The Orioles rotation is almost a who’s who of promising pitchers who never cashed in on their talent, the only exceptions being the guys who no one ever thought would be any good. They will be relying on RHP Sidney Ponson but on a good team he is only a second or third guy, he should be good for 10+ wins but that will be more a testament to the impressive offence The Orioles have put together.

The Oriole bullpen has all the ingredients to be an effective group but they will have a lot of work to do which could hurt them down the line. RHP Jorge Julio has shown he is more than capable of closing games (83 saves over three years) although he is still untested in games that really matter.

Every team would love to have either LHP Steve Kline or LHP B.J. Ryan in their pen, let alone both and Ryan in particular is thought by many to have what it takes to be an effective closer and the presence of LHP Bruce Chen makes that a viable option if Julio struggles. Side armers RHP Steve Reed and RHP Todd Williams have made life hell for many right handers throughout their careers.

Miguel Tejada must be wondering what he needs to do to win a Gold Glove after Jeter won the award last year (truly a mystery how he managed to do so). He has great range, a cannon arm and a gift for the spectacular and when combined with Brian Roberts, Melvin Mora and a combination of Rafael Palmeiro and Jay Gibbons at first, The Orioles are a well above average defensive infield.

Luis Matos covers a lot of ground in centre field and he will need to do so with Sammy Sosa in right and Larry Bigbie in left and in the hitter friendly Camden Yards the pitchers won’t get much help when the ball gets hit down the lines. They won’t get a whole lot of help from behind the dish either. Javy Lopez has a strong arm but his mechanics are far from great.

If Brian Roberts can carry on from last years success and set the table then the Orioles will score a huge amount of runs. Tejada lead the majors with 150 RBI last year and will be backed up by Palmeiro, Sosa (both with 500+ career home runs), one of the best hitting catchers in Lopez and the unheralded Mora and Gibbons. Mora in particular is fast developing into one of the AL’s best all-around hitters combining good power (27, 104) with one of the best batting averages in baseball (.340) and all this with quintuplets waiting for him at home.

The Orioles will beat up on the lower tier teams but will have a tough time beating anyone when faced with on form pitching. Come July the only thing people will be talking about in Baltimore is where all their fantastic relief pitchers will be dealt to?

Expected Finish : 5^th AL East

Boston Red Sox

Pitching

While The Yankees preoccupied themselves by chasing Pavano and Johnson, The Red Sox went out and stocked their rotation with enough talent to last themselves many a rainy day.

Returning from last years World Series winning team are the incomparable RHP Curt Schilling and the ever versatile knuckleballer RHP Tim Wakefield. Many will be concerned what the toll of all the turmoil and carnage Schilling endured in the playoffs will be? One of the best pitchers in baseball on a good day and as fierce a competitor as you could want in the clutch, if he is hampered by long term damage in that ankle it could be the beginning of the end of a great career.

To complement the incumbents, Boston GM Theo Epstein might not have gotten Pavano and Johnson but he did get LHP David Wells, RHP Matt Clement and RHP Wade Willer all of whom are more than capable of giving their team a chance to win every fifth day and when you throw in RHP Bronson Arroyo and the enigmatic RHP Byung-Hyung Kim the Sox have seven quality arms they can go to in their rotation.

Down the stretch the bullpen was a source of great strength for Boston last year and most of the arms they leaned on have returned. RHP Mike Timlin, LHP Alan Embree and RHP Keith Foulke shortened a lot of games and they should have two more guys with experience closing to help them out in RHP Matt Mantei and Kim. LHP John Halama gives them another lefty and also someone who can eat a lot of innings.

If there is potentially one weak link in the Red Sox armour it could be their defence. They have acquired some good glove men for their bench but there are question marks almost everywhere.

One position they don’t need to worry about is shortstop with the acquisition of arguably the best in baseball in Edgar Renteria. He’s won two Gold Gloves in the NL and there is no reason to suspect that he can’t pick up a few more in the AL.

The rest of the infield is a concern. Bill Mueller is a decent enough at third but 1B Kevin Millar and 2B Mark Bellhorn are serious concerns. Kevin Youkilis could spend some time at first but won’t replace the departed Mientkiewicz in terms of quality glove work. Ramon Vazquez is more than capable of playing either middle infield position to a high standard but it is doubtful that he’ll get much playing time barring an injury to one of the starters.

The outfield defence is distinctly average. LF Manny Ramirez is often lethargic in pursuit of balls hit to The Monster and having a bottle in his pocket doesn’t help. CF Johnny Damon is a classic example of how speed can cover for bad reads and will cover a lot of ground but couldn’t throw out a pensioner with a broken Zimmer frame. RF Trot Nixon really knows how to play right field in Fenway and has a strong and accurate throwing arm but there is always a concern as to his health and how much the injuries have affected his game.

Their best defensive asset continues to be catcher Jason Varitek who leads the team onto the field and controls everything. He calls a great game, has solid mechanics and a tremendous understanding of his pitchers. He might not be the best at throwing out runners but he helps his team out in so many other ways that he throws out enough.

All you need to know about the Red Sox offence is they have Manny Ramirez (.308, 43, 130) and David Ortiz (.301, 41, 139). Both have had strong MVP credentials in the past two seasons and no other team in baseball has anything that compares to having those two in the middle of the order and when you have the speed of Damon and Renteria getting on base ahead of them then you already have the potential to score more than enough runs.

Boston fills out their line-up with on base machines like Bellhorn and Youkilis and the likes of Millar, Nixon, Varitek and former batting champion Bill Mueller round out a line-up that can overwhelm anyone.

Boston have the bats to score a lot of runs in a lot of ways and from both sides of the plate. They also have the arms to restrict opponents with plenty of options in their rotation and bullpen from both sides of the rubber. If the right hand side of their infield had some quality you’d wonder how anyone would beat them?

If they were in anywhere other than the AL East you would have to say that this team would easily win their division and be among the favourites to win The World Series but with the Yankees to compete with they might just have to settle with the wild card on their way to The World Series, and I think they’ll be OK with that.

Expected Finish : 2^nd AL East, Wild Card

LHP Randy Johnson was the big pick-up in the off-season and should absolutely love it at Yankee Stadium and not having to bat should help his aging body. Away from Johnson the rotation has the up and down RHP Mike Mussina and RHP Carl Pavano trying to prove he is more than a one season wonder and capable of adjusting to the AL.

One time Indians phenom RHP Jaret Wright has flown away from Mazzone’s nest and is doubtful to be as good as he was last year (15-8, 3.28) and Kevin Brown rounds out the rotation on the long, hard road to retirement and the Yanks will be lucky to get twenty starts out of him. He’s still got the nasty sinker but not the defence to help him as much as he needs.

The bullpen is solid but old. Very old. RHP Felix Rodriguez and aging LHP Mike Stanton should be able to take some of the considerable weight that RHP Tom Gordon, RHP Paul Quantrill and closer extraordinaire RHP Mariano Rivera carried but you wonder if all will stay healthy or if the toils of last year will carry over into this year?

They are desperate for lefties in that pen and although Stanton has the experience and the savvy he is well passed his best by date and will need help.

Hideki Matsui might be the most under-rated outfielder in baseball. He covers the expansive left field of Yankee Stadium very well by making quick reads and taking effective routes and gets the ball back in quickly. He could play centre field for most teams.

Away from Matsui its very tough to find any other genuine plusses defensively. Bernie Williams is a has been in the outfield and Tony Womack is a never has been at a number of positions.

The rest of the team are solid but that’s all. How Derek Jeter won a Gold Glove is a mystery still to be solved.

The thing that made the Yankees so unbeatable in the late 90’s was that they had a team that could generate runs any way you would want to with speed and consistency at the top of the order, some big bats in the middle and real grinders at the bottom.

Womack will be looking to set the table and give New York some semblance of a running game. Last year The Yankees tried both Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter at leadoff but neither were comfortable there.

The Yankees will score runs because of the amount of big boppers in their line-up but they’ll have to do it the hard way as the majority bat from the right hand side and the left field gap is a long way from home in The Stadium. When they play against decent bullpens they will be easy to match up in late situations.

Matsui is a real professional at the plate and will take whatever he’s given and can hit it out if you make a mistake to him. His power numbers went up (16 HR to 31 HR) as did his discipline (.353 OBP to .390 OBP) and I have no reason to doubt that he will continue to improve especially in a field that favours lefty batters. He was built to play for The Yankees.

The Yankees will once again overwhelm most of the league in the regular season and end up with 100+ wins and another division pennant but unless they address their holes in the bullpen and start showing some heart that’s all they will win.

The things that all the successful Yankee teams have had over the years were big left handed sluggers and lefty pitching depth and this team doesn’t have either of those. For a team that has seemingly endless resources you’d think they’d be able to put together a team that suited their home stadium where they play half their games and will be looking to play most of their playoff games but they really have lost their way.

Right now George Steinbrenner should be asking himself how long he’s willing to allow things to carry on this way with all the money he’s pumping into his beloved Yankee franchise and such poor use of those finances?

Expected Finish : 1^st in AL East

For as long as they have existed the D-Rays have been without a truly dominant pitcher, even in their rich farm system, but they made a move at the trade deadline that left a lot of people scratching their heads and left the D-Rays with a pitcher who has the potential to be the very best.

LHP Scott Kazmir was one of the highest rated prospects in all of baseball as he made his way up through The Mets farm system and he will be given every opportunity to show why this year in Tampa. He already has two great pitches and is working on a third but he is still young and needs to learn to attack hitters more. He’s still only 21 so it might be too early to expect too much but don’t be surprised if you hear his name a lot this season.

Before Kazmir much of the expectation in Tampa’s rotation had been placed on RHP Dewon Brazelton but he has never been able to establish himself at the big league level. Maybe with the arrival of Kazmir it will take some of the pressure off Brazelton and he will start to cash in on his promising stuff. If he doesn’t then you wonder how many more chances he has left?

The ace of the rotation will be LHP Mark Hendrickson but to call him an ace seems a little far fetched. He’s a steady left handed junk ball pitcher who will see his job as being mainly that of an innings eater. On a good staff he would be a very good guy to have as the fourth or fifth spot in your rotation which pretty much sums up Tampa’s pitching right now.

The bullpen was surprisingly good last season and all the big producers of last year will return. RHP Danys Baez isn’t the most dominating of closers but he still managed to get 30 saves and showed a lot of improvement since being moved to the pen.

The rest of the bullpen is just solid. LHP Trever Miller is a good lefty specialist, RHP Travis Harper was surprisingly effective (1.169 WHIP) and RHP Lance Carter showed great presence….most of the time.

The D-Rays are a young and athletic team and it shows in their defence. Their outfield of LF Carl Crawford and CF Rocco Baldelli (when he comes back from injury) should make left field seem very small. Till Baldelli returns, Danny Bautista should be a decent replacement and will be a valuable fourth outfielder. Aubrey Huff might take time adjusting to playing right field.

Robbie Alomar might not be as rangy as he used to be but when you are arguably the best defensive second baseman of all time (10 Gold Gloves) there is only one way to go. Alomar and Alex Gonzalez should make up a solid double play combo and if either struggles, rookie Jorge Cantu should be able to step in.

B.J. Upton is one of baseballs most exciting prospects but still needs work on his defensive game. He will probably spell Gonzalez at short and Julio Lugo at third which will add some uncertainty to the team.

The final piece in this promising young team is at catcher where the dependable Toby Hall will continue to lead the team. Hall is never going to win a Gold Glove but won’t let his team down. Kevin Cash on the other hand could win a Gold Glove one year if his bat could earn him enough playing time.

Everything this team does starts with Carl Crawford. He has unbelievable speed on the bases (59 SB) that always needs to be accounted for and as he has gotten older he has improved upon his plate discipline (.309 OBP to .331) and is starting to hit for more power (.362 SLG to .450). He is growing into being the best all-around player in baseball.

Behind Crawford is a team of promising players with the potential to be productive hitters but few who have proven that they can do it at this level.

