MLB: The Most Pressing Questions for Every NL Team
As pitchers and catchers report to their respective Spring Training sites, optimism reigns supreme, from Florida to Arizona.
Every team believes, with just a few breaks, it can make a run at the playoffs. The harsh realities of June and July, and the dog days of August are inconsequential this time of year.
Of course, with hopeless optimism comes the inevitable whisper of doubt. Each National League organization, from the pitching rich Phillies, to the perennially hopeless Pirates, has its share of question marks.
Which teams answer these questions most effectively could be the ones playing deep into October.
Atlanta Braves
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1.) Can Chipper Jones finally stay healthy?
The Braves are expecting big things from their offense in 2011, but a lot of that hinges on the health of long-time Brave, Chipper Jones.
Jones has only played 140 games once in the last seven years and, at age 39 by the end of April, this is probably the last hurrah for the sure-fire hall of famer. Even if Jones is healthy, his numbers have been dwindling for the last few seasons, so the Braves may have to look elsewhere for a #3 hitter by the middle of the year.
2.) Can Craig Kimbrel and/or Jonny Venters adequately replace Billy Wagner?
Last season, Braves closer Billy Wagner had one of the best seasons of his 16-year career, posting a 1.43 ERA and striking out 13.5 batters per 9 innings.
With Wagner retiring, the Braves are turning to two youngsters, Kimbrel and Venters, to bolster the back of their pen. Both pitchers were terrific last season: Kimbrel allowed only one earned run and struck out 40 in 20.2 IP, while Venters compiled a 1.95 ERA, striking out over 10 batters per 9 innings.
If they can avoid the sophomore slump, the Braves will be a force to be reckoned with.
3.) Is Freddie Freeman the real deal?
Freeman, one of Atlanta's top prospects, looks to have the inside track on being the Opening Day first baseman. After a rough 2009 campaign, he returned to prominence last season, putting up a .898 OPS at AAA Gwinnett.
While Freeman will probably hit towards the bottom of the lineup, whether or not he can hack it at the big league level will go a long way towards determining how good Atlanta's offense can be.
Florida Marlins
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1.) By returning to the NL, can Javier Vazquez regain his all-star form?
When last we saw Javier Vazquez in the National League, he was pitching to a sub-3 ERA and finishing 4th in the NL Cy Young voting.
After spending another tumultuous go-around with the Yankees, the Marlins are gambling that a return to the National League will cure what ails Vazquez. If they're right, their rotation becomes very dangerous.
2.) Will the Marlins' young guns take the next step?
The 4-5-6 spots in the Marlins lineup figured to be filled, in some order, by youngsters Gaby Sanchez, Logan Morrison, and Mike Stanton. All three enjoyed very productive rookie seasons and figure to play a major role in the club's success this season.
Now that pitchers are familiar with them, the Marlins' trio will need to make the appropriate adjustments to stay one step ahead of the competition.
3.) Have the Marlins successfully rebuilt their pen?
Last year, the Marlins bullpen was a major thorn in their side. While it finished middle of the pack, the pen certainly didn't do the team any favors.
The Fish are trying to remedy that by bringing in Edward Mujica, Ryan Webb, Randy Choate, and Mike Dunn during the offseason. While Dunn's BB/9 rate is staggering and needs to be improved, the other three should serve to be significant improvements over their predecessors.
New York Mets
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1.) Can their trio of stars (Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay) return to form?
Last year, for one reason or another, all three of the above players either missed significant time or underperformed. For the Mets to even sniff contention this season, they need this triumvirate to replicate their all-star numbers of the past and leave last season's disappointment behind.
Beltran is more than a year removed from surgery on his knee and could be playing RF to take pressure off the area. Reyes is in a contract year and needs to show that he can remain sufficiently healthy. Bay is coming back off a concussion and a dismal year, in general, trying to live up to his contractual standards.
How they perform, will be a strong determining factor in how the Mets do this season.
2.) Can the pitching hold up?
After undergoing a third straight offseason surgery, ace Johan Santana is expected to miss several months of this season, possibly not returning until June or July at the earliest.
In the interim, it's up to the Mets somewhat rag tag group of starters, which most likely include Mike Pelfrey, RA Dickey, Jon Niese, Chris Young, and Chris Capuano, to hold down the fort until Santana returns.
Each of the five pitchers have enjoyed success in the past, but they'll all need to click for the Mets to actually make a run at the Wild Card.
3.) Who plays 2nd base?
