The St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals lost a big piece of their team this off season to the New York Yankees, that is of course Carlos Beltran. Having a switch hitter with so much experience in the lineup for the Cardinals was so big. They did go on to sign Jhonny Peralta to play short stop, a move that I think is very stupid.

The Cardinals decided to trade one of the fan favorites and most clutch players, David Freese. In return for Freese the Cardinals acquired Peter Bourjos. This is another question because in order to have both Matt Adams and Allen Craig in the lineup, one of them will have to play the outfield and leave no room for Bourjos. Here is how I think the lineup in 2014 will look.

1. L. Jon Jay            CF 102 OPS+
2. L. Matt Carpenter  3B 143 OPS+
3. R. Allen Craig       RF  131 OPS+
4. R. Matt Holliday    LF 144 OPS+
5. R. Yadier Molina    C 131 OPS+
6. L. Matt Adams     1B 131 OPS+
7. R. Jhonny Peralta  SS 119 OPS+
8. L. Kolten Wong     2B not enough data

The pitching rotation for the Cardinals is anchored by one of the best in baseball, Adam Wainwright. Young guns Shelby Miller and Michael Wacha came on the scene in 2013 and will hope to have another great season in 2014. Heree is how the rotation will look for the Cardinals in 2014.

1. R, Adam Wainwright 123 ERA+
2. R. Shelby Miller        119 ERA+
3. R. Michael Wacha     131 ERA+
4. L. Jamie Garcia         102 ERA+
5. R. Lance Lynn          91 ERA+

The bullpen for the Cardinals will be anchored by new closer and flamethrower Trevor Rosenthall. He is a great pitcher and I am glad that the Cardinals decided to keep in the bullpen and give him an definitive role. Other names in the bullpen are Joe Kelly, Jake Westbrook, and Randy Choate.

The Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are reigning World Series Champions, but I'm not very sure if they'll be able to uphold that title in 2014. Many important pieces of their 2013 success have departed and the team did not replace these figures.

The lineup for the Red Sox took a significant decline upon the departure of Jacoby Ellsbury, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and most likely Stephan Drew. They did replace Salty with AJ Pierzynski, but Ellsbury is being replaced with Jackie Bradly Jr, and Drew by Xander Bogaerts. They still have a very powerful lineup and here is how it may look in 2014.

1. S. Shane Victorino       RF 119 OPS+
2. R. Dustin Pedroia        2B 116 OPS+
3. L. David Ortiz            DH 160 OPS+
4. R. Mike Napoli           1B 129 OPS+
5. L. AJ Pierzynski            C 94 OPS+
6. R. Johnny Gomes        LF 111 OPS+
7. R. Will Middlebrooks   3B 88 OPS+
8. L. Jackie Bradly Jr.     CF 69 OPS+
9. R. Xander Bogaerts     SS 88 OPS+

Ortiz after the Boston Bombing "This is our
F****** city"

The pitching rotation for the Red Sox may be up in the air for the 2014 season with Ryan Dempster announcing that he is going to sit out the season. Also Jon Lester is in a walk year and the other members of the rotation may just be flat out inconsistent. Anyway this is how the rotation may stack up.

1. L. Jon Lester       109 ERA+
2. R. Clay Buchholz 234 ERA+ in 14 starts
3. R. Jake Peavy      101 ERA+
4. R. John Lackey    116 ERA+
5. L. Felix Doubront  94 ERA+

The bullpen is why the Red Sox won in the playoffs this past season. They lost several pieces throughout the season to injury. Koji Uehara ended up being the closer and he was phenomenal. Other notable parts of the bullpen for the Red Sox are Junichi Tazawa, Craig Breslow, and off season acquisition Edward Mujica.

The Cincinnati Reds

A real throwback of the Reds (2008)

The Reds did not make many acquisitions this off season but they did let Shin Soo Choo sign with the Rangers. They will most likely go with the same crew of players but with Billy Hamilton in center field. The Reds also extended Homer Bailey to a massive 6 year $105 Million deal.

The lineup for the Reds features the leader in on base percentage almost every year, Joey Votto. He gets on base in front of Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce who get on base mostly through contact. That is a formula to score many runs. Here is how the lineup may look in 2014.

