Pedroia Back Next Week

Dustin Pedroia has already been taking ground balls and running getting prepped for his rehab stint, and could return to the Sox line up as early as next week.

This will be a huge boost as the Sox continue to tease us with potentially making the playoffs. Pedroia is one of our leaders on the team and it will be refreshing to see him in the line up and playing second compared to Jed Lowrie or Bill Hall. Pedroia will add a spark in the clubhouse and hopefully on the scoreboard as the Sox need some consistent offense.

This also makes me hate Jacoby Ellsbury even more for taking his time with his BS rib injury (Don't tell me about rib injuries, I don't give a fuck, Ellsbury is a pussy Boras client and I hope he's cut this offseason. Yea thats right, cut. Not traded, Cut.) Pedroia has been wanted to come back and play seemingly forever, and it was cool to see him taking grounders with his foot elevated on a stool.

2010 MLB Preview: AL East

Here is how we see the AL East ending up...

1. Red Sox: 96-66
2. Yankees: 96-66
3. Rays: 92-70
4. Jays: 68-94
5. Orioles: 67-95

Adrian Beltre Out 6-8 Weeks

"Adrian Beltre singled home a run in his last game before undergoing shoulder surgery and the Mariners beat the Dodgers 4-2 on Sunday. Seattle's final two stops on a nine-game road trip are Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park. But they'll be going without Beltre, who is expected to miss six to eight weeks following surgery on Tuesday in Los Angeles to have bone spurs removed from his non-throwing shoulder (Sportsline)."

Beltre has not been having a good year he is only batting .259 with 5 HRs and 31 RBIs. It is really too bad that he will not be out for 2 months as he was showing signs of breaking out of his slump. This injury will hurt the Mariners, because they are already struggling to score runs. What really sucks is that they have some very solid starting pitchers who all could be having career years if the Mariners could put any runs on the board.

Red Sox Draft Recap

There has actually been a lot of talk about the MLB draft this year, since the most hyped pitcher ever (Stephen Strasburg) was drafted #1 by the Nationals, but what did the Red Sox do? Well with their first pick they took a CF named Reymond Fuentes, which is a great name, but made all the more better by the fact that he is the cousin of Mets star Carlos Beltran. Beltran called him in the middle of the Mets' 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies to wish his relative congratulations. The write up on him is that he is extremely fast, and has very strong arms, but needs to fill out his body since he is only about 160 pounds. He is also a very free swinger, but most guys at his age are.

With their second pick, No. 77 overall, the Red Sox chose Alex Wilson, a 6-foot, righthander from Texas A&M. The report I have read think this was a reach since Wilson has already had Tommy John surgery, and can be wild at times. Still, he has an overpowering fastball, and a solid curveball. He has been a starter and a reliever, but my guess is that he will be a reliever while trying to make it to the MLB.

In the third round, the Red Sox added another player with major league family ties, David Renfroe. He's an athletic, 6-3 player from South Panola High in Batesville, Miss., who may be used as a pitcher, shortstop, or third baseman. Renfroe, the son of former Chicago Cubs pitcher Laddie Renfroe, has a commitment to Ole Miss, and could play quarterback for the Rebels football team if he so chooses. So the Sox aren't even really sure if they will ever see this guy in there minor league system. He has a lot of talent though, and is a "pure athlete".

Debo's MLB Picks

AL East: Boston
AL Central: Twins
AL West: Angels
AL Wild Card: Rays

NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Cubs
NL West: Dodgers
Wild Card: Cardinals

Boston beats Angels in 4
Rays Beat Twins in 5

Phillies beat Dodgers in 5
Cubs beat Cardinals in 5

Phillies beat Cubs in 6
Sox beat Rays in 7

Sox beat Phillies in 6

SORRY YANKEES! Suckers ...

BMack's MLB Picks

Well DP put up his, so you know I have to disagree.