For the Mets, second base has a been a veritable black hole for the last few seasons. Between Kaz Matsui and Luis Castillo, the Mets have gotten almost nothing out of this position since 2006, when Jose Valentin had an unexpected career renaissance.
While Castillo is still in play, for now, many believe former 3B/LF/1B Daniel Murphy will be given every opportunity to win the second base job in camp.
If Murphy, or Rule 5 draft pick Brad Emaus, wins the second base job, it would significantly strengthen the bottom of the Mets' order.
Philadelphia Phillies
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1.) Has Jimmy Rollins run his course in Philly?
Rollins used to be the talk of the town, but has posted a sub-.720 OPS in each of his last two seasons and is a free agent after the season.
With the Phillies choosing not to replace Jayson Werth from outside the organization, some of the early burden to replace his production will inevitably fall on Rollins, who figures to be providing protection for Ryan Howard.
While the Phillies pitching is incredible, a resurgent Rollins would go a long way toward quieting the doubters that think this offense will miss Werth's bat.
2.) Can Domonic Brown adequately replace Jayson Werth?
Let's be clear, no one expects Brown, in his rookie season, to replicate what Werth did, not in any way, shape, or form. However, by installing him as the every day RF and the heir apparent to Werth, the Phillies are asking the youngster to at least hold his own.
Brown is considered an elite prospect, so many don't question "if" he'll get it, rather more a matter of "when." With Ryan Howard being protected by Rollins and Raul Ibanez, the Phillies could certainly use for Brown to figure it out sooner rather than later.
3.) If the Phillies actually use their bullpen, can it hold up?
With the Phillies' four aces and their propensity to go deep into games, the bullpen figures to be one of the most under worked in the game. However, there will be times when the pen will be asked to protect a small lead.
As many times as Ruben Amaro discussed adding bullpen help in the offseason, it seems he eschewed that strategy after he signed Cliff Lee. The Phillies return Brad Lidge, along with Jose Contreras, Ryan Madson, Chad Durbin, and JC Romero, all of whom have had mixed results in the past.
When they are called upon, they'll need to come through or all that starting pitching won't mean much.
Washington Nationals
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1.) Can Jayson Werth live up to his monster deal?
While the answer is probably "not likely," it's only fair that we allow Werth the opportunity to try and justify his deal. After all, it's not his fault the Nationals felt the need to lavish him with a 7-year deal, at $18 million per.
The interesting thing about this deal is it's not even definitive that Werth is better than the player he ultimately replaced in the Nats' lineup, Adam Dunn. While Dunn is a liability in the field, he still signed with the White Sox for three less seasons, at $4 million less, per season.
In order for the Nats lineup to improve upon last year's dismal performance, with Dunn, Werth is going to have to at least equal his best performances (in the .900 OPS range), at age 32. That could be a tall task, but we'll see if he's up for the challenge.
2.) How much will the Nationals miss Stephen Strasburg?
In terms of performance, star power, and national attention he brings, they will miss him immensely. However, there's still a season to be played and the Nationals need to rest of their rotation to pick up the slack.
The Nats get top prospect Jordan Zimmermann back and have imported Tom Gorzelanny from Chicago. They'll also be hoping to get a full season out of last year's free agent signing, Jason Marquis.
Whether or not those three succeed, Washington will still need Livan Hernandez to replicate his out of nowhere performance of a year ago if Washington wants to make noise.
3.) Will they get anything out of the middle of the diamond?
Many believe that a foundation of a team is built upon strong players up the middle. This year's Nationals are looking at Nyjer Morgan in CF, Danny Espinosa at 2B, Ian Desmond at SS, and Pudge Rodriguez at C.
While there's some potential there, predominantly in the two middle infield spots, this group could also fail miserably, which would make for tough times in Washington. Don't be surprised to see former Twins prospect Wilson Ramos get the call if Pudge gets off to a slow start.
Chicago Cubs
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1.) Which Carlos Pena will we see in 2011?
The Carlos Pena of 2007-2009 was one of the most feared hitters in the American League, consistently OPS'ing over .870.
However, last season, Pena slipped below the Mendoza Line and hit a cool .194 for the season, his OPS dropping to .732. He also failed to drive in 100 runs for the first time in three seasons.
Pena signed a one year deal with the Cubs in the off-season and he'll presumably be thrust into a predominant spot in the lineup, along with several other aging bats, including Alfonso Soriano, Marlon Byrd, and Aramis Ramirez.
