2006 Milwaukee Brewers Preview

2005 Overview:

The Milwaukee Brewers put together an impressive 2005 season posting a .500 record (81-81). Led by outfielders Carlos Lee (.265 32 114) and Geoff Jenkins (.292 25 86) the Brewers 2005 offense also received help from 1st baseman Lyle Overbay (.276 19 72) and Brady Clark (.306 13 53). Rickie Weeks (.239 13 42) and Bill Hall (.291 17 62) split time at second base while pitcher Chris Capuano (18 12 3.99) surprised many by posting 18 wins and pitching over 200 innings (219) for the first time in his young major leaguer career. Helping Capuano in the rotation were Ben Sheets (10 9 3.33) and Tomo Ohka (7 6 4.35) who was acquired midseason from the Washington Nationals. Newcomer closer Derrick Turnbow (7 1 1.74 39 saves) did very well posting a microscopic 0.90 ERA after the all star break.

Off Season Moves:

GM Doug Melvin continued to carefully build his team of youngsters for 2006. First on his list was trading first baseman Lyle Overbay in order to make room for newcomer Prince Fielder (.288 2 10). The organization is high on Fielder’s potential. The team also picked up starter Dave Bush (5-11 4.49), outfielder Gabe Gross (.250 1 7) and pitcher Zach Jackson, who was a former first round pick from the Blue Jays.

The Brewers also traded to get third baseman Corey Koskie (.249 11 36) in exchange for right hander Brian Wolfe. Melvin also sent pitcher Wes Obermueller to Atlanta to get back the Brewers' former closer, Dan Kolb (3-8 5.93).

2006 Analysis:

The Brewers GM Doug Melvin continues to impress as he has assembled a team of young, aggressive players. Prince Fielder is expected to join Lee and Jenkins to form one of the more formidable lineups in the NL. The Brewers think so highly of Fielder they moved Overbay to make room for his immediate ascension.

The team hopes Bush will be a good pickup. The pitcher turned around a poor 0-5 start with the Blue Jays and did struggle in September as well, but the Brewers are hopeful a change in scenery will help him. The team's starters ranked sixth in the NL with a 4.02 ERA last year and the staff should be improved. Expect Koskie to do well in his new uniform. His RBI totals in particular should increase with more consistent playing time.

The pitcher to watch will be Capuano. His 18 wins and 35 game starts really anchored the rotation in 2005. The Brewers are hoping he will become a legitimate ace to build their rotation around. The bullpen other then Turnbow is somewhat questionable. Kolb is familiar face and will help setup the closer but other then that there isn’t much here to depend on. Turnbow posted a 3-0 record after the all star break and emerged as one of the more reliable closers in baseball. The Brewers are counting on him picking up where he left off in 2005. Brewer fans remain hopeful in 2006 as management continues to build a quality team.

2006 Los Angeles Dodgers Preview

2005 Overview:

Led by newly signed 2nd baseman Jeff Kent (.289 29 105), the Los Angeles Dodgers posted an unimpressive 71-91 record in 2005. 1st basemen Olmedo Saenz (.263 15 63) and Hee-Seop Choi (.253 15 42) joined outfielder Milton Bradley (.290 13 38) and late season pickup Jose Cruz (.301 6 22) to provide the majority of the team’s offense for the year. Catcher Jason Phillips (.238 19 55) and outfielder J.D. Drew (.286 15 36) also helped add some pop in the lineup as Los Angeles ended 2005 a full 11 games behind the Division Champion San Diego Padres.

Pitchers Jeff Weaver (14 11 4.22), Derek Lowe (12 15 3.61) and Brad Penny (7-9 3.90) combined to provide a majority of the team’s quality starts while reliever Yhency Brazoban (4 10 5.33 21 saves) anchored the back end of the bullpen.

Off Season Moves:

The Dodgers signed a bunch of free agents in the off season to address their needs. Free agent Nomar Garciaparra (.283 9 30) was signed to play first base, Bill Mueller (.295 10 62) to play third, Rafael Furcal (.284 12 58) to play shortstop and Kenny Lofton (.335 2 36) to play centerfield. Milton Bradley was sent to the A's and the team added NY Met Jae Seo (8-2 2.59) and Giants free agent Brett Tomko (8-15 4.48) to the starting rotation.

The LA Dodgers addressed their bullpen needs by picking up closer Danys Baez (5-4 2.86) and reliever Lance Carter (1-2 4.89) who was signed from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

2006 Analysis:

Mueller, Garciaparra and Furcal were all solid pickups and should help reduce the need for Kent to do all the scoring in 2006. The Dodgers are hoping Garciaparra can play healthy for a full season and they expect him to surprise skeptics who believe he is damaged goods. Furcal is an anchor in the infield and has an absolute canon for an arm. Fans should expect him to step up his game another notch in 2006 after the Braves let him get away.

Seo had perhaps the best 2nd half of any of the Met pitchers last season. The Mets felt his 2005 season was essentially a fluke so they were willing to trade him for reliever Duaner Sanchez. The Dodgers are hoping Seo can provide a significant amount of quality innings in 2006. Fans shouldn’t expect Tomko to do much better then last year but the Dodgers still need him to improve on his 8-15 record though. Fans also should be confident that the off season bullpen signings will help. Both Baez and Carter will be welcome additions. Baez in particular was chased by a few different teams and the Dodgers were lucky to grab him.

If a few of the offensive pieces can come together the Dodgers might surprise some people in the NL West. Most experts would point to the fact that the starting pitching is still too shaky to pick the team for any serious contention in 2006.