AL East: Boston
AL Central: Twins
AL West: Oakland
AL Wild Card: Rays

NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Cubs
NL West: Arizona
Wild Card: Braves

Boston beats Oakland in 4
Rays Beat Twins in 5

Phillies beat Arizona in 4
Braves beat Cubs in 5

Phillies beat Braves in 6
Sox beat Rays in 7

Sox beat Phillies in 5

Pitching wins championships and Boston has more then enough to go around.

DC MLB Prediction: AL East

Here is how we see the AL East breaking down...

Rays 111-51
Red Sox 98-64
Yankees 89-73
Jays 78-84
Orioles 64-97

Though I don't agree with DP on the Rays winning that many games, because I believe this division is too good for anyone to win that may games. I do agree with how the standings will end...with the Rays in first, then Sox, then Yankees.

DC MLB Preview: Boston Red Sox

2008 Record: 95-67

Key Additions:
Brad Wilkerson (OF)
John Smoltz (P)
Rocco Baldelli (OF)
Brad Penny (P)
Ramon Ramirez (P)
Takashi Saito (P)

Key Losses:
Curt Schilling (P)
Sean Casey (1B)
David Aardsma (P)
David Pauley (P)
Kevin Cash (C)
Mike Timlin (P)
Paul Byrd (P)
Bartolo Colon (P)
Alex Cora (SS)

Projected Lineup:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
2. Dustin Pedroia 2B
3. David Ortiz DH
4. Kevin Youkilis 1B
5. Jason Bay LF
6. J.D. Drew RF
7. Mike Lowell 3B
8. Jed Lowrie SS
9. Jason Varitek C

I have my worries about this lineup. Here is what has to happen for the Sox to be a top hitting team. Ellsbury needs to finally become the real leadoff hitter, which means a high OBP, and more consistency. Without that this lineup doesn't stand a chance. Ortiz needs to be healthy, and get back to around 35 HRs. Lowell needs to be healthy and get 80+ RBIs, and of course they need something from Tek. Not a lot, but also more then him being a black hole. So basically I would be asking for .245+ BA from him. Overall I actually like a lot of this lineup. Pedroia and Youk will continue to dominate. Bay is in a contract year, so I am expect really big things from him, and when healthy DL Drew can be unstoppable (think June of last year).

Projected Rotation:
1. Josh Beckett
2. Jon Lester
3. Daisuke Matsuzaka
4. Brad Penny
5. Tim Wakefield

CL Jonathan Papelbon

Beckett is nasty every other year. Good news for the Sox is this is going to be one of those years. Lester showed last year he might be the best lefty in the AL, and I expect at least 18 wins from him this year. Dice-k lives dangerously, but in the end he wins games, and frustrates hitters. Little worried about his WBC innings pitch, but we shall see if it affects him. Penny has looked great, but I don't see him playing a whole season (that goes for the Wake too). For most teams that would be a serious problem, but with the way Buchholz has looked, and Smoltz coming back Boston may be even better if these guys do go down. What is really scary is that Boston's bullpen might be better then their starters. If Masterson stays in the pen I could see Boston having the best bullpen in the MLB.

Minors Watch:
Lars Anderson (1B) - A lot of hype around this kid, and it seemed to get to his head this spring training. He needs at least another year in the minors, but could be a nice replacement for Lowell and/or Ortiz.

Michael Bowden (P) - Good stuff and exceptional control, but he still scares me. Would like to see the Sox use him as trade bait, because he really just reminds me of another Paul Byrd, which would not be a good thing pitching at Fenway.

Josh Reddick (OF) - Does a lot of things right, and gained 15 pounds of muscle this offseason. Starting to hit for some power, but I don't see the Sox playing him a lot because he is not an OBP guy.

Overall:
The Sox will be very good this year, but they will be a lot different from years past. I don't see them putting up 6-7 runs a game, but their pitching is go good they won't need to. DP already put the Rays on top of the division with a crazy record, and though I don't agree with the # of wins I do agree that I see the Rays winning this division. The Sox will still make the playoffs, which means the Yankees will be playing golf once again in October.