1. S. Billy Hamilton      CF not enough data
2. R. Todd Frazier       3B 96 OPS+
3. L. Joey Votto          1B 154 OPS+
4. R. Brandon Phillips   2B 92 OPS+
5. L. Jay Bruce            RF 118 OPS+
6. R. Chris Heisey        LF 88 OPS+
7. R. Zack Cozart        SS 81 OPS+
8. R. Devin Mesoraco  C 77 OPS+

Chapman for team Cuba in the WBC

The Reds pitch in a small ball park which calls for good pitchers and they do have a few. It will be a little more shallow of a rotation with the departure of Bronson Arroyo, but it is still sufficant enough for them to win a lot of games. Here is how the rotation may look in 2014.

1. R. Matt Latos      121 ERA+
2. R. Johnny Cueto  135 ERA+
3. R. Homer Bailey   110 ERA+
4. R. Tony Cingrani  131 ERA+
5. L. Mike Leake      113 ERA+

The Reds also have one of the best bullpens in the Major Leagues with one of the best closers. That closer is the Cuban Missile, flame throw Aroldis Chapman, the bearer of the fastest pitch at 105 MPH. Also in the bullpen is former closer Jonathon Broxton, lefty Sean Marshall, and other studs JJ Hover and Logan Ondrusek.

The Baltimore Orioles

2012 Orioles

The Orioles waited until the end of the off season to make their moves. Earlier in the off season they did sign closer Grant Balfour, but the deal was voided after the Orioles did not like something that came up on his physical. Big additions Ubaldo Jimenez and Nelson Cruz will make their presence
heard in 2014.

The lineup for the Orioles will be centered around two important players; Chris Davis and Adam Jones. Manny Machado and Nick Markakis are likely to anchor the top of the lineup for the Orioles. Here is how the entire lineup should look in 2014.

1. R. Manny Machado 3B 99 OPS+
2. L. Nick Markakis RF 86 OPS+
3. R. Adam Jones CF 115 OPS+
4. L. Chris Davis 1B 165 OPS+
5. R. Nelson Cruz DH 123 OPS+
6. S. Matt Weiters C 88 OPS+
7. R. JJ Hardy SS 97 OPS+
8. L. David Lough LF 96 OPS+
9. S. Jemile Weeks  73 OPS+ in 2012

Adam Jones

The rotation for the Orioles will take a mighty boost with the addition of pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez. Jimenez will find much success in 2014, although joining the AL East. He is a ground ball pitcher and had a very strong finish to the 2013 season. Here is how the rotation for the Orioles may look in 2014.

1. R. Ubaldo Jimenez 114 ERA+
2. R, Bud Norris  88 ERA+
3. R. Dylan Bundy no data available
4. L. Wei- Yin Chen 103 ERA+
5. R. Miguel Gonzalez 111 OPS+

The bullpen is currently weak for the Orioles, but the closer situation is up in the air. Tommy Hunter is currently the favorite for the closer position, with Darren O'day and possibly Bud Norris in second. The Orioles also signed South Korean pitcher Suk Min Yoon. The Orioles appear to be in a good position for the 2014 season.

The New York Mets

David Wright in the WBC

The Mets made some notable additions this off season including slugger Curtis Granderson who was injured for most of the 2013 season. Although heavily rumored they did not sign short stop Stephan Drew, but there still may a chance he signs with the Amazin' Mets.

The Mets also did not trade first baseman Ike Davis this off season, I personally think they will keep him and give him one more chance. As the trade deadline gets closer the chances that Davis gets traded will probably increase. Other new additions include Chris Young who will probably man right or center field. Here is how the lineup for the Mets should look in 2014.

1. S. Eric Young               CF 79 OPS+
2. L. Daniel Murphy          2B 108 OPS+
3. R. David Wright            3B 156 OPS+
4. L. Curtis Granderson     LF 115 OPS+ 2012
5. R. Travis d'Arnaud         C 58 OPS+
6. L. Lucas Duda              1B 118 OPS+
7. R. Chris Young             RF  85 OPS+
8. R. Ruben Tejada            SS 49 OPS+

Mr. Met is surprisingly my favorite mascot

The pitching rotation for the Mets took a major blow when ace Matt Harvey had to get Tommy John surgery. Although Harvey is out they added Bartolo Colon and now Zach Wheeler will have a chance to shine. Another note is the departure of Johan Santana who is yet to sign with a Major League team. The 5th spot will probably be no one significant until the call up of young gun Noah Syndergard. Here is how the pitching rotation for the Mets may look in 2014.

1. L. Jon Niese                 96 ERA+
2. R. Zack Wheeler           104 ERA+
3. R. Bartolo Colon           141 OPS+
4. R. Dillon Gee                98 OPS+
5. R. Noah Syndergaard     No data available

In the bullpen for the Mets is closer Bobby Parnell, but other than him, the bullpen is looking a little bleak. Veteran lefty Scott Rice has a position in the bullpen, but the Mets are likely to fill in the spots with some young players or sub par relievers that remain on the market.

