Day 1 at Blue Jays Spring Training

After a short ten minute flight delay, I arrived in Tampa this afternoon, and all was right in the world again. After a half hour drive to Dunedin, I put my bags down at the hotel, and went straight to FAES (Florida Auto Exchange Stadium), hoping to try to get a few autographs as the players departed from the park. When I got there, there were about 12 other people there waiting for autographs. The one thing that made them all so similar, they just wanted Jose Bautista's signature, nobody else. After walking around, getting a few pocket schedules, and getting the full list of Jays Spring invitees on paper, I went back to wait for autographs at the parking lot. It was probably another 20 minutes until the man everybody was waiting for came out.

Jose Bautista walked out of the clubhouse, walked straight to his car while wearing his plain white T-shirt, jeans, and sunglasses. he stopped halfway through, turned around, said something to a FAES employee, and then got into his car.

While he was driving out, he signed one autograph, said he would sign more tomorrow, and drove away in his bright red Chevy Camaro.

So, the quest to get my copy of MLB 12 The Show signed by Jose himself will continue tomorrow, when the Jays take on the Orioles at the FAES. If any of you guys are going to be there, I would love to meet you there. Just give me a shout on twitter, and it will happen.

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30 Teams in 30 Days:St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals – 2012 team preview

Key Additions: Carlos Beltran (RF – 2 yr $26M), J.C. Romero (RP – 1 yr $0.75M)

Subtractions: Albert Pujols (1B), Edwin Jackson (SP), Octavio Dotel (RP), Corey Patterson (OF), Nick Punto (INF), Ryan Theriot (INF), Gerald Laird (C)

2011 Record: 90-72

2011 Highlights:  St. Louis surprised everyone in baseball by finishing 23-9 over their final 32 games, erasing a 10.5 game gap between them and Atlanta.  Lance Berkman had 31 home runs (the more he's had since 2007), and won NL comeback player of the year.  Their entire starting five pitchers end the year with at least 11 wins.  Both Chris Carpenter and Jaime Garcia pitched a 2 hit complete game shutout.  Tony La Russa coached his 5,000^th game, becoming the 2^nd coach or manager to do so in American sports.

Offseason Moves: One year ago, Albert Pujols put a personal deadline to agree on a contract with the Cardinals, but failed to re-sign.  Well the nightmare came true.  Albert cashed in and went west with his talents to Los Angeles.   Carlos Beltran replaces Colby Rasmus who got traded mid-season to the Blue Jays for bullpen help.  J.C. Romero replaces Octavio Dotel.  So losing Pujols, Edwin Jackson, Nick Punto and Ryan Theriot adds up to a pretty quiet offseason and could be a tough 2012 season.

2011 Rewind - By the end of August were 10 games back of the division leader Milwaukee and 10.5 behind Atlanta.  Their odds of making the playoffs at the end of August were 1.3%.  The Cardinals won the NL wild card on one of the most exciting days in MLB playoff history and carried that success into the playoffs.  Two times the Cardinals were one strike away from losing game 6; both times David Freese became the hero.  Albert Pujols joined Reggie Jackson and Babe Ruth (not bad company), as the only players to hit 3 home runs in a world series game. 

After Adam Wainwright won 20 games in 2010 and placed 2^nd in CY Young voting, he had Tommy John surgery February 28^th 2011.  He missed the entire season and should be ready for opening day 2012.  Closer Ryan Franklin blew 4 of his first 5 save opportunities, to begin the season.  This was a sign of things to come.  As 10 pitchers would all blow saves in 2011, having the second most team blown saves overall.  Albert Pujols began the season going 105 at-bats without a home run and for the first time in his career, failed to hit over 100 RBI’s in a season. 

2012 Outlook – The 2011 Cardinals should have only won 85 games or so.  Winning 23 of their final 32 games, only to squeak into the playoffs.  It was then they never looked back.  Their offseason didn’t get much better as they lost Albert Pujols to the Angels (who will go down as the greatest player in this generation if not a top 10 of all time). 

However they did get great pitching in 2011, and will only get better with a healthy Adam Wainwright.  With Wainwright back, ace Chris Carpenter and 25 year old Jaime Garcia, the three of them could win over 40 games by themselves. 

The Cardinals are set at the corners for 2012.  Lance Berkman at first, Freese at 3^rd, Beltran in Right and Holliday in left.  David Freese needs to carry over his postseason success (21 RBI’s and a .397 batting average), into 2012.  Jason Motte shut down teams in the postseason with 5 saves and teams hitting only .119 against him.    Matt Adams (1B in double -A), their heir apparent to Albert Pujols, hit 32 home runs and needs to do the same in triple-A this year.

Question Marks: Their bullpen in 2011 nearly cost the Cardinals their season; blowing 26 saves.  Can Motte improve on his 2011 numbers in 2012 (9 saves and 4 blown saves)?  Can David Freese breakout and become the player we saw in the playoffs?  What will Rafael Furcal and Daniel Descalso do up the middle in the infield?  Jon Jay needs to double his RBI’s from 2011 to have an impact after hitting under .200 in the playoffs.   

With all things considered, what are the chances the Cardinals will repeat as World Series champs?  If Beltran and Berkman numbers tail off at all then their offense will really struggle with Pujols gone.  Holliday and Freese should put up great numbers, at LF and 3rd.  But the Cardinals will go as far as their pitching carries them.  They can probably win 50 games one run games with their staff.  Pitching prospect Shelby Miller looks to join the team and could win 8 as well.  How will their bullpen treat them in 2012 is a huge question mark. 

