While some enthusiasts will argue otherwise, there’s usually not a lot of change from one year to the next in baseball. Most pundits expect the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, Angels, Cardinals, Twins, Dodgers and Rockies (all eight teams that made the playoffs in 2009) to be good again this year. MLB isn’t like the NFL where teams make unexpected playoff runs every year.

That said, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a couple of sleepers to watch out for in 2010. Below are five clubs that didn’t make the postseason last year that have the best odds (in my estimation) of making the playoffs this season.

1. Chicago White Sox
If you read the 2010 MLB season preview, you’re not surprised to see the White Sox at the top of this list. As long as Jake Peavy stays healthy, Chicago arguably has the best starting rotation one through five in the American League. (Boston fans may argue otherwise, but Boston fans can also shove off…just kidding…although not really.) But the key to the Chi Sox’s success this season lies in their offense. Yes, I’m banking on veterans Carlos Quentin, Alex Rios, Mark Teahen, Paul Konerko and Mark Kotsay to have productive years and yes, that may be asking a lot. But Gordon Beckham looks like a star in the making and the addition of Juan Pierre gives the Sox a solid leadoff hitter. I’m well aware that Chicago could finish third in a three-team race in the AL Central, but their pitching is going to keep them competitive all season and I’m willing to bet that their offense won’t be as bad as many believe.

2. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have all the pieces in place to not only compete for the AL Wild Card, but also unseat the Angels in the AL West. Along with Felix Hernandez, the acquisition of Cliff Lee now gives Seattle the best 1-2 punch in the American League outside of Boston’s Josh Beckett and John Lackey. The problem is that the lineup lacks major punch. Chone Figgins and Ichiro give the M’s quality bats at the top of the order, but can this team score enough runs on a nightly basis? The club has been built on pitching and defense but if they want to make the postseason, the Mariners will have to prove that they can overcome a powerless lineup.

3. Atlanta Braves
Many people view the Braves as favorites to win the NL Wild Card this season – and for good reason. Their starting pitching looks awfully good, especially if Tim Hudson can rebound and Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson don’t regress in their development. But how successful the Braves are this year depends on their offense. Chipper Jones, Troy Glaus and Nate McLouth are the perfect complements to Martin Prado, Brian McCann, Yunel Escobar, Jason Heyward and Melky Cabrera. But Jones, Glaus and McClouth have to stay healthy or else this team is doomed and Heyward has to be productive as a rookie. Is it asking too much for guys like Jones, Glaus and Billy Wagner to rebound? Maybe. But you still have to like the Braves’ chances this year based on their pitching and Heyward’s potential.

4. Tampa Bay Rays
If I didn’t have such a wild hair up my ass about the White Sox’s chances this year and if they didn’t play in such a competitive division, then the Rays would have probably found themselves ranked second or third on this list. But I go back and forth with how I feel about them. One moment I’m ready to crown them AL Wild Card champs and the next I’m convinced they’ll finish no higher than third in the AL East. Their pitching scares me, although I’m well aware that David Price, James Shields, Matt Garza and Jeff Niemann have the ability to keep the Rays competitive all season. I just wish an ace would emerge from the group so I can sleep better at night. The offense is stacked with guys that can hit for average (Carl Crawford, Jason Bartlett, Ben Zobrist, Evan Longoria), power (Zobrist, Longoria, Carlos Pena) and speed (Crawford, Bartlett, B.J. Upton), but the key might be whether or not Upton can rebound. If he can and the starting rotation is consistent throughout the year, then I’m back to thinking the Rays are a serious Wild Card contender. If he can’t and the rotation is average, then this club has a ceiling on its success in 2010.