The Minnesota Twins

The Twins made some excellent additions this off season, mostly in their pitching rotation. They added several new starting pitchers, but they are one of the weakest hitting teams in the Major Leagues.

One new player is Kurt Suzuki and will take over as prima
ry catcher with the move of Joe Mauer to first base. Jason Kubel will be on the Twins in 2014 and be a primary designated hitter. Also there are several young players that will find their spot in the lineup for the Twins in 2014. Here is how the lineup may look for the Twins.

1.  L. Alex Presley          CF 92 OPS+
2. R. Brian Dozier           2B 100 OPS+
3. L. Joe Mauer              1B 144 OPS+
4. R. Josh Willingham     LF 98 OPS+
5. L. Jason Kubel           DH 69 OPS+
6. R. Trevor Plouffe        3B  94 OPS+
7. L. Oswaldo Arcia        RF102 OPS+
8. S. Pedro Florimon        SS 70 OPS+
9. R. Kurt Suzuki             C  73 OPS+

Joe Mauer will have great hair at first
base from now on. 

The pitching rotation for the Twins took a significant increase over the off season with the additions of Rickey Nolasco and Phil Hughes. They may not be the strongest of pitchers but certainly a good pair to add to a big ball park and to a team in a rebuilding phase. Here is how the rotation may stack up for the Twins in 2014.

1. R. Rickey Nolasco 101 ERA+
2. R. Kevin Correia 97 ERA+
3. R. Phil Hughes 78 ERA+
4. R. Mike Pelfrey  78 ERA+
5. R. Vance Worley 56 ERA+

The Twins actually have on of the better closers in the game in Glen Perkins. Other than Perkins the Twins don't have much of a significant bullpen. They have decent guys like Casey Fein and Jared Burton who put together a decent season. Also in the pen are starters Scott Diamond and Samual Deduno, along with relievers Brian Duensing and Anthony Swarzak, who may put together a good 2014 season.

Orioles Sign Nelson Cruz

Nelson Cruz finally has a new home after waiting all winter. The Baltimore Orioles signed the slugging outfielder to a 1 year $8 Million deal. I have mixed feelings about this deal after Cruz was suspended for 50 games for being involved with the Biogenesis scandal.

Nelson Cruz

No matter what the circumstances, this is a great signing for the Baltimore Orioles. After signing Ubaldo Jimenez and forfeiting their first round pick making the decision to forfeit their second round pick for Cruz was made easier. Whether Cruz plays the outfield or hits as a designated hitter the lineup for the Orioles looks more dangerous than the Texas Rangers or the Los Angeles Angels.

Over the past three seasons Cruz has been pretty consistent with his stats. He is averaging a 112 OPS+ over the past three seasons with 27 home runs per season and an on base percentage of .319. Now that he is playing the for the Orioles and most likely batting 5th behind Chris Davis, much of the pressure should be relieved from Cruz. Expect a good season from Cruz, or at least another consistant season from the outfielder.

Now the problem I have is the salary for Cruz. He was suspended 50 games last season for his actions with Biogenesis, willingly took the suspension, indirectly saying he took performance enhancing drugs. This guy still gets $8 Million after doing something completely frowned upon by Major League Baseball. Not surprisingly Melky Cabrera was suspended 50 games in 2012 when with the San Francisco Giants and become a free agent after the season. He signed a 2 year $16 Million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, just like Nelson Cruz. So the message here is, it doesn't
matter if you take steroids, at the end of the day, you'll still get paid. Jhonny Peralta can also vouch for this concept.

The Miami Marlins

I still like this logo better 

For a long time this off season I really thought the Marlins were up to something big. They were extremely reluctant and still are in trading Giancarlo Stanton and they made some notable additions to their team. They signed powerful catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia to a deal. They also acquired Brian Bogusevic, Garret Jones, and Rafael Furcal.

Almost all of the additions the Marlins made this off season were to their lineup. They switched out Polanco for Furcal, Morrison for Jones, and Pierre for Bogusevic, but some younger faces are likely to make the starting lineup. Here is how the lineup for the Marlins might look like in 2014.