*Latest from Spring Training – as of March 10, 2012, Chris Carpenter is questionable for opening day.  According to Joe Strauss – Carpenter has a “bulging cervical disc” and it is undecided when he will throw next.  Losing Carpenter will greatly impact the Cardinals in 2012.

Projected Lineup –Here’s how I see the Cardinals batting order;

1. Rafael Furcal (SS)
2. Jon Jay (CF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Lance Berkman (1B)
5. Carlos Beltran (RF)
6. David Freese (3B)
7. Yadier Molina (C)
8. Daniel Descalso (2B)

The St. Louis Cardinals take a whole lot of gumption and perseverance into 2012.  From August on, they were on a mission, and ended up winning the World Series.  However I am not sure any World Series winner as ever came into the spring as quietly as the 2012 Cardinals. We here at BlueJaysPlus, picked the Cardinals to pull through with a tight race for the NL Central.    

The Final Count: *87-75 - 1^st in NL Central.

*Again, win totals in NL Central were assessed prior to the Ryan Braun appealed suspension.  The Cardinals will likely win around 78-82 games.  They will need a run like 2011 to make the playoffs in 2012, but we shall see. 

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Pittsburgh Pirates

2011 Record: 72-90

Key Additions: AJ Burnett (P), Casey McGehee (3B/1B), Nate McLouth (OF), Erik Bedard (P), Clint Barmes (2B/SS), Rod Barajas (C), Jo-Jo Reyes (P)

Subtractions: Jose Veras (P), Ronny Cedeno (SS), Paul Maholm (P), Ryan Doumit (C), Chris Synder (C), Brian Burres (P), Derrick Lee (1B), Ryan Ludwick (OF)

2012 Outlook: After spending 2010 in the basement of the MLB finishing a major league worst 57-105, the Pirates had arguably their best season in 19 years, going in to the All-Star break with a record above .500 for the first time since 1992, and were in first place in the NL Central as late as July 25. Unfortunately, the Pirates could not maintain that momentum and plummeted through the rest of the summer finishing with a 72-90 record and their 19^th consecutive season with a record under .500. However, many Pirates fans and people around baseball are buzzing about the Pirates as the first half of 2011 showed the world that the Pirates have the talent to succeed in the first half, now they just need to finish stronger and 2012 is looking like a good years for fans of the Bucs.

The Pirates definitely benefit from playing in what is one of baseball’s weakest divisions, and the playing field opened up this year as Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder both left for the American League and the Cardinals and Brewers obviously won’t be able to fill those voids quickly. However, the Pirates also made what could likely be one of the biggest offseason moves in all of the National League when they traded for the Yankees black sheep and former Blue Jay, AJ Burnett. They have him for the next two years and only have to pay him a total of $13 million, while the Yankees will pay the other remaining $20 million. It was a shrewd deal that couldn’t have benefited any other team as much as it benefits the Pirates. They desperately needed the frontline starter that a player like AJ Burnett provides. He’s durable, logs a lot of innings, and I believe that being back in the NL, he will again be the efficient and successful starting pitcher the Pirates so desperately need.

While the Pirates weren’t behind any other earth-shaking deals in the offseason, they did make some very smart upgrades, and filled some of the holes created by offseason departures. Erik Bedard and Jo-Jo Reyes both represent low-risk high reward signings that could really benefit the Pirates, and the addition of Rod Barajas as backstop to fill in for the departing Ryan Doumit and Chris Synder is key as he can contribute both offensively and defensively. Clint Barmes represents an upgrade over Ronny Cedeno, who had his 2012 option declined by the Pirates, and Casey McGehee represents some much needed infield depth and a possible stop gap at first. However, if the playoffs are going to be in the Pirates future anytime soon, they will need big contributions from their young upcoming talents and they will need their veterans to really produce, and they just aren’t their yet.

The Final Count: 76 – 86, Fourth in NL Central

However, success in Pittsburgh doesn’t necessarily mean making the postseason. A strong season from the Pirates resulting in their first winning season in 20 years would be something to celebrate in Pittsburgh, and would definitely be a step in the right direction. It’s very difficult for Pittsburgh to recruit the talent they need to make that final step into the postseason, and winning seasons over the next few years will do a great deal in turning them back into a team that wasn’t a perennial basement dweller, but a team that could be post-season threat in the NL Central. Granted, we at Blue Jays Plus have the Bucs finishing the season with their 20^th consecutive losing season with 76-86 record, that was before the AJ Burnett signing, and if he can have the season I expect he can (once he recovers from his most recent injury), the Pirates could very well be on the way to their first winning season in 20 years.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Milwaukee Brewers

2011 Record: 96 - 66

Key Additions: Aramis Ramirez (3B), Alex Gonzalez (SS), Cesar Izturis (SS), Jose Veras (P)

Subractions: Yuniesky Betancourt (SS), Casey McGehee (3B), Jerry Hairston Jr. (OF), LaTroy Hawkins (P), Mark Kotsay (OF), Takashi Saito (P), Josh Wilson (IF), Prince Fielder (1B)

2012 Outlook
Milwaukee has had one of baseball’s most interesting offseasons. The main focus, which most people thought was to be on Prince Fielder’s departure, was instead on Ryan Braun’s positive PED test. Lucky for the Brewers, lasts years NL MVP won his appeal, and will be anchoring the heart of the line-up once again. Joining him will be Aramis Ramirez. Although he’s no Prince Fielder, he is a nice consolation prize, and will do his best to fill Fielders spot in the four hole. Ramirez is as consistent as they come; he’s a lock for 25 homers and a .300 average every season. The offence should have no problem producing again this year, as Braun and Ramirez are joined by veteran Corey Hart, the often injured but talented Rickie Weeks, and hot-headed Nyjer Morgan. The guy to watch in this group is Mat Gamel. He’s got the unenviable job of taking over first in the wake of Fielder’s departure. Gamel has shown pop in the minors over the past few seasons (28 long balls last year in Triple-A), but has yet to translate that into big league success. Now that he finally has a chance to start, he could finally break out. Budding star catcher Jonathan Lucroy and defensive specialist Alex Gonzalez (remember this, Jays fans?) round out an offence that should be one of the NL’s best.

