Rotation Battle in Chicago's Southside

Pitching hasn't been a strength for the White Sox in years, especially the starting variety.  New GM Allston O'Wharly has taken this problem head-on, assembling a not-terrible rotation from the free agency scrap heap last season.  This year he was more aggressive, trading for a top of the rotation arm and getting bigger names in FA.

The combination of those moves, plus the natural improvements of arms already in the system, has created a logjam of talent.  The White Sox have 10-15 arms capable of starting in the big leagues, and now have to decide who to hand the ball to for their 5 man rotation.

With Spring Training done, we have some recent stats along with lifetime stats to compare the players by.  Let's take a look at the top competitors and the dark horses to see who might be taking the mound every 5 days for the PaleHose.

1. RHP Ramon Martinez (1-year, $5mil)
Career Stats: 170-138, 3.58 ERA
Spring stats: 0-1, 5.53 ERA

Martinez came over from the Padres for OF Jeff Abbott.  With name recognition, fan favorite status, and a big contract, Ramon is most likely to be atop the rotation.  The White Sox will probably try to flip him for prospects or draft picks, so getting good numbers out of him is important.  Even if he doesn't perform, given the contract, the White Sox will probably keep playing him.  The 4-time all star pitched 246 innings last season and has topped 200 innings for 9 straight seasons!

2. LHP Scott Baker (2-year, $300k)
Career Stats: 47-88, 4.85 ERA
Spring stats: 1-1, 2.70 ERA

The well-travelled lefty, now on his 5th team, has a drop dead curveball but struggles with command.  He still ate 200 innings at a 4.28 ERA last season for the Red Sox, and with his tremendous movement, he's the next likeliest to land a rotation spot for the season.

3. RHP Andy Benes (1 years, $300k)
Career Stats: 148-117, 3.86 ERA
Spring stats: 3-1, 4.03 ERA

Another elder statesman, Benes gives the White Sox another solid name and former All-Star, and he threw a decent 4.05 ERA last season despite battling injury.  He hasn't hit the 200 inning mark since '97, so another pitcher will likely take some of his starts during the long season.

4. LHP Glenn Dishman (1 year, $300k)
Career stats: 99-86, 4.22 ERA
Spring stats: 2-2, 3.60 ERA

Dishman did decently as a scrap heap pickup last season, tossing 176 innings of 4.49 ERA ball.  He is a fringy backend guy though, and being 31, second lefty in the rotation, he might be outperformed by someone early on and lose his spot.  In spring command was an issue, with 16 walks against 15 Ks.  Still scouts say he has improved his two-seamer and could lower his HR rate this season.

5. RHP Luis de los Santos (pre-arb contract)
Career stats: 10-14, 5.41 ERA
Spring stats: 3-0, 1.96 ERA

At 24, Luis de los Santos is the internal option that won the 5th starter job out of spring training.  Avoiding a loss and posting a sub-2.00 ERA will get management's attention.  Hitters managed just .210 against him.  Santos is a 5th round draftee from '95 and doesn't have much beyond his fastball, but if he puts it all together this season it will be fantastic.

6. LHP Darrell May (2-year, $300k)
Career stats: 71-72, 4.32 ERA
Spring stats: 2-1, 1.86 ERA

May is on his 4th team at age 29, not a good sign.  Last season he was terrible, to a 7.62 ERA in 7 starts (16 games).  He hasn't seen an ERA under 5 since '98 when he was shipped to the AL mid-season.  Still Spring results are impressive and he could fight his way into the rotation.

7. LHP Mike Myers (2-year $300k)
Career stats: 77-68, 3.86 ERA
Spring stats: 1-0, 4.21 ERA

Another 3-time All Star on the staff, Myers was a lifelong Marlin until struggling to a 4.91 ERA and being relegated to the bullpen last season.  He was fantastic in the 2000 playoffs, and he's just 32, so a resurgence is possible.

8. LHP Josh Stewart (pre-arb)
Career stats: 2-4, 6.87 ERA
Spring stats: 2-3, 3.86 ERA

Stewart just turned 23 and is looking to crack the rotation soon - he went 10-6 with a 3.62 ERA in triple-A last season.  A blistering 95mph fastball from a lefty is good, but Stewart's changeup features solid movement.  Scouts assume he will take over as CHW's ace in the very near future.

9. LHP Mark McLemore (pre-arb)
Career stats: 1-1, 3.07 ERA
Spring stats: 0-0, 4.38 ERA

McLemore is a reliever by trade, but filled in as an emergency starter in September last season, doing pretty well at it.  His mediocre fastball (91mph) will probably prevent him from true starting duty - he features a plus slider but an average changeup.  Still he is just 21, in just his first season above single-A.  To limit MLB batters to a .208 on-base turned a lot of heads.

10. RHP Ruddy Lugo (pre-arb)
Career stats: 1-1, 4.34 ERA
Spring stats: 2-0, 3.21 ERA

If Luis de los Santos hadn't had such a great spring, this 21-year-old might have cracked the rotation.  The former Rays prospect limited batters to a .226 average against him this spring, but will start his 3rd season of triple-A while he tries to improve his curve and control.  Lugo turns 22 in May and features an incredible 50% groundball rate, marking him as a backend arm of the future.