5. Chicago Cubs
Two years ago, the Cubs won 97 games – the second most in baseball behind the Angels and tied with the Rays. Then last year, they infected themselves with Milton Bradley, Geovanny Soto forgot how to play and injuries limited Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano. This year, the Bradley infection has cleared and Soto has vowed to rebound from his sophomore slump. If Ramirez and Soriano can stay healthy, they’ll team up with Derrek Lee to form the makings of a solid offense. The starting pitching is above average too, although Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly have to stay healthy and Carlos Silva can’t be the disaster he was last year. The Cubs have their flaws, but they also have the makings of a solid club and could sneak up on teams this season. They probably won’t unseat the Cardinals in the NL Central, but a NL Wild Card berth is certainly not out of the question.

The Next Five:

6. San Francisco Giants
7. Texas Rangers
8. New York Mets
9. Detroit Tigers
10. Arizona Diamondbacks

I wouldn’t be shocked if any of these five teams made the postseason in their respective leagues, but all five of them have major flaws that they’ll have to overcome. The Giants have great pitching, but GM Brian Sabean has ruined that great pitching by fielding a horrible offense outside of stud Pablo Sandoval. The Rangers have the opposite problem – they can hit, but their pitching is a question mark. The Mets have enough offense, but the organization is cursed (if you don’t believe in curses, have a couple of beers with a Mets fan and see if they can’t change your mind) and their pitching is a joke outside of Johan Santana. The Tigers have two MVP-caliber pieces in Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, but whether or not the front office is committed to winning is a question that won’t be answered until after the All-Star Break. The Diamondbacks have a promising offense, but it’s also inexperienced and Brandon Webb’s injury is obviously a major concern.

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]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/04/02/five-new-playoff-contenders-for-the-2010-mlb-season/feed/ 0 http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/03/24/2010-mlb-preview-al-west/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/03/24/2010-mlb-preview-al-west/#comments Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:30:58 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=36735

In order to help get you ready for the MLB season, we’re doing division-by-division rankings with quick overviews on how each club could fair in 2010. Next to each team, you’ll also find a corresponding number written in parenthesis, which indicates where we believe that club falls in a league-wide power ranking. Be sure to check back throughout the next two weeks leading up to the season, as we will be updating our content daily. Enjoy.

All 2010 MLB Preview Content | AL East Preview | AL Central Preview | AL West Preview | NL East | NL Central | NL West

Next up is the AL West.

1. Los Angeles Angels (6)
When I started to do the prep work for the AL West preview, I filled the top slot with the Angels without even giving it much thought. And why should I have? They’ve won the division six of the last seven years and baseball fans have just grown accustomed to the Halos being in the playoff mix every season. But immediately after I slotted them in the top spot, my stomach started to hurt and no, it wasn’t from the fish I ate last night. (Although hey, fish is still good even when it turns green right?) There’s no doubt that the Angels took a hit this offseason. They lost their ace (John Lackey), their leadoff man (Chone Figgins) and their top power source (Vladimir Guerrero), and usually when a team parts with that much talent, it suffers a setback. But this is why I’m not overly concerned about this club: the additions of Joel Pineiro and Hideki Matsui should pay dividends and if Scott Kazmir could ever stay healthy, he would ease the loss of Lackey. Plus, in Erick Aybar (their new leadoff hitter), Kendry Morales and Torri Hunter, the Halos still have a solid offensive core and their starting pitching is still in good shape with vets like Kazmir, Jered Weaver and Joe Saunders. Times are changing in L.A. and the Mariners and Rangers will push the Halos this season, but in the end they should be right back on top.

2. Seattle Mariners (8)
It’s hard not to get excited about the Mariners’ potential this season. After adding pitcher Cliff Lee in the offseason via a trade with the Phillies, they catapulted themselves into the Wild Card discussion and they should challenge the Angels in the division. But for as giddy as the thought of Lee, Felix Hernandez and Erick Bedard gets Seattle fans, there’s still that nagging offensive issue – as in, the M’s don’t have any. Jack Zduriencik tailor made this club for Safeco, which means pitching and defense are the focal points. But can the Mariners generate enough runs to overtake the Angels? The addition of Chone Figgins at the top of the lineup was great, but can Seattle get by playing small ball with him and Ichiro? At the end of the day, I like the club’s chances to succeed this season, especially with the addition of Lee and the fact that they improved their win total in 2009 by 24 games. But I’m not sure they’ll have enough offense yet to reach the postseason.