Last year, GM Doug Melvin made some impressive trades that gave the Brewers one the best rotations in the NL. All five pitchers will be returning, and this group looks like it could take it to the next level this year. Former Cy Young award winner Zach Greinke is entering his walk year, and should be motivated to continue from where he left off last year (9-3 over his final sixteen starts). He is joined by another Milwaukee ace, Yovani Gallardo, who is looking to repeat a year in which he set career highs in wins (17) and ERA (3.52), and struck out over 200 batters for the fourth straight season. Randy Wolf and Shaun Marcum are good control pitchers who should stabilize the middle of the rotation. Marcum, who was acquired in a trade with Toronto last season (thank you for Brett Lawrie), was very good last year (he held opponents to a .232 opponents average, and had an impressive 2.21 ERA on the road) before he collapsed late in the season. Lefty Chris Narveson is an above average fifth starter with filthy stuff (lefties hit .212 off him last year), but he needs to harness it better if he wants to take it to the next level.

Canadian John Axford leads a bullpen that will be interesting to follow. Axford, who saved 46 games (and won stache of the year), will be set by Francisco Rodriguez, if the Brewers don’t trade him. Logic says they might, because if they keep him, he’ll be one of the most overpaid setup men in the league (eight million dollars this year). Kameron Loe and Jose Veras will be counted on to fill the void left by LaTroy Hawkins and Takashi Saito. Managing this bullpen will be manager Ron Roenicke’s toughest job, but look to Axford to do everything he can to help out.

The Final Count: 79-83*
*No, Milwaukee will not finish with only 79 wins. These rankings were made with a Braun suspension in mind, and even then they still would have won at least 83 (Although some of my fellow editors may disagree). I think that ninety wins sounds about right. Their rotation should be able to carry them, but we`ll see just how much the loss of Fielder hurts.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Houston Astros

2011 Record: 56-106, Last in the NL Central (and the MLB)

Key Additions: Jack Cust,Chris Snyder, Jed Lowrie

Subtractions: Mark Melancon, Clint Barmes

Off-Season Review: The biggest news of the off-season for this "club", if you can call them that, is that the team will be moving to the AL West in 2013. Other than that, the Astros just signed a handful of past their prime players, and shored up the Red Sox bullpen by trading Mark Melancon. Great Job guys, way to improve from last year's 106 loss team!

2012 Outlook: The most exciting days of this season for the Astros and their fans will be from June 4th until June 6th, otherwise known as the Draft. The Astros will be selecting first overall thanks to their 106 losses in 2011, and they seem ready to do so in 2013 again.

The club has not changed a whole lot since last season, and expect "Ace" Wandy Rodriguez to be traded come July, so this team could very well have a worse season then they did in 2011. You would think that with such a bad major league team, that the Astros farm system would be amazing,well, it isn't. They have a few potentially good players in the lower levels of their system, but not enough in AA or AAA that could help the team in 2012-2013.

With the inevitable trade of Wandy Rodriguez this season, and a rotation that lacks depth( J.A Happ is slated to be the #3 starter), the Astros rotation is definitely not good, ant that is putting it nicely. If the Astros want to contend in this decade, they need to develop some pitching prospects, and maybe then, they will be a little more respectable.

The offense is no better than the starting pitching, and it might actually be worse. The Astros finished 5th to last in runs last season, and only had one player that had enough at bats to qualify as a "Statistical Leader". Derek Lee is anchoring this offense (Yes, I cried too), and Brett Wallace, who was supposed to help bring this club out of misery, isn't guaranteed a starting spot. Wallace, and catcher Jason Castro are going to need to live up to all the hype that surrounded them during there prospects years, and try to help this miserable offense. New SS Jed Lowrie will need to try to be at his best, like he was for a short period of time last season in Boston, to prove to the Red Sox Front Office, that trading him was a mistake. If the Astros want to be able to contend in the American League come 2013, they will need to make major strides this season at the plate, or be stuck in the same place as they are now in future years.

The Final Count: 60-102

That record is being generous, as there is a very good chance the Astros do finish with less than 60 wins this year again. If the Astros want to contend this year, every single player on the 25 man roster will need to have career years, so the odds are stacked against them. I think anybody in the Astros organization would have to be happy with a 5th place finish in 2012, and have to start looking ahead to 2013, when they switch leagues, and get a "Fresh Start".

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30 Teams in 30 Days:Cincinatti Reds

By: Derek Pritchett

2011 Record: 79-83

Key Additions: Mat Latos (SP - trade), Ryan Madson (CL – 1yr $8M), Ryan Ludwick (OF – 1yr $2M), Sean
Marshall (SP),

Subtractions: Fransico Cordero (CL), Yonder Alonso (1B), Edinson Volquez (SP), Ramon Hernandez (C),
Dontrelle Willis (SP), Travis Wood (RP),

2012 Outlook – Cincinnati surprised the baseball world by making the playoffs in 2010. In 2011, they had to painfully sit back and watch the Cardinals and Brewers dog it out for the division and wild card, as their pitching just wasn’t enough to move their team ahead. There are three opponents’ records against the Reds in 2011 that are surprising. During 18 interleague games, the Reds managed only 6 wins. The Reds were also 2-5 against the lowly Mets. Out of 15 games against the Pirates, the Reds only won 5. That is at least a dozen games they could have won, which would have given them the wild card.