Much is expected of B.J. Upton whom many regard as the top prospect in baseball. Tampa expected him to spend another year in the minors but his bat has been so good that they will find ways to get him in the game as often as they can.

Josh Phelps was long expected to develop into one of baseballs top power hitters but never realised that potential in Toronto. Tampa will hope a change of scenery and increased playing time will allow him to be a big contributor in the middle of the D-Rays line up along with Aubrey Huff who was the only D-Ray with over 100 RBI last year. Beyond those two it is uncertain who will be driving in the runs, at least until uber-prospect Delmon Young develops.

Tampa is a young team with a lot of potential superstars but until they realise that potential it is uncertain how they will perform, especially their pitching staff. If their youngsters develop quickly and things go well for them elsewhere, they could conceivably give the Yankees and Red Sox something to think about but its more likely that they will be in a dog fight with the Jays and Orioles but the future is almost here for The D-Rays and the it is looking very bright.

Expected Finish : 3^rd AL East

Last season Toronto suffered a lot of injuries to their pitchers and as a result a lot of youngsters got a chance to play and did quite well, especially RHP David Bush who was one of The Jays most dependable starters by the end of last year.

Staff ace RHP Roy Halladay had a tough 2004 with injury after injury, which might have been as a result of the huge workload he carried in his Cy Young winning season of 2003, and he will be looking to re-establish himself among the leagues elite. In Halladay’s absence LHP Ted Lilly took over the mantle as the ace of the rotation and lead the team in wins (12) and strikeouts (168) and will be seeking a repeat showing of that form.

Toronto has high hopes in RHP Jason Arnold and LHP Gustavo Chacin but it is still unsure if either will claim a spot in the rotation or be brought along in the pen. RHP Justin Miller will also be looking to get a shot at the rotation but a plethora of injuries has plagued his young career and slowed his development.

The bullpen continues to be an issue for The Jays with plenty of good arms but no clear option to close out games. RHP Kerry Ligtenberg and RHP Justin Speier seem the likely contenders but both are better suited to a set-up role. RHP Jason Frasor will one day close but is still learning the league and although he had some early success last year the league soon got to grips with him and he will need to learn to make better adjustments before he closes again.

The only other option to close would be the reclaimed RHP Billy Koch who had a couple of outstanding years in Toronto (100 saves over three years) before bouncing around the league on his sell-out “Ineffectiveness Tour“. It would help immensely if Koch can prove himself capable of closing and allow everyone else to fulfil the roles to which they are best suited but it is likely that Toronto will have to once again juggle their relievers and hope for the best.

Ever since GM J.P. Ricciardi has been with the Jays they’re defensive prowess has ranged from poor to god awful but things are starting to look up with a number of good defenders coming up through the system and some others who were acquired in the wake of Carlos Delgado’s departure.

2B Orlando Hudson was good enough last year to have garnered serious Gold Glove consideration but was often paired with weak shortstops but in Russ Adams he finally has a double play partner with similar athleticism and range and together they should stop a lot of balls that had been getting into the outfield for extra bases.

Adams’ lack of experience at the major leagues will be helped on the left side of the infield by Corey Koskie who has battled injuries in Minnesota but has always been well above average defensively. The only real question mark on the infield is who out of Shea Hillenbrand, Eric Crozier and Erik Hinske will get the most time at first?

The outfield defence is equally promising, especially with Vernon Wells looking for his third consecutive Gold Glove in the outfield. He will be flanked by two rangy guys in Reed Johnson and Alex Rios who impressed a lot of people in his rookie year. Still only 24, Rios still has some filling out to do and between him, Wells and Hudson anything to right will have a tough time getting through.

Watch out for Guillermo Quiroz playing catcher, he is a potential star with great defensive instincts.

With offensive and club house leader Carlos Delgado having left via free agency The Jays went out and acquired Koskie and Hillenbrand but neither commands the same kind of respect that Delgado demanded and teams will not fear pitching to this Blue Jays line-up. Vernon Wells will want to establish himself as one of the premier players in baseball by emerging from Delgado’s shadow and he will be integral to any success Toronto has.

What will help Toronto this year is something you wouldn’t expect from a team built under the Billy Beane philosophy and that is speed. Russ Adams gives The Jays a genuine option at lead off, something they haven’t had for a good few years. Behind him will be Hudson and Wells all of who are both capable and willing to steal a base. In fact there are a number of other people with genuine speed in the line up and if Toronto are going to score consistently they will need that speed as there aren’t many power bats they can rely on.

It is uncertain which direction Toronto will take this year. It could either be very good or very bad depending on a whole bunch of things. Their rotation has health concerns, the bullpen is a bunch of square pegs in round holes and they won’t score a lot of runs but if their rotation stays healthy, their bullpen clicks and they are able to scratch out enough runs they could have a .500 season but Jays fans should just hope they can improve on last year.

Expected Finish : 4^th AL East

AL WEST

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Angels go into the season with many of the same faces in their staff as last year and that was enough to win The West and Anaheim will hope those players can stay healthier this year.

The rotation doesn’t have a true ace but they also don’t have any real weak links. RHP Bartolo Colon and LHP Jarrod Washburn have both shown in their careers the ability to act as a stopper and if either has one of their better years then The Angels could be a very tough obstacle for the big boys out east.

Behind Washburn and Colon the rotation is rounded out by three very good but inconsistent pitchers in RHP John Lackey, RHP Kelvim Escobar and RHP Paul Byrd. Each could potentially be a 15 game winner.

The Angels’ bullpen has been one of the best in baseball for a few years now has undergone a few changes in the off season. Gone is long time All-Star closer Troy Percival and his 316 career saves, paving the way for the supremely talented RHP Francisco Rodriguez who has some of the best stuff in baseball but is unproven as a full time closer.

The rest of the bullpen is also full of question marks with stalwart Ben Weber gone and RHP Brendan Donnelly coming back from a freakish illness/injury that sidelined him for much of last year. Much will be handled by a series of youngsters. If the likes of RHP Scot Shields, RHP Esteban Yan and Donnelly are unable to carry the bulk of the weight then Mike Scioscia could have a few problems.

The Angels are littered with Gold Glove winners and Gold Glove calibre fielders especially up the middle where C Bengie Molina (2 GG), SS Orlando Cabrera and CF Steve Finley (5 GG) have all won Gold Gloves recently and both Adam Kennedy and Chone Figgins are both capable of playing excellent defence at second.

Dallas McPherson will get time at third mainly due to his bat but many have praised his work ethic and he has come on leaps and bounds defensively as he has progressed through the minors and playing alongside Orlando Cabrera and across the diamond from Gold Glove first baseman Darin Erstad will certainly help him feel more secure.

The outfield is very athletic with Finley still among the best in the majors. He will be flanked by Garret Anderson, who is among the best left fielders around, and the endlessly talented Vladimir Guerrero whose only problems come from trying too hard. He has arguably the strongest throwing arm in baseball but a throw into second is almost as likely to end up in the stands as it is to get the runner out by several steps.

Bengie and Jose Molina are both outstanding catchers and you’ll be hard pressed to find another team that comes close to having that kind of defensive talent behind the dish.

It is uncertain who will lead off for Anaheim with Finley and Erstad both having been lead off men at times in their careers and Figgins and Cabrera certainly have the right tools. One thing that is certain is that whoever is at the top of the order will be backed up by one of the deepest and most powerful line-ups in baseball.

Vladimir Guerrero was the league MVP last year and remains one of the most feared hitters around (.337, 39, 126). He hits everything hard. Very hard. It doesn’t matter if its in the zone or not, if he can reach it he can hit it hard. Guerrero is complemented well by the more disciplined Garret Anderson who is just a great all-around hitter (.301, 14, 75 in 112 games) who uses the whole field and always knows what he has to do to get the job done.

Anaheim have uncorked a couple of very promising young hitters from their farm in Casey Kotchman and top prospect Dallas McPherson and both know how to hit for power and both seemed unphased by the majors when they came up for their cup of coffee at the end of last year (McPherson had 3 HR in 16 games).

On top of the power The Angels have great team speed with Cabrera (16 SB), Erstad (16 SB), Figgins (34 SB), Kennedy (15 SB), Finley (9 SB) and Guerrero (15 SB) all capable of stealing a bag when they want to and Scioscia loves to run. Once this team get rolling they will be relentless.

There is plenty for Angels fans to get excited about (although the proposed change of name is not one of them) and they should win the West easily. There are a number of youngsters, especially in the bullpen, who will be asked to take on some responsible roles and if they can then this team could win it all. Even if they don’t come through then they still have enough resources in the minors to fill the holes come the trade deadline.

Expected Finish : 1^st AL West

Its one of the worlds great mysteries how Billy Beane’s A’s manage to keep churning out great pitchers and even after losing All-Stars Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson they still have a good looking rotation. Rich Harden in particular seems set to establish himself as one of the very best and has yet to hit his 24^th birthday.

RHP Joe Blanton and RHP Danny Haren have looked good so far in their major league careers but neither has been tested over a full season of starting in the majors and it might be tough to expect them to pitch 200+ innings.

The biggest question mark in the Oakland rotation could well be former Cy Young winner LHP Barry Zito who has lost his way since winning the award. Zito still has all the tools and one of the best curveballs in baseball but has become all too predictable and needs to realise that at this level that curve can still be hit hard if hitters know it’s coming.

The bullpen should be as strong as closer RHP Octavio Dotel who looks un-hittable one day and shaky the next. He blew some important saves down the stretch last year.

The rest of the pen looks very solid with submariner RHP Chad Bradford continuing as the top righty specialist in baseball. LHP Ricardo Rincon has made a long career out of getting tough lefties out and if RHP Juan Cruz can harness his great stuff the A’s will be a tough team to come back against.

Oakland made a conscious effort to improve their defence last year. Eric Chavez is a perennial Gold Glove candidate at third and Bobby Crosby was another deserving shortstop wronged by the voters in the Derek Jeter debacle of last years Gold Glove Awards.

The outfield is well looked after by the grossly under-rated defensive play of Mark Kotsay who gets to a lot of balls and has one of the most accurate throwing arms in baseball. Eric Byrnes will run through walls wherever in the outfield he plays and everyone else on the team is at worst solid.

The only problem is at arguably the most important position, catcher. With the commitment placed upon bringing through a batch of young pitchers you need a dependable receiver who is mobile behind the dish blocking balls and capable of controlling the running game and Jason Kendall is not going to be that kind of a catcher. If the A’s want to control the running game they need their young starters to learn quickly how to help themselves.

Billy Beane is renowned for his belief in ‘two walks and a three run home run’ but this unit will need to do a lot of walking if it is going to score a lot of runs as Eric Chavez is the only legitimate homerun threat. The likes of Durazo, Kotsay and Byrnes are capable of going yard fairly frequently but can’t be expected to drive in 100 runs or hit 30 home runs.

The Oakland A’s a restocked with good but not great hitters with patience but have no one who has blazing speed. Byrnes and Ellis have good speed without being thoroughbred base stealers. Charles Thomas has some gas but is unlikely to feature on a regular basis.

Jason Kendall was the big pick up in the off season and is a very good hitter who rarely strikes out. He might not have great power but is more than capable of coming through with a hit in clutch situations.

You can never count out The Oakland A’s as they always find a way to stay competitive. They have the arms, as they always seem to, but it will be a serious test to make this team a legitimate contender in a tough division. They will need a couple of bats to step up big if they are to make the playoffs again.

Expected Finish : 3^rd AL West

To say that The Mariner rotation was a disappointment last year is an understatement so when you look at their roster and see that they are likely to go into this year with the same staff must be a little worrying for Mariner fans.

LHP Jamie Moyer finally started to act his age and took a drastic downturn as his 21 wins and 3.27 ERA turned into 7 wins and 5.21 ERA. Is this the beginning of the end or will he regain his form? Seattle will need him to be strong to have any chance at contending.

RHP Joel Pineiro didn’t pitch badly but certainly didn’t pitch as well as we’ve been used to and the anaemic Mariner offence didn’t help him much. In fact that could be said about most of the Mariner pitching last year and all will be optimistic of the chances to put last season behind them after the moves the front office made to bulk up the line-up.