3. Texas Rangers (14)
On the surface, it’s tough to tell whether or not the Rangers are improved or not. Their high-powered offense wasn’t up to its usual standards last year because Josh Hamilton missed 73 games due to various injuries. But if Texas can get a full season out of him, then the club should score plenty of runs in 2010. The club lost workhorse Kevin Millwood via free agency but added Rich Harden, who can be dominating when healthy. If youngsters Neftali Feliz and Scott Feldman produce, then there’s no reason to think the Rangers can’t challenge for the Wild Card (or even the division). That said, I trust their pitching as much as I trust the Mariners’ offense, which is to say I don’t. That’s why I don’t have the gumption to write Seattle or Texas into the No. 1 spot in this division. But if Harden, Feliz and Feldman all overachieve, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the Rangers made some noise this season.

4. Oakland A’s (23)
Since when did the AL West get so competitive? Even though the A’s appear to be the weakest club in the division, they could wind up surprising people with their pitching and defense. Unfortunately for them, they don’t have enough offense to stay competitive all season. The combination of Coco Crisp, Jack Cust and Kevin Kouzmanoff isn’t even enough to scare Snuggle, the fabric softener bear, so what makes anyone think that they’re going to scare Cliff Lee, Felix Hernandez or Scott Kazmir? Ben Sheets will make for an interesting storyline to follow (although he’s having a horrid spring) and the bullpen should be outstanding with Andrew Bailey as its headliner, but other than that there’s not much to like about Oakland this season. They may hang with the three teams above in the first half, but eventually they should quietly sink to the bottom of the division.

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All 2010 Fantasy Articles | 2010 Position Rankings

Savvy fantasy drafters realize that the pool for third basemen this year isn’t as shallow as catchers and shortstops, but it isn’t as deep as second basemen either (which may sound surprising to some owners).

What does that mean to you? Well, if you don’t grab one of the top seven or eight third basemen in your draft, then good luck trying to figure out which player after that will exceed expectations.

Drafting third basemen is pretty cut and dry. If you don’t land one of the top 3 (Alex Rodriguez, Evan Longoria or David Wright), then focus on drafting one of the next five 3B’s available or you better hope that Gordon Beckham or Ian Stewart are the ultimate sleepers this season. We don’t need to sell you on why you should take A-Rod, Longoria or Wright, so we’re going to concentrate on the next five rated players on our list, which we’ve highlighted for you below.

Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals
There’s a good chance that Zimmerman will plateau at around 30 home runs (which is nothing to scoff at), but it’s hard to argue with what he’ll bring to the table in terms of production across the board. He should hit around .300 (or maybe a little south of that number), with 100-plus runs and RBI, all while stealing 5-10 bases and hitting the aforementioned 25-30 home runs. That’s solid production for your third base position if you happen to miss out on one of the top three guys.

Pablo Sandoval, Giants
There are some experts that are worried that Sandoval’s average will eventually fall off a cliff after he hit .330 in 2009. But we actually think the fun loving Panda can hit upwards of .320 again and finish with roughly the same amount of home runs (25) and RBI (90) as he did last season. Don’t confuse him with a true home run hitter, because he’ll probably top out at 25-30. But also don’t fall into the trap that some are in thinking that Sandoval was just a one-year wonder. We think he’s the real deal and his fantasy production will be there in the end.

Mark Reynolds, Diamondbacks
Reynolds’ breakout 2009 campaign brought a smile to fantasy owners’ faces that snagged him late in their drafts last season. He finished with 44 home runs, 102 RBI, 98 runs scored and even swiped 24 bases. The problem is that Reynolds will probably come off the board sooner then he should. And it’s important to remember that he only hit .187 in September last year and stuck out a whopping 223 times. If he goes in the first four rounds, don’t fret because it’s clear that Reynolds was overrated by whoever drafted him. But if he falls to the middle of your draft, then snag him and reap the rewards of his power production.

Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox
Youkilis is about as reliable as they come in terms of predicting what you’ll get from him. He finished with similar numbers the past two years, so it’s safe to say that you can bank on another .305/28/95/100/5 season out of Youk. And assuming he stays healthy, there’s a possibility that he could even improve on some of those areas, especially average, home runs and RBI. He also carries some extra value because he’s eligible at both corner positions in the infield.

Chone Figgins, Mariners
If you wind up with Figgins, hopefully you drafted power in the earlier rounds because you won’t get it here. He’ll hit for average, score 95-100 runs and steal 35-plus bases, but don’t expect anything in the home run or RBI department.

Below is our official ranking of third basemen. As we previously mentioned, we highly recommend snagging one of the top 8 players as your starter. But if you aren’t able to, there are a couple of players ranked lower that have upside, namely Beckham and Stewart. (If he can stay healthy, Aramis Ramirez wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize either.)

1. Alex Rodriguez, NYY
2. Evan Longoria, TB
3. David Wright, NYM
4. Ryan Zimmerman, WAS
5. Pablo Sandoval, SF
6. Mark Reynolds, ARZ
7. Kevin Youkilis, BOS
8. Chone Figgins, SEA
9. Aramis Ramirez, CHC
10. Gordan Beckham, CHW
11. Michael Young, TEX
12. Ian Stewart, COL
13. Chipper Jones, ATL
14. Adrian Beltre, BOS
15. Jorge Cantu, FLA
16. Chris Davis, TEX (May not be eligible for 3B in some leagues)
17. Jake Fox, OAK
18. Alex Gordon, KC (Out a month with a broken thumb)
19. Brandon Wood, LAA
20. Casey Blake, LAD

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Remember all the talk before the playoffs started about how CC Sabathia couldn’t hack it in the postseason? Well, apparently Sabathia took it to heart because so far the Yankees’ ace has been dominant.

Sabathia limited the Angels to one run on four hits over eight innings in the Yankees’ 4-1 Game 1 victory in the ALCS Friday night. Sabathia also struck out seven and walked just one as he threw 76 of his 113 pitches for strikes.

Of course, New York was helped dramatically by L.A.’s inability to make routine plays. The Halos played a brutal game, committing three errors and allowing a routine popup fall between Eric Aybar and Chone Figgins between shortstop and third base in the third inning. The play allowed two runners to score and the Yankees never looked back after that.

The only good thing that can come out of this loss for the Angels is that they played so bad that it could re-focus them for the rest of the series. It’s hard to get over a tough loss when you played well and just didn’t execute in the end. It’s a little easier to chalk up a loss and move on when you make a bunch of routine errors and overall just had an off night.

We’ll see how the Halos respond in Game 2.

According to a report by the Tampa Tribune, Rays’ third baseman Evan Longoria will miss Tuesday night’s All-Star Game due to an infection on his right ring finger. Rangers’ third baseman Michael Young will start in his place and Angels’ infielder Chone Figgins will replace Longoria on the roster.

Longoria’s injury is not believed to be serious and he should be back when Tampa resumes action on Friday, but I always hate it when a young player misses the All-Star Game because of an injury. Longoria should have plenty of more ASGs in his future, but he played well in the first half (although he is in the midst of a bad slump) and deserved to play this year.

The same can be said for Giants’ starter Matt Cain, who injured his right elbow on his throwing arm in game against the Padres last Saturday. Cain is finally getting recognized as one of the better young pitchers in the league this year thanks to some long overdue run support, but now he won’t even get the opportunity to pitch in his first ASG.

But Longoria’s injury opens the door for Young – an underrated player having a solid season for Texas this season – to start in the Midsummer Classic. And Figgins has been great for very good for the Halos this season as well, batting .310 with 68 runs scored and 27 stolen bases.

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Offseason Movement: The Halos added outfielder Bobby Abreu for cheap and also signed former Colorado reliever Brian Fuentes to replace long-time closer Francisco Rodriguez. Along with K-Rod, the club also lost Garret Anderson, Jon Garland and Mark Teixeria via free agency.