1. S. Rafael Furcal              SS 85 OPS+ in 2012
2. L. Derek Dietrich            2B 85 OPS+
3. R. Giancarlo Stanton       RF 131 OPS+
4. L. Christian Yelich          CF 112 OPS+
5. S. Jarrod Saltalamacchia C 118 OPS+
6. L. Garrett Jones              1B 99 OPS+
7. R. Casey McGehee         3B 77 OPS+ in 2012
8. L. Brian Bogusevic           LF 112 OPS+

Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Fernandez

The pitching rotation for the Marlins is also up in the air, but anchored by one very special talent, Jose Fernandez. This guy puts endless amounts of work into improving his body and becoming better at everything he does. He came up and made his debut for the very first time in 2013 and finished 3rd in Cy Young voting. His ERA was the second lowest for a starting pitching, only one better was Clayton Kershaw. Here his how the rotation for the Marlins may look in 2014.

1. R. Jose Fernandez        176 ERA+
2. R. Henderson Alvarez  108 ERA+
3. R. Jacob Turner           103 ERA+
4. R. Nathan Eovaldi        114 ERA+
5. L. Brian Flynn                46 ERA+

In the bullpen for the Marlins is closer Steve Cishek along with some other significant names. The pair of lefties, Brad Hand and Mike Dunn can be used to mix and match in late innings. The one time great pitcher Carlos Marmol will be a Marlin for the 2014 season along with several other young players who hope to make the team.

The Oakland Athletics

The Athletics like their National League counterparts across the bay always find a way to win. They do not have any great super stars on their team, but they do have a group of players who perform well in clutch situations.

Jemile Weeks lost the second base competition to Eric Sogard in 2013, and was eventually traded for Jim Johnson of the Baltimore Orioles. Other than the addition of Nick Punto, who will play off the bench, the lineup for the Athletics will look strikingly similar to that of 2013. Here is how the lineup will look in 2014.

1. S. Coco Crisp CF 119 OPS+
2. S. Jed Lowrie SS 122 OPS+
3. R. Josh Donaldson 3B 148 OPS+
4. L. Brandon Moss 1B 139 OPS+
5. R. Yoenis Cespedes LF 108 OPS+
6. L. Josh Reddick RF 93 OPS+
7. R. Derek Norris C 113 OPS+
8. L. Eric Sogard 2B 94 OPS+
9. R. Nate Freiman DH 102 OPS+

The pitching rotation for the Athletics has no big names, but several young effective pitchers. The big move in terms of starting pitching for the Athletics in the off season was trading Brett Anderson for Drew Pomeranz another young pitcher. For this rotation, I will put the player's age after their name in parenthesis. Some of the pitchers I didn't include in the rotation but have a chance of making it are Scott Kazmir and Drew Pomeranz.

Sonny Gray

1. R. Jarrod Parker (25) 94 ERA+
2. L. Tommy Milone (27) 90 ERA+
3. R. AJ Griffen (26) 97 OPS+
4. R. Dan Straily (25) 94 OPS+
5. R. Sonny Gray (24) 140 OPS+

The Athletics absolutely have the best bullpen in the Major Leagues as of right now. They made significant upgrades this off season, although they let fan favorite Grant Balfour sign with the Tampa Bay Rays. They acquired Jim Johnson from the Baltimore Orioles and retained great set up men Sean Doolittle and Ryan Cook. Also acquired by the Athletics was Luke Gregorson and Josh Lindblom. Additionally the two starters that do not make the rotation will likely join the guys in the bullpen, making it very effective in middle innings as well as late.

The San Diego Padres

The Padres made some significant improvements to their team, but at some cost. They are slowly watching their bullpen dwindle away while their rotation and lineup get stronger. In 2014 the Padres are likely to finish last in the standings, but their record should improve.

The lineup for the Padres will remain basically the same, but the added Seth Smith in a trade with the Oakland Athletics for Luke Gregorson. They also have the hot headed Carlos Quentin and a Chase Headley looking for a rebound of a season. Here is how the lineup will look in 2014.

1. S. Everth Cabrera    SS 113 OPS+
2. R. Jedd Gyorko       2B 113 OPS+
3. S. Chase Headley    3B 116 OPS+
4. R. Carlos Quentin    RF 145 OPS+
5. L. Seth Smith           LF 103 OPS+
6. R. Nick Hundley        C 94 OPS+
7. L. Yonder Alonso    1B 106 OPS +
8. R. Chris Denorfia      CF 111 OPS+

Andrew Cashner 

The starting rotation for the Padres has improved significantly since the start of 2013. In a trade involving Joe Thatcher, the Padres acquired Ian Kennedy. from the Diamondbacks. In this off season the Padres also signed Josh Johnson to a one year deal, making the top of the rotation a respectable one. Here is how the rotation will look for the Padres in 2014.