2006 Kansas City Royals Preview

2005 Overview:

Ask any Royal fan and they will tell you - there just simply weren’t many things for them to cheer about in 2005. In fact, the 2005 Kansas City Royals were a complete train wreck and that’s putting things somewhat mildly. The Royals managed to win a total of only 56 games the entire year while losing an embarrassing 106. The anemic Royals pitching staff also allowed a total of 935 runs scored against them, ranking as the second worst in baseball behind the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Much of Kansas City’s offense was provided by newcomer Emil Brown (.286 17 86), 1st baseman Mike Sweeney (.300 21 83) and outfielder Matt Stairs (.275 13 66). Starting Shortstop Angel Berroa (.270 11 55) and catcher John Buck (.242 12 47) were the only other bright spots in the regular starting lineup. While the Royals hitting may have been spotty in 2005, the pitching can be described as pretty much non-existent. Newly acquired Jose Lima (5-16 6.99) returned an utterly disappointing inaugural year with the Royals managing to win just 1 game on the road the entire season. While Starters Runelvys Hernandez (8-14 5.52), Zack Greinke (5-17 5.80) and D.J. Carrasco (6-8 4.79) all failed to string together any quality starts. The bullpen and relief staff offered very little for fans to cheer about as well. Even though relief pitcher Mike MacDougal (5-6 3.33 21 saves) did his very best to protect any games he was given. MacDougal appeared in a total of 68 games while converting 21 of 25 save opportunities. By the end of the season, the Royals found themselves a total of 43 games behind the Division and World Champion White Socks - compiling the worst road record in baseball at 22-59.

Off Season Moves:

Kansas City Management added a bunch of starting pitching in the off season – all of which are veterans including; Joe Mays (6-10 5.65), Scott Elarton (11-9 4.61), and Mark Redman (5-15 4.90) who was traded from Pirates to Royals for RHPs Jonah Bayliss & Chad Blackwell. Free agents Reggie Sanders (.271 21 54), Mark Grudzielanek (.294 8 59) and Doug Mientkiewicz (.240 11 29) where also signed to help the struggling offense.

2006 Analysis:

The addition of 3 new starters is a step in the right direction, although with 11 win pitcher Scott Elarton as the “ace” it doesn’t appear to be a terribly vast improvement over the 2005 starting rotation. Expect Ambiorix Burgos (3-5 3.98) and newcomer Joel Peralta (1- 0 3.89) to be the most steady arms in the bullpen. The addition of Sanders, Grudzielanek and Mientkiewicz should help jumpstart the sagging offensive production. All three are also good clubhouse leaders. Sanders should add some much needed protection to Sweeney and Brown in the regular lineup. The bullpen still remains a question mark although the team should probably score more runs in 2006. The Royals are far cry from contending in a division that has Cleveland and Chicago in it. Royal Fans shouldn’t be expecting much.

2006 Houston Astros Preview

2005 Overview:

For the second straight year in a row, the Houston Astros overcame a horrible start and spotty offense to capture the National League wildcard. Houston rolled past the Cardinals en route to becoming National League Champions only to lose in a 4 game sweep to the World Champion Chicago White Sox.

Despite missing the first month of the season, slugger Lance Berkman (.293 24 82 RBI) was able to establish himself as one of the best power hitters in the game while 3rd baseman Morgan Ensberg (.283 36 101) also emerged as a prime time offensive force leading the team in HR (36), RBI (101), and slugging percentage (.557). The ageless wonder Craig Biggio (.264 26 69) joined Jason Lane (.267 26 78) and Mike Lamb (.236 12 53) to help complete the rest of the starting lineup.

On the pitching side, starter Roy Oswalt (20-12, 2.94 ERA) was able to combine strong power numbers with excellent control in 2005 while Andy Pettitte (17-9, 2.39 ERA) bounced back from an injury-ridden 2004 season to pitch over 220 innings. Roger Clemens (13-8 1.87) at the age of 44 still was able to post respectable numbers joining superstar reliever Brad Lidge (4-4 2.29 42 saves) to provide the Astros with a season ending 89-73 record.

Off Season Moves:

The Astros didn’t make too many moves in the off season only because they really didn’t need to. Their biggest acquisition was signing free agent Preston Wilson (.260, 25 90) who was picked up to help provide more offensive stability and potentially replace Bagwell (who may or may not return in 2006). Reliever Trever Miller (2-2 4.06) was also added to help an already strong bullpen.

2006 Analysis:

Much of the same faces will return in 2006 with Craig Biggio (94 Runs) and Willy Taveras, who led the team in stolen bases with 34 setting the table for the rest of the lineup. The Astros are hoping Tavares will learn to become more patient in his sophomore year and produce more walks. If Bagwell doesn't come back full-time, Berkman will likely move over to 1B with the newly acquired Preston Wilson expected to play leftfield.

Roy Oswalt is expected to once again return as the ace of the staff after putting together back-to back 20 win seasons. 33-year-old Andy Pettitte has lost significant time to injuries in 2 of the last 4 seasons so the Astros are hoping he can be healthy for an entire 2006 campaign. Clemens is not expected to return and his regular season performance will be missed. He was not offered arbitration in the off season.

Houston is looking to their number 3 starter Brandon Backe (10-8, 4.76 ERA) to find more consistency in 2005. While Wandy Rodriguez (10-10, 5.53 ERA) and Ezequiel Astacio (3-6, 5.67 ERA) will remain the likely candidates as the fourth and fifth starters. With Brad Lidge, Chad Qualls, former Met Dan Wheeler, lefty Mike Gallo and newly signed Trever Miller, the Houston bullpen is deep and perhaps one of the best in all of baseball. Expect the Astros to receive some competition from the Cubs and St. Louis in 2006. If the pitching can hold itself together and the offense at least match the same numbers as last year they should find themselves in the thick of things within the NL Central.

