2011 MLB Preview: 10 Teams That Could Surprise in 2011
The 2010 MLB season provided a few teams that finished well above expectations..
Who would have guessed that the San Diego Padres would be on pace to make the playoffs all the way up to the last game of the season?
Who would have guessed that the Cincinnati Reds, a team that hadn't made the playoffs in 15 years, would hold off the mighty St. Louis Cardinals for supremacy in the NL Central?
And of course, there are the Rangers and Giants. Who would have thought that two average teams in '09 would defeat the heavily favored Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees?
This is good news for teams around the league. A young scrappy team with a veteran manager could thrive in 2011. Or how about a team with a bunch of talented young pitching? Picking up a few free agents could be what gets a team over the hump.
Here are 10 teams that could break through in 2011.
10. Seattle Mariners
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The first course of action for the Mariners was signing proven winner Eric Wedge to manage the team. He is a decent enough manager to right this sunken ship.
Everyone knows how awful the Mariners offense was in 2010. But don't forget about Felix Hernandez. The latest Cy young winner had a dominant season, and most experts agree he is just entering his prime. Never underestimate the value of a legitimate "ace."
Doug Fister exceeded expectations before getting hurt. Projecting 15 wins for Fister in '11 is not out of the question.
To add some depth to their rotation, look for the Mariners to add a Kevin Millwood, Tim Hudson or Jeremy Bonderman-type veteran to the rotation.
If the high-priced '09 free agent Chone Figgins can actually produce and the young Justin Smoak develops, the Mariners offense might be back on its way to decency.
Stranger things have happened.
9. Milwaukee Brewers
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With the expensive contracts of Jeff Suppan, Bill Hall and others coming off the books, the Brewers will have about $45 million in contracts after this season. After all of the arbitration raises, there will be about $25 million to spend, even if Prince Fielder is on the team. That means they'll have some money to go after their biggest weakness—starting pitching.
The market this winter isn't spectacular, but Brandon Webb, Javier Vazquez, Ted Lilly, Jon Garland, Jake Westbrook and Kevin Millwood will be available.
Assuming Fielder is at his peak in a contract year, he could be a potential MVP candidate. Ryan Braun is an All-Star talent and Yovani Gallardo has No. 1 starter stuff.
IF the Brew Crew can add a No. 2 starter and maybe a No. 4, this team will be relevant this summer.
8. Washington Nationals
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The young Nats have the talent and some payroll flexibility.
It looks as if Adam Dunn is as good as gone at first base. Not a big loss. Dunn has never played for a winning team, and he is the king of the meaningless solo home run when his team is down six.
With Dunn's bulky contract coming off the books, the Nats' can potentially add a moderately priced free agent to their young pool of talent. Maybe they could entice a savvy veteran such as Carlos Pena or Orlando Hudson to add a winning mentality to a perennial loser.
Don't forget about the 2010 No. 1 pick Bryce Harper. He will play in the bigs at some point in '11 and will have an immediate impact when he does. Stephen Strasburg will be back by July or August.
Maybe they won't make the playoffs but look for the Nationals to be more than just the doormat of the NL East.
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7. Baltimore Orioles
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The Orioles had the worst start in baseball last season. The team was on pace for an extremely ugly season before Buck Showalter was handed the reigns.
The team ended the season on a very positive note and look for that momentum to carry over into next season. Having their young guys gain some late-season confidence was essential for the long term well-being of this team.
They are looking to add to their young core.
The O's have varying interest in Adrian Beltre, Adam Dunn, Adam LaRoche, Derrek Lee, Carlos Pena, Paul Konerko and Lance Berkman.
If the O's snag two of the above...big-time sleeper potential.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers
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The Dodgers have already made a move this offseason, signing Hiroki Kuroda to a one-year, $12 million contract. Ted Lilly would like to stay with L.A. after putting up great second-half numbers for the Dodgers.
Most players on the roster are far better than they showed in 2010. Maybe the law of averages comes into play, and they bounce back en masse.
Matt Kemp has a lot more talent than what his '10 numbers showed: .249 average, 89 RBI, 28 home runs.
Clayton Kershaw will be a Cy Young candidate in 2011 after posting a 2.91 ERA and 1.18 WHIP.
