Red Sox: We’ll See You In October

After an injury-filled season in 2010, the Red Sox got busy in the offseason.  The organization went ahead and signed Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Bobby Jenks, Dan Wheeler and Alfredo Aceves to major league contracts.  The Red Sox also extended invitations to pitchers Andrew Miller, Dennys Reyes, and Randy Williams to name a few.  Because of the injuries last year, the Red Sox were forced to play a bunch of young prospects throughout the season.  This season however, the Red Sox figure to be a lock for the postseason.  As a consequence, there won’t be much room for these prospects on the 25-man roster.  At best, there’s a chance for one of these prospects to win a roster spot.

The Red Sox had three minor leaguers in their staring lineup today against the Twins.  These minor leaguers were shortstop Brent Dlugach, first baseman Drew Sutton, and third baseman Yamaico Navarro.  The least impressive of the three was Dlugach.  Dlugach, a 6^th round pick of the Detroit Tigers in 2004, only had three at bats in major leagues before being released after the 2010 season.  During today’s game against the Twins, Dlugach did not help his cause.  He committed two errors in the game and grounded into two double plays.  It’s safe to say that he won’t be on the major league roster anytime soon. 

As the game moved along more familiar prospects entered the game such as Daniel Nava, Ryan Kalish, Josh Reddick, and Jose Iglesias.  Although these players will probably not open the season with the Red Sox, they will certainly be the first ones to be called up if the club needs any help.  Kalish, who pinch-hit for David “Big Papi” Ortiz, went 1 for 2 with an infield single.  Kalish then scored on a two-run shot by Josh Reddick who pinch-hit for J.D. Drew.  Last season for the Red Sox, Kalish appeared in 53 games, he hit .252, homered four times, knocked in 24 runs, and stole 10 bases.  The aforementioned Reddick played in 29 games for the Red Sox last season.  He hit .194, hit just one home run, drove in five runs, and stole one base.  Reddick also played in 56 games with the Red Sox in 2009.  Daniel Nava will forever be remembered as the guy who hit a grand slam on his first pitch in the big leagues last season.  Nava finished the 2010 campaign playing in 60 games, batting .242, one home run, 26 runs batted in, and just one stolen base.  Nava had only one at bat in today’s spring training game against the Twins; he grounded out to first base.  Of all the Red Sox prospects, I was really looking forward to seeing shortstop Jose Iglesias.  Iglesias figures to be the closest to winning a spot on the Red Sox.  Iglesias, a Cuban defector who signed with the Red Sox in 2009, played very well in A and AA last season.  He hit for a combined total of .295, no home runs, 20 runs batted in, and seven steals in 70 games.  During today’s game, Iglesias went 0 for 1 but came up with a spectacular defensive play to secure the victory for the Red Sox.

Despite having one of the better lineups in baseball, the Red Sox rotation is not necessarily one of the top rotations in baseball.  As of now the rotation will include in no particular order, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz, and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Last year, only Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz had great seasons.  The other three were either injured or ineffective.  This year, however, there shouldn’t be much pressure on the rotation because of their star-studded lineup.  But it is still important that the rotation remains healthy and effective to some extent. 

As far as the lineup goes, the only question or uncertainty is at the catcher position.  As of now the Red Sox are going with Jarrod Saltalamacchia as their starting catcher and Jason Varitek as their backup catcher.  I’m not sold on Saltalamacchia being the Red Sox’s starting catcher.  Granted, he hasn’t really been given a shot because of injury and other catchers standing in his way, but the most games he’s ever played in a major league season is 84 games with the Texas Rangers.  In that season, he hit for a .233 average, hit nine home runs, and knocked in 34 runs.  The captain, Jason Varitek showed that he could still handle the bat in today’s game against the Twins.  Varitek collected two base hits.