2006 Florida Marlins Preview

2005 Overview:

Most Florida Marlins fans never expected another repeat of the 1997 season when management completely gutted the World Champion Marlins but that is exactly what happened during the 2005 off season. Despite finishing tied with the Mets for 3rd place with an 83-79 record, Florida decided it needed to dramatically reduce payroll in the hopes of focusing on a new stadium plan. In just 12 short days between November 24-December 7 the Marlins dumped millions off their payroll by moving six everyday starting position players, two frontline pitchers, a closer and a setup reliever. When the dust finally settled only superstars Miguel Cabrera (.323 33 116) and Dontrelle Willis (22-10 2.63) remained.

The 2005 offense was led by Cabrera who posted almost identical numbers to his 2004 season ending totals. Cabrera was joined by newly acquired 1st baseman Carlos Delgado (.301 33 115) and outfielder Juan Encarnacion (.287 16 76) while pesky leadoff hitter Juan Pierre (.276 in 162 games with 57 stolen bases), 3rd baseman Mike Lowell (.236 8 58) and newly signed catcher Paul Lo Duca (.283 6 57) rounded out the rest of the starting lineup.

Willis simply dominated in 2005 by starting the season off with a 5-0 record with a 1.29 ERA. Dontrelle managed to enter the all star break with an impressive 13-4 record and 2.39 ERA. Starters Josh Beckett (15-8 3.37), A.J. Burnett (12-12 3.44) and newly acquired Brian Moehler (6-12 4.55) joined reliever Todd Jones (1-5 2.10 40 saves in 45 save opportunities) to complete the rotation.

Off Season Moves:

New appointed manager Joe Girardi and be surrounded by fresh, new faces in his 2006 debut. Hanley Ramirez is a top rookie prospect who was obtained in the Beckett trade from Boston, Ramirez has only played in two major league games and spent most of the 2005 season at AAA, where he batted .271 with six home runs, 52 RBI, and 26 stolen bases. Baseball America ranks Ramirez 10th on the Top 100 prospect list and he will likely get the starting shortstop position moving Cabrera to third base, his natural position.

The Marlins are also excited about outfielder Jeremy Hermida, who was the team's first-round pick in the 2002 draft as well as Eric Reed and Chris Aguila who are expected to get consideration in center and left field. Former New York Met Mike Jacobs (.310, 11 home runs in 30 games), obtained in the Delgado deal, and Wes Helms (.298 4 HRS in 2005) are expected to platoon at first base, while Josh Wilson (.257 17 82 in 143 games at Triple A Albuquerque in 2005) will compete for the starting job at second base.

2006 Analysis:

The Marlins will start 2006 with a bunch of fresh new faces. The fire sale provided the team with a bunch of untested talent which will make the 2006 roster look more like a AAA minor league team then anything else. New Manager Girardi will need to carefully evaluate who is ready to step into a full time role the team. Starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis is coming off his best year ever, so he will be expected to shoulder the load once again with Yusmeiro Petit, Sergio Mitre, Jason Vargas, Anibel Sanchez, Josh Johnson and Scott Olsen all getting consideration for a slot in the starting rotation. Scouts have recognized Johnson as a No. 2 starter and Olsen, a lefthander, is also highly regarded.

2006 Detroit Tigers Preview

2005 Overview:

About the only good news for Detroit Tigers fans in 2005 occurred at the end of the season. In October it was announced that Jim Leyland was coming out of retirement and had accepted the Tigers managerial job. Leyland is looking to help change the team’s fortunes for 2006 and beyond but he will have his work cut out for him. The Tigers managed to win only 71 total games in 2005 posting a lackluster 71-91 record. Yet somehow the Motown offense was able to score a total of 723 runs which was only 18 fewer then the World Series Champion Chicago White Sox. Of course it didn’t help matters that the Tigers also allowed a total of 787 runs - mostly due to an inconsistent and underperforming pitching staff.

The 2005 offense was led primarily by outfielder Craig Monroe (.277 20 89), and DH Dmitri Young (.271 21 72). Rookie 1st baseman Chris Shelton (.299 18 59) also provided some much needed offensive spark with veterans Ivan Rodriguez (.276 14 50) and Rondell White (.313 12 53) posting respectable numbers. The rest of the 2005 offensive production was supplied by 3rd baseman Brandon Inge (.261 16 72) and 2nd baseman Placido Polanco (.338 6 36) who was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies in a midseason trade.

The Tiger starting pitching in 2005 had very few bright spots. Starters Jeremy Bonderman (14-13 4.57) and Mike Maroth (14-14 4.74) managed to combine for 25 total wins, while the rest of the starters struggled for much of the entire season. Both starting pitcher Nate Robertson (7-16 4.48) and Jason Johnson (8-13 4.54) turned in forgettable performances in 2005. The Tigers used a combination of five different closers with Ugueth Urbina (1-3 2.63 9 saves) performing the best, prior to his being traded midseason to Philadelphia.

For Detroit Tiger fans, the season couldn’t end soon enough.

Off Season Moves:

The Detroit Tigers signed free-agent lefty Kenny Rogers (14-8 3.46), to a 2-year, $16 million contract, hoping to provide some better stability in the starting rotation. The Tigers also signed closer Todd Jones (1-5 2.10 40 saves) from Florida in order to help upgrade their bullpen. Jones a 12 year veteran experienced a renaissance year with the Florida Marlins by holding opposing hitters to a .230 batting average while saving a total of 40 games (his highest save total in five years).