There were some positions that were question marks all season for the Reds in 2011. Three different catchers suited up for the Reds, five different thirdbaseman and four left fielders. Ryan Hanigan looks to show catching prospect Devin Mesoraco the ropes. Who starts in left field once again, Chris Heisey or Ryan Ludwick? They need Scott Rolen to perform like he did in 2010 hitting 20 HR and 80+ RBI’s (he's got Juan Fransico there if need be). No Reds Starting pitcher had more than 118 K’s and 12 wins. If you take away Mike Leake’s numbers, the remaining 4 starting pitchers had an ERA of 4.50.

Offseason Moves: The Reds made two big offseason moves, one involving their big time 1B prospect Yonder Alonso to the Padres for Mat Latos, and the second was signing Ryan Madson. The trade came out of nowhere and should work out good for both teams. The 2012 Reds really need Mat Latos to get 15 wins an ERA below 3.00 and 190 K’s – which he is capable of doing. The other move was letting a closer who has averaged 37 saves over 4 season walk in favor of signing a guy who has closed once in Ryan Madson and only got 32 saves himself just to save 5 years in age. That’s a bold move if you ask me.

The Reds got better buy subtraction as well over the offseason. The NL Central lost both Albert Pujols(Angels) and Prince Fielder (Tigers). Joey Votto is now not only the best 1B in his division but also in the NL.

2011 Highlights: Jay Bruce (84-32-97), Joey Votto once again over 100 runs and RBI’s, (would like a higher HR total but is now top 1B in NL) had another solid year from Brandon Phillips and Drew Stubbs stealing 40 bases (thought I’d like him to raise his .243 batting average).

Projected Lineup –Here’s how I would construct the Reds batting order;

1. Brandon Phillips (2B)

2. Zack Cozart (SS)

3. Joey Votto (1B)

4. Jay Bruce (RF)

5. Scott Rolen (3B)

6. Drew Stubbs (CF)

7. Devin Mesoraco (C)

8.Chris Heisey (LF)


Question Marks: Can Dusty Baker take the 2012 Reds into the playoffs after a slide in 2011? In order to do so, they need more than one starting pitcher win more than 10 games. Ryan Madson needs to close in the 40 game mark. Is Johnny Cueto really an ace? They need good health from Scott Rolen. They need to know what they have in Zack Cozart and Devin Mesoraco. Where does Aroldis Chapman fit in? Does he overtake Bailey for 5th starter?

I am secretly picking the Cincinnati Reds as my surprise team of 2012. They could use another starter (Roy Oswalt anyone), and that is their only question mark. They will go as far as their high power offense and make shift pitching staff will take them. We here at BlueJaysPlus, see a tight race for the NL Central and see the Reds fighting (along with 4 other teams) for one of the wild card spots.

The Final Count: 86-76 2nd in NL West.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Chicago Cubs

2011 Record: 71-91

Key Additions: Theo Epstien (President), Jed Hoyer (GM), Dale Sveum (Manager), David DeJesus (OF), Ian Stewart (3B), Travis Wood (P), Manny Corpas (RP), Andy Sonnanstine (P), Chris Volstad (P), Anthony Rizzo (1B), Paul Maholm (P), Gerardo Concepion (P), Nate Robertson (P), Adrian Cardenas (2B/SS)

Subtractions: Sean Marshall (RP), Carlos Zambrano (P), Aramis Ramirez (3B), Carlos Pena (1B), 2 Players to be Named Later (for Epstein/Hoyer), Jim Hendry (GM)

2012 Outlook: It seems strange to look at the Chicago Cubs offseason, because there are a lot of significant additions and only a few real subtractions. That kind of imbalance can signify a couple things, but in the Cubs case it signifies the start of an overhaul of the entire Chicago Cubs system by the new dynamic duo in charge. The Chicago Cubs made their two most significant additions off the field over the winter in the form of a new President of Baseball Operations in Theo Epstein (formerly of the Boston Red Sox) and a new General Manager in Jed Hoyer (formerly of the San Diego Padres). There are good things happening in the North Side of Chicago right now, but the unfortunate part is that these changes will take time. The easiest comparison is undoubtedly to how things changed in 2009 with the Blue Jays. When Alex Anthopoulos became the new GM, there was change in the atmosphere surrounding the Blue Jays, and everyone was suddenly on the same page. That is very much where the Chicago Cubs seem to be. The Cubs have the right guys at the top making the decisions and now the fans are giving the team the time to rebuild the system, find the right players, and build the team into a winner, and the fans will endure the road it takes to get there.

It’s all too easy to say that the Cubs haven’t won a World Series Championship since 1908 or been to the World Series since 1945, so waiting shouldn’t be that hard, but that really discounts the recent successes of the Chicago Cubs. They won the Central Division in 2003, 2007, and 2008 and have had very promising line-ups that just didn’t deliver, and most heart-breaking of all was the astronomical payrolls that accompanied some of the more disappointing seasons, but this is a new era. Epstein became GM of the Boston Red Sox in 2002 and two years later ended the Boston Red Sox 86 year World Series drought. If anyone can end the Chicago Cubs 104 year drought, he may be the guy. But that’s all of the stuff that happens off the field, what is going on, on the field?