1. R. Andrew Cashner 111 ERA+
2. R. Ian Kennedy         75 ERA+
3. R. Josh Johnson        66 ERA+
4. R. Tyson Ross        108 ERA+
5. L. Eric Stults             87 ERA+

The closer for the Padres will be Houston Street and set up man will be new edition Joaquin Benoit. The bullpen doesn't have many other big names in it, but the loss of Gregorson and Thatcher will be a big one for the Padres as games are lost in the late innings.

The Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have shown the greatest amount of success by winning the World Series just 8 seasons ago in 2005. They made a few moves in the off season, but it appears they may have a few problems when it comes to the defensive positioning, and a weekend starting rotation. The White Sox have shown definite signs to be in a rebuilding phase.

The White Sox added Cuban slugger Jose Abreu, who many scouts say is the real deal. Some say he draws comparisons to Ryan Howard. Adam Dunn is still on the team and so is Paul Konerko. The problem here is that Abreu, Konerko, and Dunn are all first basemen. Dunn has played right field in the past, and the best way to have all three of these guys in the lineup is to have Dunn play the outfield. Dunn is also a likely trade candidate this trade deadlin
e. This is probably also the last season for Paul Konerko after a great career. Here is how the White Sox lineup will look in 2014 and let me say, it is pathetic.

1. L. Alejandro De Aza CF 95 OPS+
2. R. Alexei Ramirez      SS 86 OPS+
3. R. Jose Abreu           1B No data available
4. L. Adam Dunn           RF 103 OPS+
5. R. Paul Konerko        DH 80 OPS+
6. R. Dayan Viciedo       LF 94 OPS+
7. R. Jeff Keppinger       3B 62 OPS+
8. R. Gordon Beckham   2B  87 OPS+
9. R. Tyler Flowers          C 60 OPS+

Just from this picture look at the stress on his elbow

The pitching rotation is just as horrible for the White Sox, with the only bright spot being Chris Sale. The thing about Chris Sale is his delivery. I am just waiting for the day that his workload is too much for him and he blows out his elbow. Its going to happen, just a matter of time. Here is how the rotation looks for the White Sox in 2014.

1. L. Chris Sale           140 ERA+
2. R. Jose Quintana     122 ERA+
3. L. John Danks         90 ERA+
4. R. Felipe Paulino     84 ERA+ career
5. L. Charlie Leesman 62 ERA+

The White Sox traded Addison Reed for who knows why, traded Jessie Crain midseason, and did not resign Matt Thornton. That leaves the recognizable names of Mitchell Boggs, Ronald Belisario, Scott Downs, and Matt Lindstrom in the bullpen and options to close.

With the additions that the Twins made, its almost a given that the White Sox will finish in last place.

The Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals made some very smart moves this off season. Those moves may have a very significant impact in the 2014 season. One big move they made was acquiring starting pitcher Doug Fister to add to an already steady rotation.

They added to their lineup by getting outfielder Nate McLouth to come in off the bench and play left field when needed. The two important parts to the Nationals' lineup are Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper. In 2014 they will be healthy and ready to drive in some runs. Second base may be a battle between Anthony Rendon and Danny Espinosa, because of Rendon's high expectations and Espinosa's recent struggles. The following is how the Nationals' lineup should look in 2014.

1. L. Denard Span         CF 94 OPS+
2. R. Jayson Werth        LF 154 OPS+
3. L. Bryce Harper        RF 133 OPS+
4. R. Ryan Zimmerman  3B 121 OPS+
5. L. Adam Laroche      1B 102 OPS+
6. R. Ian Desmond         SS 114 OPS+
7. R. Anthony Rendon    2B 99 OPS+
8. R. Wilson Ramos         C 111 OPS+

Bryce Harper and Stephan Strasburg 

The Nationals not only have one of the best lineups in the Major Leagues, they also have one of the best starting rotations. They departed with Dan Haren who pitched under a one year deal in Washington and performed terribly, and replaced him with Doug Fister. Anchored by once phenom, but now veteran Stephan Strasburg and followed by southpaw Gio Gonzalez and studs Jordan Zimmerman and now Doug Fister, the Nationals are in a very good position. Here is how the pitching rotation for the Nationals looks.

1. R. Stephen Strasburg   126 ERA+
2. L. Gio Gonzalez           113 ERA+
3. R. Jordan Zimmerman  116 ERA+
4. R. Doug Fister             115 ERA+
5. L. Ross Detwiler            94 ERA+

The bullpen for the Nationals is pretty solid in the late innings. Pitching the 7th inning is one time closer Drew Storen, pitching the 8th inning is strikeout prodigy Tyler Clippard, and closing games out is the emotionless Rafael Soriano. The Nationals do not have a good lefty in their bullpen besides a few young guns and veteran Jerry Blevins. If they were to make another move this off season they should get a lefty specialist. The other important part to the Nationals pen is Craig Stammen who makes his money pitching the middle innings.
 

