To demonstrate the depth of the Angels' rotation this season, former Rangers ace C.J. Wilson, shown here, is the No. 4 starter in Los Angeles behind Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Every second week, CBCSports.ca's Mike Dennis breaks down the balance of power in Major League Baseball.
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1. LOS ANGELES ANGELS Record : 0-0 Newcomer C.J Wilson was the No. 1 starter in Texas last season and now pitches out of the No. 4 slot in the Angels' rotation behind Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana. That Pujols guy, with 445 career homers, begins his 10-year run in Lotusland, itching to prove his worth. The club is so deep in talent it’s struggling to find room for 29-homer man Mark Trumbo. They’ll challenge the Rangers for top spot. |
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2. TEXAS RANGERS Record: 1-0 The Rangers replaced the somewhat flaky @str8edgeracer (C.J. Wilson) with Japanese rock star Yu Darvish in their rotation and other than a Josh Hamilton pre-season sobriety transgression it’s business as usual for the two-time AL West champs and World Series participants. Their lineup is deep and the team is confident. They’re fully expected to be playoff-bound again. |
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3. NEW YORK YANKEES Record : 0-0 The Yankees seemed to have solved their thin rotation with the trade for Michael Pineda and the signing of free agent Hiroki Kuroda, but Pineda came into camp out of shape and was forced to the DL before the campaign opened. Left-hander Andy Pettitte is about a month away from returning after last year’s retirement and the AL East champs still have the deepest lineup in baseball, with Cano, Jeter, Granderson, etc. |
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4. DETROIT TIGERS Record : 1-0 Just when you thought the Tigers were only going to win the AL Central by 10 games they suddenly swopped out of nowhere to sign Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214 million contract, offsetting the loss of injured 1B Victor Martinez (knee). Justin Verlander opened the season with eight innings of two-hit shutout baseball after copping the AL Cy Young and MVP awards last year. Manager Jim Leland said he never had as much fun as last season and 2012 might prove even more enjoyable. |
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5. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS Record : 0-0 2010 NL rookie of the year Buster Posey is back for the Giants after last year’s brutal leg injury and the San Franciscans made sure Matt Cain isn’t going anywhere by making him the highest paid right-handed pitcher in baseball with a deal for $127 million plus an option. Melky Cabrera aids a punchless offence after a career year with K.C. but the Giants will dominate with their pitching including Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner. |
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6. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Record : 0-0 NL West division winners haven’t been able to repeat titles in recent times though the D-backs like their chances with the addition of SP Trevor Cahill from Oakland, some good young pitching waiting in the wings and a good hitting outfield of Justin Upton, Chris Young and longtime Twins’ DH/OF Jason Kubel, plus Gold Glove winner Geraldo Parra. Repeating 94 wins, though, could be tough. |
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7. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES Record : 1-0 I suppose Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels are an unsurpassed trio at the top of the Phillies’ pitching brigade but the cracks are started to show for the Pennsylvanians. The right side of the infield is missing 1B Ryan Howard and 2B Chase Utley for at least a couple of months which leaves OF Hunter Pence as the biggest threat in the lineup, though he’s a good player. The NL East won’t be a romp this time around. |
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8. TAMPA BAY RAYS Record : 0-0 The Rays have led the AL in stolen bases four years running (get it?). Manager Joe Maddon probably leads the universe in innovation and they’ve got the best young rotation with James Shields the greybeard at 30, along with David Price and Matt Moore possibly the best of the bunch. 3B Evan Longoria is the heart of the attack. |
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9. CINCINNATI REDS Record : 1-0 Like several other teams, the Reds turned in a lacklustre 2011 after capturing the NL Central the previous year. Leading a rebound season will be Toronto-born Joey Votto, who signed the largest guaranteed contract in baseball history, a 10-year, $225-million pact. Mat Latos joins Johnny Cueto at the top of the rotation and rookie catcher Devin Mesoraco looks like a keeper. |