Top Prospect: Nick Adenhart, RHP
Some feel as though Jordan Walden is the Halos’ best prospect, but Adenhart is the one that will have the opportunity to make the big league roster this year as a fourth or fifth starter. With Ervin Santana, Kelvim Escobar and John Lackey all sidelined due to various injuries, Adenhart will likely start the season in the starting rotation. He could be sent down as soon as the rest of the starters get healthy, but if he does well he’ll no doubt earn a future spot in the rotation. Thus far in spring training, Adenhart has displayed good command and struggled just once in five outings.

The Big Question: Will injuries and offseason departures doom the rotation?
Ervin Santana led the Halos last year in strikeouts with 214 and posted a 16-7 record with a 3.49 ERA. But he’ll likely miss all of April because of a sprained elbow ligament, while fellow starters Kelvim Escobar and John Lackey will also miss time due to injuries. Furthermore, the club lost closer Francisco Rodriguez (who saved a record 62 games last season) and 14-game winner Jon Garland in free agency this offseason. Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver are locks, but can Dustin Moseley, Nick Adenhart and Shane Loux produce at the bottom of the rotation? Can former Rockie Brian Fuentes adequately replace K-Rod? This pitching staff seemingly has a fair amount of issues entering Opening Day.

Outlook: There’s no doubt that the Angels are the favorites in a weak AL West and should make a return trip to the postseason. But this club doesn’t come without some glaring weaknesses. Brian Fuentes is a downgrade from Francisco Rodriguez at closer, Kendry Morales is a downgrade from Mark Teixeria in the order and Nick Adenhart, Dustin Moseley and Shane Loux are downgrades for Ervin Santana (elbow), Kelvim Escobar (shoulder) and John Lackey (forearm) in the rotation. (Lackey is also somewhat at odds with the club over a new contract.) Again, unless the A’s (possible) or Rangers (unlikely) surprise, the Angels should win the West and have one of the better orders in the American League, led by the ever consistent Vladimir Guerrero, solid free agent addition Bobby Abreu, leadoff man Chone Figgins and versatile Torii Hunter. But it’s highly unlikely that this team will advance far in the postseason with the amount of questions that are surrounding it now.

Projection: 1st AL West

All 2009 Fantasy Articles | 2009 Position Rankings

Here is everything you need to know about the depth at the third base position these days: On CBS Sports’ cheat sheet for the top players at each position, they list 41 starting pitchers, 25 relief pitchers, 67 outfielders, 25 first basemen, 25 second basemen, 25 shortstops, 30 catchers…and 15 third basemen. Fif, teen. But wait, it actually gets worse: of those 15 third basemen, two are full-time first basemen (Kevin Youkilis, Miguel Cabrera) one is a full-time catcher (Russell Martin), and one played nearly 100 games at DH (Aubrey Huff). In other words, just over a third of all the teams in Major League Baseball have a third baseman worth drafting. And they include Ryan Zimmerman and Edwin Encarnacion as two of those 11 players, meaning even that number is padded.

What this means for you, gentle reader, is that assuming Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez and Albert Pujols are no longer on the board, you are a stone cold fool if you don’t draft either David Wright or Alex Rodriguez at your earliest opportunity, and you could even be excused for drafting Wright or A-Rod ahead of the other three. (Don’t let this whole ‘steroids pariah’ hoopla scare you; A-Rod’s gonna put up crazy numbers this year.) Almost overnight, third base has become a fantasy wasteland, so you’d be wise to snag a stud third baseman if you can, especially now that Ryan Braun has lost his 3B eligibility and Troy Glaus decided to go under the knife at the 11th hour. But even when the big names are off the board, don’t panic; there are some players that can keep your fantasy team from having a smoking hole in the ground where third base used to be.

