2009 RBI Magazine Season Preview

For the first time ever, the writers of RBI Magazine have joined together to make their predictions for the 2009 major league baseball season. Seven of the staff’s finest writers took the time to predict how the upcoming campaign will turn out and the votes were tallied.

The writers were also asked to add a few thoughts on each team and you will see some of them throughout this feature. You may notice that some of the comments contradict one another since we all had our own opinions. That should make sense, since, well, what fun would it be if we were all on the same page?

American League:

AL East:

1. Red Sox (6 First Place Votes)
-Big budget + good front office = great combination
-Smart signings in Penny and Smoltz boost already stellar staff. Is Ortiz back? If so, look out.
-If David Ortiz and Josh Beckett aren’t healthy, this team could be in trouble.
-No major changes this offseason, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Red Sox will be tough to beat as always

2. Rays (1) *Wildcard*
-Continue to be one of the best teams in baseball, and should only get better. Burrell makes a huge impact in the middle of this lineup.
-It’s scary, but the best young pitching staff in baseball could still be getting better..
-A young, talented pitching staff is a year older and should be even better. The offense is a bit better than in 2008
-Pitching still working for the Rays, but the bats aren’t there like they were at the end of 2008.

3. Yankees
-Biggest budget, lots of money spent is extremely volatile situation, especially with A-Rod out of action.
-Someone has to lose out and I don’t trust the Burnett signing. Plus, A-Rod is hurt and they have questions at 2B and CF.
-AJ Burnett has Carl Pavano written all over him.
-Aside of a few exceptions, the offense doesn’t blow my socks off. That said, the pitching staff is outstanding

4. Blue Jays
-Rotation issues and a sub-par offense will bury them. Doc Halladay can still win 20, but who else is there?
-The only way the Jays win the division is if Roy Halladay pitches all 162 games.
-Rios-Lind-Snider is a nice young trio, but this team is not good enough to compete in a tough division
-Opposite of last year: exciting young hitters, no arms

5. Orioles
-Keep a close eye on the O’s. They’re on the way up, but may never be able to compete in the AL East
-I think the O’s take a step forward with guys like Jones, Wieters, Guthrie, and Markakis leading the way.
-They’ll finish last again, but on the bright side, they’re still by far the best team in the Maryland/DC area.
-The first half of the order could be very, very good, but the rest of the team stinks…especially the starting pitching.

AL Central:

1. Indians (3)
-Well run team in a middle of the pack division. Questionable rotation does well enough. Grady Sizemore is a player to watch this season.
-Potential of rotation is nice, but Hafner and V-Mart need comeback years. I think they take a giant leap forward
-Kerry Wood will finally be the answer to the Indians recent closer woes.
-The rotation is less than impressive, but the lineup and the bullpen are very good

2. Twins (3)
-Great pitching staff, decent lineup, but Mauer’s injury may hold this team back. There’s way too much pressure on Liriano to return to his old form after surgery.
-Addition of Crede and maybe the best young staff in the game (Liriano, Blackburn, Baker, Slowey) take this team to the playoffs.
-The lineup is solid and has upside, but the young rotation will be make or break and will be the key to their success
-Steady as she goes, M&M keep them in the hunt

3. Tigers (1)
-Lots of runs scored + lots of runs allowed = bad recipe for winning.
-Nothing has changed with this team. Iffy rotation, expensive position players haven’t meshed. Talent says they could end up first or last.
-No matter how many runs the Tigers score, if the pitching doesn’t improve, they’ll finish last again.
-Not bad at the plate, but the pitching staff was not addressed in the offseason and will struggle again in 2009

4. White Sox
-Perennial overachievers back near the basement.
-The youth movement on the south side is the right move, but isn’t ready yet.
-A rough offseason leaves this team quite a bit worse than the team that won 89 games last season
-Too many kids for Ozzie

5. Royals
-Runner-up for best offseason quote: “We think Willie Bloomquist is a great addition, a Craig Counsell type of player.” –Dayton Moore after spending 2 million dollars. Two days later: Counsell signs with Milwaukee for less than 1 million.
-Need Gordon to get better and pitching staff can’t get worse. Is this a .500 year in the making? That would be a win for the Royals.
-A lot of people are high on the Royals, but I don’t see it. There is little to like here.
-Not as bad as they usually are.

AL West:

1. Angels (5)
-Could finally be removed from the top of the division after an incredibly lucky year.
-Too talented in an otherwise weak AL West. Have taken a step back and age a concern, but still better than the rest. 90 wins a given.
-Lost a ton of talent this offseason, but still have enough to win the weakest division in the AL.
-I doubt this team wins 100 games again, but the lineup is decent and the pitching could be better than advertised.