A big surprise was the form of 28 year old rookie LHP Bobby Madritsch who had 6 wins in his eleven starts. We will have to wait and see if he has made the adjustments to stay ahead.

The bullpen was expected to be a strength for Seattle and I find it hard to imagine that a pen with LHP Eddie Guardado, RHP Shigetoshi Hasegawa and LHP Ron Villone could struggle so much.

After a breakout 2003, Hasegawa broke down in 2004 (5.16 ERA) but The Mariners should be confident he can bounce back. He is an integral part of that pen and if he falters it could be another tough year in Seattle.

Even with time out with a torn rotator cuff and a gammy knee, Guardado still managed to have a decent year, although 7 blown saves is unlike the ‘Everyday Eddie’ we knew in Minnesota. Having him fully healthy will be a huge bonus.

As bad as the Mariners were last year, it would be hard to blame the defence and it might be better this year.

Bret Boone and Pokey Reese are both Gold Glovers and should make up one of the best double play combos around. Throw in the solid Adrian Beltre at third and the ultimate in big targets in 6-8 Richie Sexson and you have the makings of a great infield. They even have Scott Spiezio in reserve at third and first.

The outfield isn’t too bad either with the rangy Randy Winn in left, the impressive Jeremy Reed in centre and they’ve also got some Japanese guy called Ichiro in right. Rumour has it he has an arm that’s good enough that at home games he can throw out guys in Florida. That’s just a rumour though.

Dan Wilson is getting old but he still is one of the best defensive catchers around. He will save his pitchers countless wild pitches, call a great game and keep a close eye on the opposition running game. If Miguel Olivo has all the tools to be a decent defender and if he pays attention to Wilson’s work ethic he could be very good soon.

Ichiro gets down the line quicker than anyone in baseball and his whole game is geared towards using that speed as much as possible. He might not walk too often but his record breaking hit total (262) and batting title (.372) last year will show how often he gets on base. Some people are talking about him hitting .400 next year but that might be just a pipe dream. He should be helped at the top of the order by Jeremy Reed who came over in the Freddy Garcia trade. He has decent speed and looked an impressive hitter at the end of last year (.397 AVG and 3 SB in 18 games). Between Reed and Ichiro the middle of the Mariner order should have a well set table.

The Mariner front office saw how limp their line-up was last year and were aggressive in their pursuit of some big bats and they splashed out on two big money guys with question marks. Adrian Beltre was a constant disappointment in Los Angeles until he hit his contract year and exploded with a season that would have won him the MVP most years (.334, 48, 121). He has always had the talent but people still question his temperament and wonder if he will repeat the form of last year or will he just wait until his next contract year?

Richie Sexson had all of last year wiped out by injury but the Mariners will need his big bat producing if they are to keep up with the rest of The West. In his last year with Milwaukee he started to emerge as a force in The National League and it awaits to be seen if he can regain that form in a new league after missing an entire season.

Bret Boone has been the big RBI man in Seattle the last couple of seasons but struggled last year with minimal support (.251, 24, 83). People are already asking themselves if he will ever be able to hit 30 home runs and drive in over 100 again.

Seattle won’t be the whipping boys of last year but there are still a lot of uncertainties with regards to health, starting pitching and depth. An injury to the wrong player could see the wheels come off this wagon quickly.

Expected Finish : 4^th AL West

The rotation overachieved last year and as a result The Rangers were in the fight for the playoffs well into the final weeks of the season and they will need to overachieve again if they are to maintain that momentum.

Orel Hershiser did wonders for The Rangers in his first year as their pitching coach and Ryan Drese was one of the biggest beneficiaries shaving almost a whole point off his career ERA on his way to a 14 win season and will be hoping to build upon that. Time can only tell if Hershiser can have the same effect on Chan Ho Park whose troubles have been well documented since making a big money move from LA but the fact of the matter is still that he is a fly ball pitcher in a park where fly balls become homeruns.

At times last season LHP Kenny Rogers looked a lot like he did during his first stint with The Rangers but he isn’t getting any younger. He will continue to help himself out with his defence and that dreaded pick-off move and The Rangers young prospect pitchers could do well to take note of that.

Hard throwing RHP Francisco Cordero was nothing short of superb last year in his first season of closing full time and solidifies a bend but don’t break bullpen.

Sandy Alomar continues to stick around and provide teams with his leadership but he can’t be relied on anymore to log a lot of time behind the dish. His primary concern will be to tutor the promising Gerald Laird but few see Laird as being a long term answer to the catcher position in Texas.

The outfield consists of Richard Hidalgo who can still do a good job anywhere in the outfield and a bunch of guys who are, at best, the fourth outfielder on most good teams.

The infield is one of the best in baseball. Hank Blalock continues to improve, Alfonso Soriano is finally getting comfortable at second and Mark Teixeira does all he needs to at first. The real key to this team in the field is the impressive Michael Young who many thought would be made a role player when Soriano arrived but has been consistently strong in the field with good range and safe hands.

They won’t get much production from the catchers with Alomar passed his prime and Laird unlikely to ever really be a threat. The outfield will provide a few promising sparks especially with Hidalgo who should enjoy hitting in Arlington although I doubt he will cut down too much on his strikeouts.

The infield might be the best in baseball. Hank Blalock continues to improve, Soriano has a great combination of speed and power and has started trying to be more disciplined. Teixeira has tremendous power and started to find greater consistency as the season progressed. The real key to this team is Michael Young (déjà vu?) who did a great job setting the table for the big bats and providing that spark in the close games. Some doubt if he can be as effective again but he has proven people wrong in the past.

They don’t have much depth and questions surround the entire pitching staff until the ninth inning but their infield might be the best in baseball and can only get better with age. It all starts with Michael Young and if he can set the tone for this team in the field and on the bases. The Ballpark at Arlington is one of the great hitters parks in baseball and if Young gets on then scoring will be made even easier.

If the rotation can keep opponents under control then The Rangers can contend again. The big advantage is that this is a young team that had a taste of success last year and will have learnt a lot about what it takes to win. They will be eager for more this season.

Expected Finish : 2^nd AL West

Part of The Indians success last year was due to the emergence of their pitching in particular the 1-2 punch of LHP C.C. Sabathia and RHP Jake Westbrook.

Sabathia has long been touted as a true ace and at times last year he was dominant. He might not look the most athletic looking guy around but he knows how to pitch and can match up against any pitcher in baseball. How Sabathia pitches will determine Cleveland’s fortunes.

If there was a hard luck pitcher in baseball last year it was Jake Westbrook whose record was not as good as his ERA deserved (3.38, 14-9). He was often the victim of poor run support and with a little bit more luck he could have been a Cy Young contender.

To complement their pair of aces Cleveland acquired RHP Kevin Millwood who has often showed the ability to be an ace but has been unable to get over the hump. The Indians will be hoping that they can get the most out of him by placing him under less pressure than he was in Philadelphia.

One of the biggest problems for Cleveland was their bullpen and they were nothing short of useless early on but improved when closer RHP Bob Wickman came back from injury. Wickman would be one of the better closers in the game if he could stay healthy. If he does stay healthy then the bullpen looks like it could be much improved with LHP Scott Sauerbeck, LHP Arthur Rhodes, RHP David Riske and RHP Bob Howry providing depth and balance.

With the departure of Omar Vizquel not only have The Indans lost one of the best defenders in baseball but also their leader on the field and, along with the addition of Aaron Boone, has lead to a major shake up of the entire defence.

Boone will position himself at third, moving Casey Blake to right field. Blake did a decent job at third last year and Boone didn’t play at all last year after being released by The Yankees for injuring himself playing basketball in the off season. If he has no problems getting back into form then Boone will provide great D on the left side of the infield and will help Vizquel’s replacement. Of course the big question is who will assume Vizquel’s position at short? Jhonny Peralta is the front runner but is unproven although Cleveland are confident he can provide solid defence. If he struggles then Brandon Phillips and Jose Hernandez can provide less rangy defence but have major league experience and secure hands.

The right side of the infield is more secure with Ronnie Belliard showing great hands and nimble footwork but he will need to adopt a greater leadership role as the most experienced incumbent left on the infield.

Coco Crisp’s glove is almost as good as his name and he will anchor a stacked outfield.

If Victor Martinez isn’t the best hitting catcher in baseball he will be soon. With Travis Haffner and Martinez The Indians will have more than enough punch in the middle of the order (a combined 217 RBI last year) and if Belliard can continue to get on base and Crisp can use his speed better then this will be a team that will consistently be able to put runs up on the scoreboard.

Grady Sizemore is the top rated prospect in the organisation and The Indians expect him to make the big step up to the big club and many experts believe he is more than ready. He projects as a fully fledged five tool player and already knows how to hit and as he grows older he should develop more power.

Since The Indians broke up their juggernaut of a team from the mid-90’s they have done a great job of acquiring some tremendous young talent and they all seem to be coming through at the same time and as good as players like Martinez and Sabathia were last year they can only get better and with the additions they have made in their rotation and bullpen, along with the emergence of Grady Sizemore they could be on the verge of returning to similar heights as those experienced in the days of Belle, Ramirez and Thome.

Predicted Finish : 1^st AL Central

It wasn’t long ago that The Royals had someone in their farm system with the potential to be the best but its probably not who you think it is. RHP Zack Greinke had a great rookie season and is still just 21. Displaying pinpoint control of a moving fastball and an array of off speed and breaking pitches, he is a potential 15 game winner even on this team. If he played on a team that could score runs he could easily win 20 and he can still get better.

Away from Greinke you would need to be a truly devoted Royals fan to know how the rest of the rotation will pan out. RHP Jose Lima will figure in there but his biggest asset is his infectious enthusiasm and if anyone can put some fight into this team its him.

If, by way of a miracle, The Royals can get some innings out of their rotation and some run support then RHP Mike MacDougal, RHP Scott Sullivan and closer LHP Jeremy Affeldt should hold onto most leads but if they are overworked and Kansas City are forced to go deeper into their pen for too long then further pitching weakness will be exposed. This team is thin on pitching talent.

Angel Berroa struggled in his sophomore season. The former Rookie of the Year was even sent to AAA due to his struggles. The Royals will need Berroa to get more settled and provide the kind of defence he showed in his rookie campaign as beyond him there is little more than utility players on the infield.

The outfield should be solid with Terrence Long, Eli Marrero and Matt Stairs all above average fielders but if there are any injuries it is uncertain who will step in.

Mike Sweeney has long been coveted by some of baseballs biggest teams but the question remains whether he is passed his prime or just lacking sufficient support. Injuries don’t help either. What would help is if Berroa can get himself back to the top of the order and get on base, if he can do that then Terrence Long can help provide depth to their line-up.

Ken Harvey was inconsistent but when he was hot he was red hot and The Royals will need more of that. Lots more.

A couple of years ago The Royals surprised everyone by making a run at the playoffs but if they contend this year it will be an enormous surprise the likes of which might never have been seen. They have a couple of very good players but lack anything like a support cast. Even if everyone played to the absolute height of their abilities it would be tough.

Predicted Finish : 5^th AL Central

Much has been said about The Tigers young pitchers but if Detroit are going to get where they want to be then those guys need to finally step up and be counted.

Over the years the big hope in Detroit has been RHP Jeremy Bonderman who they have long hoped could emerge as the ace of the staff but his two years as a Tiger have been indifferent. He has gone through a lot of adversity but this years team is definitely the best he’s had so far to back him up.

The rock of this rotation has been LHP Mike Maroth who endured a twenty one loss season during the rebuild but has eaten a lot of innings and can be depended on to give a solid performance every fifth day.

The brightest spark has been LHP Nate Robertson who has become one of the better power pitchers in baseball and lead the team in wins last year.

Detroit have remodelled their bullpen and it seems the big prerequisite is power. RHP Kyle Farnsworth and RHP Franklyn German can throw as hard as anyone and although they might not have pinpoint accuracy they will be an intimidating force paving the way for RHP Ugueth Urbina and new closer RHP Troy Percival. LHP Jamie Walker will be the primary lefty which could lead to situational problems when faced with the better lefty bats in the league.

