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Season Preview: Florida Marlins

quang: i wonder if i'd like being a marlin fan. on the one hand my team has won two world series in the last eleven years. on the other hand, my team doesn't keep its players around long enough for me to build any sort of attachment to them. consider that jeff conine is one of the most celebrated marlins in their fifteen years of existence. the same jeff conine who shouldn't be any teams most celebrated player. this winter, the marlins trend of cost cutting trades continued as the marlins sent their two most familiar and established players, miguel cabrera and dontrelle willis, to detroit. as usual though, the marlins were shrewd in their transactions and received cameron maybin, andrew miller, and a handful of other prospects. unfortunately, these prospects probably won't change the marlins' prospects of a winning season.

interestingly, florida enters this season with by far the lowest payroll in the league. there are at least ten individual players in the league who are making more money next season than the 25 floridians who play professional baseball. i think this may result in clubhouse chemistry problems. especially because the marlins are so short on funds that i doubt they can afford more than one clubhouse locker that all players will be forced to share. and unless they get some generous donations, it seems like they'll start the season with only five bats and three fielding gloves for the team. anyways, florida has faced seasons like this before, and they always seem to outperform expectations. i can' i'd like to think this will be one of those seasons, because that's always exciting, but i have my doubts.

the marlins top player next year will be handsome ramirez, a player who most teams would love to have as their best player. he carries an unusually big bat for a shortstop but is a butcher in the field and is probably in line for a position change. behind hanley, the marlins have several solid but unspectacular to throw at opposing pitchers. second baseman dan uggla avoided a sophomore slump and continued his surprising success. jeremy hermida, one-time hot shot prospect, is primed for a breakout based on nothing more than his first major league at bat where he hit a grand slam. and josh willingham once had catcher eligibility in fantasy baseball and is good enough to be an effective player at almost any position. mike jacobs returns as the first basemen and seems like a perfectly average player, which i hope is a compliment. last year, the marlins were one of the most inept offenses and this year i don't see a dramatic improvement.

pitching-wise the marlins have a very high ceiling and are almost decent when healthy. scott olsen, aside from being a perceived malcontent, has incredible potential. josh johnson had a very good 2006 but missed most of last season due to an injury. i expect both will be effective, but i have far less confidence with the rest of the rotation. anibal sanchez followed up a year where he threw a no-hitter with an injury plagued season where he threw several yes-hitters. ricky nolasco is another high potential arm that couldn't stay healthy last year, andrew miller is too young to be relied on, and sergio mitre was good for two-thirds of a season that was three-thirds long. the bullpen isn't very inspiring either. kevin gregg was the de facto closer but i'm pessimistic he'll be as effective or even have as many chances to save games this year. the only other marlin pitcher i can name off the top of my head is taylor tankersley which can't be a good sign. overall, i figure the marlins will be firmly entrenched in fifth place throughout the season. on the bright side, they'll do so while their cheap, young players continue to develop. and when they do blossom into star players, they'll make whatever team trades for them very happy.


dhivy: the marlins are entering their super sweet 16th season and already they've got two world series trophies under their belts. aside from the discomfort of carrying 60 pounds of metal in one's pants, it's hard to question the front office's decision making. after the first world series win, the team was dismantled, rebuilt from the ground up, and won a second title six years later with a completely different roster. though their highest-paid player (luis gonzalez, $7.2 million) makes more than their seven next highest-paid players, it's hard not to be enamored with some of the pieces they have in place. i don't consider them a factor in their division, but a year of seasoning for these fish will make them a delicious team come 2009.

the pitching staff reflects the "one year away" dynamics of the marlins. anibal "the cannibal" sanchez is currently recovering from a torn labrum, but if he can return close to the pitcher who threw a no-hitter in his 13th career start, the marlins may have an ace in the hole. after a mere three starts in '07, josh johnson underwent tom john surgery and missed the rest of the season. he'll sit out '08 as well, but after a 3.03 ERA in his rookie season, his return will be a promising one. in the meantime, the marlins are forced to use placeholders like sergio mitre and mark hendrickson, castoffs from the cubs and dodgers. scott olsen showed promise last season, but will have to improve his k/bb ratio as he headlines this ragtag bunch of misfits. the key for 2008 is the development of former tiger andrew miller. looked upon as the replacement for dontrelle willis, he's drawn comparisons to randy johnson due to his imposing left-handed delivery. let's hope he's not subjected to the nickname "small unit". i would mention the bullpen, but does anyone honestly think they'll have any leads to protect?

'potential' is a word thrown around a lot in marlins camp, but some of these youngsters have already proven how talented they are. hanley ramirez might be the best shortstop in the league and his counterpart, second baseman dan uggla, scored 100 runs in each of his two major league seasons. the drop in his contact rate is very alarming though, and is something worth monitoring. shrewd transactions have filled their corner infield with two exciting youngsters: mike jacobs and dallas mcpherson. meanwhile, the mets and angels are left with a decrepit carlos delgado and this haircut. the centerpiece of the cabrera trade was centerfielder cameron maybin, who will get to learn on the fly this year. anyone who got their first major league hit, home run, hitch by pitch and steal off roger clemens is a star in the making. flanking him will be josh willingham and jeremy hermida, a .300 hitter who gets little to no pub on this team. while his last two campaigns have been cut short because of injury, jeremy has the tools to be a major player in the marlins' future. at least he'll turn out better than that jeremy kid from the pearl jam song. that dude was nuts.

Unsung Hero:

• Jeremy Hermida (q)
• Jeremy Hermida (d)
  
• Mike Jacobs (j)

Achilles Heel:

• Luis Gonzalez (q)
  
• Dan Uggla (d)
  
• Dan Uggla (j)

Favorite Moment:

• Jose Reyes incites a brawl in a game against the Marlins when he teases Miguel Olivo who charges third base from the mound. (q)
• Miguel Olivo gets thrown out of a game for trying to punch his friend Jose Reyes in the face. (d)
• Watching Armando Benitez pitch for the Marlins against the Padres at Petco Park and being the only person in the stadium excited to see him, including his teammates. (j)

Bold Prediction:

• Because they're paid so little, Marlins players all are forced to take up second jobs. As a result, TGI Fridays beats Ruby Tuesdays 452-1 in the annual day-themed restaurant softball game. (q)
• Players revolt when management, in an effort to cut costs, starts charging them for balls hit into the stands. (d)
  
• After his appearence in the ESPN Fantasy Baseball commercial, Hanley Ramirez demands to be called "Hollywood" Hanley Ramirez. (j)

Season Preview: Detroit Tigers

Joe: Detroit is routinely at the top of the annual listing of the U.S. Most Dangerous Cities. While fear of the high murder, assault and petty crime rates keep many tourists away, until the last two years the Detroit Tigers were the most ironically unintimidating team in baseball (What could be more scary than Detroit and tigers). Visiting teams would hate to travel there because of the conditions of the city but they were consoled by the fact that it was basically a guaranteed victory. Over the past two years however, the Tigers have been moving in a completely different direction, turning their lineup into a group that reflects the image of the city, a squad that sports a murderous combination of offense and defense that is bringing the crowds out to Comerica Park in droves. If I were a Detroit fan however, I would be kind of pissed off that my team was so good. The way I see it, I can't be murdered or assaulted if the murderers and assaulters don't know where I am and with the Tigers beating everybody under the sun and being relevant again all interested parties know that 81 times throughout the year there is up to 41,070 people to bump-off and batter at Comerica Park.