Record: 98-64

DC MLB Previews: New York Yankees

Key Additions:
CC Sabathia
A.J. Burnett
Nick Swisher
Mark Teixeira
Kevin Cash

Key Losses:
Mike Mussina
Carl Pavano
Bobby Abreu
Jason Giambi
Ivan Rodriguez

Line-up:
1. Johnny Damon LF
2. Derek Jeter SS
3. Mark Teixeira 1B
4. Hideki Matsui DH
5. Jorge Posada C
6. Xavier Nady RF
7. Robinson Cano 2B
8. Cody Ransom 3B
9. Melky Cabrera CF

Obviously this line up will change once Gay Rod comes back.(Fuck, I told myself I would be mature about this) Anyways, everyone will overrate this line-up but other than Teixeira and A-Rod, is there anyone else you are scared of? Damon, Jeter, Matsui, Posada are all on the downturn of their careers and sure they are all stars and can hurt you, I'm not taking them that seriously. Cano is the guy I am most intrigued about. If he can have a productive year this will strengthen up the Yankees line up a ton, unfortunately, he is just a contract player.

Rotation:
1. CC Sabathia LH
2. A.J. Burnett RH
3. Chien-Ming Wang RH
4. Andy Pettitte LH
5. Joba ChamberlainRH
Closer Mariano Rivera RH

This is a pretty good rotation on paper and for the Yankees sake, I hope it translates to the field but I have got a strange feeling they are in for a couple long contracts. The two guys I am talking about is CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett. Burnett is nothing special, he can be an elite player when he actually gives a fuck, but he has proven time and time again that he will have down years after he signs a big contract. For CC, this guy could easily win 23 games for this team with that line up behind him, but I think he is a great small market pitcher. He thrived in Cleveland until the play-offs and thrived in Milwaukee until the playoffs. He has a chance to be great in NY, but I would like to see how he reacts when the media starts picking him apart. Wang and Pettite are solid, but I still question the Joba to the rotation move. I feel he would be best set as a set up man. Rivera is eventually going to want to retire, and Joba would be a great closer. Moving him to the rotation is only going to kill his arm.

Prospects:
Jesus Montero, C, 11/28/1989 - Montero, signed out of Venezuela in 2006, is an imposing figure. The soon-to-be 19-year-old clocks in at 6'4"/225lbs, but it's that size that have many believing that his future is somewhere other than behind the plate, possibly at first base or designated hitter. He might become too big to catch, if he hasn't already.

Zach McAllister, RHP, 12/8/1987 - The Chillicothe, IL native was selected in the third round of the 2006 draft and has gradually picked up steam as time has gone on.BR

Overall
The Yankees are totally gay and would much rather blow each other than play baseball. They are all pumped because they have fresh meat to fuck in Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira. They will only win on the amount of semen they can get from those three throughout the year.

89-73 miss playoffs due to gayness.

Sorry to everyone who wasn't expecting this.

DC MLB Preview: Baltimore Orioles

2008 Record: 68-93

Key Additions:
Ty Wigginton (3B)
Rich Hill (P)
Gregg Zaun (C)
David Pauley (P)
Felix Pie (CF)
Mark Hendrickson (P)
Cesar Izturis (SS)

Key Losses:
Jay Payton (LF)
Kevin Millar (1B)
Adam Loewen (P)

Projected Lineup:
1. Brian Roberts 2B
2. Melvin Mora 3B
3. Nick Markakis RF
4. Aubrey Huff 1B
5. Adam Jones CF
6. Luke Scott DH
7. Gregg Zaun C
8. Cesar Izturis SS
9. Felix Pie LF

This lineup is actually very underrated. Aubrey Huff had a great year last season, and there is enough around him for the Orioles to put up some runs. Markakis is a stud, and will be for a long time. Adam Jones came on at the end of last season, and I expect him to keep improving. Brian Roberts finally decided to stay with the team, and he is a great leadoff hitter. Obviously everyone is waiting for Wieters to be added to this already decent lineup.