The leader of this team is undoubtedly Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez and, although he is not quite as mobile as he used to be, is still one of the better defensive catchers in the game. He is capable of shutting down a running game just by being on the field. When Pudge isn’t out there Brandon Inge is similarly adept.

The infield is an athletic group with good range but not necessarily the safest hands. Carlos Pena and Omar Infante can look very good at times but are still prone to mistakes. Carlos Guillen and Fernando are a very capable double play combo.

Rondell White was once an outstanding left fielder but that was before the endless line of injuries. I’m sure they’ve replaced his hamstrings with blue tac. Elsewhere there are further question marks. Magglio Ordonez was for a long while the only decent fielder on the south side of Chicago but missed much of last season due to injury.

Bobby Higginson is a true enigma. In the mid-90’s he looked set to become a star and perennial Gold Glove candidate. Ever since then he has been distinctly average across the board but is a good option as a fourth outfielder.

The Tigers don’t have any hitters who instantly strike fear into you but they do have a handful of truly professional hitters. Magglio Ordonez, Pudge Rodriguez and Dmitri Young are all capable of hitting for average and power, understand situations and know how to get runners home.

If this team is going to score runs they will need the likes of Fernando Vina to set the table and greater consistency from the likes of Infante and Pena.

After years of futility The Tigers are taking some serious strides on the path to credibility mixing some home grown talent and a handful of big free agent signings and although this might not be their year they should certainly be more than a handful for most teams.

If they are still in contention at the trade deadline, don’t be surprised if they make some big moves to try and claim a playoff spot but in order to do this they will need to stay healthy and get some quality production from their younger players.

Predicted Finish : 4^th AL Central

Pitching was a strong part of The Twins continued stronghold of the AL Central and pretty much all of the key components return including the reigning AL Cy Young winner and one of baseballs best closers.

The rotation is deep with the ever present RHP Brad Radke still displaying pinpoint accuracy (26 walks in 219.3 innings) and the willingness to challenge hitters to beat him. Radke is the longest serving member of this team and, even though he is passed his prime, he is still the anchor of this staff.

RHP Kyle Lohse and RHP Joe Mays are talented youngsters who at times have showed that they could both be winners. With an extra year under their belts they will be looking to show greater consistency and develop the right sort of reputation.

Its been a good few years since someone we’ve had a pitcher who was a no doubt Cy Young winner who it was impossible to argue with but LHP Johan Santana was just that. In other words, he was the best pitcher in the AL by a proverbial mile leading the league in ERA (2.61), strikeouts (264), WHIP (0.92) and was second in wins (20). He overpowers you with a fastball and then makes you look silly with his changeup. There is no reason to believe he won’t be as dominant this year.

Even with The Twins small budget it seems that every year they manage to put together a bullpen out of a few odds and sods they find in their system and put out something that manages to do a great job. Last year they were able to complement this menagerie with RHP Joe Nathan who rose out of obscurity to position himself amongst the best relief pitchers in the game. If anything happens to Nathan then another obscure pitcher called RHP Jesse Crain could step in. Crain is a firecracker with great stuff and is just starting to fill out.

The right side of the infield will be the domain of the Luis Rivas who has some of the best range of any infielder around, especially on the Metrodome turf. The left side will see two new regulars after the departure of Koskie and Guzman. Michael Cuddyer doesn’t have Koskie’s glove at third but by the same token he has never had one position to call his own thus far in his career. He’ll be dependable at worst.

The big question is who will replace Guzman at short? There are several candidates but none with much big league experience and they won’t be able to rely on Cuddyer to help them out too much.

The outfield is extremely quick with good hands but neither Jacque Jones or Shannon Stewart has a strong arm from the corners. Lew Ford should get some time and can easily step in to play any of the outfield positions. As long as Torii Hunter is healthy enough to patrol centre field then it doesn’t really matter about who’s in the corners. He might be the best centre fielder in the AL.

Well, it’s a case of lets start again for Joe Mauer who many picked as a potential rookie of the year before last season before an injury in his second game drastically cut down his season to 35 games but in those 35 games he hit .308 and had 6 HR. He is the complete package and the future of this franchise.

The Twins should be able to score runs consistently with Justin Morneau more than capable of hitting 40+ HR and Cuddyer should be able to up his production now that he has a fixed position.

With Ford, Hunter, Jones and Stewart Minnesota have four guys with speed who can hit for average and hit one out of the park but none of them are true leadoff hitters. In an ideal world Rivas would be able to do that job but he lacks plate discipline or the bat control to compensate for that indiscipline.

The Twins have done a great job putting together a team that suits their home field on a budget. They have the speed, the pitching and the defence to be able to beat anyone in The Metrodome and that home field advantage will see that they will contend.

If Mauer and Morneau can have solid seasons and they’re able to consistently get men on base at the top of the order then The Twins could be serious contenders for the AL pennant and maybe even World Series glory.

Predicted Finish : 2^nd AL Central

The White Sox have the makings of a good rotation with RHP Jose Contreras, who started to finally look comfortable in America after his trade from the Yankees and RHP Orlando Hernandez having showed in the past that he is more than capable of stepping up when he is needed.

A lot of focus will be on RHP Freddy Garcia who is coming off a couple of inconsistent seasons between Seattle and Chicago. No one can doubt that he has the ability but some will question his mentality. Chicago will need his head in gear if they are going to make the playoffs.

The undoubted ace will once again be LHP Mark Buerhle who is one of the best southpaws in baseball and is coming into the prime of his career. Buerhle is a true competitor with control and presence on the mound and will chew up the innings and rack up the wins. If he’s at his best he could carry this team to a division title and might pick up a Cy Young award on the way.

The bullpen looks like it should be a real asset but much is on the shoulders of closer RHP Shingo Takatsu who is the ultimate in junk ball pitching. He’ll lull you to death with a 50mph curve and change but will then uncork an 80-85mph fastball that looks like its going 110mph. Every team will have been picking him apart in the off season but only time will tell if they’ve found any answers.

The middle relief of LHP Kevin Walker, RHP Cliff Politte and back-up closer LHP Damaso Marte should be able to shut down any team in the late innings but The White Sox might have made the steal of the off-season when they picked up RHP Bobby Jenks off waivers from Anaheim. Jenks has all the tools to be an All-Star closer and although he might not be ready to do that now he will be given the chance to start learning how to pitch at the highest level.

For a long time The White Sox have been one of the least inspiring defensive teams around but they have made a number of moves that should change that.

Tadahito Iguchi is the latest ‘Japanese sensation’ to hit MLB and is said to be a very good second baseman but even if he isn’t as good as Chicago hopes then Willie Harris and Juan Uribe are more than capable of playing everyday in the field.

With all the problems that he has experienced at the plate in his young career, no one can question Joe Crede’s ability in the field. He has quick feet and a strong arm and plays his position as well as anyone.

There may be health concerns but if everyone is playing then the outfield of Aaron Rowand, Jermaine Dye and Scott Podsednik can cover ground and flash the glove. If anyone goes down then the defence won’t be hurt by Joe Borchard or Timo Perez.

With Ben Davis and A.J. Pierzynski behind the dish they won’t need to worry. Davis might be a bit stiff at times if over used but both receive the ball like they’re in rocking chairs, have good arms and know how to handle a pitching staff.

Scott Podsednik had a mediocre sophomore year but he is now on a much more potent line-up than he was in Milwaukee and with less pressure on him he should be able set the table for a strong offence. He has good patience and great speed and will give this team an element they have lacked in recent years.

If healthy and motivated then Jermaine Dye and Carl Everett will give great support to incumbent sluggers Paul Konerko and Frank Thomas and if Crede can get his average closer to .300 than .200 then, even without a genuine lefty with power, they will have a team capable of scoring in a hurry.

The White Sox have made a lot of changes in the off season and have acquired a few more players capable of playing the scrappy running game that manager Ozzie Guillen likes.

Chicago were hit by injuries to key players last year and if they have better luck this time around and certain players start playing to the top of their game then it is possible they could win their division.

Predicted Finish : 3^rd AL Central

Dinosaurs roamed the Earth the last time Atlanta failed to win their division and the thing that has gotten them all those pennants is pitching. In pitching coach Leo Mazzone, The Braves have one of baseballs most valuable commodities and in the off season GM John Schuerholtz got Mazzone a new toy to play with in RHP Tim Hudson. Mazzone loves to get his pitchers working off the fastball and Hudson loves to pound the zone with his sinker to set up his slider and his awesome splitter. Hudson and Mazzone look like a match made in heaven.

The other big move was the signing of RHP Danny Kolb enabling RHP John Smoltz to go back to the rotation but with his history of health problems you have to wonder if he’s still able to throw 200 innings? No one can doubt Smoltz’ determination or stuff with a great fastball, an incredible slider and every now and then a freaky splitter that can get to 90mph but one more injury to his right arm could signal the end of a great career.

The rest of the rotation will see Mazzone’s latest reclamation project LHP Mike Hampton, RHP John Thomson and youngster LHP Horacio Ramirez who are all capable of giving Atlanta quality innings.

I’ve never been sure how he does it but John Schuerholtz always seems to be able to piece together bullpens that are able to get the job done and while the bulk of the pen will be made up of unknowns, for some reason I’m sure it will work.

One certainty will be that Kolb will step in for Smoltz and as long as he concentrates on his game rather than trying to be John Smoltz he should do a good job. He will be set up by RHP Kevin Gryboski and LHP Gabe White.

How good is Andruw Jones? They could probably send him out on his own and not have too many problems. Its kinda sad that he has put on some weight over the last few years but he is still better than anyone since Willie Mays and he makes it look so easy. He is nothing short of unbelievable.

Just for the record the other outfielders should be very good with two out of Ryan Langerhans, Brian Jordan and Raul Mondesi patrolling the corners on any given day. Mondesi sometimes lacks motivation but he can still play and has a rocket for an arm.

Depending on who you ask you will get a different story on The Braves infield and especially shortstop Rafael Furcal who always seems to rack up his error count but most of that is down to the fact that he gets to a lot of balls that most other shortstops can’t get to and has tremendous faith in his cannon arm. Most of his errors come from trying too hard.

Elsewhere Marcus Giles is a gamer at second and hangs in there longer than most to try and turn the double play. Chipper Jones is by no means a great third baseman but he’s not terrible and will get help from Furcal and first baseman Adam LaRoche who is a potential Gold Glove winner.

Many were impressed by how well Johnny Estrada did in his first full campaign. He handled his pitchers well for a rookie and threw out more than his far share of base runners. Eddie Perez is more than capable of stepping in to help out.

Speed and consistency at the top of the order in Furcal and Giles but aside from the dependable Chipper Jones, not a lot of consistent RBI men.

One of the best moves The Braves made was to reacquire Brian Jordan who is capable of providing clutch hits but, more importantly, is a true leader and always helps others raise their games which could help the nomadic Mondesi who has a world of ability but has never seemed to be able to cash it in. If they can keep both in the line up, it will go a long way to helping Atlanta score more than enough runs.

If Adam LaRoche can’t produce enough hits then Julio Franco will be called on to provide a kick start.

If this were any other organisation then you would think that they had holes in their pen and not enough depth in their line-up to win their division but The Braves are a team with a lot of strong personalities who know how to win. Bobby Cox has made less talented teams than this into winners.

Predicted Finish : 1^st NL East

As good as LHP Dontrelle Willis, LHP Al Leiter and RHP A.J. Burnett are, this team will go as far as RHP Josh Beckett can take them. Beckett is the prototypical power pitcher and a fierce competitor. If he is healthy he can be the best, if he’s not then The Marlins have a good rotation but not a great one.

The bullpen is deep with talent both young and old but LHP Matt Perisho is the only obvious lefty reliever which could lead to issues in close games but between RHP Antonio Alfonseca, RHP Nate Bump, RHP Todd Jones, RHP Jim Mecir and RHP Tim Spooneybarger they should be able to chop and change to their hearts desire.