But with my Detroit bashing quota all but filled up I'll move on to these Tigers and especially their incredibly potent lineup. There's something for everyone here, speed, power, steroid abuse, bigotry, eating disorders - anything and everything under the sun. You start off with Curtis Granderson, teeming with talent that flourished last year as he made strides in reducing his K Rate and was rewarded with the finest season of his career. He is a placesetter with ample pop and a magnetic personality that should continue his success if he keeps working on cutting down on his whiffs. Edgar Renteria joins the team to play a better shortstop than Carlos Guillen (who's bat hasn't left the lineup - it just has moved over to 1st base) and also provide the same dependable numbers he's been known to provide except for that brief stint in Boston. Then comes the meat and potatoes, literally. Miguel Cabrera, one of the most gifted players in the league joins a lineup that already included Gary Sheffield and resurgent 2007 MVP candidate Magglio Ordonez. This Cabrera signing is huge! Not everyday can you add a 24 year old phenom with the skills to hit .320 with 34 HRs and drive in 119 when for much of the season he was the only person teams game planned for within the Marlins lineup. The lineup that the Tigers have put together have them definitely in "win now mode" especially when you consider the ages of everyone else in the lineup including the ever-present team captain Pudge Rodriguez. However, if they can work out a deal to keep Cabrera in town after this season, and Cabrera can find a way to stay in shape and keep his weight from ballooning to the 260+ mark he was tiptoeing last season they have an absolute can't miss legendary players on their hands.

The Tigers pitching is not as spectacular as their bats, however there is demonstrated talent and potential there and it will surprise nobody either way if this group dominates or struggles. The pearl is obviously Justin Verlander, who after an impressive rookie season in 2006, threw a no-hitter in 2007 to solidify the fact that he had arrived. He should continue to thrive as his arm matures and he learns more about pitching rather than hurling his 100mph heat. Jeremy Bonderman has been inconsistent as a starter, but has streaks where he is absolutely dominant and he too is very young and must learn the finer nuances of pitching. The young core of the staff is rounded out by Dontrelle Willis who played the unlikely part of "throw in" in the Miguel Cabrera trade. While the D-Train has not pitched well over the past two seasons, I feel this can be explained by the fact that he has been the elder statesman of a young pitching staff for years when he himself has just turned 26. When this is the case you have nobody to mentor you on the game and the pressure of carrying a pitching staff at the age of 24 or 25 I could imagine isnt the easiest thing in the world to do. When I was 24 i threw a tantrum when Dhivy asked me to do something simple like, "Post the 2008 Colorado Rockies preview," so I could imagine if I was asked to anchor a pitching staff, i'd be an absolute mess. I think Dontrelle will strive in his new role, as he is no longer looked upon as the ace, and more importantly he will have the old lefty Gambler, Kenney Rogers to teach him old man moves like how to effectively change speeds and most importantly how to cheat.

Dhivy: Waiting for prospects to develop is part of the fun in being a baseball fan. I cheer for every free agent my team signs, but the homegrown talent has something extra special about them. The danger for many teams comes from knowing when is the right time to stand pat and when to roll the dice. This off-season, the Tigers shook their dice cup when they shipped off high-ceiling players in Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller for proven commodities in Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Cabrera is a mere 24 years old and is already a premier hitter in the league. With a lineup that includes Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez, Cabrera is sure to add even more explosiveness. The addition of Willis, however, is a puzzling one. His ERA has increased a full point each of the last two years and his 2007 WHIP was a cool 1.62. While the import of a future Hall of Famer in Cabrera has Tigers fans yelling "Yahtzee!", my concern is that Dontrelle could end up crapping out.

The Tigers' starting pitching is headlined by Justin Verlander, a youngster who is still learning to harness his talent. With a triple-digit fastball and a biting curve, Detroit is optimistic that his future will yield Cy Youngs. As for the rest of the rotation, there are many questions to be answered. Was Jeremy Bonderman's plummeting k-rate a one-year aberration? Can Nate Robinson recover from a year that saw his ERA balloon nearly a full point? Are there enough steroids in Detroit to keep Kenny Rogers chugging along? With limited depth, the Tigers may have to lean on their bullpen, and I don't know that closer Todd Jones can shoulder that burden. With Joel Zumaya out until midseason because of a falling box, look for Fernando Rodney to step in if/when Jones plays himself out of a job. Though it may affect how much time he's able to spend booby-trapping Zumaya's parents' house.

The biggest strength in Detroit's lineup is that they don't have a real weakness. Because he's surrounded by All-Stars, Curtis Granderson might be the most unheralded player in the league. Anyone with the versatility to hit 23 home runs, 23 triples, steal 26 bases, and write a top-notch blog deserves more credit than Curt McGirt gets. Placido Polanco and Edgar Renteria are a great duo up the middle, but Edgar struggled in his lone season in the AL. Hopefully he'll play better without the drunken shouts of "you suck, Edgah!" The emotional leader, Ivan the Terrible, enters his 18th season and although he's not the same hitter he once was, his ability to handle a pitching staff is unparalleled. Even their bench boasts plenty of promise, including Marcus "they call me Mr." Thames, Ryan Rayburn and Brandon Inge. The Detroit Tigers may have mortgaged their future to get here, but if I had the choice, I'd bet the pass line on this squad.

Unsung Hero

• dontrelle willis (j)
• fernando rodney (d)
• placido polanco (q)

Achilles' Heel

• jaque jones (j)
• dontrelle willis (d)
• kenny rogers (q)

Favorite Moment

• The amounts of comedy provided by any Gary Sheffield interview. (j)
• Justin Verlander's hot girlfriend rushes the field after his no-hitter. (d)
• Marcus Thames hit a broken bat home run. (q)

Bold Prediction

• Feeling shown up by the Cleveland gnats, the wild birds that populate the outfield of Comerica in the summer months decide to attack opposing pitchers. (j)
• Kenny Rogers is replaced in the pitching rotation by Will Sasso's impression of Kenny Rogers. The results are not good. (d)
• Miguel Cabrera hits his weight in his first season in Detroit. He hits .450. (q)

Season Preview: Colorado Rockies

quang: last year, the rockies were one of the biggest surprises of the mlb season as they caught fire down the stretch and won 21 of their final 22 games en route to the world series. if the rockies were party planners, they would have thrown me the biggest most extravagant surprise birthday of all time. of course, once colorado got to the world series the red sox swept them back out. this means, if the rockies were party planners, they would have thrown me the biggest most extravagant surprise party of all time and the red sox would have told me about it three days before. those jerks. this upcoming season, the rockies return almost the same team as last year. this means if everything goes to plan, the rockies could be one of the top teams in the league, we'll have to endure another rocktober, and someone's finally going to throw me a surprise birthday party.