2006 Analysis:

Rogers is an improvement to the starting rotation as is bringing in Jim Leyland from out of his retirement to help. Leyland has worked in similar environments before and has proven he knows how to handle the challenge. The starting rotation is still lacking. Detroit made a run at a few different free agents this winter, but little materialized. The Tigers have some hitting and can score runs. There's also some talent in the bullpen, but the rotation doesn’t appear to be much stronger than it was last season (4.85 ERA, 10th in the AL). Fans will need to be very patient as Leyland attempts to rebuild from within.

2006 Colorado Rockies Preview

2005 Overview:

The Colorado Rookies suffered through a tough 95 loss season ending the year 15 games behind the NL West Champion San Diego Padres. The 2005 offense was led by 1st baseman Todd Helton (.320 20 79), outfielder Dustan Mohr (.214 17 38), and the young 3rd baseman Garrett Atkins (.287 13 89). Shortstop Clint Barmes (.289 10 46) and Matt Holliday (.307 19 87) also contributed to the lineup.

The 2005 Rockies pitching was as thin as the air in their home stadium, Coors Field. Beyond youngster Jeff Francis (14-12 5.68) and Aaron Cook (7-2 3.67) the rest of the starting pitching suffered to provide quality starts throughout the entire year. Starters Jamey Wright (8-16 5.46), Byung-Hyun Kim (5-12 4.86) and Jason Jennings (6-9 5.02) all failed to impress. On the upside, closer Brian Fuentes (2-5 2.91 31 saves) did manage to convert 31 saves in 34 save opportunities, and was an impressive 14 out of 14 in save opportunities at Coors Field. Not an easy task when a pitcher is required to close games in a stadium that is notorious for late inning comebacks and blown saves.

Off Season Moves:

The Colorado Rockies didn’t make many moves in the off season. They did however add some veteran experience to the bullpen by signing free agent closer Jose Mesa (2-8 4.76). The Rockies also re-signed starter Byung-Hyun Kim and reliever Mike DeJean (5-4 4.48) plus traded for St. Louis left hander Ray King (4-4 388). Catcher Yorvit Torrealba (.234 3 15) was also picked up in order to upgrade the position.

2006 Analysis:

Growing pains are to be expected with a team this young. Rockie fans need to be patient and allow youngsters such as third baseman Atkins, and shortstop Barmes the time they need to grow into their positions. Look for right fielder Brad Hawpe (.262 9 47) and outfielders Matt Holliday and Dustin Mohr to be expected to contribute more in 2006. Both players proved they were capable of handling major league pitching during the 2005 season and both are expected to be an important part of the Rockies future.

Colorado is reluctant to abandon their game plan and with so many young prospects no one can blame them. Management remained overly cautious in the off season and passed by the opportunity to add a bunch of new faces.

One newcomer to the pitching staff will be pitcher Ray King. He will help, but the starting rotation shouldn’t be expected to provide much better numbers then they did in 2005. Francis and Cook should start more in 2006 and the Rockies closer Brian Fuentes ended the season very strong. In August and September Fuentes was an impressive 15 for 15 in save opportunities. The Rockies are looking for a few breaks to go there way and if the starting pitching can impress the offense should be able to score runs. The Rockies are still a few years and starting pitchers away to be considered a legitimate contender for a division title or wildcard spot.

2006 Cleveland Indians Preview

2005 Overview:

The Cleveland Indians were arguably the best overall team in baseball during the 2nd half of the season. The Indians remained right in the thick of the AL pennant chase until the very last week of the season when a 4-6 record in their last 10 games left them two games back in the wildcard standings. Cleveland ended the year with an impressive final record of 93-69. The Tribe fielded some of the best young offensive talent in all of baseball in 2005, led by a breakout year from shortstop Jhonny Peralta (.292 25 78). Peralta’s first full season helped Cleveland’s offense keep the Tribe close for the better part of the summer. Newly acquired 3b Aaron Boone (.243 16 60) also combined talents with infielders Ronnie Belliard (.284 17 78) and 1st baseman Ben Broussard (.255 19 68) in order to assemble one of the best all around infields in all of baseball. Additional offense was provided in 2005 from outfielder Grady Sizemore (.289 22 81) and Casey Blake (.241 23 58) who joined Coco Crisp (.300 16 69), catcher Victor Martinez (.305 20 80) and DH Travis Hafner (.305 33 108) to complete the rest of the lineup.

The Indians’ pitching staff also proved to be among the best in the AL with starting Pitcher Cliff Lee (18-5 3.79) and C.C. Sabathia (15-10 4.03) joining Jake Westbrook (15-15 4.49) and newly acquired pitchers Scott Elarton (11-9 4.61) and Kevin Millwood (9-11 2.86) in order to form a solid rotation. Aging closer Bob Wickman (0-4 2.47 45 saves) surprised skeptics by proving he still had plenty left in the tank posting a 14-year career high 45 saves in 50 attempts.

Off Season Moves:

The Indians didn’t make many moves during the off season although free-agent right-hander Paul Byrd (12-11 3.74) was signed to take the place of departing Kevin Millwood (who was signed by the Rangers). The Indians also replaced starting pitcher Scott Elarton (signed by the Royals) with Detroit Tiger free-agent Jason Johnson (8-13 4.54). Cleveland also tried to obtain another closer chasing both B.J. Ryan and Trevor Hoffman in the off season but finally settled on bringing back Bob Wickman.