One question that will need to be answered is whether RHP Guillermo Mota is ready to progress from the eighth inning to the ninth. He has the ability and there is little to say he shouldn’t be able but for some it is one step too far.

Newcomer Carlos Delgado isn’t the best of fielders but his life will be made easier by the presence of three well above average fielders on the infield especially up the middle where Alex Gonzalez and Luis Castillo are as good as it gets.

Juan Pierre is a prime example of what great speed can do for you as he is not the best reader of the ball off the bat but he can track down anything airborne. His arm is one of the weakest anywhere.

Miguel Cabrera gets better every game as he continues to learn how to be an outfielder. He has smooth movement and a strong arm and once he figures it out he could probably match his offensive production with his fielding ability.

Paul Lo Duca knows how to lead a team onto the field and marshal a pitching staff. He might not be the best at throwing out runners but he can keep them honest.

Juan Pierre has gas to spare and although not the most disciplined hitter around, he will put the ball in play and let his legs do the rest. Behind him will be Luis Castillo who is another speedy runner capable of making things happen on the bases. Castillo has tremendous bat control, is tough to strike out and can lay a bunt down at any time.

Carlos Delgado was an outstanding pick up for this team, not only for the production he can give with his own bat but also by being able to separate a mostly right handed batting line up. By placing him behind Cabrera and ahead of Lowell teams will be forced to make a lot of calls to the bullpen when faced with the heart of The Marlin line-up in clutch situations.

Having Delgado will most likely get the most out of Miguel Cabrera who has been nothing short of phenomenal since coming to the team. His only problem is that he strikes out way too much but The Marlins will hope experience will help that.

The Marlins go into this season with a truly scary line-up and if their key performers can stay healthy, they should pile on the runs. The real issue will be their rotation where Beckett will be relied upon to carry the load but health is a concern. This team goes as far as Beckett can take them.

Predicted Finish : 3^rd NL East

The Mets were busy in the off season making a lot of big moves and one of them was the acquisition of RHP Pedro Martinez who has received a lot of criticism in recent years but that is more derived from the disappointment that he is no longer superhuman. He has lost at least 5mph off his fastball but it still moves all over the place and still complements it with a great curve and his infamous changeup. He might not be the untouchable force he once was but he is still capable of carving up any line-up in the game.

Behind Martinez The Mets have the makings of a great rotation with RHP Kris Benson finally on a team that can give him consistent run support, LHP Tom Glavine rounding out his Hall of Fame Career and RHP Victor Zambrano who will be looking to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke and he was worth trading Kazmir for (a tough ask). Benson in particular is coming into his prime and has all the makings of a true ace.

If the rotation is looking in good shape then the bullpen is looking a lot less secure. RHP Braden Looper has great stuff but he has never been someone who makes you believe the game is over and often makes things difficult for himself and the guys ahead of him don’t fill you with a lot of confidence either. The likes of RHP Mike DeJean, RHP Matt Ginter, LHP Felix Heredia and RHP Jae Seo are all OK but not great. If Looper can nail then ninth then it could be enough but there isn’t much room to manoeuvre.

Mike Piazza is a Hall of Fame catcher but that’s not because of his glove. Teams can and will run on him any chance they can get. His ability to call a game is underrated but he wasn’t very mobile when he was young and he is now an old and battered player.

Many of the keys to New York’s season lie in the infield with highly touted rookie David Wright coming in to play third, Kaz Matsui looking to justify the hype that surrounded him when he arrived prior to an under whelming rookie season and injury prone but supremely gifted shortstop Jose Reyes. When healthy Reyes is sublime with the rubber like bounce and elasticity not seen since Ozzie Smith and The Mets need him on the field.

The outfield should be interesting. Mike Cameron is one of the best outfielders around with great range, a strong arm and a propensity towards the spectacular but he is likely to move to right to accommodate Carlos Beltran who might not be Andruw Jones but he’s closer than most. Beltan is a truly gifted and athletic outfielder who covers a lot of ground and might not have the strongest arm but gets rid of it quickly and accurately. Cliff Floyd will hope to stay healthy and play left but with Cameron and Beltran out there he might as well take it easy on his hamstrings by taking a deck chair out there and let them get on with it.

Well unless you’ve been living in a cave (or maybe just new to the game) you should know by now that the great Carlos Beltran sweepstakes was won by New York and not by The Yankees. Beltran can do it all, he is an outstanding base runner knowing exactly when to go and rarely makes a mistake. The longer he plays the more disciplined and selective he gets which has improved his average and, coupled with finally having some big bats around him, has lead to improved power numbers. He is now the main man and is due an explosion. Last years playoffs should be a prelude to the rest of his career.

Mike Piazza has long been seen as the lynchpin of the Mets line-up but the real key has been Cliff Floyd who’s health has been inextricably linked to the fortunes of the team. Piazza has been on a steady decline and is no longer a certainty to hit .300 with 30 HR. These days 20 HR would be a good season for him but if Floyd can last a full year he could easily top .300, 30 HR and 100 RBI.

David Wright has long been one of baseballs top prospects and he certainly looked the real deal after his late season call up. In 69 games he hit .293 with 14 HR and 40 RBI and The Mets will be hoping for more of the same.

The real litmus test will be at the top of the order where Kaz Matsui will want to start a fresh leaf after an under whelming rookie campaign. He has great speed and if he can get on he will be a distraction to pitchers and create holes on the infield.

The Mets have a lot of strengths and great players but also have a few holes and concerns. The rotation looks sound but its uncertain how confident they’ll be turning it over to the pen. The line-up could be explosive but with health concerns to key players, Kaz Matsui looking to prove himself at the top of the order and much expected of David Wright in his first full year, you cannot be too sure how that will pan out either.

Predicted Finish : 4^th NL East

This is a well rounded pitching staff. RHP John Lieber was one of the few consistent Yankee pitchers last season, LHP Randy Wolf is an underrated competitor with good stuff, RHP Brett Myers has all the talent in the world but can be his own worst enemy at times and when you bring in a sure fire rookie in RHP Gavin Floyd you have a team that can put quality on the mound every day.

The bullpen is versatile and brilliantly balanced with two lefties in LHP Rheal Cormier and LHP Aaron Fultz, RHP Terry Adams and RHP Tim Worrell from the right side and then they turn it over to the automatic LHP Billy Wagner and his 100mph fastball.

This is a staff that might not be the best around but there are no holes.

Mike Lieberthal won a Gold Glove before and now Joe Kerrigan has left the team, the pitchers might actually try holding runners close enough for him to stand a chance at throwing them out. He is mechanically sound.

The infield is your classic infield with two big boppers on the corners who aren’t necessarily the strongest fielders and two strong glove men up the middle. David Bell is solid at third, Thome makes a huge target at first (must be like throwing balls at a barn), Chase Utley has wonderful hands and decent range and Jimmy Rollins is one of the better shortstops around.

Bobby Abreu is a player who doesn’t get anywhere near the credit he deserves. He can do it all on a baseball field and certainly has the arm to play right and when you combine him with Marlon Byrd in centre you have a lot of balls being cut down in the right field gap.

No one is going to say that Pat Burrell is a great fielder but he won’t let you down. He came up through The Phils system as a first baseman and he is finally comfortable in the outfield.

The real strength in this Phillies team is on their bench. Kenny Lofton is still a very good outfielder, Tomas Perez can cover the corners on the infield and Placido Polanco is above average in left, short and second.

Jim Thome is one of baseball most disciplined and patient hitters which means he walks a lot and strikes out a lot but when he gets his pitch he destroys it. Thome is a perennial MVP candidate and there is no reason to believe this year won’t be the same.

Bobby Abreu hits for average, power, gets walks and knows how to steal a bag. He is the complete ball player and should be more highly regarded than he is.

The Phillies line-up runs deep with Pat Burrell, David Bell and Mike Lieberthal providing power and Jimmy Rollins some speed. The only problem is the top of the order where Marlon Byrd does an OK job but would be better suited further down the order. Chase Utley is a good fit in the second spot, he has good bat control and above average speed.

New manager Jerry Manuel is almost the complete opposite of former skipper Larry Bowa and The Phillies will be a much more relaxed team than last year where they greatly underachieved and the front office will be hoping that was due to the pressure Bowa heaped upon his players.

All the ingredients are there for Philadelphia and if everything clicks they could be this years big winners but if Bowa was just a scapegoat for last years disappointments and the malaise continues then it could be more disappointment for the fickle Phillies fans.

Predicted Finish : 2^nd NL East, Wild Card

The Montreal Expos find themselves in a new city with a new name but many of the same problems with no real depth in their pitching. The lone bright spark last year was RHP Livan Hernandez who had an outstanding season but did it in absolute anonymity registering a 3.60ERA which is better than his 11-15 record deserved but what made him invaluable was his 255 innings pitched and 9 complete games. When you have a workhorse like that it really helps the pen get some rest.

RHP Tomokazu Ohka and Zach Day looked quite good in limited appearances last year with a 3.40 ERA over 15 starts for Ohka and 3.93 ERA over 19 starts for Day. Both could have had better records for the year if they played for a team that had at least an average offence.

The only real addition to the pitching staff in the off season was RHP Esteban Loaiza who floundered last year under the weight of expectation after an apparent breakout year in 2003. He has shown that he has what it takes to win games but has always been inconsistent. He usually starts the season well and if he can build up confidence he might be able to give his team a chance to win.

The bullpen is full of no-name guys who did quite well last year and it will be anchored by RHP Chad Cordero who went 7-3 with 14 saves and a 2.94ERA which is slightly more impressive because he is still just 23 years old. It is uncertain how he would cope if placed in more meaningful games but as a National he likely won’t have to deal with that problem for a while. He will be set up by LHP Joe Horgan (4-1, 3.15), RHP T.J. Tucker (4-2, 3.72) and RHP Luis Ayala who went 6-12 with 2 saves despite a very impressive 2.69ERA and only walking 15 over 90.3 innings.

This was another area with few highlights for the then Expos and the right side of the infield will be just as it was in Montreal with the robotic Vidro fielding the few balls he’s able to get to and Nick Johnson looking like a very good first baseman until he has a brain freeze and racks up another mental error.

The left side has been totally remodelled and Vinny Castilla will come in and give The Nationals a genuinely quality fielder. Next to Castilla will be Christian Guzman who can make outstanding use of his great speed when motivated but if things aren’t going well (which is likely) he can regress and make stupid mistakes.

Endy Chavez and Juan Rivera are both great athletes but on good teams are probably fourth outfielders.

If Guzman can get on base with his speed at the top of the order then Brad Wilkerson and Jose Vidro should be able to put some runs on the board but if Guzman can’t get on base or either Wilkerson or Vidro misses any significant time then runs will be very hard to come by.

The Montreal Expos were mugged and raped by MLB and even though they are in a new city with a new identity, they still bare the scars. This is a team of reserves and marginal major leaguers and its hard to see how this team are going to be able to do anything this year and Washington fans are renowned for their inability to stick with teams in hard times.

Predicted Finish : 5^th NL East

Many will be wondering how this staff will survive now that Randy Johnson has gone but there is still some depth to this rotation even if they don’t have that one dominating ace every fifth day/

RHP Brandon Webb was a real victim of Arizona’s offensive problems last year with good numbers across the board but not much to show for it in the win column. Webb has a good arsenal that he works off of his hard boring sinker that is almost impossible to hit squarely.

Arizona added two starters to their rotation who have been staff aces before in RHP Russ Ortiz and RHP Javier Vazquez. Ortiz is a north and south pitcher who has occasional problems with location but when he can get his curve in he can be tough.

Vazquez came under heavy scrutiny in New York and it was almost like he could do no right. He has a lot of weapons at his disposal but many wonder how much he has left in his arm after some heavy duty years in Montreal where he would regularly pitch around 230 innings.