this is the first time in nearly a decade that colorado begins the season with a player other than todd helton as its face. that honor goes to matt holliday who is an coming off an mvp-caliber season. he is surrounded by so many potent hitters that critics have often referred to the rockies as an american league lineup. i'm not completely sure what this means but it seems like an american league lineup is one that is good. either way, including helton and holiday, colorado trots out brad hawpe, willy taveras, troy tulowitzki, and garrett atkins. hawpe is a solid outfielder and taveras is a decent table setter. tulo is coming off of a should be rookie of the year season and is already the best defensive shortstop in the national league. while garrett atkins is trying to decide which of the last two seasons he is more like. most impressively, even with these big bats, colorado was the best defensive team. more impressive would be if they took at bats while wearing fielding gloves.

the pitching staff is what i think will be the biggest question mark, which isn't really going out a limb when aaron cook and kip wells are two cogs in the rotation. other than that, jeff francis isn't a very intimidating ace and though ubaldo jiminez was good late in the season, i don't think the rockies can realistically expect much more than a back end starter right now. the bullpen is a little more solid considering how good corpas last year and how good brian fuentes had been before then. overall, i think the rockies are just as good as they were last year, but unfortunately i'm not sure that'll be enough because the rest of the west has improved. a division championship is certainly within grasp, but i'm predicting that they'll fight over the wild card throughout the season because of their pitching. but considering how well that went for them last year, i'm sure they'll be more than satisfied. and hopefully this means my surprise party has a moon bounce.

joe: It was kind of hard to not land squarely on the Colorado Rockies bandwagon last season as they made their completely unexpected run all the way to the NLCS. The run was wrought with clutch performances, emergent stars and poor umpiring but when all was said and done, the rockies provided us with ample excitement in a National League that everyone seems to think plays second fiddle to the American League. During the 2007 Rockies miracle season, the eventual World Champion Red Sox lost 2 of three and the perennial favorite Yankees got swept on their nightmare trips to Coors Field. Since I hardly ever watched a Rockies game with any interest prior to late last year, I had a hard time distinguishing between their power core of Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe. When you add in Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Spilborghs and Jeff Baker to the mix you would think that Jackie Robinson didn't exist.

Even though Matt Holiday has still not crossed the plate during the one game playoff against the Padres, the Rockies playoff success has placed them squarely back into the conversation for top honors in the National League West. It's very hard to imagine that a pitching staff consisting of Jeff Francis, Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez and Jason Hirsch will have enough fire power to turn in a repeat performance. Francis' breakout' 2007 consisted of an underwhelming mid- four ERA and his compatriots in the starting rotation all pitched similarly mediocre. The amazing thing is that this mediocre baseline was much more than the Rockies could have hoped for, these guys had to pitch way over their heads just to be considered mediocre. Manny Corpas enjoyed a break-out season from the bullpen and has proven to be dependable when his team needs him to protect a lead. If he falters, Brian Fuentes is capable to fill the position.

Troy Tulowitzki made a strong case for rookie of the year in 2007 eventually losing out to a slightly more deserving Ryan Braun. Tulowitzki is one of the new breed, "big" shortstops that have the build of a third basemen that could put a charge into a ball at any point but are still agile enough to make amazing plays in the field. In fact he took the number of his idol, Derek Jeter and looked as if he was going to pull out a Derek Jeter baseball card and a sharpie from his back pocket when the Yankees came to town. I expect Tulowitzki to continue what he started last year, as he seems to be very patient hitter who will not be prone to long-term slumps, and the fact that he takes a genuine joy in displaying his defensive abilities will keep his head in the game if he does encounter any struggles at the plate.

unsung hero:

• ian stewart (q)
• ryan spilborghs (j)
• aaron cook (d)

achilles heel:

• aaron cook (q)
• willy taveras (j)
• willy taveras (d)

favorite moment:

• Josh Fogg earns the nickname "Dragon Slayer" for winning a bunch of games against good pitchers. Then in his first game against the Red Sox he earns the nickname "Slaying Over His Head". (q)
• quang makes a reference to the motion picture Norbit every time Yorvit Torrealba's name is mentioned (j)
• Colorado sweeps the Phillies in the NLDS.

bold prediction:

• Troy Tulowitzki improves his range as a shortstop to the outfield and finishes the season with 189 errors. (q)
• because they feel they don't have to, the delusional rockies dont ever touch home plate and score zero runs. (j)
• Fresh off their Rocktober success, Colorado renames months “sedimentary September”, “metamorphic May”, and “igneous August”. (d)

Today's Best - 03.06.08

5. the utah jazz - last night the mavs hosted the red hot rockets without the services of the reigning mvp dirk nowitzki. dirk was handed a suspension for a flagrant foul against andrei kirilenko in monday night's game against the jazz. the rockets ultimately won their 17th straight game and now the mavs fall to seventh place in the conference. just as jerry sloan drew it up. anyways, people will be quick to point out that since acquiring jason kidd, dallas is a pedestrian 4-5. but each of those losses have been to the five top teams in the conference, four of which were on the road. of course, maybe the reason those five teams have reached the top of the conference is because they've been able to beat the mavericks. so it's really a chicken or the egg situation, in that the mavericks have egg on their face.

4. the spurs - a few weeks ago, i remember reading an article that argued that it was in the realm of possibility that the spurs could miss the playoffs. well article, san antonio is now the western conference's top team after a 108-97 win over the pacers. they've also quietly won 11 consecutive games and now look like the unstoppable force that we've been accustomed to seeing in previous seasons. anyways, last night was an intersting game in that tim duncan scored fewer points than kurt thomas, bruce bowen, and matt bonner. now that the spurs have proven they don't even need the league's best center to win games, their western conference opponents should be worried. now if only the spurs could prove they can also win with the league's best center.

3. tripp isenhour - isenhour is a professional golfer who has recently come under fire for killing a protected/endangered hawk. during a taping of a tv show, the departed was allegedly making noise which caused the 39-year old grown man to fire golf shots at it. unfortunately, golfers are clearly way too good at their craft because one of tripp's shots struck and killed the bird. if i ever tried to hit a bird with a golf ball, i'd have a better chance of killing myself than the bird. anyways, isenhour was charged yesterday with cruelty to animals and killing a migratory bird. who knows if there'll be any more developments, but right now my favorite part of this whole story is that apparently "the bird was buried at the golf course and later dug up by florida investigators." i don't know what's funnier to imagine, isenhour dumping a body in the sand trap hoping no one would find it or investigators exhuming a bird's grave.

2. the brothers lopez - in yesterday's biggest college basketball game, 3rd ranked ucla topped 7th ranked stanford 77-67 in overtime. the win clinched the pac-10 regular season title for ucla while also providing the lopez twins, brook and robin, a chance to demonstrate what they can do against the highest level of competition. brook led the cardinal with a team-high 18 points and 13 rebounds while robin led the cardinal players who weren't related to him with 14 points. unfortunately, i think they left a lot to be desired. brook and robin? what kind of names for twins are those? twins' names should be much more interesting, like brook and brobin or rockin' and robin or by brook and by crook or batman and robin. i guess it's too late now. i just hope the lopezes are better than stanford's last twin duo, jason and jaron collins. and since brook and robin both have fingers, i like their chances.