Orioles Sign Ubaldo Jimenez

The Baltimore Orioles finally have the pitcher they have been searching for. In the past few years the Orioles have lacked an impact pitcher. Ubaldo Jimenez may not be an impact pitcher or one of the best pitchers in the league, but he is a sure improvement over the Orioles current situation. Jimenez will be pitching in Baltimore on a 4 year $50 Million contract. Lets take a deeper look into this acquisition.

Ubaldo in the World Baseball Classic for the
Dominican Republic. 

Jimenez has three seasons that featured much success in the Major Leagues. 2009 and 2010 in Colorado and 2013 in Cleveland. His ERA in each of those seasons was 3.47, 2.88, and 3.30 respectively. More importantly Jimenez has been healthy most of his career and pitched 170+ innings each year of career. The Orioles could get anything from Jimenez. He could be the All Star he was in 2010 or he can be the failure he was in 2012, but one thing is for sure, he will pitch plenty of innings for the Orioles, and now with a shorter bullpen, that is important.

The Houston Astros

The Astros are looking to finish last in their division for yet another year. The fans in Houston are almost accustomed to losing, but this season may not be as bad. Some big improvements were made to the Astros for the 2014 season and the effects will be seen.

The Astros' 2013 season summed up in one picture 

The lineup for the Astros is incredibly young, but their off season veteran acquisition was Dexter Fowler, who I would bat third for some effect of depth. I predict that rookie George Springer will come up this season and make a residual impact. In 135 minor league games, split between AA and AAA the right handed hitting outfielder hit .303 with a .411 on base percentage, 37 home runs, and 45 stolen bases. The following is how I would make the Astros lineup for the 2014 season. Following each player is their OPS+ for 2013.

1. R. Jose Altuve               2B  89 OPS+
2. R. Jesus Guzman           SS 94 OPS+
3. S. Dexter Fowler          CF 102 OPS+
4. R. Chris Carter             1B  112 OPS+
5. L. Jason Castro              C 130 OPS+
6. R. Matt Dominguez        3B 89 OPS+
7. R. George Srpinger        RF No data available
8. S. Robbie Grossman       LF 95 OPS+
9. _________________     DH

The pitching rotation for the Astros is even more up in the air than the lineup. They do have some recognizable names like Scott Feldman and Lucas Harrell but the other pitchers are flying under the radar. Here is the Astros pitching rotation for the 2014 season, or something close to it.

1. L. Scott Feldman        105 ERA+
2. R. Lucas Harrel          69 ERA+
3. R. Paul Clemens         75 ERA+
4. L. Brett Oberholtzer   147 ERA+
5. R. Alex White            84 ERA+

There are only a few notable names in the bullpen for the Astros. The biggest of those names is veteran Jessie Crain. Other recognizable names in the bullpen for the Astros include Matt Albers, Chad Qualls, and Raul Valdez.

It seems like the Astros are just going to play their hearts out in hope for a spark of success in 2014.

The San Francisco Giants

The Giants quickly fixed the controversy on whether or not they were going to resign Tim Lincecum this off season by signing him before he can reach the open market. On paper the Giants do not seem to have a team that will blow you away, but they always seem to find a way to win. The Giants won the World Series in 2010 and 2012 and if the current trend continues 2014 should also be their year.

The Giants made an addition to their lineup by adding Michael Morse, but he is likely to play against left handed pitching and hit off the bench. Other than Morse the Giants lineup will look strikingly similar to 2013. The stud in their lineup is always Buster Posey followed by Hunter Pence who anchors the lineup with clutch hits and smart decisions. The following is how I would make the lineup for the 2014 season, adjacent to each name is the batting side, position, and their OPS+ for 2013.

