Preseason Prediction:
55-107, 5th in AL East, 36G behind
New York Yankees
Predicted Top Players:
none
Pretty much where we should be, our MLB roster is hot garbage. We live for the minor league system and the kids developing down there and will be fighting hard for the first overall pick in 2013.
The huge questions going into 2012 are:
How will the kids develop?
Can
Carrasco make the final step to become the first ‘Ban’ Jays ace?
How will the makeshift rotation fare?
Can our bullpen survive?
Who will hit from this bunch of maybes and may be some day?
Will we earn the first overall pick in 2013?
The Division:
The
New York Yankees are expected to win 91 games and compete with the
Rays for the division, and nobody is surprised by that. Veteran pitchers
CC Sabathia(31, 3*, 19-8 3.00 230K 33GS 6.4WAR) and
Hiroki Kuroda(37, 3*, 13-16 3.07 161K 32GS 2.6WAR) will be crucial for them and 2B
Robinson Cano(29, 4*, .302-28-118 .882OPS 159G 5.5WAR) will give their old core some youth. The performance of 3B
Alex Rodriguez(36, 3.5*, .276-16-62 .823OPS 99G 3.1WAR) and CF
Curtis Granderson(31, 3.5*, .262-41-119 .916OPS 7.0WAR 156G) as veteran leaders should add to that… or subtract if they regress.
Tampa Bay always is a team that can mix things up in the AL East and they are also expected to go to 91 wins. With ace
David Price(26, 3.5/4*, 12-13 3.49 218K 34GS 4.7WAR), wingman
James Shields(30, 3.5*, 16-12 2.82 225K 33GS 4.8WAR) and trade acquisition
Brandon Morrow(27, 3/3,5*, 11-11 4.72 203K 30GS 2.9WAR), they have a deep rotation. Adding 1B
Edwin Encarnacion(29, 3.5*, .272-17-55 .787OPS 134G 2.9WAR) to help 3B
Evan Longoria(26, 4*, .244-31-99 .850OPS 133G 4.2WAR) will certainly help there offense… this will be interesting.
With 85 games, the
Boston Red Sox are in a strange position as they lack quality starting pitching apart from
Jon Lester(28, 3*, 15-9 3.47 182K 31G 2.6WAR), yet they should score a lot of runs. 2B
Dustin Pedroia(28, 3.5/4*, .307-21-91 .861OPS 6.3WAR) should be close to the top of the lineup with CF
Jacoby Ellsbury(28, 3.5/4*, .321-32-105 .928OPS 8.0WAR) and 1B
Adrian Gonzalez(29, 4*, .338-27-117 .957OPS 6.9WAR) and DH
David Ortiz(36, 4*, .309-29-96 .953OPS 146G) will be driving them in.
Expected to run in at 75 wins, the
Baltimore Orioles are expecting big things by 1B
Chris Davis(26, ¾*, .226-5-19 .707OPS 0.5WAR) who Las Vegas has around +- 44 home runs but they lack other impact talent… their minor league system looks great tho.
Top Position Player
Top Pitcher
Baseball America announced their Top 100 prospect list:
#1 CF
Bryce Harper, 19,
Washington Nationals(MLB)
#2 CF
Christian Yelich, 20,
Miami Marlins(AA)
#3 CF
Mookie Betts, 19,
Boston Red Sox (AA)
#4 RHSP
Jacob deGrom, 23,
New York Mets (AAA)
#5 2B
Jean Segura, 22,
Los Angeles Angels (AAA)
#6 RHSP
Gerrit Cole, 21,
Pittsburgh Pirates (AAA)
#7 RHSP
Jose Fernandez, 19,
Miami Marlins (AAA)
#8 #8 3B
Anthony Rendon, 21,
Toronto Blue Jays(AAA)
#9 CF
Yasiel Puig, 21,
Los Angeles Dodgers(MLB)
#10 3B
Nolan Arenado, 20,
Colorado Rockies(AAA)
Toronto Blue Jays on the list:
#17 LF
Nick Castellanos, 20,
Toronto Blue Jays(A)
#34 LHSP
Blake Snell, 19,
Toronto Blue Jays(AAA)
#37 RHSP
Marcus Stroman, 20,
Toronto Blue Jays(MLB)
#41 RHSP
Noah Syndergaard, 19,
Toronto Blue Jays(AA)
#47 3B
Eugenio Suárez, 20,
Toronto Blue Jays(A)
#48 RHSP
Chris Archer, 23,
Toronto Blue Jays(AAA)
#65 C
Devin Mesoraco, 23,
Toronto Blue Jays(MLB)
#71 RF
Avsail Garcia, 20,
Toronto Blue Jays(A)
#85 LHRP
Felix Vazquez, 20,
Toronto Blue Jays(AAA)
International Amateur Discovery Adds:
SS
Jesus Lopez(16, 3*) 60/80/45/60/65 hitting potential, 45D at SS discovered by KCR