The only way the Red Sox do not make the playoffs this year is if the injury bug hits them again.  In other words, if the Red Sox were to just play about 80 to 90 percent of what they are capable of playing, they would still make the playoffs.  The talent and star power on that team is too good to not only miss the playoffs but too good to not win their own division.  Having said that, I’m sure the boys from Beantown will play their hearts out every game. 

Mets Looking Good for the Near Future

Many “baseball experts” do not have the Mets contending for a playoff spot in 2011 and I think they are on track on their prediction. The Mets are full of uncertainties with respect to health and age. For example, during the game against the Braves yesterday afternoon, Mets second baseman Luis Castillo was not able to beat out a double play ball despite the fact that Braves shortstop Diory Hernandez bobbled the ball at the beginning of the play. As far as health is concerned, Mets ace Johan Santana will not be available to pitch until late June or early July due to a shoulder surgery he had in September. In addition to Santana, outfielder Carlos Beltran is also questionable going into this season with knee issues.

Mets fans are better off looking forward to the future. Names like Fernando Martinez, Lucas Duda, and Jordany Valdespin will soon become household names in Queens.

Fernando Martinez, once a high rated prospect for the Mets, spent parts of two seasons with the Mets. Despite his career numbers in the major leagues, Martinez has proven to be productive in the minor leagues. Martinez could make a strong case to break camp with the big club this spring but it would seem unlikely for the young outfielder to win a starting spot in the Mets’ outfield barring any injuries. Martinez certainly helped his case against the Braves yesterday. He went 1 for 2 with a strikeout and a two-run shot off of Braves’ projected closer Craig Kimbrel.

Another up and coming name in the Mets farm system is outfielder Lucas Duda. Duda, a seventh-round draft pick in 2007, has been productive in the minor leagues. Last season between AA and AAA, Duda hit .304, 23 homeruns, and 87 runs batted in. In his small cup of coffee with the Mets last season, Duda did not fair as well hitting .202, 4 homeruns, and 13 runs batted in. In yesterday’s game against the Braves, Duda was not able to drive in any runs, going 0 for 3 and leaving five runners on base as a result. Like Martinez, Duda will probably not get a spot on the 25-man roster because there is no room for him. Aside from that, it would be best for the Mets to have Duda start in the minor leagues rather than having him sit on the bench with the big club.

In yesterday’s game against the Braves, Luis Castillo was substituted for Jordany Valdespin. Valdespin showed flashes of a Robinson Cano type of second baseman. This 2007 draft pick of the Mets has shown a combination of speed and defense. Moreover, I believe his power will improve as his career progresses. During yesterday’s game, Valdespin made two outstanding plays in the whole, one of which was of the diving variety. In addition to his stellar defense, Valdespin hit a rocket to the right field wall for an RBI double to tie the game in the ninth inning. Granted, one game is a very small sample size, but from what I saw yesterday, I expected very big things from the young second baseman.

During spring training, management takes a look at both young talent and veteran players who could help the team during the season. For the Mets, a veteran, non-roster invitee and another veteran outfielder stood out for me. They were Willie Harris and Scott Hairston. Harris has played in the National League East for the last four seasons between the Braves and the Nationals. Harris serves as a late-inning defensive replacement as well as a late-inning pinch runner. In yesterday’s game, Harris entered the game as a pinch runner and eventually scored. In the tenth inning, Harris came up with a clutch two-run homerun in the tenth inning. The other player, Hairston, would also serve as a right-handed bat off the bench who will get an occasional start throughout the season. Hairston went 1 for 2 with a leadoff double in the fifth inning, and scored on the Martinez two-run homer.

I was not particularly impressed with the pitching from either side yesterday. Jenrry Mejia got the start and pitched two innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit, one walk, and three strikeouts. Mejia, who figures to get a shot at the rotation this season, topped his fastball at 94 mph in yesterday’s game. Mejia spent most of last season in the Mets’ bullpen. Mejia finished with an earned run average of 3.25 in 30 games out of the bullpen. In his three starts however, Mejia finished with an earned run average of 7.94.

