last couple years, I’ve been on record saying the San Diego Padres were a couple legitimate bats away from being favorites in the National League. But year after year, those bats don’t come. Instead, the team relies on a bunch of veteran role players to fill holes. While the pitching staff of this team remains among the game’s elite, an awful offense is keeping this team from being true World Series contenders.

Bats. Padres CEO Sandy Alderson has attempted to carry over the blueprint he used to build winners in Oakland. He’s a fan of inexpensive guys with good on base percentages. However, you’ll find few of those in this lineup. While the infield is full of young talent, San Diego’s Opening Day outfield is arguably the worst in baseball.

1st baseman Adrian Gonzalez, a former #1 overall pick and San Diego native, has flourished with the Padres. In his second year with the team, Gonzalez hit .282 with career highs in homers (30) and RBIs (100). Despite playing in a pitcher’s paradise, his left-handed bat has emerged into one of the league’s best at the position. Now if only he could avoid a month long slump that has plagued him the last two seasons. Across the diamond, 3rd baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff overcame a terrible start to post solid rookie numbers of .275-18-74. With a full season under his belt, Kouz should be hearing far more “Koooooz” than “Boooooo” in 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

San Francisco Hopes to Avoid Giant Catastrophe in 2008. Before I really dive into this breakdown of the 2008 San Francisco Giants, it should be stated that I have absolutely no clue what the overall plan is for this team nor do I have any idea how the folks who created this disaster still retain jobs. That being said, Bruce Bochy has scrapped together another 25 man roster that has little hope of contending in an increasingly competitive NL West yet will somehow coax 70 wins out of this band of misfits because players “love to play for him.” Barry Bonds is gone in San Francisco, as are any memories of his bloated head and tainted records. Certainly going to Giants games will be less satisfying for me as a fan because of my inability to wear my asterisk shirt or throw plastic syringes on the field but in the general scheme of things Bonds dismissal will be a great burden lifted off an already weighed down team.

Bats. The Giants major acquisition of the off season was centerfielder Aaron Rowand, a guy who has quietly put together great seasons for both the Phillies and the White Sox. The Giants stroked it too much to Rowand’s all-out style of play and rewarded him with a $60 million deal over 5 years, a price no other team was willing to pay. Don’t worry Brian Sabean, I have your back on this one. He’s going to jump out and surprise everyone and prove the haters wrong just like that guy you signed last year. Right? He was worth all that money, right? He’s not just gonna put your team in financial hell in a few years with declining play and increasing salary? Sigh. Read the rest of this entry »

Crew looks to make playoffs after 15 year slump. The Milwaukee Brewers have the roster and the athleticism to clinch a playoff spot this season. The real question, however, is whether or not Ned Yost can make that “giant step.” With a lineup full of potential all stars and a new look bullpen, the Brewers will try to steal the division back from the Cubs.

Bats. Milwaukee, in my opinion, has one of the best lineups in the entire division. But it is also a young and very inexperienced one. Questions primarily focus around whether Ryan Braun, Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks can perform for an entire year. I think it is safe to say Prince Fielder will get his and veteran outfielder Mike Cameron will add his power here and there. Ryan Braun has to stay hot and continue to grab the attention of America. If he can stay relaxed in the outfield, Braun will feel even more comfortable at the plate.

The Brewers do have some holes especially at the bottom of their order. Jason Kendall can’t be counted on and J.J. Hardy had a fluke year. I don’t think Hardy will revert to his .240 average from 2006, but he won’t be making the All Star Game either. Another major flaw of the Crew is that they rely a hell of a lot of the long ball and nothing else. If they can’t hit bombs, Bernie Brewer will most likely be taking another early fall vacation.

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