1. florida's oh-fours - last night in a 107-96 win over the division rival cavaliers, the bulls' joakim noah grabbed 20 rebounds and scored 13 points. this makes noah the third florida rookie from the back-to-back ncaa champions to collect at least 18 rebounds in a game. corey brewer was the first, grabbing 18 boards in only the third start of his career, and al horford has had two games where he pulled down 19 and 20 rebounds. i'm curious to see whether taurean green and chris richard will also join the club. or if lee humphrey joins any club. anyways, i'm no elias or his sports bureau, so i can't confirm whether this is the first time three rookies from the same college team have each gotten at least 18 rebounds in a game in their first season. i can confirm though that joakim noah is the loudest rookie to have ever gotten a rebound.

Season Preview: Cleveland Indians

quang: to many people last year, the indians' extreme success was one of the biggest surprises of the 2007 season. but those of you who have seen them play over the past few seasons and knew about their incredible run differential in 2006 probalby weren't as suprised that they, along with the red sox, won the most games in the league. what i did find surprisng was that they were able to do so despite off years fom so many of their key contributors. travis hafner had a mediocre year by his standards, josh barfield was extremely ineffective, and cliff lee and jeremy sowers were both so unbelievably horrible that i didn't believe it. if i knew these players were going to be as bad as they were last year i would have written the indians off immediately. but thankfully for them, cc sabathia and fausto carmona were lights out, asdrubal cabrera and kenny lofton contributed a lot down the stretch, and the indians bullpen was outstanding. if these players don't regress too much and if the previous players rebound, i think this team will be a tough out.

last year, the indians one through nine could all rake. this is a trend that continues this year as i think cleveland's depth in the lineup remains one of their biggest strengths. it all starts from the top with grady sizemore. he is probably the heart and soul of this team. he has power, he has speed, he has plate discipline and he is an incredible centerfielder to boot. victor martinez is probably next on the pecking order. he's one of the most gifted offensive catchers in the league which likely means a shift to first base is forthcoming. another key cog on this team is the aforementioned travis hafner. if he returns to his intimidating form of the previous few years it improves the whole lineup. the rest of the team is as they say, solid but unspectacular. jhonny peralta is a better than averag shortstop and also a walking typo. as for the other middle infielder, asdrubal cabrera took over for barfield late last season and provided a much needed spark down the stretch. manning the corners of the diamond are casey blake and ryan garko. to me their essentially both the same player which isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially if they can share jerseys. the corner outfields, where franklin guitierrez, jason michaels, and david dellucci will all have a chance to play, are probably the biggest concern offensively. typically, you'd expect a little more production from left and right fielders, but i guess these short comings are more than made up for at other positions.

pitching wise, the indians are decent. sabathia is the reigning cy young award winner and his upcoming free agency should be reason enough to expect similar numbers as last year. fausto carmona meanwhile made a seemless transition from horrendous closer to incredible starter. it will be very hard for a pitcher who pitches to contact like fausto to be able to duplicate his success, so i don't think it's unreasonable to expect slightly worse numbers this time around. other than those two, the indians will throw out throwback paul byrd, league average jake westbrook, and either cliff lee, adam miller, or sowers. though miller has the highest ceiling, lee would probably give them their best chance to win now, while sowers gives them the highest era. whatever they decide, if the indians bullpen is anything like last years, they'll be more than up to task of eating some innings. set up men rafael betancourt and rafael perez shared first names and sub-2.00 eras. toss in jensen lewis and aaron fultz and cleveland will be tough to beat in innings 6-8. the final inning is another story altogether. joe borowski returns as closer and his 46 saves and 5.07 era last year will get him labeled as "a gamer" and "someone who knows how to win" by baseball purists even though "bad" and "kind of really bad" would be more appropriate.

overall, the indians have pretty much exactly the same team as the one that relenquished a 3-1 series lead in the alcs to the red sox. i'm actually concerned that they were a little too complacent this offseason and are relying a little too much on everyone having a similar season from last year. unfortunately, baseball doesn't work that way and from year to year, unpredictability is the only constant. well the only constant other than frank thomas hitting giant home runs. anyways, if for some reason the white sox can't win the division, like if they win too many games that the standings can't accommodate their enormous win total, i'd much rather the indians take it than the tigers. first, because i don't like the tigers. and second, because of the irony that ensues when cleveland fans, who occasionally cheer their team on by wearing red face, pitching fits about lebron james wearing a yankees hat. but objectively, though i think the indians have a very good team, i'm not confident a team with a shaky back end of the rotation and back end of the bullpen can beat these mighty tigers. hopefully, i'm proven wrong and the white sox with their shaky rotation and bullpen, win the central.


dhivy: People of Cleveland, be on the lookout for 6’3”, 240 pound male with “Apache” beard who answers to the name Pronk. He was last seen in 2006 when he hit a home run every 10.8 at-bats and drove in 117 runs. Last year, his presence in the lineup was replaced by a poor facsimile with a higher k-rate, lower walk-rate, and slugging percentage over 200 points worse. If spotted, please contact Eric Wedge and Mark Shapiro.

Assuming a bounce back year from Travis Hafner, the Native Americans are “Hopi”-ng to build on their 2007 campaign, which saw them one win away from a World Series. Three straight losses in the ALCS sealed their fate and left the city wondering if they missed their opportunity. It’s hard to predict a division title with the moves that the Tigers made, but with their core still intact, Cleveland should remain a major player in the American League. CC Sabathia is fresh off a Cy Young year and with free agency looming, his motivation has never been higher. Fausto Car-“Mohawk” preformed admirably in his “Seminole” season in the rotation, but he’ll be hard pressed to repeat his performance from ’07. And when Paul Byrd isn’t scrounging for HGH, he and Jake Westbrook provide solid, if unspectacular innings. Whether or not prize prospect Adam Miller pans out will determine if this rotation goes from good to great. The weakness of this staff is in their closer, “Nava”-Joe Borowski. Despite a league-leading 45 saves, his ERA was over 5 and the team cannot hesitate to lean on Rafael Betancourt or import Masahide Kobayashi should Borowski falter.

The player to watch in the Native Americans’ lineup is Josh Barfield. He was traded from the Padres last off-season and had a difficult time adjusting to the AL, both at the plate and in the field. While he starts the season behind Asdrubal Cabrera, I expect a resurgent year that will force Eric to Wedge him into the lineup somehow. At the very least he won’t end up as big a disappointment as “Cherokee” Parks. Sizemore, Hafner, and Martinez have become household names, but Casey Blake, Ryan Garko, and Jhonny Peralta make this one of the deeper lineups in the majors. The infield trio combined for 60 bombs and 230 runs scored. With Peralta and Garko entering their prime, this team is not “Cheyenne” away from predicting another postseason birth.