The Mets’ bullpen started off just fine allowing just one run in their first five innings. Those pitchers included Pedro Beato, Taylor Buccholz, and John Lujan. During that last three innings of the game however, the wheels came off of the bullpen. Veteran Manny Acosta allowed a run on three hits, and walked three in two innings. Armando Rodriguez allowed two runs on four hits and struck out two in the tenth inning.

The Mets have a lot of young talent that we may or may not see depending on whether the Mets’ starting position players can stay healthy. If the Mets are not contending by late July or early August, I believe they should start bringing up these young players to showcase their talents at the big league level. With the exception of David Wright, Ike Davis, Angel Pagan, and maybe Jose Reyes, this organization is in need of a “changing of the guard” as soon as possible. The Mets have not and will not be able to compete with the roster they have in place now.

Next stops: Monday, February 28th – Ft. Myers, home of the Red Sox
Tuesday, March 1st – Ft. Myers, home of the Twins

Optimism the Theme at Marlins' Fan Fest

Thousands of Marlins fans piled into Sun Life Stadium yesterday with high hopes for their Florida Marlins 2011 season.  Fans had the opportunity to get players autographs, walk through the clubhouse, and attend town hall meetings in where they had the opportunity to ask the players questions.

The consensus amongst the players and the front office is that this team is expected to not only compete but also go deep into the playoffs.  Last season, both poor defense and inconsistent relief pitching prevented the Marlins from reaching the playoffs.  During the offseason, the Marlins addressed those issues by acquiring Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica from San Diego, Michael Dunn and Omar Infante from Atlanta, and starting pitcher Javier Vazquez, catcher John Buck, and reliever Randy Choate through free agency. 

The other question Marlins fans were concerned with was how Chris Coghlan would make the transition to centerfield for 2011.  Coghlan said that he “embraces the challenge of playing centerfield.”  Another topic of interest amongst Marlins fans was the apparent interest in the Rangers infielder Michael Young.  Marlins President of Baseball Operations, Larry Beinfest said, “We like our club the way it is.”  Although he did add that the organization is “always looking to add.” 

The additions of Vazquez, Buck, and Choate provide leadership for the upcoming season.  When asked about his experience on last year’s Rays playoff team, Choate said, “each guy knew [his] role [in the bullpen].”  Newly acquired catcher John Buck was asked whether he had familiarized himself with any of the Marlins pitchers.  Buck said that he started familiarizing himself the day he signed by asking for video on the Marlins pitchers.  He went on to say that he’ll really “get a true grasp after the third time through the rotation.”  Marlins manager, Edwin Rodriguez said that Buck not only provides some pop at the plate but is also a defensive upgrade behind the plate and useful leadership in the clubhouse.  The third veteran piece of the offseason was Javier Vazquez.  According to the veteran right-hander, Vazquez “is personally not a believer in pitch counts.”  This is the type of attitude and ability that the Marlins need from all of their starters in 2011.  Marlins ace, Josh Johnson, added that he never thinks about going just six innings.

Aside from the newcomers for 2011, the Marlins have a solid group of young and productive players ready to play in 2011.  Marlins young slugger Mike Stanton noted that he needed to be more consistent at the plate as one of his goals for the new season.  2009 National League Rookie of the Year, Chris Coghlan listed “stay healthy” as one of his goals.  His goal was said tongue and cheek, alluding to his season-ending knee surgery last year due to a postgame celebration on the field.  In all seriousness though, Coghlan believes that if he can stay healthy for the entire season, he can be just as productive as he was his rookie season.  When asked how he felt about the rotation in Philadelphia, Logan Morrison noted that these pitchers still have to throw the ball over the plate and that the names of the back of the uniform don’t mean anything when he’s at the plate.