If he can regain his form, the Cubs offense could be one of the better ones in the league.
2.) Will Tyler Colvin play over Kosuke Fukudome?
Last year, Colvin sprang on to the scene, hitting 20 homers and putting up a .816 OPS in limited action. Fukudome had his best year in Chicago, compiling a .809 OPS, but he's entering the final season of his deal in which he'll be paid $14.5 million.
Fukudome will be 34 at the end of this year and it's likely that Colvin will take over full time eventually, so perhaps now is the time to start the transition.
3.) How good is this rotation?
With the addition of Matt Garza, the Cubs boast a potentially above average starter at every rotation spot.
However, Ryan Dempster has seemingly regressed, you never know what you're going to get out of Carlos Zambrano, Randy Wells is an enigma, and Carlos Silva could blow up any minute. Basically, there's not a sure thing top of the rotation starter out of the bunch.
While it's very likely the Cubs remain in the top end of the league in pitching, this group could have its bumps in the road.
Cincinnati Reds
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1.) Can Scott Rolen continue his career renaissance, at age 36?
After several injury-plagued, sub-par seasons, many believed Rolen was just about done. However, Rolen proved the naysayers wrong, hitting 20 HRs for the first time since 2006, and posting his highest OPS since that season.
Rolen served a key role in last year's division title, protecting MVP Joey Votto for most of the season. Whether or not Rolen can duplicate that production, as he grows a year older, should be a chief concern in Cincinnati.
2.) What role will Aroldis Chapman play?
Chapman already has his place in baseball lore, routinely pumping 102+ MPH fastballs past hitters last season. His arm is one of a kind.
Cincinnati fans were only treated to 15 games worth of Chapman last season, but he'll undoubtedly play a larger role this season. How much the Reds allow him to pitch will bear watching and could, ultimately, help decide their fate in the very tough Central.
It remains to be seen whether Cincinnati believes Chapman will eventually be a starter, but this is an important year in his development and he could be ready to join the rotation for the 2012 season.
3.) Can the young pitching continue to improve?
Four of the Reds' five starters are 27 or younger, so they all have the chance to improve.
Edinson Volquez returned from injury and pitched decently last season, but he should be better further off his surgery. Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto, and whichever of Travis Wood or Mike Leake wins the fifth rotation spot all stand to improve.
If they can keep the progression going, the Reds should be right back near the top of the division this season.
Houston Astros
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1.) Can this team generate enough offense?
There's a lot of room for growth in this lineup, especially as it relates to Chris Johnson, Brett Wallace, and Jason Castro.
With Carlos Lee putting up far and away the worst numbers of his career and the big offensive additions being Bill Hall and Clint Barmes, the young guys are going to have to carry this offense.
Whether or not they can will decide how long Houston can stick around, good pitching or not.
2.) Can the bullpen rebound?
Despite having some solid individual performances from guys like Wilton Lopez, Alberto Arias, and Brandon Lyon, the 'Stros pen really struggled last season.
All three of the above are back, joined by an amalgam of arms that include Mark Melancon and Jeff Fulchino. Bullpens tend to be very up and down from year to year and Houston hopes theirs will be able to greatly improve off last season.
3.) Can the back of the rotation stay afloat?
The front of the Astros rotation is very strong with Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers, and JA Happ. However, following those three is Bud Norris and most likely one of Nelson Figueroa or Ryan Rowland-Smith.
Norris has a great arm and good stuff, but has yet to put it together. How much he improves will be a defining factor in how long Houston can stick around. Either of the fifth starter candidates don't really excite, but Rowland-Smith was pretty effective before last year's disaster.
If he can return to pre-2010 form, this rotation could quietly surprise a lot of folks.
Milwaukee Brewers
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1.) Will the bullpen rebound?
In 2010, the Brewers 'pen was tied for the second most losses in baseball and had an ERA that ranked them in the bottom fifth of the league.
While the Brewers seem to have found a hidden gem in closer John Axford, the rest of the pen leaves something to be desired.
They did go out and sign Takashi Saito away from Atlanta, which should provide a nice 8th inning bridge to Axford, but the rest of the pen will need to improve if Milwaukee's going to compete for the division title, and possibly more, this season.
2.) Was trading for Zack Greinke really worth taking on Yuniesky Betancourt?
Of course, the question is not entirely literal, as you do that deal 10 times out of 10.