The bullpen is young and inexperienced and with the only lefty being a 24 year old LHP Mike Gosling who has just 6 games under his belt you know they will have problems. 26 year old sophomore RHP Greg Aquino is pencilled in as the closer and converted 16 saves last year but will hope to improve his 17BB/26K ratio.

Arizona won’t steal games with its gloves but it won’t blow too many either. The infield has the potential to be extremely good but that is dependant upon Troy Glaus returning to the kind of form he showed before the injuries that have restricted his playing time the last two years. If he can do that then he and shortstop Royce Clayton can really eliminate anything hit on the ground to the left side which would mean right handed batters will have a tough time, especially when Brandon Webb is on the mound.

The outfield is very average. Luis Gonzalez and Shawn Green are both past the best and can’t cover the ground they might once have been able to. Jose Cruz will likely be asked to play centre but he is better suited to the corners. He is an above average right fielder but doesn’t seem to get the same reads in centre.

The D-Backs had serious problems scoring runs last year and while some of that was down to injuries (particularly Richie Sexson) most of it was down to a distinct lack of balance and quality and as a result they acquired as many big bats as they could get their hands on.

When he’s healthy, Troy Glaus is a prodigious home run hitter and if he can last a full year is capable of slugging well over 40 home runs and should take a lot of pressure off Luis Gonzalez who has long been the sole source of power on this team.

The rest of the line-up will include Jose Cruz who should be among the league leaders in strikeouts and Shawn Green who has become less of a power hitter but is still a disciplined hitter capable of producing one way or another.

The top of the order could be a problem. Alex Cintron is likely to get the job and although he has OK speed he is not a consistent hitter nor a disciplined one. If Shawn Green can’t regain his power then he should be able to get on base consistently in the second spot.

Arizona were terrible last year and it won’t be hard to do be better this year. The bullpen is a major concern and a lot of young arms are really being given a baptism of fire and it will be tough for Arizona to be competitive in a rapidly improving division but at least they won’t be whipping boys anymore and could be a spoiler down the stretch.

Predicted Finish : 4^th NL West

The Dodgers have a long history of strong pitching and a lot of that has to do with the expansive Dodger Stadium and a grounds crew with a reputation (some suspect the mound is a bit higher than it should be).

The Dodgers have put together a very eclectic rotation with a few guys who have had indifferent careers up to this point and perhaps the best example would be RHP Jeff Weaver. He had a torrid time in New York but last year he looked a lot like the Jeff Weaver who pitched for The Tigers. Weaver was a good foil for former Braves prospect LHP Odalis Perez who was dominant at times (7-6, 3.25) but suffered hugely from a lack of run support. Perez could easily win 20 games with a little more luck than he had last year.

Before coming up big in the playoffs RHP Derek Lowe had gone through two years of inconsistency in Boston but with his sinker, Dodger Stadium and Cesar Izturis he has all the ingredients he needs to return to the form that got him 21 wins in 2002.

I don’t think anyone can be sure what RHP Brad Penny will do this year, much like any other year in his career. Penny has it all, a strong arm, a lively fastball, good mechanics and great breaking stuff but somehow he finds a way not to cash in on all that. He’s almost as likely to lose 15 games as win 15 games.

Even without all the innate advantages of being a pitcher for The Dodgers, its still hard to have a bad bullpen when you have RHP Eric Gagne (0.911 WHIP) closing for you. The guy is as dominant as any pitcher has been in a very long time. Gagne’s supporting cast might not be as strong as it was before DePodestra had his melt down at the trade deadline but it still should be good enough to get to the ninth.

They think very highly of RHP Yhency Brazoban and he will likely be Gagne’s principle set up man after looking strong in his rookie campaign (6-2, 2.48).

The only lefty in the pen will be LHP Wilson Alvarez who is better suited to being the long man and has never really been a situational guy.

At the beginning of last year The Dodgers were a team built upon an outstanding defensive unit but come the deadline they took a new direction and decided to invest more in offence and it has taken its toll on what was once their strength.

The one remaining piece of the blue ribbon infield is Cesar Izturis who won his first of what promises to be many Gold Gloves at shortstop. The rest of the infield comprises of the erratic Jose Valentin at third, sure handed but no range second baseman Jeff Kent and the distinctly average Hee-Seop Choi.

There is lots of ground to cover in the outfield of Dodger Stadium and Los Angeles has the players to do it. Despite all his problems off the field (including in the stands) Milton Bradley is an outstanding fielder and it waits to be seen if he or J.D. Drew will play centre field. Even with all the injury problems Drew has remained a quality outfielder with good speed, intelligent reads and a strong accurate throwing arm.

After sitting on the shelf in Toronto for a while, Jayson Werth finally got a chance to play last year and pleased a lot of people with his performances. Left field will be his and he will play it well.

DePodestra took a lot of criticism when he traded away team leader Paul LoDuca and it is still tough to see how he will be replaced. David Ross will likely get first dibs because of his bat but he isn’t the best receiver in the world although his arm is strong enough to be effective. Paul Bako is a decent catcher who knows how to handle a pitching staff and keep things in front of him and The Dodgers will benefit from his presence when he is in the field.

Getting better run support for the pitchers was apparently a priority for LA and the additions of Jeff Kent and J.D. Drew will certainly help. Jeff Kent might be the best power hitting second baseman since Rogers Hornsby and is usually good for 30HR and 100RBI although the combination of age and his new home field could see those numbers dip a little.

J.D. Drew hasn’t developed as quickly as some had predicted due to a number of niggling injuries in his young career but he has a compact and powerful swing and a good eye and should hit a tonne of doubles in Dodger Stadium…so long as he stays healthy.

LA should have a reasonably steady and balanced line-up with the likes of Bradley, Werth and Valentin capable of providing some pop and good speed. There are question marks with regards to Hee-Seop Choi who was highly touted by The Cubs but has yet to look like a major league slugger.

In all the shake up and the focus on providing the meat of the order, little seems to have been considered as to who will set the table. Cesar Izturis is likely to be plan A but he will have a tough time showing that last year wasn’t a career year with the bat. Not the most disciplined of hitters, he has never shown any true form with the bat throughout his development. It is possible Werth could take the job but he is better suited to batting at the back end of the order.

There is enough pitching here to keep The Dodgers in contention but they won’t get the help in the field that they might be used to and only marginal improvements overall in run support. You can be sure that DePodestra won’t rest on his laurels and will be active at the trade deadline but with what he has here they will find it tough to make the postseason.

Predicted Finish : 3^rd NL West

There is no doubting who the ace of this staff is but there are starting to be doubts as to whether RHP Jason Schmidt can last a whole season. His final numbers were impressive but went from being a Cy Young certainty in August to a distant fourth in the vote after a late season slump.

The rest of the rotation is solid without anyone who is particularly good or bad with LHP Kirk Rueter, RHP Brett Tomko and RHP Jerome Williams all finishing with an ERA around 4.50 and roughly 10 wins. Of those three Williams is the most likely to step up and help Schmidt carry the load. Still just 23, he enters his third season and has yet to allow as many hits as innings pitched which takes some doing.

LHP Noah Lowry was a pleasant surprise for The Giants posting a 6-0 record in 14 starts showing great control. A typical lefty junk ball pitcher, it will be interesting to see if the league has figured him out over the off season or if he is a genuine keeper.

Robb Nenn finally called it quits after more shoulder surgery and constant set backs but at least now San Francisco know exactly where they stand. Coming in to close for The Giants this year will be hard throwing RHP Armando Benitez who can be flaky at times but is more often than not dominant with a fastball that gets into the upper 90’s and a hard slider. Felipe Alou should also be confident in the guys ahead of Benitez with RHP Matt Herges, who was the emergency closer last season, getting the primary set up role.

RHP Jim Brower, LHP Scott Eyre and LHP Jason Christiansen should hold down the middle innings.

If all the players on this team were in their prime then The Giants would probably have one of the best defensive teams in history but sadly this is a team of aging stars. J.T. Snow and Omar Vizquel have 15 Gold Gloves between them and both can still play. Snow is athletic and has extremely soft hands at first and Vizquel makes up for his reduced range with tremendous savvy and invention and was more deserving of a Gold Glove than Derek Jeter last year.

Barry Bonds used to be a perennial Gold Glover but his hamstrings are shot these days. He’s a smart guy and knows what to do and how he can get it done. Marquis Grissom is in great shape for a guy his age and is definitely capable of playing centre field for a lot of teams but will have his work cut out for him playing between Bonds and Alou.

The one position where The Giants don’t have to worry is catcher where the more than capable Yorvit Torrealba will back up baseballs best in Mike Matheny. For anyone who wants to be a catcher they should watch Matheny as he is almost perfect mechanically in the way he moves behind the dish, blocking balls in the dirt, keeping every wild pitch he can in front of him, controlling the field, keeping his pitchers comfortable, throwing out runners and calling a good game. There is no one else around who is as complete and all the pitchers on The Giants will benefit immeasurably from his presence.

Barry Bonds has won a record number of 7 MVP awards for a reason and that is because his mere presence dictates how every hitter in The Giant order is pitched to. The last few years he has been totally locked in and at times it seems like you either walk him or he hits a homerun. Just an unbelievable hitter and we should treasure every chance we get to see him at the plate because it will be a long, long, long time till we see anyone even close to being this good.

The non-Bonds parts of the Giants line-up is as questionable as usual although the combination of Ray Durham batting lead-off and Omar Vizquel batting second should be able to make things happen at the top of the order. Durham has good wheels and is a disciplined hitter and Vizquel has great bat control which means he can bunt guys over or be used in hit and run situations.

Moises Alou could get the job of batting behind Bonds and while he might not be the hitter he once was you still cannot get a fastball by him with his lightning quick hands. Elsewhere Snow, Grissom and Edgardo Alfonzo will provide reasonable output but this is still the Barry Bonds show.

The one thing that plays against this team is its age with so many of its key players on the downside of their careers and also when players get older they get injured more often and take longer to heal.

If they can stay healthy and Schmidt can go a full season then there is no reason to doubt that they can get to the playoffs otherwise it might be time to rip it up and start again.

Predicted Finish : 2^nd NL West

Much of The Padres success this year will be dependent upon a young rotation and RHP Jake Peavy who lead the National League in ERA aged just 23. They have treated Peavy with kid gloves, limiting the length of his starts to protect his young arm, but going into his third year San Diego will likely set him loose and we will finally get to see how good he is. If he can go for 200+ innings then he has what it takes to be the ace of this staff and maybe earn some Cy Young consideration. There is no limit to how good he can be.

Much of the load will be placed upon RHP Adam Eaton and RHP Brian Lawrence who should be coming into their prime years after coming through The Padres system. Both know how to mix up pitches and keep hitters off stride but can be inconsistent.

RHP Woody Williams will provide some veteran presence and his work ethic will be a good influence on the other pitchers. Now 39, Williams finally started to show his age last year but he is still a smart pitcher with great control and won’t back down to anyone.

Whereas the rotation should be coming into its prime years, the bullpen is going the other way with time running out on RHP Trevor Hoffman who still has the unbelievable changeup but isn’t as durable as he used to be. There is no doubt that he is still one of baseballs best closers but they will have to be careful how regularly they turn to him.

If Hoffman has any problems then RHP Akinori Otsuka looked more than capable of taking over the closers job. After 7 seasons in Japan, Otsuki had a 7-2 record and a miserly 1.75 ERA in his ‘rookie’ year. When combined with RHP Scott Linebrink (7-3, 2.14) The Padres look in good shape from the right side. From the left The Padres picked up LHP Dennys Reyes who can be effective in the middle innings and LHP Chris Hammond who is effective whenever you need him.

Defensively this is a team of average to above average fielders with no one who can be picked out as a weak link. The only real exception to this is Khalil Greene who is a flashy and exciting shortstop and links up well with Mark Loretta up the middle.

In the outfield Dave Roberts has speed to burn and can easily compensate for Klesko’s lack of mobility in right. Brian Giles might not be as mobile as he was in his days with The Pirates but is still a very good left fielder.