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10. MIAMI MARLINS Record : 0-2 If you’re going to have a party in Miami’s Little Havana, who better to orchestrate the affair than manager Ozzie Guillen? The Marlins have a new home, a wild new colour scheme and Jose Reyes, plus SPs Mark Buehrle, Carlos Zambrano and closer Heath Bell to anchor the pitching staff behind Josh Johnson. This is a team on the rise that you know will be lively. |
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11. BOSTON RED SOX Record : 0-1 How does opening the season with $57 million worth of player contracts on the disabled list work for you in the club’s 100th anniversary season? Expectations are lower, but the pressure to get back to the playoffs is still there. |
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12. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS Record : 1-0 No sooner did the Cardinals get Adam Wainwright back then they lost fellow starter Chris Carpenter to start the season for new manager Mike Matheny. Oh, and some Albert Pujols guy picked up a Brinks truck and departed for the L.A. Angels. The only certainty is that Jason Motte, he of the 99-mile-per-hour fastball, is their closer. |
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13. ATLANTA BRAVES Record : 0-1 Did last September reveal the real Braves or can this injury plagued lineup regain status as a contender in the NL East? The Braves didn’t catch as much flack as the Red Sox for their collapse last year though they did blow a nine-and-a-half game advantage over the St. Cardinals in the wild-card race, losing on the final night of the season. 3B Chipper Jones announced 2012 would be his last season and immediately hurt his knee, opening the season on the sidelines. A bad sign? |
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14. MILWAUKEE BREWERS |
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15. WASHINGTON NATIONALS Record : 1-0 This would be a capital time to see the Nationals bloom like cherry trees in the District of Columbia. SP Stephen Strasburg is back and seemingly healthy. So is fellow starter Jordan Zimmerman and the Nats added SPs Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson. Catcher Wilson Ramos was rescued from kidnappers and Bryce Harper is refining his skills playing centre-field, ready for a call-up probably in early June. |
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16. TORONTO BLUE JAYS Record : 1-0 Optimism abounds for the Blue Jays, but is it justified? Which Brandon Morrow shows up? The 2011 (so-so) or 2010 (good) version? Will 1B Adam Lind or DH Edwin Encarnacion give RF Jose Bautista enough backing so the home run king doesn’t end up being walked all the time? Sergio Santos was a steal as closer but questions hover around NL transplants Colby Rasmus and Kelly Johnson, not to mention most of the rotation. |
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17. KANSAS CITY ROYALS Record : 0-0 Little separates the Royals from the Indians in the AL Central, other than about 800 miles by car. And the same could be said about their position in the division. 1B Eric Hosmer has the makings of a superstar, Alex Gordon finally revealed his promise as an all-star left-fielder and Lorenzo Cain in centre could be ready to break out. Still the pitching, with a bountiful array on the farm, is holding KC back |
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18. CLEVELAND
INDIANS Record : 0-1 Starting off the 2011 season with a 30-15 record gives reason for optimism that the Indians can finish second to Detroit in the AL Central, but I’m not as optimistic. They’ve already lost centre-fielder Grady Sizemore with yet another injury, Fausto Carmona misplaced his identity and Ubaldo Jimenez already is suspended for plunking former teammate Troy Tulowitzki. They’ll need players like SS Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B Jason Kipnis and C Carlos Santana to continue to improve. |
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19. LOS ANGELES DODGERS Record : 1-0 That billion dollar business deal is rocking the San Andreas fault with the announced sale of the Dodgers to the Magic Johnson/Stan Kasten/ Guggenheim group for 2.15 billion. The team is built around Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw and MVP runner-up Matt Kemp who’s signed for eight years and $160 million. It’s time for the new owners to unleash the billfold or gold bars. |