Projected Rotation:
1. Jeremy Guthrie
2. Koji Uehara
3. Rich Hill
4. A. Eaton
5. Danys Baez

CL: George Sherrill

Chris Ray is finally back from his Tommy John surgery, and it will be interesting to see if he can regain his role as the closer (I think he will by mid season). Baltimore's rotation is why they aren't going to do anything this year. Guthrie is solid, but after that it's really a joke. The good thing is they are loaded in the minors with arms, so they will just have to wait a little longer before they can turn it around.

Minors Watch:
Matt Wieters (C) - The next big thing to come out of the minors. He won't start the year in the MLB, but he is not far off. If the scouts are right this could be a 35+ HR hitting catcher, who is also good on defense.

Chris Tillman (P) - Ace in waiting with overpowering stuff. Ahead of the curve for his age. Might see him as a mid season call up, but no reason to rush him, since he is only 20 years old.

Jake Arrieta (P) - Not as polished as Tillman, but has just as much upside.

Overall:
The Orioles finally seems like they are building some kind of team. Their record has gotten worse each of the past 4 seasons, and this one will be no different as they develop these young guys. Look out for this team in 2011.

Record: 64-97

DC MLB Previews: Tampa Bay Rays

Key Additions:
Pat Burrell
Jason Isringhausen
Adam Kennedy

Key Subtractions:
Cliff Floyd
Trever Miller
Eric Hinske
Rocco Baldelli

Line Up:
1. Akinori Iwamura 2B
2. Carl Crawford LF
3. B.J. Upton CF
4. Evan Longoria 1B
5. Carlos Pena DH
6. Pat Burrell 3B
7. Dioner Navarro C
8. Gabe Gross RF
9. Jason Bartlett SS

This line up got a lot stronger and scarier with the addition of Pat Burrell. Pat was great for the Phillies and now having an actual better line up in front of him, I expect no less than 110 RBIs. The key to this offense will be BJ Upton, he is a bit shaky from the start of the season but he if he can hit like he did in the play offs, rather than what he did over the year, this team is going to mash. Longoria is probably going to be the AL MVP and Pena is going to have a great year batting behind him. Either way, this line-up is terrifying.

Rotation:
1. James Shields RH
2. Scott Kazmir LH
3. Matt Garza RH
4. Andy SonnanstineRH
5. David Price LH
Closer Troy Percival RH

David Price is going to start the year in the minors, but the rest of the rotation is solid. I look at this line up as a bunch of number 2 starters. None of them are extremely impressive, but they all do their jobs. All of these guys could finish with 15 wins. The key is the health of Percival. If Percival can stay healthy and not be over worked he will be a huge asset for this team.

Prospects:
Wade Davis, RHP Should be ready sometime in 2009. Could be a Gil Meche type.

Jeremy Hellickson, RHP: Excellent combination of command with solid stuff.

Tim Beckham, SS: Not great performance this offseason, but very young. I’m cutting him slack.

Outlook:
The Rays will be a frustrating team, because I want to say they will have a drop off, but I can't. The team actually got stronger with Pat Burrell in the line-up and that pitching staff will only get stronger with a year under their belt. I don't see them having an off year. As a matter of fact, I'm going to say they will have a ridiculous 111-51 record.

DC MLB Preview: Toronto Blue Jays

2008 Record: 86-76

Key Additions:
Kevin Millar (1B)
Brian Burres (P)

Key Losses:
A.J. Burnett (P)
Brad Wilkerson (OF)
Gregg Zaun (C)
Kevin Mench (OF)

Projected Lineup:
1. Marco Scutaro SS
2. Aaron Hill 2B
3. Alex Rios RF
4. Vernon Wells CF
5. Adam Lind DH
6. Scott Rolen 3B
7. Lyle Overbay 1B
8. Rod Barajas C
9. Travis Snider LF

Every year scouts think Rios will have a breakout year, and every year he stay about the same. Rios is very good, but he can't carry this lineup. Wells can be solid, but is an injury risk, and seems the best parts of his career have passed him by. The Jays have some young bats, and if they turn out to be good, this lineup will look a lot more respectable. Hill was hurt all last year, and for the jays sake I hope he can return to being the player he was 2 years ago. Lind showed he can play at the end of last year, but is he good enough to play full time? Snider is the wild card. He is young, and can hit, but he is so bad in the field he will eventually have to move to DH. Overall I think this will be a very streaky lineup.