Mark Reynolds, Arizona
Meet the new Richie Sexson, same as the old Richie Sexson. Reynolds is death in head-to-head leagues thanks to his obscene strikeout numbers – he ranked 24th in points among third basemen in one of our leagues last year, and to put that into perspective, Marco Scutaro finished 19th – but if you can live with a subpar batting average, he’s capable of giving you 100 runs, 30 homers, and 100 RBI, with 10 stolen bases as a bonus. Not bad for a guy currently ranked #244 in our draft room. A bargain pick if ever there was one, but be prepared to take the very good with the very bad.

Alex Gordon, Kansas City
Is this the year that Gordon finally lives up to his potential? For his first two seasons in the majors, Gordon has been Lucy with the football, sending his owners hurtling to the ground while they shout “Augh!” in exasperation. There is evidence to suggest that Gordon is ready to break out, though; his walks, runs scored, home runs and batting average all increased from 2007 to 2008, and in fewer at-bats (he was one RBI shy of tying his 2007 total), which means the strike zone is starting to come into focus. The typically anemic Kansas City offense is also significantly upgraded from last year, thanks to the additions of Coco Crisp and Mike Jacobs. Lastly, Gordon is projected to bat seventh, which should take some of the pressure off. Definitely worth a late flier.

Chris Davis, Texas
Another player that loses his 3B eligibility at season’s end – he’ll be a full-time first baseman this year – the secret on Davis is officially out after he posted an incredible half-season that projected to 102-34-110-2 had he played the entire year in the bigs. Granted, Davis likely would have fallen short in all of those categories (well, except stolen bases), but this should give you an idea of what kind of mashing potential the young slugger possesses. He’s projected to be drafted around the 11th or 12th round, but don’t be surprised if he flies off the board earlier than that.

Chipper Jones, Atlanta
He may have lost his fantasy stud status a few years ago, thanks to his frequent trips to the disabled list – he had five separate injuries last year alone –but even in an injury-shortened season, Larry Jones Jr. still managed to knock in 75 runs, belt 22 homers, and win a batting title. If you do draft him, you’d be wise to pick another third baseman a few rounds later as insurance, but if Jones can manage to stay healthy, he could put up Youkilis-type numbers at a bargain price.

Jorge Cantu, Florida
It may have taken three years, but Cantu finally followed through on his breakout season from 2005 with a .277-92-29-95-6 stat line. The only question this year is whether the frugal Marlins will look to their deep pool of minor league talent and ship Cantu to a contender at the trade deadline in order to save a couple bucks. Cantu’s job would seem to be secure now that Mike Jacobs is in Kansas City and the Marlins have Dallas McPherson (!) penciled in at third base, but these are the Marlins we’re talking about here. No one holds better fire sales than they do. Still, Cantu is definitely worth a middle-round pick for the home run numbers alone.

Here is our official ranking of third basemen. We left out middle infielders and catchers that were also eligible at third base because, seriously, why would you play a guy eligible for middle infield or catcher at a position other than middle infield or catcher?

NOTE: This piece was written before the news about Rodriguez’s cyst and the subsequent tug-of-war over whether he’ll have surgery to fix the problem. For the moment, the Yankees say that A-Rod will fix it through rehab, which takes away roughly one sixth of his season. We have adjusted our rankings accordingly. (For those seeing this list for the first time, we originally had Rodriguez second.)

1. David Wright, NYM
2. Miguel Cabrera, DET
3. Kevin Youkilis, BOS
4. Evan Longoria, TB
5. Alex Rodriguez, NYY
6. Aramis Ramirez, CHC
7. Aubrey Huff, BAL
8. Garrett Atkins, COL
9. Chipper Jones, ATL
10. Chris Davis, TEX
11. Jorge Cantu, FLA
12. Ryan Zimmerman, WAS
13. Edwin Encarnacion, CIN
14. Mark Reynolds, ARZ
15. Adrian Beltre, SEA
16. Mike Lowell, BOS
17. Alex Gordon, KC
18. Kevin Kouzmanoff, SD
19. Casey Blake, LAD
20. Chone Figgins, LAA