Marty Lurie Talks San Francisco Giants Baseball
//

American League Preview

The Yankees just have too many weapons to ignore in the AL East. Jason Giambi with all his leg issues is still the best hitter in the league and when you put him into a line up with Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, et al it is the most well balanced and fearsome group in the league. Mike Mussina was simply awesome once he adjusted to being in NY. Roger Clemens is shooting for 300 and cetainly Joe Torre will do everything possible to give him the ball for his next 20 win season. Personally, I think Clemens will win about 14 and come back next year to nail down the final victories for 300.Boston will fight the Yankees all year long. Pedro just doesn’t seem right to me. He added bulk, but his arm strength is frighteningly low. John Burkett is hurt, Dustin Hermanson is a project (mentally and physically), Derk Lowe may be the best starter they have, Frank Castillo is a journeyman. This all adds up to great offense, mediocre pitching and a good bull pen. Sounds like 2001 all over again or 1951 for that matter. This has always been the Sox’ lament.

Toronto is better than most people think. Delgado can smack the ball. Shannon Stewart can hit, run, and throw. Roy Halliday may break through on the mound if last years second half wasn’t a fluke. The brass raves about Eric Hinske, let’s see if he was worth trading Billy Koch.

The Orioles and the Devil Rays will be fodder for the big two powers in this division all season. Tampa actually played well the last two months of the year. maybe there is some light at the end of the contraction tunnel. Yes, if anyone goes it will be the Rays.

Yanks

Sox

Jays

Rays

Orioles

I picked the Twins in midseason last year and everyone said I was wrong. Guess what I was. I’m back again. I like their rotation of Joe Mays, Eric Milton, and Brad Radke. Rick Reed may do well. They need a closer. GM, please get one before you destroy the confidence of the team. The Twins play defense, they throw to the right base, they run the bases properly, this counts for something today. Guzman and Rivas are strong at short and second. Hunter and Jones would start for many teams in the outfield. I think they can pull it off.

The ChiSox pound the ball with the big boys. Frank Thomas is now healthy and Mr. Happy. Magglio Ordonez and Paul Konerko are stars. If they just had more pitching other than Mark Buerhle and Todd Ritchie I would be all over them to win. Their three young pitchers, Wright, Garland and Rauch are still a year or two away. Kenny Lofton may be a key for Chicago. If he reverts back to his previous all star form, this team will be in the playoffs one way or another. They do have the look of a wild card team at worst.

Cleveland is a team in transition. Injuries are sapping the Tribe of any chance they had to be a power this year. Escobar and Cabrera are hurt. Thome wants out and will be swinging even harder this year to hit 50 homers.Vizquel’s bags are packed, too. Colon will be 30 this May after being 26 last year. Sabathia gained 25 pounds, Wright is probably finished with injuries, Danys Baez and Ryan Drese will be interesting to watch as starting pitchers. The bull pen is still good and will be the strength. It’s not hopeless, but I just don’t see them in the race this year.

Kansas City and Detroit will fight it out for last in the Central. Other than Jeff Weaver quick name a starting pitcher on the Tiger staff. If you said Jose Lima you are very good. Too bad he isn’t. Kansas City needs something other than a travel agent who books the flights of the excellent players who have departed over the last two years.

Twins

ChiSox

Indians

Royals

Tigers

Now the West, Seattle is an excellent team. They, are like the Twins except this team has the horses, play great defense, has tight pitching both in the pen and as starters, and run the bases to perfection. Ichiro claims he will hit 20 homers. I think he should do whatever he did last year. It seemed to be enough to get this team to 116 wins. Injuries to Olerud or Edgar can hurt and it seems one of these years that will happen. The Mariners fight for every win and do it the right way. I like them to win 100 again.

The A’s have the three best starters in baseball in Mulder, Hudson ,and Zito. They will be reduced to average if the outfield defense remains with Jeremy Giambi, Terrance Long and Dave Justice. I predict by June this trio will be two thirds gone. Guess which two will be out of the field. Jermaine Dye is a question mark for the first month. Miguel Tejada has become a head cae. always late and complaining about not getting respect. Hey, respect is earned by playing hard and keeping your life in order. Art Howe has his hands full. If this team makes the playoffs, he should be manager of the decade and then management will reluctantly give Art his usual one year extension.

The Angels are a lot better this season. Appier, Sele, Washburn, Schoenweiss, and Ortiz are formidable on the hill. Percval is an all star closer. Anderson, Erstad, and Salmon play pretty well. Glaus can hit 60. Why can’t they win.? They need help up the middle and at first. Eckstein, Kennedy, Spiezio, and Molina just need to be upgraded. These are key positions and you can’t win without strength here, no matter what the rest looks like. Also, Appier and Sele won’t get it done over 162 games.

Texas is always intriguing to me. Chan Ho Park is their guy on the mound. A fader each year in September, the Texas heat will get to him in August. He wears himself down by throwing breaking stuff 60% of the time. Doug Davis might be decent, Kenny Rogers lost interest two years ago in Oakland. Irabu, not a winner in Arlington, Ismael Valdes is hurt already. Bull pen trouble…Zimmerman and Jay Powell are on the DL to start the year.

Man, can they hit. ARod, IRod, JuanRod, RaffyRod, BlalockRod, you name it they can rake. I thought they could win last year just based on their offense. I was wrong and learned my lesson. Until they get three new young guns on the hill, manager Jerry Narron shouldn’t sign any long leases.

Mariners

A’s

Rangers

Angels

1 comment

1 robert7447 { 07.17.07 at 12:12 am }

You must log in to post a comment.