Behind the dish Ramon Hernandez calls a good game and knows how to handle a young pitching staff but he isn’t the best mechanically and can’t really shift himself laterally to block balls in the dirt and his feet aren’t quick enough to make his strong arm the weapon it could be.

This is a line-up that just seems to slot together well, especially now Dave Roberts is on board. Roberts will bat leadoff and push Burroughs into the second spot where he is better suited. Then the likes of Giles, Nevin and Klesko who are all very professional hitters and can hit for average and power. Ramon Hernandez has occasional pop, Loretta is a handy contact hitter but Greene is there for his glove.

The bench has plenty of options with one of baseballs best pinch hitters in Mark Sweeney, the infield is covered by Geoff Blum and the speedy Eric Young and the outfield with Xavier Nady and Freddy Guzman who can contribute with their bats and gloves.

The Pad’s stuck around for a long while last year and that experience will help a young team and it really seems like things are coming together. The line-up is well balanced, the pen should be outstanding and the rotation is the only real question as they are either going to be good or, if Peavy comes into his own, they will be brilliant.

Predicted Finish : 1^st NL West

There is no more unforgiving job in baseball than to be a pitcher for The Rockies in the thin mile high air of Coors Field. If anyone ever has a season with an ERA below 3.50 they deserve to instantly win the Cy Young.

The Rockies actually have the best rotation they’ve had in a while with former NL Rookie of the Year RHP Jason Jennings and rookie LHP Jeff Francis heading the pack. Jennings has had moderate success so far in Colorado mainly thanks to his sinker which makes it difficult for hitters to get the ball into the thin airborne. Francis has impressed people with his maturity and poise and he’ll need those qualities to last a full year as a Rockie. Francis has good location of his fastball and a plus curve and change.

Colorado will eagerly await the return of RHP Aaron Cook as he makes his slow return after having blood clots in both lungs. Cook has been one of The Rockies more consistent pitchers so far in his career.

The bullpen is nothing but questions especially with last years closer, RHP Shawn Chacon, likely move to the rotation. The few poor souls who return from last seasons team all got well and truly lit up (even by Coors standards). Two rays of light through impending gloom are RHP Scott Dohmann who struck out 49 in 46 innings while only walking 19, and highly touted Taiwanese RHP Chin-hui Tsao who has lively stuff but is still very green.

The only really settled part of the infield is 3-time Gold Glover Todd Helton at first who has soft hands and charges bunts as well as anyone. Across the diamond is Garrett Atkins and all that needs to be said about him is that he’s there for his bat. Up the middle neither SS Clint Barmes or 2B Aaron Miles has convinced so far in their young careers, although Miles started showing some improvement as the year went on.

Something that gets overlooked in the thin air in Coors is that there is a lot of ground to cover in the outfield (375ft to the right field gap, 398ft to the left field gap and 415 to centre) and it takes a lot of athleticism to play there and that is something Preston Wilson certainly has in centre field. Wilson is extremely aggressive out there, getting to a lot of balls and complements it all with a strong arm.

The corner outfielders figure to be Dustin Mohr (a solid 4^th outfielder on a good team) and Matt Holliday who struggled early in his first year but ended strong.

Even with a team that lost 94 games, The Rockies still finished the season with the 4^th most runs per game in The National League, as is the ‘Coors Effect’.

Aaron Miles showed little discipline whilst batting leadoff with only a .329 on-base percentage and plan B is Clint Barmes who had a .320OBP after his September call up. Fortunately both are still young and will have the time and opportunity to improve.

The Rockies have tried to deal Preston Wilson all winter but as long as he’s in Colorado he will produce for them. He had two surgeries on his left knee last year, limiting him to 58 games, and we will have to wait and see if that effects his speed. Wilson is also a free swinger who can hit the ball a mile when he makes contact but is also one of baseballs most prolific strikeout victims.

A lot of attention will be on Garrett Atkins who the Rockies front office envision will be a great hitter and showed flashes of that potential after his late season call up hitting .357 with 1 HR and 8 RBI in 15 games. Some believe he can emulate the achievements of his team-mate Todd Helton but that will take some doing. Helton’s power numbers may be helped slightly by Coors Field but his .339 average (the best among active players) is undeniable testament to how good a hitter he is….that and a walk total that usually is over 100 and the average haul of 119 runs and 119 RBI.

Its unsure about the rest of the team but Todd Helton should be amazing yet again.

The pitching staff is inexperienced and in a state of flux with nothing sure about the bullpen and they won’t get a lot of help from the defence.

Predicted Finish : 5^th NL West

The Astros have had some bad luck with their starters in recent years with key guys going down with injuries and last year the big loss was LHP Andy Pettitte who came over from The Yankees with much expectation and missed most of the year to arm problems. When on his game, Pettitte is one of the top lefties in baseball and a genuine big game pitcher.

Despite having worse numbers across the board than most of his rivals, RHP Roger Clemens won his seventh Cy Young Award (at least two too many) and when The Astros gave him the big cheque he was more than ready to return again (he probably expects to win an eighth Cy even if he loses 20 games). Clemens will provide steady performances and turn it over to the pen when things start getting tough and as a result will maintain his winning percentage. If he really puts out and commits himself to the team (turning up at the clubhouse on days he’s not scheduled to pitch might be nice) he can certainly still be an ace but that’s not the Roger Clemens of today and everyone seems love him for it.

The real ace (and one of the guys robbed by Clemens) is RHP Roy Oswalt who was finally healthy enough to last a whole season and lead the league with 20 wins despite strained muscles in his ribs. He is a real gamer and will stick it out till the game is won and suck it up in order to spare his bullpen. He is a true ace and word is he is fully healthy this year and who knows what a fully healthy Oswalt can do over a full season?

A once strong bullpen has slowly seen some of the best arms traded away but dependable closer RHP Brad Lidge returns to nail down late inning leads. Lidge’s numbers are nothing short of filthy, striking out 157 batters in just 94.3 innings and posting a 0.923 WHIP. The only problem is that the rest of the pen will have trouble getting him the ball. RHP Dan Wheeler looked good after arriving from The Mets late in the year but is far from being a guy who shortens games and LHP Mike Gallo will have his work cut out for him as the only lefty.

The team defence has been greatly improved since last season, mainly thanks to the departure of Jeff Kent and the promotion of Chris Burke. If Houston decide to stick with it, he and the excellent shortstop Adam Everett could form a strong double play combo and really help their pitchers immeasurably. Everett is as good as they come at short but has often been benched for the sake of getting Jose Vizcaino’s slightly better bat in the order and while Vizcaino won’t let you down, he won’t help you out too often either.

The corner infield spots are fairly strong too with Morgan Ensberg above average at third and Jeff Bagwell always fully committed at first but still hampered by the wear and tear in his right shoulder.

Brad Ausmus is now 35 and is still one of baseballs best catchers. His lateral movement is very good and few handle pitchers or call as good a game as he does and while he might not be able to throw as hard as some, he gets rid of the ball quickly and always hit’s the mark.

The outfield will be an adventure, especially with Lance Berkman out till mid-season. Jason Lane figures to be the everyday right fielder and has decent closing speed but his arm is better suited to left. Left field will once again be where Craig Biggio will continue to pretend to be an outfielder.

Lance Berkman is a decent outfielder with surprising range for a guy his size but like every other outfielder on The Astros roster, he has a below average throwing arm. While Berkman waits for his knee to heal, his position will be taken by Orlando Palmeiro who is one of baseballs best bench players and is comfortable anywhere in the outfield.

Berkman’s loss will be felt here more than anything else as he has established himself as one of baseballs best hitters. He is disciplined, hits for average and can be counted on for 30+ homers.

Jeff Bagwell will need to step up if The Astros are to avoid disappearing out of contention before they can get Berkman back. Rumour has it that Bagwell has been making adjustments to his swing to help minimise the strain on his oft-injured shoulder and rekindle some of the old power.

Even when Berkman gets back and if Bagwell halts his decline, its tough to see how Houston will score runs consistently with a distinct lack of team speed and no one with any genuine power aside from the big two. Craig Biggio still finds ways to get on base and score runs but his prime years are a speck on the horizon.

The pitching will be strong for The Astros and they will get plenty of help from their infield and Ausmus but will be hard pressed to keep teams limited to few enough runs for their offence to get them wins. Its almost scary how anaemic this team has gotten so quick and there isn’t much help on the way at the farm.

Predicted Finish : 3^rd NL Central

The Brewers have so many questions to answer about their pitching staff that it could be a degree course at Cambridge.

The back end of the rotation is an uncertain blend of unproven youngsters some of which have been rushed to the bigs and some that are there because they can’t afford to get anyone else. The most promising of these is RHP Jose Capellan who came over in the Danny Kolb deal and possesses some of the hardest stuff you will ever see but lacks any real command.

RHP Ben Sheets exploded last year and was as good as any pitcher around. He flirted with a perfect game, had another game which saw him strikeout 18 batters and finished the year with a 2.70 ERA, 264K’s over 237 innings while walking only 32. It will be extremely tough for him to match those numbers but there is no reason to doubt he will continue to be a dominant pitcher with his mid-90’s fastball and knee buckling curve.

LHP Doug Davis is a great complementary pitcher to Sheets with his collection of junk that he dishes up. Davis doesn’t have great stuff or high velocity but he mixes things up well by changing speeds and nibbling at the corners.

Without Kolb the bullpen is a total mystery. Capellan might be started off in the pen but the job of closing will likely go to RHP Ricky Botallico who has had limited experience in the past and could buy time for RHP Jeff Bennett and RHP Mike Adams to get acclimatised to the majors.

Damian Miller has caught some of baseballs best pitchers during his career and that experience should help the young Brewers pitchers. He has a soft hands and a strong arm.

The infield is not particularly strong with Russell Branyan at third, Lyle Overbay is average at first and Bill Hall and Junior Spivey have good range but are erratic up the middle.

Brady Clark will get first dibs at centerfield and is capable of playing all three outfield positions. He makes good reads and has good closing speed. Geoff Jenkins is very capable right fielder and attacks everything that comes his way. Carlos Lee will be in left and what he lacks in natural ability he makes up for in effort and although he might not take the best routes to the ball, he will field it and get the ball back quickly.

If there is one thing this team does better than most then it is striking out. Between Lee, Jenkins, Overbay and Hall you have 485 strikeouts or an average of 121.25 each and that’s without a full year from Russell Branyan. Overbay in particular slumped in the second half of the year after a good start and it remains to be seen if he can make the adjustment to keep his average above .300 if he can’t he doesn’t have enough power to justify his presence in the line-up and it won’t take long for The Brewers to bring up hot prospect Prince Fielder.

Brady Clark should be a good fit at the top of the order. He’s got good speed and patience and if he can get on base it should make life easier for Lee and Jenkins who are both capable of putting up good numbers across the board and can even steal a bag if you let them.

The Brewers suffer a lot of the problems that small market teams have and that is a lack of depth. They have some real assets, especially at the front of the rotation but even if they manage to scratch out some wins, one injury to the wrong player and it will all come tumbling down.

Milwaukee does have some promising prospects in their system waiting to come up and it looks like a few are likely to be brought in by September whether they’re ready or not.

Predicted Finish : 4^th NL Central

On their way to The World Series, The Cardinals benefited from the efforts of a rotation that really overachieved and it would be hard to expect the incumbents to perform to that level again this year but GM Walt Jockety has accounted for this by acquiring a true ace in LHP Mark Mulder. At his best Mulder is an aggressive pitcher who throws strikes and challenges hitters to try and beat him. There are concerns about how he faded in the second half of last year but he should still be able to get 15+ wins and pitch 200+ innings.

RHP Matt Morris was once this teams ace but he has lost velocity on his fastball and hasn’t made the adjustments he needed to keep him ahead. He still has a great curveball and can give St Louis quality starts but he’s far from automatic.

One of the real keys to last seasons rotation was RHP Chris Carpenter who was plagued by shoulder problems at Toronto but had a new lease of life in St Louis. Despite his history of injuries he was still able to get his fastball into the mid-90’s and mix in his big overhand curve and even though he missed the end of the year with a bicep problem it should be more of the same next year.

