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2012 MLB Preview: Atlanta Braves

19 Monday Mar 2012

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Going into September last season the Atlanta Braves were all set to make their second consecutive trip to the postseason. The team had a comfortable 8.5 game lead on the St. Louis Cardinals for the wild card. That lead soon turned out to not be so comfortable. The Braves struggled the entire month with an 8-18 record (including losing the last five games of the season) and were passed from behind by the eventual World Series champion Cardinals on the memorable last day of the regular season. Atlanta collapsed, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons after winning their division 14 straight times from 1991-2005 (*). In 2012 the Atlanta Braves will look to turn the page from last season’s finish and focus on competing in an improved division from a year ago.  Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

16 Friday Mar 2012

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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim had a pretty quiet offseason. By quiet I mean the organization made the single biggest free agent splash in Major League Baseball in more than a decade. Albert Pujols is an Angel. So is the most coveted free agent pitcher from the offseason C.J. Wilson (*). Under Owner Arte Moreno and new General Manager Jerry Dipoto (**), Anaheim has transformed into one of the league’s powerhouses. The franchise’s payroll is approaching (and in the near future) will exceed $150 million. In 2012, the Angels will have the fourth highest payroll in MLB – behind New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies. From 2002 through 2009 the team made the playoffs six out of eight years before missing out the last two seasons. With the offseason the team had, Anaheim put itself in great position to end their two-year postseason drought.

(*) Crazily they agreed to terms with the organization on the same day. 

(**) Throw in a new lucrative television rights deal as well. Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: San Francisco Giants

15 Thursday Mar 2012

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The San Francisco Giants came into the 2011 season with high hopes having just come off winning the World Series the season before. Things didn’t turn out so well for the Giants last year though. The team was devastated by injuries the entire season. The only position player to play in more than 121 games was Aubrey Huff (who had a brutal season). 2010 Rookie of the Year Buster Posey only played in 45 games due to a broken leg. The team’s other standout position player, Pablo Sandoval, missed over a month of the season because of an injury. Beside the injuries, San Francisco relied too heavily on over the hill veterans. The Giants are better constructed and look to be healthier in 2012. The team should be in the mix for the NL West division crown. Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers

14 Wednesday Mar 2012

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The Los Angeles Dodgers organization has been through a lot the last few years. The ownership situation became a complete disaster caused by poor financial management, a divorce, and a series of lawsuits which ultimately led Major League Baseball to decide to step in and oversee the organization. The Dodgers eventually went into bankruptcy. As the 2012 season is about to begin, Frank McCourt’s ownership of the franchise is about to end. McCourt and MLB came to an agreement in the offseason centered on McCourt selling the team. The new owner(s) will be selected early in April and take over the team by the end of the month. Though the team had some success under McCourt’s ownership, this was a necessary move. On the field in 2012, the Dodgers are piecing together a team on a limited budget and awaiting the team’s new owner(s). Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Toronto Blue Jays

13 Tuesday Mar 2012

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Competing in the American League East is as tough as it gets in Major League Baseball. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have the two highest payrolls in the league and are in contention each year. From 2008 on the Tampa Bay Rays have been on the same winning level with New York and Boston making the playoffs three of the last four seasons. It’s been difficult for the Toronto Blue Jays to join the top-tier of the division. Toronto finds itself in a tier of its own in the division. Not good enough to compete with the three top teams, but not nearly bad enough to be in the same class as the Baltimore Orioles. The organization is heading in the right direction though. General Manager Alex Anthopoulos has made several favorable moves since taking over in 2009. With some development and a few key moves the team will be ready to contend. Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Washington Nationals

12 Monday Mar 2012

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The Washington Nationals, formerly the Montreal Expos, are one of the least successful franchises in Major League Baseball. The franchise’s first season was in 1969; the Expos/Nationals have made the playoffs just once. In the past 15 seasons the team has finished in either last or second-to-last place in the NL East 13 times. Clearly the organization has struggled to win in its 43 year history. Things are turning around though. The Nationals are on the upswing and are setup to be successful now and in the future. Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Cleveland Indians

09 Friday Mar 2012

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The 2011 Cleveland Indians were able to finish in second place in the weak American League Central Division. It seems the Indians overachieved a bit last season given the amount of time some of their players missed. Only Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrera played in more than 114 games. The Indians were not too active in the offseason but added more than it lost by taking advantage of certain situations and being savvy. Cleveland should be a better team in 2012 and could be further helped if players are healthier. Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Cincinnati Reds

08 Thursday Mar 2012

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After securing the organization’s first division crown in 14 seasons in 2010, the Cincinnati Reds took a step back in 2011 winning twelve fewer games and finishing 17 games out of first place. The Reds should fare better in 2012. The front office made moves that should help the team this season. More important however is that the two teams that finished ahead of Cincy in 2011, Milwaukee and St. Louis, each lost their offensive monster of a first basemen – Prince Fielder (MIL) and Albert Pujols (STL). This is not to say the Brewers and the Cardinals are going to fall off a cliff, but each team is expected to be worse than last season. With two of its division foes falling back and the Reds presumably moving forward, the 2012 season could be a successful one for Cincinnati. Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Chicago White Sox

07 Wednesday Mar 2012

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The Chicago White Sox are going through a rebuilding period. The organization is cutting its payroll and at the same time is trying to build its poor farm system. In the offseason the team lost Mark Buehrle, Carlos Quentin and Sergio Santos among others. Kosuke Fukudome is the only addition expected to make any sort of impact in 2012 and he’s slated for reserve outfielder duty. The club dropped its payroll by over $20 million. The result of the White Sox moves will be a weaker team and a lower finish in the standings. Since realignment in 1994 Chicago has never finished in last place in the American League Central and has only finished in 4th place one time. It wouldn’t be a surprise if this team ended up in 4th or even last place this season. Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: New York Mets

06 Tuesday Mar 2012

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The New York Mets as an organization have massive financial problems. Fred Wilpon, the Mets owner, was involved in the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. There are currently lawsuits against the Wilpon family which has raised concerns that the family may not be able to support the team financially. The Mets’ payroll has decreased dramatically from a season ago. The payroll last season exceeded $140 million; this season it will probably be just over $90 million. A $90+ million Major League Baseball payroll is not necessarily cheap but it is a significant drop off for the organization. The decreased payroll coupled with improvements from the rest of the rest of the teams in the division will make 2012 a difficult year for the New York Mets. The organization faces an uncertain future. Continue reading →