Carlos Pena and Aramis Ramirez were huge parts of The Chicago Cubs 2011 line-up. Together they combined to hit 54 home runs and lead the team, and their bats are gone now, not to mention the arms of Sean Marshall and Carlos Zambrano as well (and the bat of Zambrano off the bench). However, as Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein begin rebuilding this team, they aren’t replacing veterans with other veterans, they are replacing them with future all-stars, and players will may become cornerstones of a championship team for the future. Carlos Zambrano and Sean Marshall were replaced by Travis Wood and Manny Corpas, and Carlos Pena and Aramis Ramirez were replaced by Anthony Rizzo and Ian Stewart/Adrian Cardenas. Travis Wood had one of the most impressive outings by a pitcher in just his third career start. He flirted with a perfect game for eight flawless innings before giving up a double in the ninth. What was most impressive about this outing was that he was facing Roy Halladay and was matching and in some innings out-dueling him. Anthony Rizzo is another key player in the future of the Chicago Cubs and has been following Jed Hoyer from team to team, so it’s obvious they expect big things from him down the road.

The team will also need players to step up and continue to development. 2012 will be a big year as they evaluate what they have on their hands. They need to see if Starlin Castro will be the franchise player they believe he will be. They need to see if players like Ian Stewart and Bryan LaHair can have productive seasons. David DeJesus has some added pressure to perform, as he was the Cubs biggest offseason acquisition as far as a financial commitment goes, and Matt Garza will need to anchor the rotation as questions about his status will continue to circulate until the day after the trade deadline as everyone will wonder if he is going to be traded away or extended.

The Final Count: 71-91, Fifth in the NL Central

The hard truth of the matter is that the Cubs are just at the start of a serious rebuild and it will take time. Win or lose, this season’s fate is almost predetermined. If the team is struggling then the young guys coming up through the minors will get a shot earlier than anticipated, and if the team is playing well up to the all-star break, successful pieces will be moved to improve the team for the long-haul. It’s most likely that players such as Matt Garza or Ryan Dempster will be trade chips by the deadline, as Epstein and Hoyer look to build the farm the old-fashioned way. It’s because of the path that the team is on that I predict the Cubs will finish with the exact same record as last season, but it will be an improved team. Must like Toronto’s 2011 record doesn’t accurately reflect what is really happening in Toronto, the Cubs record won’t really reflect Chicago’s situation. The Cubs will have a losing record and that’s okay, for this year at least. The future of the Chicago Cubs is bright once more, but there will be some bumps along the road to success.

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Brandon Smith's First BIB Podcast

Brandon Smith, our writer since November is leaving the BlueJaysPlus team (After the 30/30 of course) and is joining Back in Blue. He took part in his first BIB Podcast this week, and he was welcomed with a nice BlueJaysPlus shout out! Our shout out is from 9:38-10:41, but I recommend you watch the whole thing. Enjoy BIB9!

30 Teams in 30 Days: San Francisco Giants

2011 Record: 86-76

Key Additions: Angel Pagan (OF), Melky Cabrera (OF)

Subtractions: Jonathan Sanchez (P), Carlos Beltran (OF), Ramon Ramirez (P), Andres Torres (OF), Mark DeRosa (IF), Miguel Tejada (SS)

2012 Outlook
After a magical 2010, the Giants fell back to earth in 2011, and then some. The offence was miserable, the defence just as bad, and key contributors Aubrey Huff and Jonathan Sanchez had off years. But the worst blow to the Giants last season came on May 25, when star sophomore catcher Buster Posey broke his leg in a collision at home plate with Scott Cousins. Posey had just come off a sensational rookie year in which he backstopped San Francisco to a World Series, and showed great abilities at the plate. If healthy, he will form a nice one-two punch with Pablo Sandoval, who is coming off an excellent year that saw him use his voodoo powers to hit for a .315 average with 23 homers, earning an All-Star selection.

Posey wasn’t the only key position player to miss extended periods of time due to injury. Second baseman Freddy Sanchez only played sixty games last year due to a separated shoulder. Both Posey and Sanchez are above average contributors with the stick when healthy, so their return is crucial to a Giants team that finished last in the NL in runs scored. Some of the onus for last year’s offensive debacle also falls on Huff, who failed to repeat his 2010 numbers after signing a two year extension. He needs to produce if he wants to keep his job, because he’s got budding star Brandon Belt hot on his heels.

Newcomers Melkey Cabrera and Angel Pagan should also help the offensive cause, but consider yourselves warned, there is no way Cabrera repeats last season’s numbers. He’s probably not going to fill the void that created when Carlos Beltran signed with the Cardinals. Still, this year’s bunch should be significantly better than last years, even with Brandon Crawford (career .266 hitter in the minors) and Nate Schierholtz in the lineup on a regular basis.

Due to their lack of offence, the Giants will count on their stellar rotation to carry them to the playoffs, much like they did in 2010. Tim Lincecum is the ace of this sensational staff, and is one of baseball’s best pitchers. He suffered from poor run support last year (just 2.8 runs per start!), resulting in a 13-14 record, despite his 2.74 ERA. Joining him at the top of the rotation is Matt Cain, who has quietly been almost as good as Tim for the past few seasons. Cain is often overlooked due to his lower strikeout rates (7.4/9 compared to Lincecum’s 9.9/9), but he has been one of the most consistently excellent pitchers over the past five years, throwing at least 200 innings per season, with a career ERA of 3.35 (for comparisons sake, Roy Halladay’s is 3.23). Madison Bumgarner became the first Giant’s pitcher to throw more than 200 innings in a season before turning twenty-two since 1960. He’s most certainly a plus No. 3. Ryan Vogelsong hopes to repeat his breakout 2011 season that saw him go 13-7 and make his first All-Star appearance, after a three year hiatus in Japan. Barry Zito will likely open up 2012 as the most overpaid fifth starter. That is, if he can win the job. The rotation should once again be one of baseball’s best, which is why GM Brain Sabean felt comfortable trading Jonathan Sanchez to the Royals.