Projected Rotation:
1. Roy Halladay
2. Jesse Litsch
3. David Purcey
4. Casey Janssen
5. Scott Richmond

Cl B.J. Ryan

Halladay is a stud. It is really too bad he has wasted his whole career in Toronto, because he just might be the best pitcher in baseball. After his this rotation gets a little dicey. Litsch is solid, but I don't see him as a number 2 type of pitcher. Last year he had 13 wins and an ERA of 3.58. Who knows maybe he will prove me wrong. The last three guys are a joke, and will be the main reason why this team goes nowhere. B.J. Ryan is another year removed from Tommy John, so I expect him to be very good, and their bullpen all around is not bad. The problem is they will most likely be used heavily, because of Purcey, Janssen, and Richmond.

Minor Watch:
J.P. Arencibia (C) - Seems like everyone, but the Sox have a good catcher coming up. This kid can hit bombs, but it still a year away.

Brett Cecil (P) - He has a real good shot at breaking into the rotation by mid season. He is a former first round pick, and the Jays really need this guy to progress quickly.

Overall:
Once again the Jays have enough talent to be competitive, but when you in a division with the Sox, Rays, and Yankees there just isn't much room for error. I think they will take a step back this year with the loss of Burnett. They will be fun to watch because of their young hitters, but the back end of their rotation sucks, and thus they won't win 80 games.

Record: 78-84

DC MLB Prediction: NL East

Well here is how we see it breaking down....

Marlins 97-65
Phillies 94-68
Braves 89-73
Mets 84-77
Nationals 70-92

Well I don't agree with the Marlins. I have them just below the Mets. The rest of it I agree with though.

Dueling Couches MLB Previews: Florida Marlins

Additions:
Dan Meyer P
Leo Nunez P

Subtractions:
Luis Gonzalez OF
Paul Lo Duca C

Line-Up
1. Cameron Maybin CF
2. John Baker C
3. Hanley Ramirez SS
4. Jorge Cantu 1B
5. Dan Uggla 2B
6. Jeremy Hermida LF
7. Cody Ross RF
8 Dallas McPherson 3B

This is Cameron Maybins year. You will see why he was a super prospect in Detroit and he will be a hell of a player this year. Hanley Ramirez is unvelievable and the best player in the MLB. Jorge Cantu has surprised everyone the past couple of years and is serviceable. But the guy the Marlins should be stoked about is Dallas McPherson. Once heralded as the best prospect in the MLB, but ended up to be terrible. Myself and many other believe this will be the year he explodes.

Rotation:
1. Ricky Nolasco RH
2. Josh Johnson RH
3. Chris Volstad RH
4. Andrew Miller LH
5. Anibal Sanchez RH
Closer Matt Lindstrom RH

Young and up and coming rotation. Josh Johnson is the key because not only does he smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, but he is on watch for breaking out. Andrew Miller and Anibal Sanchez are the best 4-5 pitchers in the league. This is the Marlins year.

Prospects:
1. Mike Stanton

OF, FLA (#42 overall)

A high-school outfielder drafted 76th overall in 2007, Stanton went on to destroy the Sally League in 2008, raking at a .293/.381/.611 clip while finishing second in home runs (39) and third in RBIs (97).

2. Logan Morrison

1B, FLA (#75 overall)

One of the last draft-and follow picks in baseball, hulking Logan Morrison is a graduate of Albert Pujol's old community college in Missouri. With a quick inside-out swing and plus power.