There aren’t many bullpens who could sustain the loss of Steve Kline but while St Louis would be better if he was still there, the combination LHP Ray King and the nomadic sidearmer LHP Mike Myers should give the trigger happy Tony La Russa plenty of bullets to fire at opposing lefties. The other benefit of having both Myers and King is that LHP Rick Ankiel will be free to join the rotation as soon as he convinces La Russa that he is back. Ankiel has suffered greatly during his development but he showed superb control after his late season call up and still has the lively fastball, the good slider and one of the nastiest curveballs you will ever see (I’ve never seen better) and if La Russa shows some confidence in him, Ankiel won’t let him down and is better prepared than most 25 year old pitchers.

Once the middle relief have done their job the game will be turned over to RHP Jason Isringhausen who is as tough a closer as you will find in The National League. Injuries have taken some of his velocity in recent years but he has great control, a great curve and really pours it on hitters.

This is the area where The Cards have really suffered in the off season with the loss of one of baseballs best shortstops and the best defensive catcher in baseball. Without Matheny behind the dish so much will change for the pitchers and the infield. His replacement will be Yadier Molina and The Cards are confident that he can be as good as his brothers in Anaheim. Molina has a cannon arm and showed good mobility in limited time with the big club but it awaits to be seen if he can carry the load of being a full time catcher.

The infield is almost backwards in the sense that they are stronger on the corners than up the middle with the ever improving Albert Pujols at first and the incomparable Scott Rolen at third. Up the middle David Eckstein will replace Renteria and what Eckstein lacks in natural ability he makes up for in intelligence and has a knack for positioning himself in exactly the right place to make the play. At second will be Mark Grudzielanek who is dependable with limited range.

Its not often you can heap praise on an outfields defence when they have Roger Cedeno on the roster but, thankfully for Cards fans, they have enough depth that he shouldn’t get much time in the field. Jim Edmonds is one of the best in centre and does it all whilst smiling for the cameras. He’s a showboat and gets away with it.

To Edmonds left will be Reggie Sanders who is always dependable and to the right is Larry Walker who really knows how to play the position. Few get the jumps on the ball that he does and even though his legs aren’t what they were he still has good range.

David Eckstein doesn’t have any discernable power but knows how to get on base and make a nuisance of himself, not that he needs to do a lot with the support he’ll get from the hitters behind him.

Albert Pujols continues to amaze by forever being amongst the leaders in average, homeruns and RBI. He has as smooth a swing as you will find from a right handed batter and attacks everything with authority. His real strength is his ability to adjust and you will never get him out the same way twice, if you try he’s more than likely going to take it over the fence.

Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen really struggled in The World Series but during the regular season they combined for 76 HR and 235 RBI and were among the leading candidates for the NL MVP and will be itching for a second chance.

No longer a perennial MVP candidate Larry Walker is still one of the best hitters in baseball and was not only St Louis’ best hitter in The World Series but possibly the best player on either side. He has a great eye, a sweet swing and is one of the smartest guys in baseball. He knows every situation and is superb on the bases.

They’ve lost some key personnel but should still be strong enough to make a push for the playoffs. Their rotation is strong, the bullpen excellent and their line-up formidable but they will need their starters to stay healthy and also to avoid a hangover after their disappointments in last years playoffs. If they hit the ground running they could go one step further than last year.

Predicted Finish : 1^st NL Central

When healthy The Cubs’ rotation might be the best in baseball. The top three guys are all flamethrowers, then they throw out a pitcher who has won games more consistently than any other pitcher in history. The fifth spot is up for grabs but The Cubs soon crank it back up with those three blazing aces.

Both RHP Mark Prior and RHP Kerry Wood have had injury problems but when they are on the mound they pour it on with fastballs that can get into the upper-90’s and back it up with ungodly breaking stuff that are often un-hittable. RHP Carlos Zambrano is every bit their equal and has been the most dependable presence in the rotation over the last few years.

RHP Greg Maddux continues his march to The Hall of Fame and will be looking to extend his record streak of 15 win seasons to 18 consecutive (the next best being Cy Young with 15). Maddux still has pinpoint control and that ineffable ability to do what the batter least expects.

The fifth spot is likely to go to LHP Glendon Rusch who is a capable starter with good control but could be moved to the pen if youngster RHP Sergio Mitre can impress in spring training.

The only real question in the bullpen is who will close. RHP Joe Borowski had a breakout season in 2003 but missed most of 2004 with a torn rotator cuff and didn’t look convincing upon his return. RHP LaTroy Hawkins was the teams closer last year but rarely looked convincing and should return to the set-up role he is more comfortable with. The front runner looks to be Ryan Dempster who has two good pitches and a real competitive edge on the mound.

Once the closer situation is settled then the set-up corps is solid with LHP Mike Remlinger and Hawkings providing a good one-two punch.

The Cubs could have some problems defensively especially if Todd Walker gets the majority of time at second. Walker is as robotic as they come and when combined with Nomar Garciaparra don’t exactly give Chicago a dependable double play combo.

Nomar’s defence has been severely hampered by injuries and whilst he still has a cannon arm and can make the throw from the hole as well as anyone, he has trouble filling the hole at this point in his career.

There is good cover up the middle with Neifi Perez and Jerry Hairston who are both excellent defensive players.

Derrek Lee is one of baseballs best at first making himself a big target and securing everything that comes within his reach with some of the safest hands around. Across the infield Aramis Ramirez improved his defence significantly last year and by the end he looked like he could be a very good third baseman for years to come.

In the outfield Corey Patterson is a complete outfielder with great speed and a good arm and will have to work hard with Jeromy Burnitz in right, who has a great arm but every ball hit to him is an adventure, and Todd Hollandsworth is straight up average in left.

Chicago has two great catchers with Michael Barrett getting the majority of time. He is a good reciever and knows how to handle his pitchers. When Henry Blanco steps in he offers all the same qualities and adds a cannon arm to the mix.

There are some great hitters on this team and Aramis Ramirez, in particular, will looking to build on an outstanding 2004 where he really looked like he was hitting his prime and will be integral to the line-up, especially after the departure of Sammy Sosa. Beyond Ramirez there isn’t much meat in the order. Burnitz and Lee can both hit the ball a long way but can be streaky. A fully healthy Garciaparra will go a long way to helping this team score some runs. He’s won two batting titles in his career but has had a constant stream of injuries since. When he’s on there are few people who make hard contact as often as he does.

The most important part of this line-up will be at leadoff where Corey Patterson has been hitting but strikes out far too much and might be more useful adding presence to the heart of the order. Jerry Hairston came over from Baltimore in the Sosa deal and is probably a better fit but will be fighting for playing time with Todd Walker at second who is a professional hitter ideally suited to hitting second. It is conceivable that they could try and fit Hairston into the outfield to address this problem.

There are problems in the field and the batting line-up is not the strongest and an injury to the wrong person will give them major problems but they are stacked with great pitchers and they have enough in their pen to cover up any problems they might encounter selecting a closer.

Their pitching is enough to put them in contention for the playoffs but they will need some luck if they are to win anything.

Predicted Finish : 2^nd NL Central

Pittsburgh should have a solid rotation with five guys who are capable of giving them quality starts but none of them except Perez are particularly good. RHP Kip Wells is probably the best of the ensemble with a hard fastball and a good repertoire of off-speed stuff and his only problem is his location which comes and goes with the tides.

If LHP Oliver Perez isn’t the best lefty in The National League he soon will be. He has a lively fastball that he will run inside and complements it with a wicked curveball and if he can refine his changeup he could be really special.

RHP Josh Fogg and LHP Mark Redman are both guys who live on off speed stuff and nibbling at the corners but can get into trouble.

The bullpen is also solid with RHP Jose Mesa coming off a 43 save season and should be able to nail down most games. The rest of the pen is young but versatile with RHP Salomon Torres the primary set-up guy and a potential closer down the line.

Jack Wilson is a real asset and knows how to play short as well as anyone and along with Ty Wigginton at third, give The Pirates a strong left side. On the right Jose Castillo is athletic but raw and will have his work cut out alongside Craig Wilson who is at first because he is almost totally immobile.

The outfield of Jason Bay in left, Tike Redman in centre and Matt Lawton in right are very mobile but none of them have a good arm.

Humberto Cota will get as much time as The Pirates feel they can as they try and groom him as Jason Kendall’s replacement. Cota doesn’t figure to be a great catcher but won’t let you down. When Cota isn’t there Benito Santiago will step in and shuffle his aging bones behind the dish. He handles a staff well but he can’t move about too much anymore.

Matt Lawton is still able to steal a bag and knows how to get on base ahead of last years NL Rookie of the Year Jason Bay and Craig Wilson who are both able to take the ball out of any park but beyond those two there isn’t much depth. Daryle Ward and Rob Mackowiak are other power threats coming off the bench but aren’t regulars.

Jose Castillo and Tike Redman have some speed but need to find a way on base to use it.

The Pirates are young and have some promising arms but they will struggle to score runs and there isn’t much help on the way.

Predicted Finish : 6^th NL Central

The Reds have put together a staff built from other peoples cast offs and some youngsters and at best they will have an average rotation.

LHP Eric Milton and RHP Ramon Ortiz were brought in to help team ‘ace’ RHP Paul Wilson. Milton and Wilson are little more than innings eaters and Ortiz has never been able to cash in on his ability and last year was sent to The Angels bullpen after being ineffective in the rotation.

The Reds are hopeful that RHP Luke Hudson can be productive. He was promoted to the big club last year but had major control problems.

The bullpen remains mostly intact from last year but sadly last years pen was one of the worst around. RHP Danny Graves is one of the few weapons they do have and while he might not be the most dominating pitcher, he does have an idea of how to get people out and pick up a save.

RHP Ben Weber was a great pick up and has done a great job the last few seasons in Anaheim and will be given more responsibility in Cincinnati. He and LHP Kent Mercker are pretty much it in middle relief.

The Reds should be worried by their infield defence with D’Angelo Jimenez and Felipe Lopez prone to mistakes up the middle, Sean Casey has good hands but has the mobility of a tree and third baseman Joe Randa is passed his best but makes the plays you expect him to.

The outfield is slightly better where once again Junior Griffey will be on the comeback trail after injury. He has undoubtedly lost a step but he just knows how to play the outfield and while he can’t be as aggressive as he was when he was ‘Mariner Ken’ he will still go all out when the game is on the line (which is where he has picked up some of his latest injuries).

Austin Kearns will be in right if he stays healthy and is very good out there. He might not have the best arm but is comfortable out there and is efficient in running down anything hit there. Adam Dunn is similarly dependable in left but not quite so mobile.

If Junior or Kearns goes down then Wily Mo Pena can play either right or centre. Pena is a tremendous athlete and has the potential to be very special but needs to work on his routes.

Jason LaRue has a great arm at catcher making him tough to run on but he is a poor receiver and lacks mobility behind the plate. He really doesn’t give his pitchers a lot of confidence.

Adam Dunn sets the tone for this team with the bat and last year set a record that will be tough for anyone to beat but maybe him. He struck out 195 times! Almost everyone in the line-up is a potential strikeout victim and of the projected starters, only Sean Casey and Joe Randa are not likely to strikeout 100 times if they play a full year.

Of course with the strikeouts comes plenty of power potential with Dunn, Kearns, Griffey and Pena all likely to hit 30+ homeruns if they avoid inury.

Sean Casey is the heart and soul of this team. He is the anchor of the line-up and a leader in the clubhouse. A professional and selective hitter, he will drive the ball to the gaps and if a pitcher makes a mistake he can take it out the park.

There are problems at the top of the order where D’Angelo Jimenez has great discipline (82 BB) and uses the whole field but 99 strikeouts is a lot for a leadoff man. If he can cut down on the K’s then he could be an all-star.

This team will be tough to shut down with all that power but they will also have a tough time shutting other teams down. Their pitching is poor and they won’t get help from their fielders. Add to that several injury concerns and it looks like a long and hard season for Reds fans.

Predicted Finish : 5^th NL Central