The Giants have a top notch pen to complement their starters. Brian “The Bearded One” Wilson leads the Majors with 163 saves since 2008. Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez, Jeremy Affeldt, and Santiago Casilla round out the bullpen that had the second best ERA in baseball last year, and should be just as good in 2012.

The Giants have a solid bench, but outside of Belt, it’s nothing to write home about. Mike Fontenot is a solid veteran, and Emmanuel Burriss is a good utilityman. Last year, Posey’s backup Chris Stewart played over sixty games. This year, he should play about once a week to give Posey the day off. Anything more than that and the Giants will be in trouble, because Stewart is a career .200 hitter.

The Final Count: 86-76, Second in the NL West
This is probably a bit harsh based on the Giant’s staff, but I’m really concerned about the Giant’s offence. Cabrera is unlikely to repeat his career year; Huff is showing signs of age, and it’s yet to be determined how well Posey and Sanchez will play upon their returns. Unless the hitters take it to the next level, the Giants will once again play the role of second banana in the NL West. However, even if they don’t win the division, they still should be in contention for one of the wild cards.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: San Diego Padres

2011 Record: 71-91

Key Additions: Mark Kotsay, Huston Street, Edison Volquez, Yonder Alonso, Carlos Quentin, Andrew Cashner, Jeff Supann, Micah Owings

Subtractions: Heath Bell, Chad Qualls, Brad Hawpe, Aaron Harang, Mat Latos, Anthony Rizzo

2012 Outlook: The Padres had a very busy off-season, arguably one of the best among the 30 MLB teams. GM Josh Byrnes continued to add prospects to a top 3 farm system, as well as add depth to the major league team. He traded away Ace Mat Latos to the Reds for a package that included Yonder Alonso, and Edison Volquez. Volquez is a major part of that deal in my mind, because he clearly has the potential to be a good number 2, or a decent number 1, as shown in his fantastic 2008 year. It should also be noted that Volquez, who had a 3.21 era in his rookie season in 2008, was pitching in one of the best hitters park in the MLB. This season, he will be pitching in one of the best pitchers park in the MLB, which will definitely help his numbers. After the Padres acquired another First Baseman prospect in Alonso, they traded there own prospect, Anthony Rizzo to the Cubs for some more depth in their system. The Padres lost Heath Bell to the Miami Marlins, so Byrnes traded for Huston Street, who is cheaper than Bell, younger than Bell, and will likely have a better year than him.

Another brilliant move by Hoyer was trading for the powerful All-Star Carlos Quentin, who could be the Padres best offensive player. San Diego will need to have major years from there young hitters, including the likes of Chase Headley and Yonder Alonso, and have solid offensive seasons from the vets, like Quentin, Orlando Hudson, and Jason Bartlett.

Something that barring any injuries won't be a problem will be their pitching. The Padres were third in the league in 2011 in Team ERA, with a 3.42 mark, and that should improve this season, even though they traded their best pitcher, Mat Latos. All 5 of the Padres starters have the potential to have sub 3.30 era's, and that is a major reason why they are the sleepers for the 2012 NL West.

Huston Street and Luke Gregerson will lead the Padres stellar bullpen, and Tim Thatcher is in line to have an amazing comeback year to return to his 2009-2010 form. Josh Spence, Andrew Cashner, Micah Owings, and Ernesto Frieri will round out the 'pen this season for the Padres.

The Final Count: 73-89, 5th in NL West

The Padres have the potential to win the West, but their offense would have to play above their potential, and their pitching will have to repeat their success from last season for that to happen. What will likely happen is the Padres will have another rebuilding season, and thier mass of prospects will continue to grow. 2012 may not be the year for San Diego, but 2013-2015 looks very promising, especially with the new playoff format.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers – 2012 team preview

2011 Record: 82-79

Key Additions: Juan Rivera (OF), Mark Ellis (2B), Matt Treanor (C), Adam Kennedy (1B), Chris Capuano (SP), Jerry Hariston Jr. (INF), Aaron Harang (SP), Todd Coffey (RP), Tony Gwynn Jr. (OF)

Subtractions: Hiroki Kuroda (SP), Casey Blake (3B), Jon Garland (SP), Rod Barajas (C), Hong-Chih Kuo (SP), Vicente Padilla (SP), Jamey Carroll, Dana Eveland (SP), Eugenio Velez (INF

2012 Outlook: Its hard to talk about the 2012 season without beginning from the top. What started as a bad divorce in 2009 with Frank McCourt and his wife, the ownership situation has been nothing short of a three ring circus since. There are several rumored players involved including – Larry King, Mark Cuban, Magic Johnson, Steve Cohen, Joe Torre and ex-Dodger Orel Hershiser.
Who really owns the team? As it heads into bankruptcy court with more questions than answers, the Dodgers staff hopes that the signing of Albert Pujols just down the highway to their LA counterparts will spark interest in baseball in LA once again. With that out of the way…

The two biggest offseason moves were resigning two of the games brightest stars – Matt Kemp (8 years $160M) and Clayton Kershaw (2 years $19M). Their biggest free agent signing was…(gulp)..Aaron Harang (2 years $12M). It’s actually not a bad signing, but not exactly a big splash.
Capuano, Ellis and Coffey will all help to fill holes from the departures.
Clayton Kershaw won the 2011 Cy Young award (was 21-5 with a 2.28 ERA, 0.98 whip). Matt Kemp went on to lead the NL in home runs (39) and RBI’s (126), was second in SB’s (40). With one more home run would have been the 5th player to ever join the 40/40 club.