1. S. Angel Pagan         CF 116 OPS+    
2. R. Marco Scuttaro    2B 112 OPS+
3. R. Buster Posey         C 138 OPS+
4. R. Hunter Pence        RF 136 OPS+
5. L. Brandon Belt         1B 142 OPS+
6. S. Pablo Sandoval     3B 119 OPS+
7. L. Gregor Blanco       LF 102 OPS+
9. L. Brandon Crawford SS 96 OPS+

The highlight of the Giants' 2014 season. Lincecum and
Posey after Lincecum's no hitter in San Diego

Pitching has always been an area of expertise in San Francisco. Playing in the spacious AT&T Park fly balls rule the day making mistakes negligible. Although Tim Lincecum's Cy Young days may be in the past, new faces like Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain rule the day. 2013 was not a great season for pitching, which provides reason for why they missed the playoffs. In the off season the Giants added a veteran presence in Tim Hudson. The fifth spot in the rotation will likely be rounded off by Ryan Vogelsong. The following is the projected rotation for 2014 along with the pitching arms and ERA+ for 2013.

1. L. Madison Bumgarner 120 ERA+
2. R. Matt Cain  83 ERA+
3. R. Tim Hudson 97 ERA+
4. R. Tim Lincecum 76 ERA+
5. R. Ryan Vogelson 58 ERA+

The bullpen for the Giants is one of their strong suits, with closer Sergio Romo finishing games, and setup man Santiago Casilla pitching the 8th inning. George Kontos handles the middle relief relativly well along with the left duo Javier Vasquez and Jeremy Affeldt. Other than those five names, the rest of Giants bullpen can go anyway. The long relief role is always up in the air.

The Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays have not made many additions or subtractions this off season, but some very intelligent moves. They are a team that is highly invested in small ball and always finds a way to win with such a low payroll. The Rays look to do the same in 2014, possibly the last season with David Price.

How will the Rays perform in 2014? 

The lineup is anchored by All Star third baseman Evan Longoria. He does not receive much protection in the lineup, but all the other members definitely contribute. The only significant position player the Rays added this off season was Ryan Hanigan in a three team deal with the Diamondbacks and Reds. The following is how I would make the Rays lineup in 2014. Adjacent to each player's name is their side of the plate they hit from, their position and their OPS+.

1. R. Desmond Jennings  CF 110 OPS+
2. S. Ben Zobrist             2B 113 OPS+
3. R. Evan Longoria        3B 134 OPS+
4. L. James Loney           1B 118 OPS+
5. R. Wil Myers               RF 132 OPS+
6. L. Matt Joyce              DH 109 OPS+
7. R. Yunel Escobar         SS 97 OPS+
8. L. David DeJesus         LF 99 OPS+
9. R. Ryan Hanigan            C 58 OPS+

Price and Longoria 

The Rays did not make many alterations to their starting rotation which seems to always be consistent and devastating to opposing players. David Price is the rock with young guns Matt Moore, and Chris Archer backing him. The following is how I would make the Rays starting rotation, adjacent to each name is their throwing arm and their ERA+ for the 2013 season.

1. L. David Price          114 OPS+
2. L. Matt Moore         116 OPS+
3. R. Chris Archer        118 OPS+
4. R. Alex Cobb           138 ERA+
5. R. Jeremy Hellickson 74 ERA+

The Rays did make a few adjustments to their bullpen in the off season. They wisely let Fernando Rodney sign with the Seattle Mariners and signed Grant Balfour for a reunion. Also in the three team deal with the Diamondbacks previously mentioned, the Rays acquired former closer Heath Bell. Also in their bullpen is lefty Jake McGee, Joel Peralta, and Juan Oviedo. The other three positions in the bullpen are open for the taking. Possibly Alex Colome, Mike Montgomery, and Jake Odorizzi can make a run for the Major League Club as a member of the bullpen or the 5th spot in the rotation.

Derek Jeter to Retire after 2014 Season

The Core Four after the 2009 World Series

Derek Jeter has annouced that he will retire after the 2014 season marking the end of a dynasty. In 1995 Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and the Captain Derek Jeter were called up together. They would play together through 2011  observing each others accomplishments: Jeter's 3000th hit, Posada's clutch hits, Rivera's 600th save, Pettitte's 250th win, and of course 5 World Series Championships. Posada retired after the 2011 season, Pettitte retired once after the 2010 season and again after the 2013 season, Rivera retired after the 2013 season, and now the final member, and possibly the most loved member will retire after the 2014 season.

Twas the 90s

I and so many others watched Derek Jeter his entire career, we know nothing but Derek Jeter. Those who watched Yankee games before Jeter would say no one would ever be like Don Mattingly, but then came the skinny kid from Kalamazoo. There are many significant moments in his career, such as the flip play against Oakland, his 3000th hit being a home run off David Price, the Mr. November home run, and the dive into the stands, or as my Met fan friend likes to say "The I couldn't stop my momentum play." Derek Jeter has definitely never been short of exciting to watch.