11. LHP Nate Robertson (pre-arb)
Career stats: 5-10, 5.04 ERA
Spring stats: 0-0, 5.10 ERA (6 starts)

How the mighty have fallen.  1st round pick of 1995 (26th overall), Robertson was once the lefty ace of the future.  Last season in triple-A he went 10-2 with a 2.61 ERA, but once he came up he was worse (1-5, 4.97 ERA).  He may still factor in - he's just 24 after all and has a good GB rate - but CHW would have to deal about 5 arms in order for him to see MLB roster time at this point.

12. RHP Brandon Duckworth (pre-arb)
Career stats: none
Spring stats: 3-0, 2.56 ERA

Signed out of the independent leagues last season, Duckworth is 26 and a longshot to crack the bigs.  He did impress this spring however, and is a decent depth righty to have in the system.

13: RHP Chad Ogea (1 year, $300k)
Career stats: 68-79, 4.90 ERA
Spring stats: 1-0, 2.89 ERA

Ogea had a good spring too, but his ERA has been ballooning over the years - 5.05 in '99, 6.34 in '00, and a nasty 7.45 in 19.1 innings last season.  Chicago doesn't want much more of that, but if a lot of trades happen and catastrophic injuries too, Ogea might be in a long man spot again.

14. LHP Eude Brito (pre-arb)
Career stats: none
Spring stats: 1-2, 5.68 ERA

Brito will turn 24 in August and hasn't yet made the jump to AAA.  He still has upside though, and is another lefty in the deep lefty stack of Chicago's pitching depth.  He can hit 94mph and has a solid sinker with good movement.  Brito might put it all together at 26 and become a dominant force, time will tell.

15. LHP Brandon Claussen (pre-arb)
Career stats: none
Spring stats: 1-3, 4.30 ERA

2nd round pick in 1997 might've garnered more hope, but Claussen is just another lefty on the CHW stack.  Good slider, good all-around but not excelling enough to grab attention, Claussen is trying desperately to make double-A and keep his career going.  A thinner system might already be trying him out on the majors.

Honorable mentions:
Kason Gabbard (19, single-A)
Darrell Rasner (21, single-A)
Bobby Livingston (19, A-ball)

White Sox Rise from the Dead

It's been a steady downhill trot for the White Sox, who peaked back in 1994 by winning the ALDS during a 102-win season. Since that time, fortune has eaten away at them:

1994 103-60, ALDS winner
1995 84-78, 2nd place 
1996 80-82, 3rd place
1997 78-84, 4th place
1998 81-81, 4th place
1999 67-95, 5th place
2000 63-99, 5th place

Not a lot for fans to root for nowadays as they had seen their playoff contender club melt away slowly into a perennial bottom-feeder. 

Well, 2001 has changed things. New management took over, and during the offseason, flipped a ton of MLB talent - and payroll - away for prospects.

Heading out of CHW:
3B Aaron Boone
2B Ray Durham
C Mark Johnson
C Javy Lopez

Coming to CHW:
C Cody Clark (65/80)
CF Jonathan Van Every (67/83)
LF Gary Johnson (88)
C Tom Gregorio (67/81)
1B Craig Brazell (58/79)
1B Bryan LaHair (59/90
LF Carlos Quentin (61/91)

A good MLB bat in Gary Johnson, but the rest are prospects - some blue chip, others more lottery tickets and necessary depth. In dealing the four vets, Chicago cleared about $10mil of salary. The White Sox begin the season with the lowest payroll in the AL at $22.6M - only the Astros and Reds field a more frugal roster. 

The White Sox ownership was also active on the free agency front, signing 8 players to full MLB deals:
SP Andy Benes
SP Glenn Dishman
SP Joe Nathan
RP Dustin Hermanson
RP Brandon Knight
RP Rob Stanifer
SS Ricky Gutierrez
SS Jose Offerman

Seeing a path to playing time was clearly a factor, as every pitcher that was extended an offer took it, and the White Sox released some of their poorer-performing veteran arms at the end of spring training:
RP Matt Dunbar
RP Dan Reichert

The squad still looked like a decently competitive team, despite trading away 4 stars - the White Sox probably weren't going to crack .500, but they were looking at 70 wins and respectability during a rebuild phase. 

Well now it is May 1st, and a month of 2001 baseball is in the books. The White Sox are .500, with a 13-13 record, and possess the lowest rotation ERA in the major leagues. They have the 5th best ERA overall. They aren't being powered by their offense (4.42 runs scored/game), but somehow the pitchers are keeping them in games. What's odd is that it's the backend of the rotation - ace Al Levine has a 3.48 ERA and a 1-1 record, and #2 Andy Benes has suffered through injury with a poor 4.64 ERA and 1-1 record as well. 