In the thirteen years baseball has employed a wild card, that spot has been captured by the AL East nine times. With such a discrepancy, I’m surprised the other divisions didn’t “Sioux”. Simply put, I don’t see the East’s domination continuing this year. The gap between the top and bottom teams in the Central is more pronounced than it has been in years past and I expect Cleveland to take advantage of the lesser competition. With their youthful exuberance an die-hard fan base, the Native Americans are a fun team to watch and appears poised for a long run of success.

“Algonquian”.

Unsung Hero:

• Franklin Gutierrez (q)
• Josh Barfield (d)
• Asdrubal Cabrera (j)

Achilies Heel:

• Joe Borowski (q)
• Joe Borowski (d)
• Joe Borowski (j)

Favorite Moment:

• In a game against the White Sox, Aaron Fultz gives up a walk off home run in the bottom of the 13th to Juan Uribe. Somewhere in San Diego someone buys a whole bunch of hamburgers to celebrate. (q)
• The Indians score a run off the Yankees as Joba Chamberlain is eaten by insects in the alds. (d)
• I win one of my fantasy baseball leagues last year after choosing Josh Barfield in the fifth round....the fifth round!!! (j)

Bold Prediction:

• People finally remember that Rafael Betancourt was once suspended for failing a drug test for performance enhancing drugs when pictures from a party at Jose Canseco's house surface of Brian McNamee injecting Betancourt before the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition Photo Shoot. (q)
• Grady Sizemore tries to reenact Willie Mays Hayes’ double steal from ‘Major League’, but Travis Hafner is unable to beat out the bunt. (d)
• Grady Sizemore demands a trade to either San Diego, Los Angeles or Florida solely because his "Grady's Ladies" cheering contingent would probably be hotter there. (j)

Season Preview: Cincinnati Reds

Joe: For some reason last year I watched more than my fair share of Cincinnati Reds games. I am by no means a fan of the Reds, they dont play a particularly good brand of baseball, but they have perhaps the most exciting young player in baseball taking the field every day at second base,2007 30 - 30 club member Brandon Phillips. Castaway by two teams, the Expos and the Indians for attitude issues, Phillips combines the coolest attributes of some of the best players in the past decade into one package. He has a Garry Sheffield-esque bat flick for timing, which makes every at bat look like something amazing is about to happen, and gives opposing pitchers reason to change their shorts after every inning Phillips has a turn at-bat. He has Jimmy Rollins type speed which allows him to swipe bags at a high rate and make unbelievable stabs at would-be bloop hits. And finally he makes Roberto Alomar-esque plays at second, combining the perfect mix of "i cant believe my eyes" athleticism with hot-dog flare. Although he is still not mature enough to be the leader of this team in the traditional sense e.g. team captain, he is definitely primed to lead the Reds in tons of offensive and defensive statistics and Sportscenter highlights and really, when your team is horrible - thats really all that matters.

I expect more of the same from the Reds this season. They have not improved much besides the fact that they have a pretty reliable everyday closer in the form of Francisco Cordero and they will have the services of highly touted hurler, Homer Bailey for the whole season. You can expect more of the same from Aaron Harang, quality starts, a high K rate and because of his location in Cincinnati, he will fly under the radar of most casual baseball fans. Bronson Arroyo proved that he is what the league thought he was after he had a torrid 2006 campaign he fell back to earth and is little more than an average starter. On the offense side of things, the Reds return the same bunch. Aside from Phillips, Adam Dunn will provide a truckload of homeruns and at one point in the year showed that he has some wheels and will steal a base if you let him. Ryan Freel, Norris Hopper, and Corey Patterson will battle it out for Center field honors, and all three speedsters have their fair share of problems actually getting on base, but Freel makes up for it with his ability to play almost any position on the field. Nevertheless without any major upgrades, new manager Dusty Baker will be hard pressed to improve much over the 72 wins that the Reds were able to scratch out last year. It's a shame as perhaps the teams most recognizable player Ken Griffey Jr. enters the twilight of his career.

Ken Griffey Jr. had all the makings of a legendary player, the type of athlete that Micheal Jordan turned out to be. I remember in 7th grade, me and my friends would crowd around the lunch table with the new Eastbay catalog first to approve or disapprove of the new Jordans, and then quickly after admire the new Griffey sneakers. It's amazing that a baseball player would have enough clout to share the mid-nineties sneaker conversation with Micheal Jordan, but that was the type of player Griffey was on trajectory to be. Mastery of the game, and an engaging personality. Then came the injuries, and he has become more or a sympathetic figure, as people like I think wistfully upon what could have been. Griffey, even in his mature ages can still put on a show, and even experienced a bit of an injury-free renaissance last year mashing 30 round-trippers and playing in a stunning 144 games. This may be due to a less demanding role in right-field or it could be that he is no longer talented enough physically to attempt the high risk activities that would seem to cause his most severe injuries - but either way I will make sure I enjoy Ken's last couple games for what they were and not harp on what they could have been.

Dhivy: At the height of McCarthyism in the 1950s, the Reds changed their team nickname to the Redlegs to disassociate themselves from Communism. So it comes as no surprise that Mike Stanton, relief pitcher for the Reds, was named in the Mitchell Report. The document details drug use in baseball and has been compared to Joe McCarthy’s “personal witch hunt”. Something tells me shortstop Juan Castro is in for a rough season.

This bit of history might strike you as a clever historic parallel, but really I’m just killing time before I have to start talking about this team. Cincinnatians are killing time waiting for the emergence of two high-ceiling prospects: Homer Bailey and Jay Bruce. Bailey saw time in the big show last season and showed flashes of brilliance. With a full-time spot in the rotation, Dusty Baker is hoping that Homer’s pitches won’t require an odyssey before reaching home. Bruce will start the season in the minors, but he was last year’s minor league player of the year and has drawn comparisons to Larry Walker. Should the Reds falter in the first half or need some extra punch in their outfield, don’t be surprised to see Bruce in the lineup. And should they both flame out, Bailey & Bruce sounds like a great name for a travelling circus.

Pitching is always going to be a problem in Cincy because the stadium they play in is skewed in the batter’s favor. I don’t know the exact dimensions but I’d estimate that dead center is roughly 12 feet from home plate. So a pitcher who can keep the ball in the park is a hot commodity. Pitchers like Bailey, Cy Young candidate Aaron Harang, and new closer Francisco Cordero have had success in this regard. But Bronson Arroyo, slated to be the #2 starter, carried a groundball-to-flyball ratio of 0.83 in 2007. He’s given up 59 home runs in two years at the Great American Ballpark and if the trend continues, he may be better served sticking to the guitar. Josh Fogg moves from Coors Field to Cincinnati, so he still will be struggling against his home park. It’s like waking up from a nightmare only to discover you’re still in a different nightmare.