To begin this year, Kemp has said that he would like to hit the 50/50 club. Actually he would be the president of that club, since it doesn't exist (only two players have hit 50 homers and 50 steals but not in the same season). There would be a short list of players who could do this feat, and Matt Kemp would be at the top of my list.

Can Don Mattingly take the Dodgers into the playoffs ? In order to do so, the pitching will need to carry this team a long ways. With a starting five of – Kershaw, Billingsley, Lilly, Capuano and Harang, anything is possible. There are easily 12 worse starting staffs. Who knows whether Javy Guerra or Kenley Jansen closes? I personally love Jansen’s stuff (especially his 16 K’s/9 innings and that he was a catcher the last time the Dodgers were in the playoffs – 2009).

Projected Lineup – Mattingly has already said that Dee Gordon will leadoff and Kemp will bat 3rd. Here is how I see the rest of the batting order;
1. Dee Gordon (SS)
2. Mark Ellis (2B)
3. Matt Kemp (CF)
4. Andre Either (RF)
5. James Loney (1B)
6. Juan Rivera (LF)
7. Juan Uribe (3B)
8. A.J. Ellis (C)

If Los Angeles has any hope to contend, they need big seasons from Either, Loney and Gordon. However, when reality sets in, we here at BlueJaysPlus, see a slip in the standings for this Los Angeles team.

The Final Count: 78-84, 4th in NL West.

There just isn’t enough offense, and their C, 1B, 2B, 3B, and LF are too questionable and inconsistent. Sorry Dodger fans, it could be another year or two, but enjoy Kemp and Kershaw.
There are still great storylines to follow in LA – will Kemp hit more than Pujols? (I think so).
Will Dee Gordon steal 70 bases? (I think he could).
Can Kershaw win 20 again? (yup)

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Colorado Rockies

2011 Record: 73-89

Key Additions: Marco Scutaro (2B), Jeremy Guthrie (P), Zach Putnam (P), Jamie Moyer (P), Guillermo Moscoso (P), Josh Outman (P), Michael Cuddyer (OF), Casey Blake (3B), Ramon Hernandez (C), Kevin Slowey (P), Tyler Colvin (OF)

Subtractions: Jason Hammel (P), Matt Lindstrom (P), Kevin Slowey (P), Seth Smith (OF), Huston Street (P), Chris Iannetta (C), Ian Stewart (3B), Kevin Millwood (P), Mark Ellis (2B), Ubaldo Jimenez (P)

2012 Outlook: The Rockies had arguably one of the busiest offseasons in all of the MLB and after a down year in 2011, the moves look like they will pay off. One of the most underrated moves of the offseason was likely one of the biggest steals when Dan O’Dowd was able to get Marco Scutaro, the former Jays shortstop, from the Red Sox for Clayton Mortensen. While the Rockies were able to acquire their new starting second basemen in Marco Scutaro, the Red Sox only really obtained $6 million in salary relief and a former supplementary first round pick (2007) pitcher who has a 5.12 ERA, a 4.7 K/9 rate and a 3.7 BB/9 rate in 24 Major League games (13 of them starts) with the Rockies, A's and Cardinals. As well, Dan O’Dowd was able to sign Michael Cuddyer to a three-year $31.5 Million contract, which is the first big free agent signing for Colorado since 2000 and will expect big things from the former Twin.

However, the Rockies biggest improvement is with all of their new arms. Since the end of the World Series in 2011, the Rockies have added 6 new pitchers (Kevin Slowey was added and then traded away, so 5 total) and have a depth chart as far as the starting rotation and bullpen go, that is loaded with potential. Unfortunately, Jorge De La Rosa is out of action until at least May, and they play half of their games in a very hitter friendly ballpark, that has been notoriously unkind to pitchers, which may have been key to their disappointing season last year.

Within their division last year, they had the best team average, scored the most runs, hit the second most home runs, but had the worst ERA (second worst in all of the NL). So despite an impressive offense last year, lead by the likes of Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, and Todd Helton, they just didn’t have the pitching to support them and stumbled to a fourth place finish, but with the overall Dan O’Dowd has completed, the pitching looks to improve, and hopefully carry this team closer to the post-season once more. In order to do so, Colorado’s key players will need to continue to deliver outstanding performances, their veteran’s will need to continue to lead by example, and their young up-and-coming prospects will need to perform in a consistent fashion, otherwise it will be another busy offseason for Dan O’Dowd.

The Final Count: 85-77, Third in NL West.