Behind them, a combination of free agents and old names have posted better results:
Joe Nathan - 1-1, 2.49 ERA
Mike Sirotka - 3-2, 2.25 ERA
Glenn Dishman - 3-1, 2.39 ERA

Last year these guys weren't this good - Nathan was used entirely in relief for the Reds. Sirotka spent only 6 games on the MLB squad, making 22 starts for double-A, not even triple-A. Only Glenn Dishman was a regular MLB starter, going 10-11 with a disappointing 5.33 ERA for the Padres. Dishman has the best pedigree, with 94 career wins and a No Hitter to his credit (back in 1997), but he's in the 5th starter slot.

So will this mean a middle of the road .500 finish is possible? Or simply that Chicago's arms are hitting their stride early and building up trade value? Only time will tell. 

On the hitting side, there's not much to crow about, but new outfielder Gary Johnson is hitting well, with a .371 average and a .450 on-base percentage. He started the season red hot, as he's cooled off to the tune of a .275 line his last 10 games. Johnson is still making league minimum this season and might be a deadline trade target. 

The Truth Of Barry Bonds

On September 26 1995 Barry Bonds apparently suffered a torn Achilles tendon on his left ankle. This injury was announced to the public to cover-up steroids use by Barry Bonds. The Injury was confirmed fake earlier this year by Doctor Craven Moor-Head. Commish Hokey did his best to keep the situation away from the league and to the public. Bonds continued to use steroids thru part of the 1995 Season. Hokey laid down a suspension on bonds on the exact date the injury was announced forcing bonds to miss the 1995 playoffs all of the off-season programs and april-may of the 1996 season. Manager Steal Third went on to the playoffs without Barry Bonds and proved to the world Barry Bonds isnt needed to win titles. Jose Rijo stepped up his game without his teammate going 2 starts  2 wins 8 innings each and giving up zero runs to earn the San Francisco Giants a 1995 championship.

will these be bonds in a few seasons?

 Coming back in 1996 Bonds has hit a miserable .215 without the use of the roids. He also hit a lousy .248 in the 1995 season where we believe use of roids was on and off. Also theres something fishy about how Bonds was placed on the trading block during the middle of the 1996 season? Did steal third know the entire time? or does he even know more then what we know? What we do know is he can win titles without his star player.
       

1994 Draft Review

This is not being done to offend anyone, just my view point on the draft and how it proceeded. So please do not think I hate you even if I disliked your pick.

1.       New York Mets Select 1B Paul Konerko

I think this is the best pick that the Mets could have made with this pick. He may not end up being the best player in the draft, but he was by far the best first base, and with the team knocking on the doors with the playoffs with a relatively average aged team, I think getting a young 1B who could be used in a few years will help them more than anyone else. Not to mention, his stats in high school were amazing in power, although just around average in contact, but I really think the Mets will be happy.

Rating: A+

2.       San Diego Padres Select OF Alfonso Soriano

In my opinion, I thought the Padres may have missed the boat with this pick, but time could change that story. In terms of OF I thought the best OF was Carlos Lee, and already he looks like he will be better than Soriano. Not to mention I still think a middle infielder was a better choice because San Diego already has what looks to be a decent OF in the future. Statistically he did show a lot of power in high school, but he did not hit for average very well.

Rating: D+

3.       Florida Marlins Select SS Edgar Renteria

The Marlins did pick who I think is the best SS in the draft, but they have so many middle infielders, did they really need another one? I really think they should have gone with Lee, or the next pick in Vazquez, but at least they got a very solid player with their pick who maybe lets them trade one of their other infielders for a position they need. This guy can hit the ball for average, as his high school numbers say, but he does not have a ton of power, and at least the Marlins should be happy if he could hit like he did in high school.

Rating: C

4.       Colorado Rockies Select SP Javier Vazquez

The Rockies selected the top pitcher in the draft, and it may not be a bad thing for them. Although it should be interesting if he can pitch well in Coors. Hitting may have been safer at this pick, but to get the top pitcher, and maybe build more of a rotation in future drafts, Rage did quite well. This man pitched so well in high school that no one really came close to him, so I think the Rockies will be extremely happy with him if he can pitch similar to those numbers.

Rating: A+

5.       Oakland Athletics Select SS Michael Young

Although Oakland already has a few good middle infielders on their team, I think this was a good pick for them, although Carlos Lee would probably have been the best pick for them here. It should be interesting whether Young or Tejada plays SS and the other at 3B, or what will happen. Either way, Young is quite solid except for his eye. In high school, he did hit well for average, but not a ton of power, and so hopefully that is not exactly what Oakland was looking for with this pick.

Rating: B

6.       Milwaukee Brewers Select SP Sidney Ponson

I think the Brewers saw that they needed a pitcher and grabbed the next best one, but for this I think it was a mistake for Milwaukee. As much as Ponson has a lot of room, his vitals are okay, but his statistics in high school were not that great, and he could be a very solid pitcher, but he will likely never be an all-star type player. I really think they should have went with Lee in the OF, because their future OF does not look very strong in power, and the pitching in the future may be better when they get a similar pick in their position.