The red herring I’m most interested in following this season is catcher David Ross. He set a career high for games played with 112, but his numbers didn’t reflect the increase in playing time. Despite a marginally better k-rate, his batting average plummeted from .255 to .203 and had 13 fewer RBI in 64 more ABs. Either he was victimized by some sort of voodoo warlord, or he had terrible luck with the balls he hit into play. I expect a much better season from Ross and I’ll even go out on a limb and predict 25-30 home runs. Junior Griffey and Adam Dunn will continue to mash this year, but the outlook is bleak without a more consistent pitching staff. But at least the Reds aren’t a bunch of criminals, unlike some Cincinnati teams.

Unsung Hero

• Norris Hopper (j)
• David Ross (d)
• Homer Bailey (q)

Achilles' Heel

• Bronson Arroyo (j)
• Bronson Arroyo (d)
• David Ross (q)

Favorite Memory

• Brandon Phillips swipes second and third base on one pitch in a game against the Nationals. (j)
• Homer Bailey’s call up is met with fanfare because he is a great prospect and because no one has been named Homer since Homer Simpson. (d)
• I drop Brandon Phillips in fantasy baseball and Joe picks him up, Joe wins the league and I am to directly to blame. That's the last time Joe ever wins a fantasy league that I'm a part of. (q)

Bold Prediction

• Dusty Baker becomes the first manager to go on the DL when he opts for splinter removal surgery following a toothpick mishap in the clubhouse. (j)
• The Reds embrace their Communist brethren and denounce baseball’s open market spending. (d)
• Trying to reverse the curse Dhivy put on him when Dhivy bought a Mariners Griffey jersey, Ken Griffey Jr. buys a Dhivy jersey. Dhivy tears his ACL at work while typing on his computer. (q)

Today's Best - 03.05.08

5. Shan Foster – The all-time leading scorer for Vanderbilt put another notch in his belt today when his 42 points led the Commodores to an overtime victory against SEC rivals Mississippi State. In the final home game of his career, Foster’s late game heroics saved Vandy once again. In the waning seconds of regulation, Shan hit a three to tie the game at 74. Trailing with thirty seconds left in overtime, the team turned again to Foster, who drilled his ninth three to give his team an 86-85 win. At this rate, we’ll be talking about his time with the Commodores like that of Lionel Richie.

4. Kevin Johnson –The former Suns point guard made headlines when he announced his candidacy for Mayor of Sacramento. Since his playing career ended, KJ has dedicated himself to urban renewal projects, including one in the Sacramento neighborhood in which he grew up. While elections in California have been a joke ever since the Governator took office, Kevin has a track record of public service and could do some good for a struggling community. His platform centers on economic stimulation, along with a more dynamic foreign policy. When asked why he was running, Johnson claimed that government has become “nonresponsive, tired, uninspired and bureaucratic. They want something different in Sacramento.” Is he talking about government, or the Kings? Am I right folks?

3. Knick Drama – With head coach Isiah Thomas and star guard Stephon Marbury feuding, it’s understandable that the Knicks are not 100% focused on basketball. But it seems like a professional basketball team, even if they’re at 80%, should be able to stop someone from scoring 50. But along with 10 boards, 8 dimes and 4 steals, LeBron James was able to rack up a JFK (he’s on the half dollar). A running argument among my friends is about who the best player in the league is: LeBron or Kobe. After Kobe went for 52 against the Mavs, this game proves that at this point in their careers Kobe is exactly 2 points better than LeBron. It’s science.
2. The Patriot League – Conference tournaments started this week and the opening round of the Patriot League provided more dramam than most NCAA tournament games. Top-seed American needed a layup by Brian Gilmore in the closing seconds to defeat Holy Cross 62-60. Kyle Roemer put the Colgate Raiders on his back and scored 32 to knock off Lafayette 76-74. And in overtime, the Black Knights of Army eeked out a 64-61 win on the strength of 25 by Josh Miller. But the Bucknell-Navy battle topped them all. Despite 37 from midshipman Greg Sprink, John Griffin hit a buzzer-beating three in the third overtime to earn an 87-86 victory for the Bison. This must’ve been what Paul Revere envisioned on his famous ride.

1. Revenge – Jason Richardson was a key part of the Warriors success last year, averaging 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists. But his contract was a bit of an albatross, so he became part of a draft day trade to Charlotte, the NBA equivalent of Kosovo. But J-Rich got his payback last night when he dropped 42 on his former team in a 118-109 upset. Facing a thirteen point deficit at the end of the first, the Bobcats turned to the Flintstone whose 14-point second quarter got them out of Barney. So it turns out that Richardson got the last laugh. Assuming that there are no more games played after today.

What’s that? Playoffs? Oh. Nevermind.

Season Preview: Chicago White Sox

dhivy: The White Stockings lineup centers around an aging, yet effective core of sluggers. Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko and Jim Thome all played below their expected output, but still accounted for over 100 home runs. With the all-or-nothing Nick Swisher patrolling center field, it appears that GM Ken Williams has eschewed the station to station strategy and decided the chicks dig that long ball. Other new faces include D-Backs castoff Carlos Quentin, who should see far more than the 229 ABs he got last season. Orlando Cabrera is the new shortstop and his playoff experience should bring a much needed jolt to the south side. The most interesting battle I see is at third base. Incumbent and heartthrob Joe Crede only hit .216 last season before succumbing to a lower back injury. 2004 first-round pick Josh Fields had 67 RBI as his replacement and his presence has created trade rumors regarding Crede. Maybe the White Sox should just petition Bud Selig to change the baseball diamond to a pentagon.

In 2005, the pitching was the key component that earned Chicago their World Series rings. What remains in ’08 consists of some of the same parts, along with several unknowns that manager Ozzie Guillen must develop. Mark Huehrle Buehrle is still a worthy staff ace and Javier Vazquez was able to save his bullpen and consistently put his team in position to win games. However, last season was a significant improvement on Vazquez’s numbers compared to the past three, so I’d envision a downturn in his ERA and WHIP. Jose Contreras celebrated his super sweet 37th this offseason after somehow losing seventeen games last year. But the fate of the White Sox lies on the arms of John Danks and Gavin Floyd. Floyd has been somewhat of a disappointment since being the fourth overall pick in 2001. But the Sox organization feels he has turned a corner and left his control problems behind him. A bullpen headlined by Bobby Jenks sounds good, but there are many questions to be answered. Can Octavio Dotel continue to rebound from Thomas Jonathan surgery? How will Scott Linebrink adjust to the American League? Is Matt Thornton going to stop being terrible? Answers to these issues will determine whether or not this year’s Sox are mismatched.