Outfielder Coco Crisp was sent to the Red Sox in exchange for reliever Guillermo Mota (2-2 4.70). The Indians also sent reliever Arthur Rhodes to Philadelphia for outfielder Jason Michaels (.304 4 31), the probable replacement for Crisp as Cleveland's starting left fielder.

2006 Analysis:

The Indians did their best by addressing the free agent departures of Millwood and Elarton but the bottom of the rotation is still shaky. Paul Byrd should be a nice addition to the starting group. The Indians let Millwood go despite the fact that he posted one of the best ERAs in the league. Cleveland was somewhat disappointed in Millwood’s ability to win more games for them. The workhorse bullpen expects to pick up right where it left off in 2005 with Arthur Rhodes (3-1 2.08), Fernando Cabrera (2-1 1.47), Scott Sauerbeck (1-0 4.04) and newcomer Guillermo Mota setting up closer Bob Wickman. The tribe should be primed for another title chase in 2006 if the starting pitching and bullpen can hold up. With an offense like the Indian’s it’s hard to count them out of anything – especially if Peralta can continue to improve at the plate in 2006.

2006 Cincinnati Reds Preview

2005 Overview:

The biggest news for Cincinnati Reds fans in 2005 was the fact that Ken Griffey Jr.(.301 35 92) was able to play an entire season injury free for the first time in over 5 full seasons. What was so impressive about Griffey’s 2005 performance was his ability to completely return to form, hitting for both power and average. Griffey grabbed the Comeback Player of the Year Award for his outstanding efforts.

The rest of the Reds 2005 offense was provided by Adam Dunn (.247 40 101), veteran 2nd baseman Rich Aurilia (.282 14 68) and outfielder Austin Kearns (.240 18 67). Unfortunately, the Reds starting pitching didn’t offer many wins in 2005. Starters Aaron Harang (11 13 3.83), Brandon Claussen (10-11 4.21) and Ramon Ortiz (9 11 5.36) joined Eric Milton (8 15 6.47) and closer David Weathers (7-4 3.94 15 saves) to handle the majority of the pitching duties during the season. Weathers’ was picked up from the Mets and was converted into a full-time closer we he nailed down 15 out of 19 save opportunities. No real staff Ace emerged in 2005 with Harang leading the rotation with 11 wins. The Reds ended the season with a less then impressive final 73-89 record, finishing 27 games behind the NL Central Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

Off Season Moves:

The Reds recognized pitching as their main priority during the off season so they traded away popular first baseman Sean Casey to the Pittsburgh Pirates for left handed starter Dave Williams (10–11 4.41). Unfortunately the Reds did little else to address their starting pitching needs. Veteran Infielder Rich Aurilia re-signed, and Cincinnati also traded for utility man Tony Womack (.249 in 2005), which was designed to give the team some options off the bench in 2006. Lefthander reliever Chris Hammond (5-1 3.84) also signed on from the defending NL West Champion Padres.

2006 Analysis:

Expect Adam Dunn now to move over to first base, leaving the outfield responsibilities to Austin Kearns, Ken Griffey Jr. and Wily Mo Pena. The Reds really didn’t significantly address the starting pitching in the off season and the one new starting pitcher they acquired (Williams) will hardly make a difference for the team in 2006. With Harang leading the group with only 11 wins there is a bunch of work to be done before the Reds can hope to contend. Williams was only a 10 game winner in 2005 so fans shouldn’t expect much from him either.

Like many major league teams, the Reds are relying heavily on their youngsters which include Kearns, Pena, Dunn, shortstop Felipe Lopez, and Ryan Freel. Fans were happy to get the old Griffey back in 2005 and are hopeful he will pick up where he left off when he starts the 2006 season. Dave Weathers is simply not a strong closer although the team managed to squeeze 15 saves out of him last season. Hammond was a nice pick up and should help out a struggling bullpen - but even more help is needed. Cincinnati Reds fans should expect more of the same in 2006.

2006 Chicago White Sox Preview

2005 Overview:

After waiting 88 years for a World Series title, the Chicago White Sox and 2nd year Manager Ozzie Guillen entered the 2005 season on a mission. After an impressive rookie managerial season the Venezuela born Guillen led his troops to a division leading 99-63 record. The White Sox simply dominated the postseason losing only 1 game out of a total of 13 played - first by sweeping the defending champion Boston Red Sox and then by rolling past the Angels 4 games to 1. Chicago went home from the Fall Classic against NL Champion Astros with a clean 4-game sweep grabbing their first World Series title since 1917. The White Sox fielded one of the stronger offensive lineups in 2005 with 1st baseman Paul Konerko (.283 40 100) and outfielder Jermaine Dye (.274 31 86) leading the charge. Outfielder Carl Everett (.251 23 87), 3rd baseman Joe Crede (.252 22 62) and newly acquired catcher A.J. Pierzynski (.257 18 56) also helped level out the rest of the 2005 lineup.

It’s often said that ‘pitching wins championships’ and in 2005 Chicago assembled one of the best starting rotations in baseball. Newly acquired Jose Contreras (15-7 3.61) and Freddy Garcia (14-8 3.87) sparkled in their new White Sox uniforms, while Jon Garland (18-10 3.50) and Mark Buehrle (16-8 3.12) rounded out the dominating starting staff. Newly acquired Reliever Dustin Hermanson (2-4 2.04) performed nicely in the bullpen saving 24 of 29 chances and doubling his output from the previous year with the San Francisco Giants.