Rating: C-

7.       Cincinnati Reds Select OF Carlos Lee

Well Cincinnati got really lucky here that no one took Carlos Lee, and because of this they may have gotten one of the best value picks in the draft. I predicted them to get an OF, which they did get, but they got one that was better than my prediction, and he has already jumped, and statistically dominated high school in both average and home runs, which to me makes it a very excellent pick.

Rating: A+

8.       Minnesota Twins Select OF Randy Winn

The Twins were autoed Winn, and although he may not be the best pick at this position, when they already have a lot of OF’s in their farm, he is much better than some of the later auto’s. He had good stats in high school, but he really only projects to be high contact, with some power, and some speed, but nothing else outstanding except for his defense. Overall this was a better pick than I may have predicted the Twins getting.

Rating: B

9.       Atlanta Select 1B Lance Berkman

I did predict Berkman to get selected here, but for a different team. Overall I think Atlanta did great here getting a much needed 1B at this position. Berkman could end up being a bust, but if he works out well for Altanta, this will be a great pick, and some teams who picked ahead may end up being sad about passing him. In high school he has absolutely dominating, although I do not think his contact will end up being that great in the majors.

Rating: A-

10.   Pittsburgh Select CA Toby Hall

Pittsburgh was autoed Hall at this pick, but much like Minnesota, could have done much worse than Hall. Overall they did not need a catcher at this pick, but he may end up being able to trade Hall to a team that needs a catcher. Looking back at the later selections, picking up Burrell, or Glaus, would have been much better choices, as they do not really have much in terms of power or OF in their farm. Hall had good contact, but he seems to lack power as his high school numbers show, if his defense gets a bit better than he could be solid, but he probably will not have much impact in the long run.

Rating: C

11.   Cleveland Indians Select CA Michael Barrett

Cleveland was autoed Barrett at this pick, and they actually needed a catcher. Realistically I think this was the best pick that the Indians could get with their pick. Now by no means is Barrett the best player available, but the pitching left was not so strong, and really they did not need another OF or 3B on their team. Defensively Barrett is not strong, but if he can catch averagely, and his contact and power specifically increase, we will see a great catcher. His high school numbers were not that great, but his eye looks fairly good in high school. His power and eye are also above his overall which is always a good thing as well.

Rating: A

12.   Boston Red Sox Select OF Craig Wilson

The Red Sox surprised me a bit with this pick, and although Wilson has monstrous power, his low contact and eye scare me a bit. At the same position was Burrell who was available, who I think may be the safest pick of the outfielders that were left. I do not think it was a bad pick, just and was probably better than picking a catcher at this position, which was one of their needs I thought. In high school his contact numbers were not bad, and he had great power, so it will be interesting to see if his contact can get closer to his overall.

Rating: C

13.   Los Angeles Dodgers Select SP Ryan Drese

Sadly for the Dodgers, they were the first team unlucky in terms of auto picks. I think Drese is a terrible pitching prospect, and looks like his movement his going to be far higher than his control. Which normally is bad, but with some of the way pitchers have been pitching with vitals like that, it may not be so bad in 2015. Still I think they really wish that they could have gotten one of the big slugging hitters like Glaus or Burrell. Statistically, Drese was also a mess in pitching, and that does scare me as well.

Rating: D

14.   Milwaukee Brewers Select SP Randy Wolf

Although I find stocking up in pitching in this draft was a terrible idea, and Milwaukee was one of two teams to do so, this is not a terrible pick. I do think there are many things to dislike about Wolf, there are also some things to like about him. Mainly he looks to have some good power and his control is currently above his overall, so his vitals should look okay, but statistically in the high school he only really had one year of real good pitching, so I feel like he may be good, but not amazing by any means.

Rating: B

15.   Toronto Blue Jays Select SP Jason Roach

Toronto is the other team that stocked up on pitching, and I feel like they continually missed the boat. I really hate how Roach looks. His control is lower than his overall and already well below his movement, and he has little to no power. I doubt he has much of a career, and really statistically he was atrocious in high school.

Rating: F

16.   Toronto Blue Jays Select SP Jay Spurgeon

Once again another pitcher, except I do like Spurgeon more than Roach. Vitals wise both his control and movement are above his overall which is good, but still control is less than movement which is never a good thing. He is another pitcher who does not look like he will have much power in terms of pitching. In terms of stats, his career in high school were not bad, although his senior year was bad, but one season is not bad, so he may actually end up being decent. Still not the best of the Toronto selections, and hitting would have been much better in both these spots.

Rating: C

17.   Baltimore Orioles Select CA A.J. Pierzynski

I really love the pick here by the Orioles. Pierzynski looks to be the most promising catcher in terms of defense and contact, but whether his power increases a lot will be interesting. I predicted them in taking an OF, but they did not have a catcher either, and to grab him that is great. His contact is above his overall, and if his power which is just a bit under can also increase that will be great for Baltimore. The one issue is his eye as well, and it looks fairly low. Statistically he had a couple good years, but nothing very consistent, and not much power.

