2011 Outlooks: Josh Willingham

I still like him and I think he could get even better.  His power numbers might be idle but he got increase them.  He’s going to play good defense all year and fill into the corner outfield spot.  His stats will get better and he will fill into the line-up good and be very productive where he does hit.  He will keep getting better but this year he will have more struggles especially at the beginning and at home but he should have a good second half and be productive but his struggles at home will last the whole year.  His average may take a small hit but he’s going to have some high points and be one the Athletics best players in 2011.  I wouldn’t expect his stolen bases to go anywhere either.  I like him and he could be an on and of all-star in a few years but in 2011 he will just do a decent job and be a guy who gets a lot of RBIs.  GOOD YEAR: Decent one

Tiger Topics: Hendrickson a option?

He’s not the worse but not the best.  The Tigers might need another average arm and he could be that.  Even though they have Thomas and Schlereth.  Hendrickson wouldn’t do bad and would pitch very well at home and have a good season, he’s a good fit and his ERA and WHIP will go down.  He will also be good in more than one inning work and be a reliable option to have some good starts if a starter goes down.  Hendrickson wouldn’t always be good but will get the job done and have an average season.  He has all the tools to succeed in the division too.  He wouldn’t be my first option for them to get but I would be okay with it and he would give the Tigers quite a few good games.
LEFTY WITHIN?: I don’t think Charlie Furbush would do good in relief but Duane Below could do a decent job and I even think Fu-Te Ni could comeback and have a good season if he does come up in the middle of the year.  If they don’t get another lefty Weinhardt will improve and Albuquerque would do good.

Can the Braves still contend?

The Braves are very good but it’s unlikely they will win the division but the wild card is very likely. I like their team altogether but their hitting could struggle at times. I am mostly worried that McLouth and Freeman will not come through often especially McLouth.  Uggla should have one of his best seasons. They just need a few small pieces like Nick Punto maybe and they need start Eric Hinske more often. They have a decent staff as long as Jurrjens returns to form and I expect him to.  They will have a good bullpen too with Venters in the back and a guy like Fuentes or Soriano closing.  They have talent and could become dangerous if they make the playoffs and they will okay tough teams very well.  Nothing will hold them back a ton but the struggles of finding good hitters behind the five hole could take some bad falls, if they get a closer and start Freeman and stick with McLouth the whole year they have a good team and will win 90 games.

Top 25 Tigers Prospects- 2011

I know this system very well so I thought I would rank 25 rather than 20…

1. SP Jacob Turner- GRADE: A-
2. 3B Nick Castellanos- B+
3. RP Daniel Schlereth- B+
4. SP Andy Oliver- B+
5. SP Casey Crosby- B
6. OF Daniel Fields- B
7. RP Chance Ruffin- B
8. SP Drew Smyly- B
9. SP Brayan Villarreal- B
10. 3B Francisco Martinez- B-
11. OF Casper Wells- B-
12. OF Avisail Garcia- C+
13. SP Jose Ortega- C+
14. RP Lester Oliveros- C+
15. RP Robbie Wienhardt- C
16. SP Charlie Furbush- C
17. 1B Ryan Strieby- C
18. RP Bruce Rondon- C
19. SP Adam Wilk- C
20. 3B Wadw Gaynor- C
21. 2B Brandon Douglas- C-
22. OF Danry Vazquez- C-
23. OF Andy Dirks- C-
24. RP Cody Satterwhite- C-
25. RP Scott Green- C-

TEAM GRADE: C-

Top 20 Rays Prospects- 2011

1. SP Jeremy Hellickson GRADE- A
2. OF Desmond Jennings- A
3. SP Matt Moore- A-
4. OF Josh Sale- B+
5. RP Jake McGee- B+
6. SP Alex Colome- B
7. SP Alex Torres- B
8. C Justin O’Connor- B-
9. SP Enny Romero- B-
10. SP Alex Cobb- B-
11. 3B Drew Vettleson- B-
12. SP Nick Barnese- C+
13. SP Jake Thompson- C+
14. SP Joe Cruz- C+
15. RP Scott Schuman- C
16. SS Tim Beckham- C
17. OF Leslie Anderson- C
18. OF Ty Morrison- C-
19. SP Wilking Rodriguez- C-
20. 3B Matt Sweeney- C-

STILL A CONTENDER?: They will take step back in 2011 but in 2012 they should start to rebound and should move forward again.  With all the talent they have they will be good real soon, I guarantee it.  The rotation will be brilliant for many years.

TEAM GRADE: B

Tigers and Pavano: Is it a good idea?