Don't count out the the team that has been to the postseason in three of the past five seasons. Also the ugly divorce of owner Frank McCourt should finally be a closed book.
5. Tornoto Blue Jays
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The Jays were a pleasant surprise this season. Putting up a 85-77 record in the AL East is certainly an accomplishment in their first season without Roy Halladay.
Jose Bautista is the defending home run champion amongst the team that hit the most long balls in '10.
This offseason, the Blue Jays could be busy in free agency. Hideki Matsui, Jim Thome and Vlad Guerrero are all potential targets. Adding any of them will make the Blue Jays lineup one of the more feared offenses in the American League.
Combine that with the young and talented starting pitchers Shaun Marcum (1.15 WHIP), Brandon Morrow (10.9 Ks per nine innings), Ricky Romero (3.73 ERA) and Bret Cecil (1.33 WHIP), and the Jays may be on to something.
4. New York Mets
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New manager Terry Collins is a bold move for the Mets. Collins has six seasons as a MLB manager, with the Astros from 1994-96 and the Angels from 1997-99, compiling a record of 444-434.
The high-priced Mets were a disappointment in 2010. But the luxury of a top-five payroll is the ability to reload each and every year.
The Mets are in the running to sign studs such as Carl Crawford, Manny Ramirez, Adam Dunn and Jason Werth. Carlos Beltran should be 100 percent, and the pitching staff is going to be one of the best in the NL.
Expect them to be back in the mix in '11.
3. Houston Astros
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The Houston Astros jumped out to a horrible start at the beginning of last season, going 17-34 through May.
The Astros quietly went 59-52 from June 1st on, after creating to a team that is more suitable for the future. After trading some of their veterans, such as franchise players Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman, younger players were more easily adjusting to their new role.
Their young rotation features Wandy Rodriguez (3.60 ERA, 1.28 WHIP), J.A. Happ ( 3.75 ERA 1.31 WHIP), and Brett Myers (3.14 ERA 1.24 WHIP). They are three of the most underrated players in the game right now.
And don't sleep on Jordan Lyles. He is a Triple-A starting pitcher that is only 20! He has a lot of hype and is a potential front-of-the-rotation starter.
With such great pitching, the 'Stros will be relevant sooner rather than later.
2. Florida Marlins
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In the 19th and final year at Sun Life Stadium, expect the Fish to go out with a bang.
The Marlins were a disappointment in 2010, but that is no reason to believe this team cannot turn it around in 2011.
The rotation is the strongest it has been in years, with Josh Johnson (2.30 ERA, 1.11 WHIP), Ricky Nolasco (14-9), Anibal Sanchez (3.55 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) and Chris Volstad (12-9) all entering their prime.
The hitting has never been the problem, and the only weakness on this team would be the bullpen.
Hanley Ramirez is one of the top talents in all of baseball and the ultra-young Mike Stanton (22 homers in 100 games in '10) will be a household name after next season.
The Marlins have already unloaded Dan Uggla to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Omar Infante and Michael Dunn. Infante will be a big improvement defensively at second base.
The frisky Fish could be a major player in the '11 race.
1. Oakland Athletics
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None of the A's pitchers are big names, but they combined to be one of the top rotations in baseball in '10. They led the majors last year with 103 quality starts.
In 2010, they were tied for third in the league with a combined 3.56 ERA.
A team whose fourth starter threw a perfect game must be in very good shape. And the stunning thing is that Trevor Cahill (1.11 WHIP), Brett Anderson (2.89 ERA), Gio Gonzalez (3.23 ERA), Dallas Braden (1.16 WHIP) and injured Josh Outman have yet to reach the primes of their respective careers.
The bullpen is set with closer Andrew Bailey and his 1.47 ERA at the helm. The A's just need some sort of power to sustain their offense. The A's were 13th in the AL with 109 home runs in 2010.
They acquired outfielder David DeJesus from Kansas City for pitcher Vin Mazzaro and also the negotiating rights to Japanese pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma.
They've also been sniffing around numerous free-agent hitters, most notably Adrian Beltre and Lance Berkman. Adding a slugger could do wonders on offense desperate for a three of four hitter.
With one of the best rotations in baseball, the A's are an easy pick to be the No. 1 sleeper team of 2011.
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