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20. COLORADO ROCKIES Record : 0-0 The Rockies added some character guys in Michael Cuddyer, Marco Scutaro and Jeremy Guthrie to the 1-2 core of Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. You might say they have a bit of age with a lineup that includes 1B Todd Helton and 49-year-old SP Jamie Moyer. They also have some youthful talent including SP Drew Pomeranz, the former first-round pick obtained for Ubaldo Jimenez. |
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21. SEATTLE MARINERS Record : 1-1 Punchless in Seattle, the Mariners dispatched six-foot-seven starter Michael Pineda to the Yankees for the huge potential of Jesus Montero’s bat. Montero may not catch much for the M’s but he’s rated a can’t-miss hitting prospect. At the same time, the Mariners know they’ve got a trio of young hurlers nearly ready for big-league duty in Taijuan Walker, Danny Hultzen and former Blue Jay draftee (but unsigned) James Paxton to fill in behind King Felix Hernandez. |
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22. PITTSBURGH PIRATES Record : 0-1 The Pirates finally reached .500 at midseason last year after 18 consecutive losing seasons, but they couldn’t maintain that pace and fell way off in the second half. The Pirates had three all-stars in 2011 and progressed under manager Clint Hurdle but the team is still filled with plenty of question marks. |
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23. SAN DIEGO PADRES Record : 0-1 After challenging for the NL West division in 2010, the Padres fell to 20 games below .500 last season. That prompted them to send SP Mat Latos to Cincinnati for the offensive promise of the wonderfully named 1B Yonder Alonso and pitcher Edinson Volquez. They also added the power of OF Carlos Quentin, a native San Diegan. Still seems a long way back to .500. |
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24. CHICAGO WHITE SOX Record : 0-0 Robin Ventura, without any managing experience, inherits the other Windy City Motley Crue and sees his top starter Mark Buehrle leave for Miami as a free agent and his bargain-priced closer Sergio Santos dealt to Toronto for a AA prospect. Ken Harrelson’s favourite Sox aren’t terrible but they’re a long way from the top of the AL Central. |
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25. CHICAGO CUBS Record : 0-1 Theo Epstein has his loyal lieutenant Jed Hoyer back, serving as GM while he presides over the Northside Chicaoans. But whipping the Cubs into a World Series winner after 103 years of futility will be much more difficult than snapping Boston’s 86-year championship drought. They’re starting quite a few rungs lower than Boston did in its rebuilding project. |
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26. NEW YORK METS Record : 1-0 Much like the Orioles in the AL East, the Mets have all the signs of being the odd team out in what’s shaping up to be a four-way battle at the top of their division. Like the Orioles, they’re a clear No. 5. Losing SS Jose Reyes robs the team of its engine; their financial losses in the Bernie Madoff aftermath preclude any rapid free agent acquisitions. |
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27. MINNESOTA TWINS |
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28. OAKLAND ATHLETICS Record : 1-1 Do you know the way to San Jose? The A’s, under GM Billy Beane, are looking for a way to get their ball club out of Oakland into more fertile fan territory in San Jose by unloading proven pitchers Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill and closer Andrew Bailey. They turned around and signed Cuban prospect Yoennis Cespedes for $36 million US and soon to be 40-year-old Manny Ramirez. It doesn’t sound like a plausible road map to Moneyball 2. |
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29. BALTIMORE ORIOLES Record : 0-0 Remember when the Orioles had good teams and were regular contenders in the AL? Nah, my memory doesn’t go back there far, either. The Orange Birds traded away their only reliable starter in Jeremy Guthrie and will fly not so high on the strength of their young pitchers Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta again after seeing them fall out of the nest last year. |
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30. HOUSTON ASTROS Record : 0-0 10-9-8 … the countdown in Houston is on for the Astros to shift to the American League as the 15th team, joining the AL West Division for the 2013 season. Instead of looking up at three good teams in St. Louis, Milwaukee and Cincinnati as they currently do in the NL West, they’ll have two powerhouses to chase in state-mate Texas and the L.A. Angels. |