With the addition of a second Wild Card in each league, the Rockies may find themselves in a post-season run in the heat of the summer, but they are lacking the necessary pieces to really make a strong push to get back to the postseason, despite being in one of the weakest divisions in the MLB. There is no doubt this team has improved, but they still have a little more to go. A strong showing at the trade deadline could help this team’s fortunes a great deal.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Arizona Diamondbacks

2011 Record: 94-68

Key Additions: Trevor Cahill (P), Jason Kubel (OF), Craig Breslow (P), Lyle Overbay (P), Takashi Saito (P)

Subtractions: Collin Cowgill (OF), Jason Marquis (P), Juan Gutierrez (P), Jarrod Parker (P)

2012 Outlook
Last year, the Diamondbacks were one of baseball’s biggest surprises, coming out of nowhere to win the NL West, behind second year manager Kirk Gibson. This year, they look to return to the playoffs again, and there is a good chance that they will if studs Ian Kennedy, Justin Upton, and Daniel Hudson play at the high level that they did last year. Upton, who is one of the best young hitters in the game, is coming off a great year in which he hit .289 with 31 long bombs. If the D-backs want to win the West again in 2012, he needs to continue to perform like a top tier player. Arizona’s offence is deep, featuring key players Miguel Montero, Chris Young, and Jason Kubel, and should be a top ten threat in the MLB. The only concern with this group is the health of Stephen Drew. Drew underwent ankle surgery this offseason, and is hoping to be ready by opening day. If his ankle does not recover fully, Arizona will have a tough job replacing him at short.

The Diamondback’s rotation looks to be above average this year. Kennedy and Hudson are joined by Trevor Cahill, Joe Saunders, and Josh Collmenter. Cahill is a great addition who should solidify the rotation, but he came at a high price, as the D-backs had to give away MLB ready prospect Jarrod Parker. His numbers may take a hit, as he moves from a pitchers park in Oakland to a hitters park in Arizona. It should also be noted that Kennedy will probably take a step back after going 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA last year, but he still should be Arizona’s best pitcher. Saunders and Collementer make up the back end of the rotation. If anyone falters, top prospect Trevor Bauer is waiting in the wings, and although he will start the year in Triple-A, he should be up by midseason.

J.J. Putz and David Hernandez will anchor what looks to be an average to bellow average bullpen. If the Diamondbacks are in the playoff hunt in July, you can count on GM Kevin Towers to add another arm if necessary.

Arizona has decent bench depth. Gerardo Parra is good enough to be an everyday player, and former Jays Lyle Overbay and John MacDonald will be solid backups defensively, if not offensively.

The Final Count: 92-70, First in NL West
The Diamondbacks will win their division again. The NL West is one of baseballs weaker divisions, and the Arizona Diamondbacks have enough firepower to take it. They have a good team with a talented, young core. This, their shrewd moves this offseason, and the lack of improvement by the other teams in their division makes Arizona a shoe in to be in the playoffs at the end of the season.

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Report: MLB to Add Extra Wild Card Seed

Reports from Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports are that the MLB will add a second wild card team to each league this season, with the official announcement most likely coming tomorrow. When the new CBA was signed earlier in the off-season, a clause was put in that said that if another wild card were to be added for 2012, it would have to be agreed upon by March 1st. The MLB and MLBPA were able to meet this deadline, although reports were that they would extend the deadline, because both sides wanted the extra spot in effect for 2012.

You might be wondering, how is this going to effect the Blue Jays? It is going to play a huge role for the Jays, especially at the trade deadline. If the Jays are only 2 games back of the 2nd wild card, and 7 for the 1st, AA will look to improve the team, and get them over the hump. If this extra spot was not there, chances are, AA would not make an impactful move come July 31st.

The average amount of wins for the would be "2nd wild card team" from 1995-2011 is 89, a number well in reach of the 2012 Bluejays. The spot will be hard to obtain this season though, because the Rays,Red Sox, and Rangers/Angels will likely all be vying for the two wild card seeds.

I like the addition of the new wild card, although I would have like to see the league go to 8 teams per league in the playoffs, instead of 4. I know everybody wants to keep baseball how it used to be, but the game is about making money.Playoffs, except for in Tampa Bay, make money, lots of money. As much as people want to think that the MLB isn't a business, and its just a bunch of people playing the sport for the love of the game, it isn't. If you want to use the excuse of keeping baseball how is used to be, then there shouldn't be a DH, and I don't think there is anybody who wants to take the DH away. In my mind, it is a good step in the right direction, but I hope soon, the league expands to 16 playoff teams.

Our 30 teams in 30 days series will start tomorrow, when Ben Buckler previews the Arizona Diamondbacks 2012 season. Follow us on twitter, and like us on Facebook!

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Janssen Signing and Other Notes

Casey Janssen has agreed to terms on a 2-year contract with the Blue Jays avoiding arbitration. He will be paid $2 million in 2012, and $3.9 million in 2013, with a $4 million Anthoption for 2014. Janssen was the Blue Jays best reliever in 2011, when he posted career highs in most categories. He had a 2.26 ERA, a 1.096 WHIP, and a ERA+ of 189, all of which were career bests for Janssen. Casey and the Blue Jays were scheduled to have an arbitration hearing tomorrow, but they reached an agreement today, extending the Blue Jays streak of arbitration hearing free years to 13. I love the deal for both sides, as the Jays solidify there set up man position for at least the next two years at a very cheap cost, and bring back a player who is a fan favorite as well. Janssen loves it in Toronto, according to his twitter account (via @CaseyJanssen "So blessed and thrilled to be spending the next 2 hopefully 3 yrs with u Toronto. Lets go Jays!!"), and will hopefully be a key part in the Blue Jays success in the near future.

Last Thursday, it was announced that Ottawa will be receiving a AA team from the Eastern League in 2013, but it is not yet known which team will relocate, and who the parent club will be. The rumors are that the Binghamton Mets will be moving to the Nations Capital.

Starting March 1st, we will be starting to do a "30 Teams in 30 Days" series, to preview the upcoming MLB season. It will start with the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 1st, and end on March 30th, with your own, Toronto Blue Jays.

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