Off Season Moves:

The White Sox did very little in the off season to change their team chemistry. Their biggest moves included re-signing first baseman Paul Konerko to a five-year, $60 million deal (he turned down $65 million from the Orioles) and trading for slugger Jim Thome (7 HRS in 59 games in 2005), who is scheduled to start the 2006 campaign as Chicago’s DH. The White Sox also strengthened an already strong rotation with a trade for Javier Vazquez (11-15 4.42) - they also acquired a versatile utility man in Rob Mackowiak (.292 9 58) from the Pirates.

2006 Analysis:

Guillen and company seem to have a solid blueprint for success and it’s hard to find many flaws in their off season strategy. The only real weak point appears to be centerfield since at least for now it looks as if Brian Anderson (.176 in 34 AB in 2005) will take over for Aaron Rowand (.270 13 69) who was traded to Philly in the deal for Thome. Expect Thome (.274 42 105 in a full season in 2004) to blossom as a DH, saving himself from the wear and tear of playing 1st base everyday. He’s a player perfectly suited for the DH role and the White Sox were wise to trade for him. Thome should provide some nice offense alongside Konerko, Pierzynski, Dye and Crede. Chicago’s pitching in 2006 should be stronger (if that’s even possible!) with Javier Vazquez joining the rotation. Vazquez could prove to be another interesting addition to an already powerful staff. Much like the acquisitions of Contreras and Garcia in 2004, the White Sox are hoping Vazquez will fit in nicely and produce better numbers then last season.

2006 Chicago Cubs Preview

2005 Overview:

With the departure of slugger Sammy Sosa, the offensive output for the Chicago Cubs has been replaced by the likes of superstars Derek Lee (.335 46 107) and Aramis Ramirez (.302 31 92). Both players came into their own in 2005 along with the help of Jeremy Burnitz (.258 24 87), catcher Michael Barrett (.276 16 61) and 2nd baseman Todd Walker (.305 12 40). Lee in particular impressed in 2005, hitting 27 home runs prior to the all star break and leading the league in hitting by the end of the season. Starters Carlos Zambrano (14 6 3.26), Greg Maddux (13 15 4.24), and Mark Prior (11 7 3.67) joined closer Ryan Dempster (5-3 3.13 35 saves) to provide the pitching depth in 2005 as the Cubs posted a 79-83 record to end the season 21 games behind the division leading St. Louis Cardinals.

Off Season Moves:

GM Jim Hendry traded for Florida Marlin's Juan Pierre (.276 2 47), who will lead off and play center in 2006, both of which were troublesome spots last year. Hendry also strengthened the Chicago Cubs bullpen with two free-agent signings: lefty Scott Eyre (2-2 2.63 – obtained from the San Francisco Giants) and right hander Bobby Howry (7-4 3.47 – acquired from the Cleveland Indians). The Cubs spent $23 million to lock those two players under contract for the next three years.

Pitcher Wade Miller (4-4 4.95) was also picked up from the Boston Red Sox. The other noteworthy signings were free agent right fielder Jacque Jones (.249 23 73 from the Minnesota Twins), who will be looked upon to replace the offense for the departed Jeromy Burnitz. John Mabry (.240 8 32) was also traded from the Cardinals to help in the outfield. The Cubs are hopeful he can return to his 2004 offensive form when he tied a career high in home runs with 13.

2006 Analysis:

The restructured bullpen should help improve the pitching in 2006. Hendry also did well to pick up Pierre and Jones. Pierre improves the defense and leadoff position and should spell more RBI opportunities for Lee and Ramirez. The biggest non-pitching question remains at shortstop, where veteran Neifi Perez and 23-year-old Ronny Cedeno will be expected to help provide the answer. Lee and Ramierez will need to continue to provide the bulk of the offense in 2006.

The starting pitching remains a question mark. If Kerry Wood can return and pitch more then the 66.0 innings he did last year and Maddux can improve a bit on his record the pitching might surprise some fans as a strong point in 2006. If the Chicago Cubs hope to make it to postseason play they will need to get more from the starters in order for the recent off season bullpen moves to work. Hendry hopes the $23 million is spent on Howry and Eyre will be money well invested. Fans should be patient in 2006 – if the team is close at the all star break expect a midseason trade or two to perhaps make the difference.

2006 Boston Red Sox Preview

2005 Overview:

After finally breaking the 86-year curse of Babe Ruth not to mention performing one of the most miraculous comebacks in baseball history vs. the Yankees, the Boston Red Sox entered the 2005 season hopeful their good fortune would continue. Even though Curt Schilling’s ankle wasn’t 100% - the blueprint for 2005 began by adding newly acquired pitchers David Wells and Matt Clement to the starting rotation. But from the beginning of the season it was evident that Schilling’s ankle wouldn’t cooperate as he started only 3 games prior to the All Star break. Thankfully for Red Sox fans no one was running away with the AL East just yet.

It wasn’t hard for Boston to remain in the hunt for another AL East title especially with the lethal 1-2 offensive punch of Manny Ramieriz (.292 45 144) and David Ortiz (.300 47148) providing the bulk of the scoring. Outfielder Johnny Damon (.316 10 75) continued his impressive output as the Red Sox leadoff hitter while Trott Nixon (.275 13 67) and catcher Jason Varitek (.281 22 70) returned another season of impressive offensive numbers.

The starting pitching learned to live without Schilling with David Wells (15 7 4.45) assembling a decent season. Pitchers Matt Clement (13 6 4.57) and Tim Wakefield (16 7 4.15) also stepped up their game in order to keep the Red Sox and Yankees neck and neck until the last weekend series at Fenway. The Yankees won the season finale two games to one, leaving the Red Sox to face the Chicago White Sox in the Division Series. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, 2005 ended with a quick postseason departure as they were swept three games to none, losing game 3 in Fenway 5-3 to the White Sox.