Overall:
The Marlins will win the NL East. They have the hitting and the pitching. They are young, but when have the Marlins never been young. Expect super years from Josh Johnson, Dallas McPherson and Cameron Maybin. Do not take the Marlins lightly Phillie and Mets fans.
97-65

DC MLB Preview: Atlanta Braves

2008 Record: 72-90

Key Additions:
Garret Anderson (OF)
Derek Lowe (P)
Javier Vazquez (P)

Key Losses:
John Smoltz (RP)
Mike Hampton (P)
Jorge Julio (RP)

Projected Lineup:
1. Yunel Escobar SS
2. Kelly Johnson 2B
3. Chipper Jones 3B
4. Brian McCann C
5. Garret Anderson LF
6. Jeff Francoeur RF
7. Casey Kotchman 1B
8. Josh Anderson CF

Chipper Jones is another victim of the WBC, but to be fair he hasn't played a healthy season since 2003. Still, he batted .364, and has been the heart and soul of this team for a long time. McCann is a stud, and really showed me a lot this year while playing for team USA. His power keeps getting better, and I really see a 40+ HR year for him. Anderson was a decent pickup, and will add some protection for McCann, though it would not have been necessary if Jeff Francoeur would go back to being the player he was in 2006 when he had 29 HRs and 103 RBIs. Kotchman is a wild card. Every year I think he is going to break through. If he adds power to his game the Braves could have a very solid lineup.

Projected Rotation:
1. Derek Lowe
2. Javier Vazquez
3. Jair Jurrjens
4. Kenshin Kawakami
5. Tom Glavine

CL Mike Gonzalez

I really like the Lowe and Vazquez pickups. Watch out, because I really think Vazquez is going to have a sick year in the NL. I'll be so bold as to say he will be a top 10 pitcher in the NL this year. Lowe will be solid, as long as the defense around him is good. They can't predicted what they are going to get from Glavine, but hopefully he has enough in the tank to push himself through one more season. Not a lot is known about Kenshin Kawakami, so it is hard to say what he will do. Jair Jurrjens is another wild card. He is really young (23), and could have a break out 15+ win season. The Braves won't have Tim Hudson until late in the summer, if at all, as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. I like Atlanta's bullpen with Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez. Look for Soriano to take over the closers spot at some point this season.

Minors Watch:
Thomas Hanson (P) - This is the guy Atlanta would not trade for Peavy. He is their future ace and could be up by mid season, especially if Glavine struggles.

Jason Heyward (OF) - Only 19 years old, but has shown a lot of power. We won't see him for another 2-3 years.

Overall:
If Atlanta could have got Peavy I might have had them in the World Series. They had a really aggravating offseason, but I still expect a good season out of this team. If Francoeur can play like he used to, and Kotchman finally fines his power their lineup should be solid. I like their rotation (even without Peavy), and if Hanson is the real deal it could push them into the playoffs.

Record: 89-73

DC MLB Previews: New York Mets

Additions:
Fransisco Rodriguez
J.J. Putz
Livan Hernandez
Freddy Garcia
Alex Cora
Sean Green

Subtractions:
Duaner Sanchez
Orlando Hernandez
Moises Alou
Tom Glavine

Line Up
1. Jose Reyes SS
2. Daniel Murphy LF
3. David Wright 3B
4. Carlos Delgado 1B
5. Carlos Beltran CF
6. Ryan Church RF
7. Luis Castillo 2B
8. Brian Schneider C

Solid line up. They have the best lead off man and a ridiculously strong middle of the line up, but the key to this offense begins with Carlos Delgado. If Delgado can be more productive than last year, this team will be really dangerous. I'm not a big Daniel Murphy fan though.

Rotation:
1. Johan Santana LH
2. Mike Pelfrey RH
3. Oliver Perez LH
4. John Maine RH
5. Freddy Garcia RH
Closer Francisco Rodriguez RH

O.K., let me get this out of the way before people rip my head off. I really don't like the Mets at all. I think this rotation is vastly overrated and overlooked for problems they may have. Mike Pelfrey is not going to win close to 10 games this year and will be demoted 2 months into the season, who knows what you will get from Oliver Perez now that he has a contract. John Maine blows and Freddy Garcia is past his prime. I will be very surprised if Livan Hernandez isn't in the rotation by the end of the first month. Their bullpen is secure now with the acquisition of Rodriguez, Putz and Green, but Putz is going into a complete different situation that he is used to. Think of Eric Gagne.