Rating: B+

18.   Detroit Tigers Select 2B Adam Kennedy

I think for the Tigers, grabbing Kennedy was the best thing they could do. They could have maybe grabbed an OF or a 3B as the next pick did, but, with them having an aging Whitaker, they need a middle infielder for the long term and they really had no one. His contact is right on with his overall, and his defense is average. If his eye can improve some and his defense can get better, than I think Detroit will be very happy drafting their future 2B with the 18^th pick. In high school his numbers are pretty good contact wise, but he will not be a big home run threat in the majors.

Rating: A

19.   Houston Astros Select 3B Troy Glaus

Even though I predicted Houston to get pitching there was not a lot of pitching, and so getting Glaus here was a great pick up. With Caminiti and Nevin, I did not think Houston needed a 3B right away, but with a team that is fairly strong, and with Caminiti potentially aging soon, then this pick up may keep them more in contention longer. Their pitching has also performed very well. His eye and power are phenomenal for his overall, but his contact is atrocious. If the contact ends up being close to the 80s and his power even higher, this will be a great draft for Mhall. Statistically he was a monster in high school.

Rating: A

20.   Texas Rangers Select SP Carl Pavano

Texas made an amazing selection here, and although I have been hating on most pitching Pavano looks like he could be the second best pitcher after Vasquez. It was a bit of a surprise since I did not think GD needed more pitching, but pitching never hurts. With his control well above his overall and also above his movement, I think he will be very good once he has developed. Statistically in high school he was hit hard which is a bit of a downer, but even then his dice was good.

Rating: B+

21.   St. Louis Cardinals Select OF Pat Burrell

Dave did a little dance after Burrell dropped to him. This was the type of player St. Louis wanted. Even right now the OF in St. Louis did not look very strong, and their future does not look much better in terms of future OF. With that being said, his power and eye are well above his overall, but his contact is slightly under his overall, and defensively he could be a disaster. However, St. Louis does not have to worry about him now as they traded him for an upgrade, but I think the Twins will be happy with whom they got, although they did not need another OF.

Rating: A

22.   Colorado Rockies Select SP Dave Coggin

Another pitcher, another pick I dislike. He may potentially be the pitcher I like the least. His control is really low compared to his movement and is below his overall. He also does not seem to have as much room to move from overall to peak, so I do not think he will have a long life as a major league pitcher. His stats in high school were good, but time will tell whether he will actually end up being good or not.

Rating: F

23.   Chicago White Sox Select OF Dustan Mohr

The White Sox were autoed Mohr, and at the time I liked the pick, but since he had his birthday, he needs to really get a jump before he looks like a potential bust. Power in their outfield will help them tremendously in the future, but his defense is below average, and his contact is just barely lower than his overall. The rest of his abilities are all well above his overall which is a very good thing. However, one thing that is scary is that in his high school numbers, he was really bad offensively, so for the White Sox, they will hope he can swing it better in the minors and majors.

Rating: B

24.   Florida Marlins Select SP Kyle Peterson

At this selection the Marlins seem to have drafted a dud. He needs a jump in order to be anything, and his control is already below his overall, so he may have some low control and average movement. Statistically he was not terrible in high school as his dice shows he was better than his era lets on, but I really doubt he will make a big impact for the Marlins.

Rating: D-

25.   Cincinnati Reds Select 2B Junior Spivey

Once again the Reds make a good pick, and although Boone has played well, his vitals are not that great so it will be interesting whether he continues to perform like that. Other than that the Reds did not have much middle infielder help for their future, and they got some here with Spivey. His contact matches his overall, and his defence is a little below average, but if that and his eye can even just become average to slightly above average, and his contact stay with his overall, he should be a very decent infielder. In high school he did bat for average, and seemed to have some power still.

Rating: B

26.   Toronto Blue Jays Select SP Tomo Ohka

This time the Jays took an actual solid pitcher with their pick. To be honest I was a bit surprised to not see Ohka taken earlier, but I think Mike hit the mark right on with this pick. All his vitals are above his overall, and control is currently above the movement which are good signs. As well, he pitched average in high school, and so given some time, Ohka could be a good 2-3 pitcher.

Rating: A

27.   Philadelphia Phillies Select SP Kevin Olsen

Like many of the pitchers in this draft, I am not too big on Olsen. With his birthday coming up soon, he may take a big hit as well. His vitals are above his overall, but the movement looks like it will be the highest one again, which is always iffy. He did perform well in high school, so that could mean something good for Erick, but time will tell how this pick goes.

Rating: D

28.   Toronto Blue Jays Select SP Chris Fussell

With the last pick, Mike went back to a swing and a miss. His vitals are above the overall, but like the other pitchers in this draft, the movement looks to be the highest which is not such a good thing. Not to mention, he had terrible numbers in high school, except for his last year, and one year can just be a blip. If I am wrong on him I will be wrong on many of the other pitchers which for the Jays would be a good thing.

Rating: D

1994 Mock Draft

1.       New York Mets Select 1B Paul Konerko

I think the Mets go with a 1B or OF with the first overall pick, because in all honesty they do not really need a middle infielder. Because of this I do not see much reason to pick a shortstop just because they may have more value. If they take an OF I would not be surprised to see it being Carlos Lee, but Konerko is likely more of the type of player they would want and may be able to play LF.