Off Season Moves:

The chaos created by the initial departure of GM Theo Epstein proved beneficial for the Yankees who were able to snag free agent All Star Centerfielder Johnny Damon from under the Red Sox noses. Boston struck back days later completing a seven player deal with the Marlins netting 3rd baseman Mike Lowell (.236 8 58) starting pitcher Josh Beckett (15-8 3.37) and pitcher Guillermo Mota (2-2 4.70). Mota was later used to acquire outfielder Coco Crisp (.300 16 69 16 SB) who will be used to replace Damon in centerfield. Also picked up in the Crisp trade was reliever David Riske (3-4 3.10).

Other notable off season moves included trading Doug Mirabelli to the Padres for 2nd baseman Mark Loretta (.280 3 38) as well as sending infielder Edgar Renteria to the Braves for cash along with 3B Andy Marte. Additional moves included the Red Sox avoiding arbitration with infielder Tony Graffanino (.309 7 38) as well as adding pitcher Julian Tavarez (2-3 3.43) and outfielder J.T. Snow (.275 4 40).

2006 Analysis:

Expect the starting pitching for Boston to be stronger then last year with the addition of Josh Beckett and the anticipated rebound of Schilling. The Red Sox are also hoping that Wells will be more comfortable as the 3rd vs. number 1 starter - a role he was forced to assume when Schilling was unable to rebound from his 2004 ankle injury. The bullpen is upgraded with the addition of Tavarez and Riske. Expect Mike Timlin (7-3 2.24) Keith Foulke (5-5 5.91 15 saves) Jonathan Papelbon (3-1 2.65) and Bronson Arroyo (14-10 4.51) to pick up right where they left off last year.

Boston took it hard on the chin by losing Johnny Damon as his production and leadership will be missed but Crisp is a young player with a good deal of speed. Crisp posted career highs last year in runs (86), hits (178) and homers and the Red Sox are counting on him doing even more to fill the void left by Damon. Also expect Manny Ramieriz to be on the opening day roster as whispers of him leaving to the Orioles or Mets in some multi-team mega deal appear to be nothing more then fodder to sell newspapers. Few teams can manage Manny’s contract and the Red Sox seem to unwilling to offer and financial relief to any teams who have shown interest in acquiring him.

2006 Baltimore Orioles Preview

2005 Overview:

Prior to the All Star break the Baltimore Orioles were playing like they were destined for one of those dream seasons. On June 21, Baltimore held a two-game lead over the division rival Boston Red Sox and had assembled an impressive 42-28 record. The Orioles were also just 24 days away from celebrating Rafael Palmeiro's 3,000th career hit and were 4th in the American League with a .278 team batting average. But after June 22nd Baltimore’s dream season quickly faded. The Orioles would lose their next six games and win only 32 of their final 92 games (just under 35%). Rafael Palmeiro would be suspended for steroid use on Aug. 2, and second-year manager Lee Mazzilli would be fired just two days after Palmeiro’s suspension.

The three offensive bright spots in 2005 were shortstop Miguel Tejada (.304 36 98) 3rd baseman Melvin Mora (.283 27 88) and outfielder Jay Gibbons (.277 26 79). On the downside, 1st baseman Rafael Palmeiro (.266 18 60) appeared in only 100 games and the off season acquisition of Sammy Sosa (.221 14 45) proved to be a wasted gamble. As far as pitching, only starters Rodrigo Lopez (15-12 4.90), Bruce Chen (13-10 3.83) and closer B.J Ryan (36 saves in 41 opportunities) proved reliable. The Orioles ended their season with a disappointing 74-88 record, 21 games behind the division-leading Yankees and Red Sox.

Off Season Moves:

After Free Agent Closer B.J Ryan signed with the division rival Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore quickly traded Steve Kline to Giants for RHP LaTroy Hawkins (2-8 3.83 6 saves in 2005, 25 saves in 2004 for the Chicago Cubs). The Orioles also added Free Agent catcher Ramon Hernandez (.290 12 58) and 1st Base/ Outfielder Jeff Conine (.304 3 33) as well as former Red Sox Kevin Millar (.272 9 50) hoping to supplement the loss of Rafael Palmeiro as an offensive force in the everyday lineup. Baltimore also traded SS Nate Spears and LHP Carlos Perez to the Cubs for Corey Patterson (.215 13 34) in order to better jumpstart their offensive production in 2006. To address their starting pitching problems the Orioles traded with the Mets for RHP Kris Benson (10-8 4.13) in exchange for relief pitcher Jorge Julio.

2006 Analysis:

Expect the offensive additions to help better protect Tejada and Mora. The newly acquired Millar and Conine will probably split time between 1B, outfield and DH. The starting five appear at this point to be Lopez, Erik Bedard (6-8 4.00), Daniel Cabrera (10-13 4.52), Chen and John Maine (2-3 6.30) plus newcomer Kris Benson who is expected to bump Chen or Maine to the bullpen. Although the addition of Benson will help, the starting rotation doesn’t quite offer enough to seriously contend against Toronto, Boston and New York. The departure of lefty closer B.J Ryan will clearly be missed. The Orioles are keeping their fingers crossed that LaTroy Hawkins can once again close games like he did in 2004. Relievers Eric DuBose (2-3 5.52), Chris Ray (1-3 2.66), Tim Byrdak (0-1 4.05) and Todd Williams (5-5 3.30) complete the Oriole bullpen. Javy Lopez will most likely DH this year with the acquisition of Free Agent catcher Ramon Hernandez joining the club.