Motivational tactics in Venezuela must be very different than here in America. Guillen promised that should his team win the World Series in 2008, he will run naked through the streets of Chicago. If the White Sox do win it all this year, what does that say about the players in that locker room? If it takes the guarantee of a slightly overweight, extremely naked 44-year-old man to get them to play to their full potential, it may be more than static cling that makes these White Sox stick together.

quang: if there's one thing i know how to do, it's how to be unreasonably optimistic about the white sox every spring. this year is no exception. i loved every single one of general manager kenny williams' moves this off-season, and looking at their improved roster i like their chances. maybe not their chances to win an ultra-competitive al central, but definitely their chances to be the thing i talk about most over the next seven months. with that said, here's my best attempt at a rational preview about the only major league team that i would slap a baby across its face for if they asked me to.

last year was one of the worst seasons i've ever seen the white sox have. they were across the board awful. they had the lowest batting average in the league and similarly the lowest on-base percentage. yes, worse than every national league team. national league teams that allow their pitchers to hit. on the other side of the ball, the white sox did not fare much better. thanks mainly due to a underwhelming bullpen that often allowed runs while the starters were still in the game, the white sox pitching staff finished with a 4.77 era, sixth worst in baseball. and if that weren't enough, in 34 at bats they got a total of zero hits. yet somehow, despite all their shortcomings, the white sox won 72 games, 70 more than they deserved to win. so now, having endured a season where they secured the 8th pick in the upcoming draft, they come into this season with nowhere to go but up. or possibly down.

the white sox enter this season with only ten players who remain from their 2005 championship team. the latest cast offs since last season began included jon garland, a solid middle rotation pitcher, tadahito iguchi, a good second basemen and a prototypical hitter from the second slot, and scott podsednik, the catalyst who set the table for the white sox during their championship run. but with these departures come a number of fresh faces. most noteworthy of which is nick swisher, acquired from the athletics in a trade that gutted the white sox minor league system. aside from frenetic energy and switch-hitting, i think the most important thing swisher brings is the ability to draw walks and reach base. orlando cabrera was brought in from the garland trade and takes the shortstop job away from juan uribe, my favorite white sock. i know cabrera is probably an upgrade, but despite his obvious flaws, like a plus .700 out-making percentage, i'm a uribe man through and through. besides, after his defensive heroics in 2005, juan uribe has earned the right to take a few seasons off.

anyways, aside from those big splashes, the white sox also added carlos quentin and alexi ramirez, two young position players who i think have a lot of promise. quentin was only a season ago a very highly touted prospect for the diamondbacks, but after shoulder surgery and eric brynes' emergence the white sox bought low. alexi ramirez is a utility man who has the inside track on the vacant slot at second base. as a cuban defector, i expect he'll be incredible and also be 15 years older than he says. the white sox only major other additions were to their maligned bullpen by signing scott linebrink and octavio dotel. linebrink was the padres long-time lights out set up man before being traded to milwuakee midseason last year. octavio dotel is a decent bullpen arm but has battled injuries over the last several seasons, making him a great unknown. but if either of these guys can consistently get through a single inning without tossing a wild pitch that hits the third base coach, i think the white sox will be in good shape.

thankfully, there is some continuity between this year and last. paul konerko, jermaine dye, jim thome, aj pierzynski, and joe crede all return to the lineup hoping that their sub-par 2007 seasons don't follow. i expect most of them to rebound simply because, based on the difference between their predicted ops and actual ops, many of the white sox hitters were horribly unlucky. konerko, pierzynski, and thome were each the second unluckiest players for their respective positions while jermaine dye was the fourth unluckiest outfielder. other teams better hope these white sox players spent their off-season passing black cats, walking under ladders, and stepping on cracks that break their mother's back because that's the only way i see them not returning to form. joe crede on the other hand missed almost the entire season due to injury. but in his absence, josh fields established himself as a legit player. sadly, one of these two is expected to be dealt sometime this season. deciding which one i'd rather have traded is like picking between two of my kids. kids who for whatever reason i want to trade to someone else so i can give the other more playing time. what a horrible father i've become. anyways, with these players, and jerry owens and pablo ozuna in the mix, the white sox lineup seems pretty deep and very versatile. hopefully this makes up for the fact that their talent at the top isn't as high as many other contenders. if not, hopefully bud selig extends the batting order from nine players to 15.

thus far, my outlook on the white sox has been extremely rosy, so i guess it's only fair that i discuss my biggest area of concern: the starters. mark buehrle and javier vazquez had very strong 2007 campaigns and i expect their success to continue. but behind them, things get dicey with jose contreras and the duo of gavin floyd and john danks. contreras has been dreadful for the last year and half and i'm not optimistic he'll be able to return to his previous form. floyd finished last season very strong and has the talent to flourish, but who knows how his first crack at an extended stay in a rotation will go? lastly, danks, the prize in the brandon mccarthy deal last year, played as expected in his first full season; some ups and a lot of downs. at this point, only a rotation of five matthew leskos would have more question marks as the white sox rotation currently does. of course, if that were the case, with all the money they saved from free stuff the government gives out, maybe they'd be able to afford more proven pitchers. anyways, to summarize this long-winded preview, as it stands right now, the white sox seem firmly entrenched in third place. i don't think a division title is completely out of reach but they'll definitely need a few breaks to get there. specifically breaks to the bones of miguel cabrera and grady sizemore. but regardless of what happens, this is as excited i've been about a white sox team for quite some time. the only thing they're missing right now is frank thomas patrolling centerfield.

Unsung Hero:

• Gavin Floyd (d)
• Alexi Ramirez (q)
• Orlando Cabrera (j)

Achilles Heel:

• Javier Vasquez (d)
• Jose Contreras (q)
• Octavio Dotel (j)

Favorite Moment:

• Mark Buehrle picking off the only base runner in his no-hitter against Texas. (d)
• The White Sox first allow six runs in the top of the 9th in a game against the rival Twins before rallying for six runs of their own in the bottom of the ninth and later winning in the extras. Then 10 days later against the Angels, Jim Thome in the bottom of the ninth hits his 500th home run for a walk off White Sox victory. (q)
• Ozzie Guillen makes an offhand remark about how fat Miguel Cabrera is. (j)

Bold Prediction:

• With the news that Fidel Castro has ceded power, Jose Contreras travels by raft back to Cuba. (d)
• The White Sox win the AL Central and also every other division in the league thanks to Nick Swisher's MVP season where he hits 75 home runs from each side of the plate. (q)
• Juan Uribe will hit a walk-off grand slam during the White Sox first day game. Quang spends the remainder of the afternoon explaining to his employer why he was running around the office shirtless. (j)

Season Preview: Chicago Cubs

joe: Looking at this team on paper, the sky is the limit, there is speed, power, exuberant youth and insanity everywhere you look. However nothing with the Cubs comes easy, and that is even more alarming since they are in a gift division, where teams seem to hover around .500, get ravaged by injury or feel content to parade out perennial losers. With St. Louis facing plenty of questions around their primary slugger and their pitching staff, and Milwaukee still being a little to young to be taken seriously, this is the Cubs Division to lose.

This may be the best corner infield in baseball with both, Aramis and Derek Lee capable of putting up 35-40 Homeruns and driving in over 110 runs each. As a matter fact along with being the best corner infield, this duo may also be the best backcourt in Chicago, as Derek Lee was recruited to play basketball at UNC, currently the number 1 school in the nation, and I am confident that playing 3rd base Aramis is quick enough to defend some guards. If all else fails, the Bulls may need to explore this option. Regardless, coupling these two with a healthy Alfonso Soriano makes for at least 100 HRs in the lineup right off the bat, so any dudes planning any summer vacations to the Mid-west, make sure you put a game at Wrigley on your itinerary because we all know 'chicks dig the longball' so you're guaranteed at least 50 hookups in the Wrigley Field bleachers.