2.       San Diego Padres Select SS Edgar Renteria 

      I think that Padres take Edgar Renteria, because as much as they may have it better if they took someone like OF Carlos Lee to add power to their future, they may be able to use some of their current IF spects to get a piece they need, and Renteria should be quite a good SS in the league.

3.       Florida Marlins Select OF Carlos Lee 

       I think that the Marlins take Carlos Lee because they have a future infield set, and need some power hitting. I think Lee will be quite a stud, and since his hitting is quite good, should be a good fit for a young Marlins team.

4.       Colorado Rockies Select SS Michael Young

 I think Colorado takes Young here, because he could potentially be moved to 3B, and although his eye is a little low, being that the park is in Colorado, his power in the park will be a little higher because of the altitude, which makes him probably a better fit here over some of the pitching that Colorado needs.

5.       Oakland Athletics Select SP Javier Vazquez

I think Javier Vazquez could be the best pitcher in the draft, but there are a few other pitchers that are close. I just see Oakland picking up pitching, because some of their pitching is older right now, and they have some decent young hitting and some future hitters already, that picking the best pitcher in the draft might be their best option.

6.       Milwaukee Brewers Select OF Alfonso Soriano

I am not a big fan of Soriano’s low contact and eye, but he could surprise and be a good pickup. There are really no other players that look super appealing, so I feel Milwaukee may pick him up and then try to trade him with his high peak for a player he likes a little more. That being said I would not write off Soriano, as his power looks really good.

7.       Cincinnati Reds Select OF Randy Winn

I think Bubba would take Randy Winn, even though he does have a lot of young OF already. I just think he is the safest pick, and for a team looking to compete for many years with a high pick a safe pick is sometimes the best pick. He could be a pretty decent leadoff, but not amazing, but there are a few pitchers who might be more risk, and definitely more reward if they become good.

8.       Minnesota Twins Select SP Randy Wolf

In terms of hitting, I do not think the Twins need a ton, but one can never have enough pitching. He is young and has a lot of upside, so he could be quite a good player if things go his way. He might be the second best starter, but even then there is a big difference between him and Vasquez.

9.       Toronto Blue Jays Select 1B Lance Berkman

Knowing how Mike is and how he almost always drafts high risk high reward players, I feel like Berkman fits what Mike wants. There is not a ton of upside, but if he jumps during the season, he could be really good, and one of the best hitters in the draft. If he does not jump then he could be a bust. Time will tell on whether he would be a good fit or not for Toronto.

10.   Pittsburgh Pirates Select SP Tomo Ohka

The Pirates have almost no pitching prospects, and so I really think that with the 10^th pick they take one. Tomo Ohka has similar vitals to Ponson, just lower overall, and I feel like the Pirates GM may take a chance on him over Ponson.

11.   Cleveland Indians Select CA Michael Barrett

Cleveland has no catchers in their farm team that really have a shot at being a starting catcher, and with a couple good catchers available, I do not see how Cleveland could pass on one. I think Barrett has a good equal amount of contact, power and eye, and that might be what Cleveland wants at pick 11.

12.   Boston Red Sox Select CA Toby Hall

Even though Boston has a catcher already in Varitek who could be good, I see nothing wrong with taking the highest peak player at catcher over pitcher at pick 12. Boston may do something else, but in drafts sometimes you pick players as future trade pieces over players you want.

13.   Los Angeles Dodgers Select 3B Troy Glaus

I would not be surprised to see Glaus go here, because in terms of 3B the Dodgers have a player who is a decent 3B with some contact, but no real big power hitter, and in the lineup the Dodgers have, some future power might be what they are looking for.

14.   Seattle Mariners Select CA A.J. Pierzynski

The Seattle Mariners do not have a real good catcher in their system. They do have Ibanez, but I do not think he will be staying as a catcher in their system. No reason to pass on Pierzynski with the 14^th pick in the draft.

15.   Atlanta Braves Select SP Sidney Ponson

At pick 15 I do not think that the Braves would pass on Ponson when he is the highest peak player on the board, and has a chance at being a decent pitcher. He may not be ace material, but with the rotation that the Braves have already, they do not need another ace.

16.   Toronto Blue Jays Select RP Matt Thornton

I think Mike takes Thornton, because he looks to be a very good RP, and if Mike decides to try to make him a SP, I think Thornton has the type of vitals that could make him into a decent future SP as well.

17.   Baltimore Orioles Select OF Dustan Mohr

I think Baltimore might go with a power hitting outfielder in Dustan Mohr, because although Kennedy is possibly the safest hitting spec left at this point, Baltimore does not have much of a future outfield core. Although Mohr does not have the greatest splits either, most of his vitals are above his overall which is usually a good thing when drafting.