Prospects:
1. Wilmer Flores, SS

At 17, his hype is compared to that of other top shortstop prospects Carlos Triunfel and Elvis Andrus, only Flores is already showing power potential. With comparisons to Miggy Cabrera already being made, expectations for him are enormous. Hopefully, the Mets will allow him to move one level at a time and avoid the same mistakes they made with Fernando Martinez.

2. Fernando Martinez

At 19, F-Mart’s performance in Double-A was a mixed bag. His .292/.345/.440 line was solid, but scouts still wonder when the power is going to begin to show in game situations? At this point, Martinez seems an injury free season away from really breaking out. He’s the one player on this list with the best chance of reaching A status by this time next year.

Overall:
The Mets will have the East within reach come late August and then another collapse will happen. The Pitching staff is worth a big concern and with the guys they have I don't see them being able to make it over the hump. It doesn't matter how good your bullpen is if your starters suck.

84-77

DC MLB Preview: Philadelphia Phillies

2008 Record: 92-70

Key Additions:
Chan Ho Park (P)
Raul Ibanez (OF)

Key Losses:
Tadahito Iguchi (2B)
Adam Eaton (P)
Pat Burrell (OF)

Projected Lineup:
1. Jimmy Rollins SS
2. Shane Victorino CF
3. Chase Utley 2B
4. Ryan Howard 1B
5. Raul Ibanez LF
6. Jayson Werth RF
7. Pedro Feliz 3B
8. Carlos Ruiz C

A lot of people don't respect Ibanez, which is why I draft him late in every fantasy draft, but this guy is a lock for right around 100 RBIs. That is all the Phillies will need with guys like Utley, Rollins, and Howard in their lineup. They will miss Burrell, but Ibanez can pick up most (if not all) of the slack. Utley is somewhat of an injury risk as he battles back from hip surgery. What is scary is the Phillies on it all last year, and Rollins actually had a down year. That tells you how good this team can be.

Projected Rotation:
1. Cole Hamels
2. Brett Myers
3. Jamie Moyer
4. Joe Blanton
5. Kyle Kendrick

CL Brad Lidge

Lidge was dirty last year, and really drove them through the playoffs. Hamels elbow is bothering him, and that scares me, but if he is OK this rotation will be very good. Moyer is ageless and just eats up innings. His fastball is about 83 MPH, but the guy just wins, and I think he can keep it going. Blanton is solid, but can get rocked sometimes, and Myers is a douchebag, and the Phillies need more from him then 10 wins.

Minors Watch:
Carlos Carrasco (P) - I think this kid will play a major part in the Phillies season. He has a chance to grab that #5 spot, and if he does the Phillies rotation will be considerably better.

Joe Savery (P) - Another pitcher that could break into the rotation by midseason. Some people compare him to Mark Mulder. The Phillies have to be happy that they have Hamels, Carrasco, and Savery to build a future rotation around.

Overall:
If Hamels is really hurt then they aren't going to do anything, but for now I will go with the assumption that he is fine. The Phillies lineup will put up a lot of runs, and I am expecting a big year from Rollins. Howard will be interesting to watch to see if he falls off after finally getting his contract. Lidge is a stud, and their bullpen seems to be shaping up nicely. Still, no team has repeated as World Series winner since the 1998-2000 Yankees. The last NL team to do it was the Reds in 1975.

Record: 94-68

DC MLB Preview: Washington Nationals

2008 Record: 59-102

Projected Lineup:
1. Cristian Guzman SS
2. Lastings Milledge CF
3. Ryan Zimmerman 3B
4. Adam Dunn 1B
5. Elijah Dukes RF
6. Josh Willingham LF
7. Jesus Flores C
8. Anderson Hernandez 2B

The Nationals are just a collection of misfits, yet I kind of like it. Elijah Dukes really started to play well at the end of last year, and the addition of Dunn should at least make the Nationals somewhat respectable. Zimmerman is the face of the franchise, but he has kind of been a let down after exploding in 2006. If this team is going to do anything players like Zimmerman, and Milledge are going to have to step up big time.