The Tigers need another starter unless they want to be stuck with Galarraga’s inconsistency.  A bottom of the rotation could be good too, like Brad Penny.   Pavano is better though and he will do very good in Comerica park and be a great fit.  He’s a veteran who will put up good numbers too and be solid behind all the young starters.  He would have a very good year and if he stays around longer he will be good his whole tenure with Detroit.  He would pitch very well within the division and has a chance at very big success.  He would be a four starter and wouldn’t do anything worse than he did with the Twins.  the Tigers need his innings and stuff. He won’t have any decline in the next few years too.  If he returns to the Twins he will hurt the Tigers every time they face him.  His stuff and everything about his mechanics should hold up and the Tigers would be getting a ton from him if they get him but he won’t always be very good but will be above average but down the stretch he would be awesome and overall he will be above average. NEED FACTOR: 8

Brewers Acquire Greinke

ANALYSIS: The Brewers will compete now and Greinke will pitch better than Gallardo but do about the same as he did with the Royals.  Greinke puts them over the top and will be a very good pitcher for many years there.  He won’t have many bad games and is the best pitcher in the NL Central now.  Him and the Brewers are a big fit and he will do everything for them and more with all his great tools.  The Brewers also got Yuniesky Betancourt, he will do okay at times but can’t do as well as last year.  The Royals got Alcides Escobar who is about ready to be a superstar and the Royals have now found a really good defender and leadoff hitter, though his offensive production may take a hit the first year he should do very good.  The Royals also got Lorenzo Cain who will be a very nice hitter who should hit good in the number two slot. 
EDGE: Brewers, by a hair
BREWERS: They got Greinke who will do everything they need but now they will contend and with that pitching staff and Braun and Fielder they have a really good shot.  I wouldn’t expect to much out of Betancourt because he won’t do much other than hit a few homers.  Getting Greinke is awesome for them and he will do so much just this year.
ROYALS: Cain and Escobar are future all-stars who will swing a great bat for many years but Jake Odorizzi has a very bright future as a starter in a few years and should do very good and could become an ace with his stuff and on that park.  Jeremy Jeffries was also acquired and he could be a bullpen ace and have a very bright career with his fastball.  He may have a higher ERA this season.  All the guys they got will be very good.  Losing Greinke will hurt them a ton this year though.
STATS: Greinke will increase his wins and may see small increases in all his numbers.  Betancourt will hit for a low average and his only good stats should be his homers.  Escobar could win a Gold Glove and will hit .300 with all-around decent numbers for a shortstop.  Cain might have a few struggles but should have strong numbers for a while.  Jeffries will have good numbers for a reliever.  Odorizzi should have a low ERA when he comes up.
SHORTSTOP: The Brewers should sign another shortstop and make Betancourt their back-up, he would do a lot better and they would be better with a guy like Orlando Cabrera but if they don’t it won’t hurt them a ton.
RANKING OF THE GUYS K.C. GOT IN RETURN

1. SS Escobar
2. OF Cain
3. SP Odorizzi
4. RP Jeffries

Top 20 Braves Prospects- 2011

1. SP Julio Teheran GRADE: A-
2. 1B Freddie Freeman- A-
3. SP Mike Minor- A-
4. SP Arodys Vizcaino- A-
5. SP Randall Delgado- B+
6. RP Craig Kimbrel- B
7. SP Brandon beachy- B
8. SS Matt Lipka- B
9. SP JJ Hoover- B
10. C Christian Bethancourt- B-
11. SP Carlos Perez- B-
12. SS Edward Salcedo- C+
13. SS Mycal Jones- C
14. SP Brett Oberhaltzer- C
15. RP Steve Kent- C
16. SP Abraham Espinosa- C
17. 2B Joe Leonard- C-
18. OF Todd Cunningham- C-
19. SP Cory Rasmus- C-
20. 2B Tyler Pastronicky- C-

STARTER WITH BEST POTENTIAL: I think Minor could do the best but Teheran has great stuff and will likely do better Vizcaino and Delgado aren’t too far behind either, all should be really good.

TEAM GRADE: C

Who should be the Red Sox closer?

OVERALL: I think that they should stick with Papelbon for now and if anybody should close other than him.  I think Papelbon should have a good year as a closer and Bard as a set-up guy and Jenks should improve but I wouldn’t trust him as a closer.
JENKS: He should rebound but not without some tough games.  He should get some holds and be a good pick-up.  I wouldn’t put him in any close games because he still might mess up and he isn’t as good as he used to be.  He will do fine as a guy who pitches the seventh and could surprise everybody and do really good.
PAPELBON: He’s going to be a good closer but not the best and can fall apart easy and will continue to do so but he will also have stretches where he won’t blow everything and for this year he’s a safe pick that won’t blow too many saves.
BARD: He will be an awesome setup man again and get most hitters out and without many flaws he should have a very good year.  He will keep improving and will take the closer job as early as 2012.

Tigers Re-Sign Magglio Ordonez

They need him and without him they would be in trouble.  Magglio will be back for one year and I think they might even need him in 2012.  He will perform big and have a great season.  He won’t decline at all and he will do everything he has and will hit awesome in front of Cabby and make him better.  Maggs will decline a bit on defense but his production will be big and with him and Martinez around Cabrera this offense could be very dangerous.  He will have a season about as good as 2010 would have been.  This is his best fit and he will hit very well at times with at least 20 homers and 100 RBIs with some of the biggest production on the Tigers.  He’s going to have a pretty big year and will be great for the Tigers it was a good season.  As far as hitting he could actually have one of his best seasons ever and he still has a good ability.  The Tigers are getting back a great player.