18.   Detroit Tigers Select 2B Adam Kennedy

In all honesty if Adam Kennedy dropped to Detroit at pick 18, I think Cadmus would be extremely happy. Whitaker is past his prime, and Detroit does not have much in terms of future at 2B, so I feel like Kennedy is the type of player Cadmus is hoping to get with his 18^th pick in the draft.

19.   Houston Astros Select SP Jeff Weaver

I think with the prospects that Houston has at pitching, they are going to need a pitching prospect, and I find with the draft overall weak in pitching, that Weaver might be the type of player that they want at 19. He may not end up lasting to 19^th, but I feel that if Houston can get pitching at 19 they will be quite happy to get him.

20.   Texas Rangers Select 2B Junior Spivey

I think if GD is able to get a hitting prospect at this pick he will try to get a 2B that he can use soon. Spivey looks decent although not as much upside as some others, but he looks like he could be ready sooner, and although GD has a 2B who is hitting well now, he may want to transition to have a younger one when he can.

21.   St. Louis Cardinals Select SP Carl Pavano

I think Dave would take a pitcher with his pick here, versus some of the hitting, as it does seem easier to get good hitters versus pitchers. His peak is low but his vitals are fairly good for his overall. I think that Dave would be quite happy if he could get Pavano with this pick.

22.   New York Yankees Select SP Chris Fussell

I think the New York Yankees take a pitcher with their 22^nd pick, and although I am not a huge fan of Fussell, of the high peak players left, he looks to be the one with the most promise of pitchers. That being said, I do not think he will be absolutely great, but he could be a good gamble with a late 1^st round pick.

23.   Chicago White Sox Select SP Lance Davis

I feel like the White Sox may take a pitcher at pick 23, and if that is the case they will end up taking Lance Davis. He does not look amazing at all, but he could be solid if he jumps for them, and of the pitchers that are left none really stand out as top of the line starters, so like any of the pitchers that are left, I think they just take one that they think will have the best vitals.

24.   Montreal Expos Select SP Jay Spurgeon

Even though Montreal has a lot of young pitching, I feel that Mad Trapper will end up taking one of the higher peak players left, versus taking a chance on someone lower. I think Spurgeon might be better than Drese just because of the overall difference and vitals, but neither look particularly enticing. This could be a pitcher that maybe the Expos use as a trade piece to improve their team.

25.   Cincinnati Reds Select 1B Travis Lee

With the 25^th pick, I feel like that Bubba would take a 1B over another OF, when they have a couple 1B that are fringe spects and could be good, but may not develop the way they want to. So at this point it might be a good idea for them to get the 1B spec to replace a Hal Morris in the future.

26.   Toronto Blue Jays Select OF Juan Encarnacion

It may not be exactly what Mike is looking for in an OF, but Encarnacion has contact and power both above his overall, and he is decent at fielding too. The issue is he is a RF like Shawn Green, but I assume that he would be the one moving if he does get drafted by Toronto.

27.   Philadelphia Phillies Select OF Pat Burrell

I think if Erick was to get Burrell at this pick he would be ecstatic. Burrell looks like he will have great power and eye, but lower contact and some poor outfield skills may be the reason that he would not be picked until this spot.

28.   Toronto Blue Jays Select SP Ryan Drese

Personally I do not like him much at all, but with the 28^th pick, his high peak might be something that Mike takes a chance on here, to see if he can actually become 2-4 pitcher. Some team may end up taking him ahead, and something better might come Mike’s way, either way, Mike will have to wait and see what is available at this pick.

NL West Analysis

Colorado Rockies

I picked them to be last in the division and also to be dead last in the league. They have very few pitchers that would be playing on contending teams starting, although they have a couple players that could be decent pickups for teams who need depth. As for their hitting there are some pieces there that teams could use such as Eric Young or Joe Girardi, but overall there are many flaws on this team, and if they do not finish last in the league I would be shocked.

Los Angeles Dodgers

I picked the Dodgers to finish second in the division, because I think it is really San Francisco’s division to lose. The Dodgers have a very strong 1-3 in their rotation although Hershiser is getting old, and that may hurt the Dodgers chances if he declines fast. Although the Dodgers do have some young talent in AAA that may be able to help them out, none really look ace material. As for their pen, there is some talent there, but, it is still fairly weak, and probably will need to find some bullpen help as the season progresses. As for their lineup their 1-5 is on par with many of the great teams, however, their 7-8 begins to get a little weak. For them to overtake San Francisco, I think they will need to find a 3B or LF who are better than what they currently have. I still think they have a shot at the playoffs with the way their team is. That wildcard will be a good race I feel in the NL.

San Diego Padres

I picked San Diego to finish third in their division, although they could finish higher. I have heard rumours that Shuey is interested in rebuilding the team, and so that may keep them locked in third. The rotation that San Diego has is fairly good, behind their ace Benes. The rest of their pitchers are very decent, but no other ones really stand out as ace material. In the bullpen they may have the best closer right now being Trevor Hoffman. Sadly after him the rest of the pen is fairly weak, and if they find themselves in contention, may need to do something about that. In terms of their lineup, they have a couple players who could be leadoffs for most teams in Gwynn and Roberts, but they really only have one player with a decent amount of power in their lineup, which may be their downfall. I feel if they wanted to compete outside of their bullpen they would need to improve SS, CF and maybe 3B. It should be interesting what Shuey does with this team.