Projected Rotation:
1. John Lannan
2. Scott Olsen
3. Shawn Hill
4. Daniel Cabrera
5. Collin Balester

CL Joel Hanrahan

Lannan is young, and had a very good rookie season. If he can keep progressing the Nationals might actually have their ace of the future. Cabrera is just a tease. He has all the talent in the world, but just can't throw strikes consistently. In the end none of these guys will win more then 12 games. Lannan was their best pitcher last year and he only had 9 wins.

Minors Watch:
Jordan Zimmerman (P)- Is eventually going to be an ace. Throws a hard sinker...think Derek Lowe.

Christopher Marrero (1B) - has all the power in the world, but broke his leg last year, and needs to prove himself. He has time, since he is only 20 years old.

Overall:
The Nationals will not be a good team (obviously!), but I think they are going in the right direction. I think Elijah Dukes and Lastings Milledge are going to have breakout years, and with Dunn in the middle on the lineup they should be putting up some runs. Still, they have no pitching, so it will be another long year.

Record: 70-92

DC AL Central Prediction

Here is how we see the AL Central breaking down...

1. White Sox 97-65
2. Twins 96-66
3. Indians 85-77
4. Tigers 83-79
5. Royals 81-81

So, I guess we see the whole division having a good year, though I think DP and I think very differently about the White Sox. Oh and I couldn't find a hot White Sox chick, so Jenny McCarthy will have to do.

DC MLB Preview: Cleveland Indians

2008 Record: 81-81

Key Additions:
Carl Pavano (P)
Mark DeRosa (2B)
Kerry Wood (P)

Key Losses:
Joe Borowski (P)

Projected Lineup:
1. Grady Sizemore CF
2. Mark DeRosa 3B
3. Victor Martinez C
4. Travis Hafner DH
5. Jhonny Peralta SS
6. Shin-Soo Choo RF
7. Ryan Garko 1B
8. Ben Francisco LF
9. Asdrubal Cabrera 2B

Grady Sizemore is one of the best players in baseball. I actually think it would be smart to drop him down in the order, because he has the potential to be a very effective 3 hitter in a lineup. Hafner is basically done, I don't see him turning it around and being a 30+ HR guy again. The big question for me is what will Victor do? He was injured most of last year, but he has shown in the past that he has the ability to be one of (if not the) most effective offensive catchers in the AL. Peralta was a surprise last year, and is very underrated, and Choo could have a breakout year. Overall they should be very solid, but the bottom of their lineup (Garko, Francisco, and Cabrera) make me nervous.

Projected Rotation:
1. Cliff Lee
2. Fausto Carmona
3. Carl Pavano
4. Anthony Reyes
5. Aaron Laffey

CL: Kerry Wood

The addition of Kerry Wood is awesome if he can stay healthy. I like their rest of their bullpen, and they may need to rely on it, because they have a lot of questions in their rotations. Carmona was terrible last year, but I think he will regain some of his form and win 14-17 games this year. There is no way Lee is as good as he was last year. I am just not buying it. I actually like Pavano this year. There is no reason to believe in him, but if he is healthy he could be a very good 3rd starter. Aaron Laffey is another guy that could be very solid, but he needs to stay healthy, overall there is just a lot more questions then answers in this staff.

Minors Watch:
Matt LaPorta (OF) - He might start in the minors, but this guy will not be down there long. He has it all and was the main prize of the CC deal.

Adam Miller (P) - This guy has been waiting for a long time. He can never seem to stay healthy, but they have finally decided to keep him in the bullpen. If he can stay healthy he could be awesome. He throws about 100 MPH and has been unstoppable in the minors, but everything hinges on his health.

Overall:
This team could either be very good or terrible. There are so many questions around players like Pavano, Hafner, Victor, and Carmona that it is really hard to judge this team. Still, I think they will be very solid, and that their bullpen will be able to hold them in any race.

Record: 85-77