2. Athletics (2)
-Lots of walks and major power lifts questionable pitching staff to a victory in one of the weakest divisions in the MLB
-Name me two starting pitchers. Exactly. Offense looks nice on paper, but it’s the staff that may not be ready for prime time.
-How close to the Angels do they have to be at the trade deadline to resist trading Matt Holiday for prospects?
-A busy offseason has brought a new look to Oakland, but I don’t see that translating to contention in 2009

3. Rangers
-Should score a ton of runs, but the defense and pitching is awful.
-I want them to win the division, but I just don’t see how it’s possible. Hamilton, Kinsler are awesome. Pitching staff is not.
-They’ll score a ton of runs, but may have the worst rotation in the league.
-This team appears to be on the cusp of being a playoff team, but the pitching is just awful. Another year of mediocrity in Texas

4. Mariners
-Still bad, but major improvement. A couple years from being major contenders.
-Homecoming for Griffey Jr. won’t be fun. Way too many question marks. Look for comeback year from Bedard, though.
-They can’t possibly be as bad as last season, but they won’t be good either.
-The second half of the lineup won’t produce much, but the rotation should be respectable. This team won’t compete quite yet

National League:

NL East:

1. Phillies (5)
-Even though they got worse, they’re still the class of the NL East.
-Same team, same result. Still looking good and primed to make another run. Hamels injury and fifth starter something to watch.
-Until proven otherwise, they’re still the team to beat in the division.
-A majority of last season’s World Series’ championship team is back, which should translate to a successful season

2. Mets (2)
-Disappointing season after disappointing season, Minaya should be run out of New York soon.
-The new, improved bullpen should prevent a third straight September slide.
-Much of last year’s team is back, but now the bullpen has a few big arms, which should keep them close in the divisional race
-This is the year they don’t collapse…I think

3. Braves
-Revamped pitching staff brings the Braves close to where they were in the 90s.
-They’ll be competitive, but they’re young talent is still developing.
-The lineup isn’t too impressive and the pitching staff has too many injury risks to keep them competitive for 162 games.
-Revamped staff could be best in NL East. But, can Francoeur come back and will Chipper stay healthy? Both are big ifs.

4. Marlins
-Marlins won’t sell the house for a World Series this year, but with a new stadium coming, they will probably use their method to win one soon.
-In love with young pitching staff led by horse Ricky Nolasco. And when you have Hanley in the order, good things will come.
-No team is more consistently competitive with fewer resources than Florida.
-Hanley Ramirez continues his assault on National League pitching. Be afraid.

5. Nationals
-Quote of the offseason: “When you go to a club at 4 in the morning, and you’re just waiting, waiting, a 600-pounder looks like J-Lo. And to me this is Jennifer Lopez right here. It’s 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. So, Nationals: Jennifer Lopez to me.” –Julian Tavarez on why he signed with Washington
-NL East doormat will continue to get stomped on. Dunn signing helps with power, but Milledge, Dukes need big seasons, or else.
-Moving from Montreal hasn’t saved this debacle of a franchise.
-It’s hard not to love the lineup, but where is the pitching?

NL Central:

1. Cubs (7)
-Still loaded with pitching and a very good offense. No reason why they shouldn’t win 95+ again.
-The best regular season team in the NL. But Cubs fans know, the curse doesn’t strike until October.”
-It’s hard to find weaknesses on this roster. The lineup is stellar and the pitching is very good from top to bottom
-The class of the Central—just too good

2. Cardinals *Wildcard*
-Albert Pujols remains the greatest player in baseball, but the supporting cast doesn’t give him much help.
-Great offense, but the pitching, especially the bullpen, has too many question marks.
-The Pujols-led offense is very good and the pitching staff is decent, which should translate into a contender
-Albert Pujols is God, er, good. Both?

3. Brewers
-Will compete all year long, but pitching ultimately leaves them down. The Brew Crew is still a couple years away, depending on how the young pitching staff pans out.
-Don’t count on a repeat. No C.C, no Sheets, no way. There is hope as Gamel and Gallardo are studs in the making. Braun = 40 HR
-How do you replace CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets?
-Losing Sabathia and Sheets is tough, but the rotation isn’t as bad as advertised. With a decent offense, this team should hang in there

4. Reds
-Lots of youth and could be a surprise team, but inexperienced players all over usually doesn’t work too well.
-Not enough on offense as Dunn has taken his 40 homers to D.C. Nice rotation with Volquez/Cueto/Harang is all they have.
-So much young talent, especially in the pitching staff. Could be the Tampa Bay Rays of 2009.
-The Reds are full of young talent and appear ready to contend in the Central

5. Astros
-Ed Wade.
-Carlos Lee was about to have a monster year, but got hurt. Look for 120 RBI out of him and Berkman. But after Oswalt, what is there?
-Lee-Berkman-Pence are an impressive trio, but where is the pitching?
-Lance Berkman continues to slug his way to 300 homers and beyond, but he and Roy Oswalt are not enough to right this ship.