With Dan Uggla gone to the Braves, Hanley Ramirez will have a better grasp of the leadership role with the Marlins.  In fact, Hanley told Samson that he would like to stay with the Marlins for the remainder of his career because the Marlins gave him a chance and have watched him grow throughout his career.  He also noted that despite that fact that the club is young, they are extremely talented.  When asked how Hanley will be able to play with newcomer Omar Infante at second, Hanley said that he would be able to get comfortable with Infante on the field.  He also noted that during Spring Training, he and Infante would work on communication on the field. 

Marlins ace Josh Johnson who led the National League with an earned run average of 2.10 said that he would have traded the accolade for having the ability to start more games toward the end of the season.  Johnson’s 2010 season was cut short in September because of an apparent mid-back strain and right shoulder inflammation.  As a consequence, Johnson said that he has been working more on his changeup during the offseason as his out pitch.  When asked to give his thoughts on manager Edwin Rodriguez, Johnson said, “He doesn’t beat around the bush.”  Johnson also said that Rodriguez left it up to him to let the manager know when he was tired.  According to Johnson, he had never played for a manager with this kind of approach until last season.

The Marlins are certainly destined for great things in the near future.  Their new ballpark is set to open for next season and their payroll is expected to increase.  Both the players and the front office are expecting huge success in 2011.  So, as opposed to previous Fan Fests in South Florida, this year’s focus was strictly on Marlins baseball.    

Where Will Pujols End Up After 2011?

Earlier this week Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and the Cardinals organization could not agree to a long-term deal.  As a consequence, Pujols will not negotiate with the club during the season and will effectively test the free agent waters next offseason.  There have not been any specifics announced in terms of contract discussions but there is speculation that Pujols is looking for a 10-year deal worth around 30 million a year.  There is no doubt that Pujols deserves to get paid but the issue here is the length of the desired contract.  The three-time MVP just turned 31 in January, so if the Cardinals were to sign him to 10-year deal, he will be under contract at the age of 41.  The big question here is how productive can Pujols be at 41?  Chances are that his numbers will not decline that much.  He has yet to hit under .300, in fact his lowest batting average recorded in a season was last season when he hit .312.  Despite the drop in batting average, the first baseman continues to produce at the plate.  Pujols drove in over 100 runs for his tenth consecutive season.  The Cardinals cannot afford to let him walk after 2011.

The Cardinals payroll will probably not change a lot from this year’s payroll of just over 100 million.  Having said that, it will definitely be a challenge for the Cardinals to re-sign Pujols.  On the bright side for the Cardinals, the contracts of Kyle Lohse (four-year, $41 million) and Chris Carpenter (five-year, $63.5 million) will come off the payroll after the 2011 season.  If the Cardinals are still interested in retaining their franchise player, which they are, then there might not be a lot of room to build around Pujols.  As far as the lineup in concerned, there is not much to add with Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina, Colby Rasmus, and younger players like Jon Jay and David Freese in the fold.  On the mound however, the organization might be in a predicament.  It’s pretty safe to say that Wainwright will be in a Cardinal uniform for a while but with the potential departures of Carpenter and Lohse, the front office may have to piece the rotation together for 2012.

Once the 2011 season comes to an end, there will be multiple teams making a run at Albert Pujols.  Other first baseman that will be available come next offseason are Carlos Pena, Prince Fielder, Derrek Lee, and perhaps Adrian Gonzalez who yet to sign an extension with the Red Sox.  If for some reason the Cardinals cannot resign Pujols, there will be cheaper alternatives available that can come close to Pujols’ production.  The team that has been speculated to land Pujols is the Cardinals division rival, the Cubs.  The Cubs will have multiple contracts come off the payroll after the 2011 season.  So, the available salary room will give the Cubs a legitimate shot at “King Albert.”  Aside from the Cubs, teams like Texas, Baltimore, and even Boston and the Yankees will definitely look into signing Pujols.  Certain teams that might make a run at Pujols are San Francisco, Florida, Washington, and the Angels.  At the end of the day, Pujols has catapulted himself as the number player in Major League baseball and arguably of all-time.  As a result, he should be paid accordingly.