Kosuke Fukudome, the next big position player from Japan signed with the Cubs and is expected to contribute some much needed pop in the outfield from a source other than Soriano. Japaneese transplants must deal with so much attention during their rookie seasons that it's a wonder some of them succeed immediately. The Cubs are hoping that since he is not being bought on to be a "savior" he will have ample opportunity to ease in and be productive. Other young players on the Cubs roster include sparkplug, Felix Pie, who at best could be the type of phenom Soriano was and at worst he could be an actual pie, and I dont know about you - but I never met a pie that I didn't like so the kid can't lose. Ryan Theriot played almost a full season last year and took the role of disruptor on the basepaths and displayed a pretty impressive glove at short, if he can improve on his contact and draw a few more walks he will be a fine addition to this already dynamic outfield.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the roster is the pitching staff. Here you have everyone's favorite crazy Carlos Zambrano who signed a fresh new deal and also broke at least 3 bats over his knee (every pitching coaches dream) after bad at-bats. Aside from a rough beginning to 2007 which can be attributed to contract negotiations and Micheal Barrett's poor effect on pitchers, Zambrano finished the year with dominant outings and hushed those that say that his workhorse schedule the past couple of years were beginning to take their toll. Rich Hill is primed for more success, his tall lanky frame makes it seem like he is delivering his curveball a couple inches from the batter's head and tossing it straight down into the catcher's glove. When he's on it's hilarious to see the befuddlement on the face of opposing batters; and Ted Lilly and Jason marquis are quality innings eaters that wont surprise anyone but will give a solid output on any given day. Finally the bullpen should be able to protect many a lead as Carlos Marmol moves into the closer role with the still electric Kerry Wood looming just in case Marmol cannot handle the job full-time. This team is an absolute problem and we should fully expect to see them playing meaningful September baseball.

quang: it has been 100 years since the cubs last won a world series. there have probably been four or five generations of die hard fans that have died hard without their beloved cubs finishing one season as the best team in baseball. a century has passed. do you realize how much time a century is? think about this, the last time the cubs won the fall classic, fall wasn't even a season, the president of the united states was christopher columbus, and america's pastime was racism. anyways, some of you may know by now that i'm a white sox fan. thankfull. though for whatever reason, i'm not a white sox fan that hates the cubs. maybe it's because i'm not a native chicagoan or because henry rowengartner is one of my favorite fictional characters ever, but i rarely openly root against them. sure i call them "the cubes" every now and then, and sometimes i'll burn effigies of certain cubs players, but it's mostly all in fun. so with that in mind, i genuinely like their chances this year.

last year, the cubs were the team with the fewest wins to make the playoffs. and just to do so, they had to stage a furious rally to catch up with the brewers, who helped by fading down the stretch. unfortunately, the upstart diamondbacks swept them back home in the first round and highlighted one of the cubs' biggest weaknesses coming into the postseason, not winning many games. i think the cubs can expect last year's deficiencies will be a thing of the past, as this year, from top to bottom, the team looks much improved. cliff floyd and jacque jones have been replaced with heralded prospect felix pie and japanese import, kosuke fukudome. though both are unproven in the majors, they should be heads and shoulders above the proven liabilities that were floyd and jones. additionally, the cubs are returning their core of derrek lee, aramis ramirez, and alfonso soriano. all three are right in their prime years and are as potent a right-handed trio as there is in the league. catching for his first full season, is highly-regarded geovany soto. similar to pie and fukupayme, soto is very raw and unproven. but since he's replacing team cancer michael barrett and offense cancer jason kendall, if soto finishes this season without once poking himself in the eye with a bat it's an upgrade. my biggest question surrounding the cubs' position players concerns the middle infielders. ryan theriot had a pseudo-break out season, but by the end was barely league average. second basemen mark derosa had a quietly solid year but recently had heart surgery. and though doctors say he should be able to play later this month, heart surgery is always a big question mark.

pitching wise, though i'm not sure how talented the staff is, the cubs appear to have tremendous depth, which is often times just as important. fiery ace carlos zambrano is back for his eighth season on the north side. he had is worst full professional year in 2007. and despite leading the national league in walks allowed for the second consecutive year, he still had a more than reasonable 3.91 era. after big z, the cubs trot out ted lilly, who led cubs starters in era and whip last year, and rich hill, who built off his strong finish to 2006 to be one of the better 3rd starters in the league. after that though, i'm not sure what to expect. they've seemingly guaranteed the fourth spot to ryan dempster who has been a closer since 2005 and since 2006 has had trouble pitching one effective inning nevermind six. for their final rotation slot, the cubs are trying to decide between jon lieber and jason marquis. i'm not sure if sean marshall is in the picture, but i think any team would be glad to have him as their fifth wheel. besides, lieber is 37 and marquis is redundant seeing that the cubs already filled their quota of french names with theriot. but if sweet lou does decide to hand the job over to one of these two, at least it means we'll get to see the cubs outstanding bullpen more often. though kerry wood, carlos marmol, and bobby howry are all competing for the team's vacant closer job, between them angel guzman, neal cotts, michael wuertz, the cubs will be in good hands, specifically hands that will baffle opposing hitters.

overall, i think the nl central will be a tight race between the cubs and brewers. i'm giving the slight edge to the cubs, even though i think milwuakee has a much higher ceiling, because the cubs have more pitchers than the brewers. though if the cubs fall short i suspect it will be because bullpens are completely unpredictable year to year and they have three position players who are playing their first full major league season. either way, since i'm not sure the cubs have enough to win the world series it looks like after this year, the cubs will have had waited as many years since their last championship as cruella deville has dalmations. unless of course, when the white sox win the world series this year, they change their name to the cubs.

Unsung Hero:

• Carlos Marmol (j)
• Matt Murton (q)
• Geovany Soto (d)
  

Achilles Heel:

• Mark DeRosa (j)
• Jason Marquis (q)
• Ted Lilly (d)
  

Favorite Moment:

• The Padres Chris Young throws a hard high one at Derek Lee's head, Derek Lee calmy walks out in the general direction of the mound, when antagonized by Young the two trade wild yet off-target haymakers. (j)
• After a scuffle between he and the dugout of a game, Michael Barrett eventually gets traded to the Padres. With Barrett on board, the Padres successfully miss the playoffs. (q)
• Carlos Zambrano punches teammate Michael Barrett in the face. The face! (d)
  

Bold Prediction:

• When tensions flare up again between 6'5 Derek Lee and the Padres' 6'11 Chris Young, it doesnt come to fist-a-cuffs but the two meet after the game for a heated slam dunk contest. (j)
• Kerry Wood finally plays a full season when the players union surprisingly decides to go on strike in mid-April. (q)
• Pronunciation of Kosuke Fukudome’s name causes Cubs games to be broadcast on a seven-second delay.