6. Pirates
-Even worse than Ed Wade. But, they have stocked the farm, and with the right moves… nah, I can’t even write that.
-Pittsburgh hasn’t had a winning season since Barry Bonds left, and it won’t this year either.”
-A nice group of kids, but this team is no better than last year’s last place squad
-Losing season number 17, wonder if they are trying to get to Mario’s 66 for good luck.

NL West:

1. Dodgers (5)
-Manny or no Manny, the team is pretty good and one of the better teams in baseball. Hopefully he plays defense for them.
-Re-signing Manny makes every hitter in this lineup better.
-”I’m Back….”
-The bullpen and bottom of the rotation are shaky, but the lineup is deep with talent

2. Diamondbacks (1)
-A well run organization for a couple years, loaded with young talent, but questionable deals have hampered them. Should compete, but will fall off when Dan Haren does the same after the All-Star Break.
-Strong rotation, once again, with Webb/Haren, but offense still young and learning. Lineup strikes out too much (1287 total in ’08).
-Webb and Haren may not be Johnson and Schilling, but they’re darn close.
-The lineup runs very deep and is full of young talent. The pitching is respectable, but far from a sure thing. Scherzer could be the wild card

3. Giants
-Shockers of the year, the no offense San Francisco Giants surprise everyone. Great pitching, solid defense, in a huge pitchers park might end up working out for them
-If Cain can get some support, he could win 18 games. Along with Lincecum and Johnson, it’s a nice staff. However, there’s too many maybes in the lineup.
-Great pitching, but they’ll struggle to score runs.
-The Giants were, at times, decent last year and, led by an impressive pitching staff, will be even better this season

4. Rockies
-My how the mighty have fallen. Just two years removed from a World Series appearance and now trotting out one of the worst teams in the Bigs.
-Offense is only thing this team has. Holliday is gone, but Iannetta and Tulowitzki are stars in the making. They could end up last.
-Holliday is out, but the lineup is still pretty decent. That said, there’s not much to love on the hill.
-Traded their best player for Huston Street. Does that make sense to anyone?

5. Padres (1)
-The ownerships’ personal issues have leaked over into business and this team will have a tough time competing for a couple years. But don’t count excellent GM Kevin Towers out.
-It’s only going to get worse before it gets better in San Diego.
-There are a few solid players on the roster, but this team is not good enough to threaten for a playoff spot in 2009.
-Can Peavy go Sub 3 with the ERA and sub .500 with the record again?

And now to the fun stuff…

World Series Picks:
Mike: Red Sox over Cubs
Louis: Cubs over Angels
Pat: Cardinals over Red Sox
Dave K: Indians over Dodgers
Aaron: Phillies over Red Sox
David A: Yankees over Cubs
Shawn: Red Sox over Marlins
Staff: Red Sox over Cubs

AL Biggest Surprise: Twins (2), Athletics (2), Tigers, Royals, Red Sox
-“The Genius” Billy Beane is back at it again, and regardless of the stadium situation in Oakland, they will be a force to be dealt with.
-Twins win 95
-Yes, the Red Sox. Everyone’s talking about the Yankees and the Rays. Don’t sleep on a very talented Red Sox club.
-Twins, if they stay healthy. I also wouldn’t rule out the Mariners

AL Biggest Disappointment: Yankees (2), Rays (2), Tigers, Angels, Blue Jays
-All that money spent, and still no ring. The first year in New Yankee Stadium will be one to remember, but not for a good reason.
-The Rays are very good, but they won’t outlast the Yankees or Red Sox this year.
-Blue Jays lose 90+
-Yankees, after breaking the bank
-Tampa Bay can’t repeat magic they captured last year.

NL Biggest Surprise: Cardinals (3), Reds (2), Giants, Padres
-Giants magic number = 20. As in 20 wins from Timmy, 20 games from the Unit… and 20 homers from anyone.”
-The Reds are stacked with young talent. Votto and Bruce could be quite the duo for a long time.
-Adam Wainwright wins 21 games, Cards win NL

NL Biggest Disappointment: Mets (3), Braves (2), Brewers, Phillies
-Shouldn’t shock you to see the Mets listed in this category.
-Sure the Braves revamped the pitching staff, but a ton of injuries are almost inevitable with the group of players they will be relying on.
-Mets fall short again

Players Awards:

NL Cy Young: Cole Hamels (2), Johan Santana (2), Tim Lincecum, Adam Wainwright, Chad Billingsley

AL Cy Young: CC Sabathia (3), Roy Halladay (3), Jon Lester

NL MVP: Albert Pujols (3), David Wright, Chase Utley, Manny Ramirez, Hanley Ramirez

AL MVP: Grady Sizemore (3), Justin Morneau (2), Matt Holliday, Miguel Cabrera

NL Breakout Player: Joey Votto (2), Yovani Gallardo, Chris Iannetta, Matt Kemp, Jayson Werth, Josh Johnson

AL Breakout Player: Adam Jones, Matt Wieters, Francisco Liriano, Franklin Gutierrez, Matt Joyce, Adam Lind, Chris Davis