He is a 5 time Gold Glove award winner, a 13 time All Star, 5 time Silver Slugger, 5 time World Series Champion, and a first ballot Hall of Famer. Derek Jeter will follow a parade of celebration for his illustrious career through the 2014 season. Although he will enjoy every moment of it, he will say that the goal is to win the World Series. Derek Jeter is a special kind of player, and irreplaceable
to the world of baseball.

Phillies Sign AJ Burnett

Burnett and Halladay 

The Phillies have signed right handed starting pitcher AJ Burnett to a 1 year $16 Million deal. Burnett is coming off 2 good season with the Pirates after being traded by the Yankees. With the Yankees Burnett had 4.79 ERA although he pitched 584 innings in 3 seasons. When moving to Pittsburgh Burnett pitched to a 3.41 ERA in 393 innings over 2 seasons. With the retirement of Roy Halladay Burnett will be filling the big shoes of his former teammate with the Toronto Blue Jays. With Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, and Kyle Kendrick Burnett is probably a number three starter, but can expect an inflation in his ERA pitching in Philadelphia, a ballpark smaller than PNC in Pittsburgh.

   

Arroyo Signs With D-Backs

Best hair in the NL West now goes to Bronson Arroyo

Right handed starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo has signed a 2 year #23.5 Million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks have been searching for a starting pitcher all winter. They were conspired to be part of many trades, but they lost out on the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes and have settled for the stud that is Bronson Arroyo. Arroyo has been a work horse pitching close to 200 innings in every season since 2004, when he won a World Championship with the Boston Red Sox. Arroyo avoids injury and takes the burden of a large workload. In both 2012 and 2013 Arroyo pitched 202 innings in both seasons with a 3.74 and 3.79 ERA respectively.

With the trade of Ian Kennedy in the 2013 regular season, the Diamondbacks have brought back the steady pitcher that their rotation needs. Anchored by Patrick Corbin, held together by Brandon McCarthy, Daniel Hudson, Wade Miley, and now Bronson Arroyo, the Diamondbacks have a steady and possibly underrated rotation.
 

Mariners Sign Fernando Rodney

Does this hat have enough tilt? 

In my opinion the Seattle Mariners have made yet another stupid move in an off season full of stupid moves. They first signed Robinson Cano to a massive 10 year contact with barely anyone in the lineup to protect him, Then proceeded to acquire Cory Hart and Logan Morrison, now they sign Fernando Rodney to a 2 year $14 Million contract. Fernando Rodney had one monstrous season and will be 37 years old. The rest of his career has been below average and terrible for a reliever. He pitched to a 4.07 ERA from 2005 - 2011 before his great season in 2012 where he had a 0.60 ERA.

The Mariners have much more important needs that need to be filled, but yet they are over paying for an inconsistent and possibly inadequate closer. Again, in my opinion his behavior on the field is unprofessional by making the action of shooting an arrow after every save and wearing his hat basically sideways. The Seattle Mariners should have invested the $7 Million annual salary that they are going to give Rodney in a right handed power bat or a much needed starting pitcher.

Braves Extend Freddie Freeman

Another free agent has agreed to a $100+ Million deal. That player would be Freddie Freeman as the Braves inked Freeman to an 8 year $125 Million deal. The deal will carry Freeman through his age 33 season, more importantly right through his prime years of 27-32.

Freeman's first two seasons are statistically better than
Harper's first two seasons.  

This deal is great for the Atlanta Braves as Freeman obviously took a hometown discount. With the average annual salary of the deal being $15.625 Million. Freeman has put up numbers in recent years that would have garnered him much more money on the open market. Viewing recent trends he would easily have received an average annual salary of $20 Million or more.

Freeman has 3 complete seasons under his belt and over that span he has a .287/.361/.468 slashline which equates to a 124 OPS+. In his rookie year Freeman hit 21 home runs with an on base percentage of .346. In his sophomore year his batting average dropped significantly but his on base percentage remained about the same at .340. This shows that he became more patient at the plate taking many more walks, he also hit 23 home runs in his sophomore year. The third year of Freeman's career really put him on the map where he hit 23 home runs again proving consistently and further improving his on base percentage to .396.  

It has been observed that in the first few years of a player's career power numbers seem to be lower. Freeman has been more than consistent these past 3 seasons and has shown more than enough signs of improvement. With age comes power, he is more disciplined at the plate, taking a walk when he gets it, and in the upcoming seasons he will hit for power. Freeman will have another great season in 2014 and this extension is more than worth it. Expect Freeman's first 30 home run season in 2014. The Braves scored a bargain.