San Francisco Giants

We come to San Francisco who I think is a major favourite in terms of a World Series. They have one of the best pitchers in the game in Rijo, and then some solid pitchers rounding out the rest of their rotation. They have a great closer in Beck, but then the rest of their bullpen is not that strong, and this might be a cause of concern. Perhaps Burgos will make the team come opening day, or Greer and that might boost their pen some. As for their hitting, they have an aging McGee leading off, who may be good to start the season as leadoff, but more speed might be better, and their 2 spot is a bit weak. Then we come to the middle of the order and with Palmeiro, Bonds, Williams, and then Strawberry the 3-6 is a pitchers nightmare. Really the biggest concern with their hitting might be their 7-8 which is their catcher and shortstop, both who likely need upgraded, which hurts as San Francisco had to trade Aurilia which had looked like a pretty good shortstop. I really think they have a good chance to go all the way and this will be the team to beat in the West.

NL Central Analysis

Chicago Cubs

Well I picked the Cubs to finish fourth, but they could end up doing better. I do not find their rotation to be particularly strong, really I find Castillo to be their best, but after him the rotation slides worse and worse. I am a bit surprised to not see Trachsel in there, but this may change. As for their bullpen, it is for the most part weak, although Roberto Rivera could be quite good in the pen. Overall the pitching has a lot of mediocrity, and with the rest of the division, moves will need to be made. Their hitting is decent as well, and they have a great number four hitter in Sosa, and if the people in front of him can get on base than they could really do well offensively. 3B and CF are two positions in the batting that might need an improvement, but really the biggest needs are in the rotation and bullpen.

Cincinnati Reds

Well I picked Bubba’s Reds to finish second, but they could easily win the division. I also expect this team to compete strongly for the wildcard spot, if they do not end up winning the division. Lieber looks to be a good ace, but maybe not yet, he may be better in the future, and I am a bit surprised to see Pugh over Roselli in the rotation as well. The addition with VanRyn also gives Cincinnati a lot of SPs, and maybe they could use some of their extra ones to upgrade other pieces. Their pen looks decent as well, but they have a few too many starters in there which may not work during the season. I do not think Brantley will be the closer, as I would be surprised not to see Spradlin there come opening day. As for hitting, Larkin leading off gives them speed contact and power at the top, although it should be interesting what happens in the middle of the lineup as they do not have a lot of pop. I see this team getting on base a lot, but will they be able to score runs consistently is an issue. I think a little more power in their lineup might help them overtake Houston, but it is not going to be easy. Catcher is a bit of a concern.

Houston Astros

Well this is the team that I think has a really good chance of going to the World Series, even though I predicted San Francisco to beat them. Their rotation is fairly good and they have an ace in Drabek, and the rest of their rotation for the most part would be solid number 2’s or 3’s on most teams. Their bullpen on the other hand is a bit weak in my opinion, and the place that they would need to improve the most on. There is not too many there that I would feel comfortable with a one run lead in the 9^th inning, and that will likely be something Mhall looks into. Their hitting looks very good though, especially if Finley is their leadoff. Their infield overall is fairly strong with power at 3B and 1B, and some contact at 2B, but the SS may be their weakest part of their hitting. Their outfield is okay, but maybe an improvement at RF might help them a bit more, and possibly more power  at DH, but overall Houston has a strong team.

Pittsburgh Pirates

I picked them to finish fifth in the division not because of the team they have, but the fact that their owner has made it clear they are rebuilding. Their team is overall not terrible, and could potentially finish anywhere from 3-5 unless improvements were made. If Neagle is their ace then they have a pretty good one, and then their 2-3 are very solid. The 4-5 needs some work if they were competing, but if they are just trying to add young pieces than they are solid there. Their bullpen overall is a little weaker, and once again if competing need some improvement, but the pieces they have there could get them some solid future players. There is definitely no one man in the pen that stands as a closer over the others. Their hitting is okay, but it is a lot of similar players who either have contact, or contact and speed, but no power in their lineup. For teams who need a leadoff style player, this might be a team that has what you need, but they need to get some power in their future lineup in order to do anything to compete.

St. Louis Cardinals

I picked St. Louis to finish third, but depending on what moves they make they could end up being higher or lower. They have a great 1-2 in the rotation and then the rest of their rotation is very solid, nothing majorly noteworthy, but not terrible. Their bullpen is something that does need some work done on it if they want to compete for first place. There are some solid players, but no one that really sticks out. As for their hitting, they have a good leadoff in Lankford, or if they choose Smith instead. This is another team that has multiple contact hitters, but no real power hitter, and that is where their flaw may end up being. If they can add a power hitter maybe in the outfield, then I could see them really doing well. But they also do have some older pieces that may be better suited moved elsewhere to help regenerate some of the youth on their team that they have. Either way I really think some power and bullpen help is needed to overtake the NL Central.