2006 Arizona Diamondbacks Preview

2005 Overview:

Rebounding from a truly disastrous 111 loss season in 2004, the Arizona Diamondbacks improved their 2005 season record to 77-85 including a final 8-2 record to finish the last 10 games of the year. Led by a balanced offense, the team was able to improve on their 2004 record thanks to the surprise performances supplied by 1st baseman Tony Clark (.304 30 87) and Chad Tracy (.308 27 72). The Diamondbacks also received much needed help from Troy Glaus (.258 37 97), Luis Gonzalez (.271 24 79) and outfielder Shawn Greene (.286 22 73).

Arizona’s starting pitching was spotty for much of the season with starters Brandon Webb (14-12 3.54), Javier Vazquez (11-15 4.42) and Brad Halsey (8-12 4.61) providing the majority of the quality starts in 2005. Relievers Brandon Medders (4-1 1.78) and Lance Cormier (7-3 5.11) joined Brandon Lyon (0-2 6.44 14 saves), Brian Burney (1-3 7.43 12 saves) and Jose Val Verde (3-4 2.44 15 saves) who combined to save 41 games in total.

Off Season Moves:

Arizona moved aggressively in the off season by shipping Javier Vazquez to the White Sox for Orlando Hernandez (9-9 5.12), and also trading power hitter Troy Glaus to the Blue Jays for closer Miguel Batista (5-8 4.10 31 saves) as well as Gold Glove second baseman Orlando Hudson (.271 10 63). The Diamondbacks also picked up catcher Johnny Estrada (.261 4 39) in a off season trade with the Atlanta Braves. The team signed free agent center fielder Eric Byrnes (.226 10 40) to help improve the as well.

2006 Analysis:

The Diamondbacks addressed their need for a legitimate closer by dealing Glaus in an aggressive off season move. Although Glaus’ hitting will be greatly missed, the Diamondbacks will get far more reliability with Batista then any of the options they used last year. The team is relying on youngsters like Chad Trady and first baseman Conor Jackson to pick up the slack left by Glaus.

Arizona also extended Webb’s deal for another 4 years which was a smart move. Webb is a solid workhorse type pitcher and is the ace of the staff. In 2005 he led the team in both ERA (3.54) and Wins (14 ). The pickup of Orlando Hernandez will at a minimum eat up more innings in 2006. But fans shouldn’t expect many wins from him or this rotation. Eric Byrnes is another nice addition but offense really isn’t nor ever was this team’s problem. The lineup is solid and Luis Gonzalez and outfielder Shawn Greene should project to similar numbers in 2006 even without Glaus in the lineup.

The biggest problem for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006 will be their pitching. The team did very little to improve their starting rotation and in fact may have actually weakened it in order to improve their bullpen. Aside from Webb the starting pitching needs much more help. The team shouldn’t be considered as serious contenders for the NL West until the pitching receives a significant upgrade.

"OTA’s" - What They Mean And What They Can Mean

In recent years in the NFL, the term "OTA" (Organized Team Activity) has come to the forefront this time of year. There are a few reasons for that. One is that the calendar reads May and June, and this is the time of year when activity is at its lowest. The draft is over, free agency, for all intents and purposes, is finished and coaches and staff members are going to cycle into their much-needed vacations.

Another, and perhaps more important reason, is that these OTA’s have come to mean much more to not only the team involved, but to individual players. There are several teams around the league this year that are holding OTA’s that could bear a direct correlation to on-the-field results in 2006. We’ll take a look at a few of them here.

Houston Texans

The Texans have officially cleaned house since the end of the 2005 season. The coach and GM have both moved on, and the team is attempting to implement an entirely new approach both on the field and off as it continues to search for a new general manager. There is a lot to be done in Houston, and the more work the team can get, the better.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders have a new coach who’s trying to instill discipline and toughness on a team that has lacked both in recent years. They also have a new QB to acclimate to their offense, and Aaron Brooks needs that same dose of discipline that the rest of the team does, as he’s been error prone in recent years.

New Orleans Saints

For the Saints, everything starts anew this year. There is a new coach, a new QB coming off a serious injury and a new potential superstar whose complete role has yet to be defined. Sean Payton needs to make sure Drew Brees’ shoulder will hold up before he can fashion his offense, and Reggie Bush’s talents are so unique that they really don’t fit a template.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers have a new coach and a slew of young players attempting to earn starting spots all over the roster. Although Brett Favre has always operated in some form of the West Coast offense, he still needs to learn the nuances of Coach Mike McCarthy’s scheme. Their defense will feature several new starters and there’s a new defensive coordinator running the system.

Miami Dolphins

Although the Dolphins don’t have a new coach, they’re in a different situation than the teams above because they’re right on the cusp of the playoffs. In order to reach that potential, though, Coach Nick Saban will have to break in a new QB in Daunte Culpepper, assuming he’s healthy, and fine tune his overall system to ensure that the team takes that next step.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are the choice by many to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Bill Parcells has been building the team his way for two years, and he and Jerry Jones added a player who’s explosive in more ways than one in WR Terrell Owens. Parcells needs to integrate Owens into his offense and instill air-tight team chemistry to keep all the personalities in check. Every detail matters for a team that could go all the way, and Parcells is taking no chances.

Teams have different reasons for their OTA’s, but they are important. Even though they’re considered “voluntary” under the existing CBA, players’ chances to earn starting spots can be damaged if they’re absent, and teams with bigger dreams can have them dashed if they don’t hit the ground running in training camp in July. The teams we see playing into January will most likely be able to look back at a successful OTA season.