However, Betancourt has been, and continues to be, one of the worst regulars in all of baseball. Betancourt's defense certainly doesn't make up for his inability to surpass a .700 OPS since 2007.
Even in his best offensive years, he's never surpassed a .725 OPS and is a veritable black hole at the plate. While the rest of the Brewers' lineup figures to be near the top of the league, they'd better hope Betancourt doesn't find his way up in too many big spots.
3.) Can Jonathan LuCroy be an effective full-time catcher?
The Brewers have had trouble getting production out of the catcher position for some time now and they hope LuCroy can be the answer.
While he's put up some solid numbers in the minors, he struggled mightily in a 75 game audition, last season.
With Betancourt likely hitting behind him, LuCroy is going to have to hit some if Milwaukee doesn't want it's bottom of the order to kill many rallies that the top of the order starts.
Pittsburgh Pirates
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1.) Will this team ever contend?
In fairness to the Pirates and their long-suffering fans, there seems to be a glimmer of hope with a lot of young talent inhabiting PNC Park.
With Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata, Neil Walker, and Andrew McCutchen anchoring their lineup, Pittsburgh figures to score more runs than last year's edition which finished second-to-last in the league.
However, the Pirates haven't finished over. 500 in 18 seasons and, even with the young talent, that doesn't figure to change anytime soon. This is a team that desperately needs to change its organizational culture and, until it does, what's left of the fanbase will continue to suffer through mediocrity.
2.) Who's going to pitch for this team?
A quick look at the starting rotation reveals a who's who of retreads, guys who, once upon a time, were regarded as bright, young stars, but ultimately flamed out.
Right now, the rotation is "headlined," and I use that term loosely, by Paul Maholm and Ross Ohlendorf. They're followed, in no particular order, by Kevin Correia, Scott Olsen, and James McDonald.
While most of these guys could be decent enough, the Pirates are going to have trouble sustaining whatever success they have because they lack even one above-average starting pitcher.
3.) Will any of the new additions make a difference?
Starting at last year's trade deadline, the Pirates have imported Chris Snyder, Matt Diaz, and Lyle Overbay to supplement their young talent.
However, all three are nothing more than filler at this juncture and, barring a minor miracle, it's likely that none of the players will make enough of an impact to help keep this team out of the basement.
The Pirates best hope is that they can serve as mentors for the kids and provide enough, on both sides of the ball, to keep this team from sinking to the depths that last year's did.
St. Louis Cardinals
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1.) Will the Pujols' situation be a distraction?
The only thing people in St. Louis are talking about is the ongoing saga of Albert Pujols and the Cardinals' inability to reach an extension with him.
Pujols, unquestionably the best player in the game, has been the lifeblood of the Cardinals' organization since he arrived in 2001.
With his ability to become a free agent after this season and contract talks at a standstill, it's looking more and more likely that Pujols will enter this season without any assurances he'll remain with the Cards long-term.
The Cardinals claim the specter of Albert leaving won't be a detriment to the team, but they'll have to keep to their word if they want to emerge in what's shaping up to be a very difficult division
2.) Can Lance Berkman survive playing every day in the outfield?
At 35 years old, Berkman suffered through, by far, his worst season in 2010. However, that didn't stop the Cardinals from not only signing him, but making him their everyday RF, a position he didn't play very well even in his younger days.
If Berkman's bat returns, perhaps he'll be able to make up for his shoddy defense a bit. This signing was a bit of a head-scratcher when it happened and St. Louis is going to need it to work out in their favor if their offense is to keep up with other teams in the division.
3.) Can the prospective middle infield hit a lick?
Between Ryan Theriot and Skip Schumaker, the Cardinals are looking at starting two players who both had an OPS well below .700 last season.
While Pujols, Matt Holliday, and Colby Rasmus will be expected to carry this offense, the Cardinals have always been reliant on the lesser lights in their lineup to perform adequately enough.
That may come into question with Theriot and Schumaker, who both have to improve significantly if the Cards are to return to the playoffs.
Arizona Diamondbacks
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1.) Can JJ Putz anchor a bullpen that finished dead last in the league?
Last year's D'Backs pen was the worst in baseball and it wasn't even close. Their 5.74 ERA was over a full run higher than the next worst team.
To try and remedy this, Arizona went out and signed JJ Putz to close for them. However, many of the same arms that presided over last year's debacle still remain.
In order for Arizona to improve at all, they're going to need to get some of those guys straightened out. Without that, having Putz might be a moot point.
2.) Is this the season the young talent finally puts it together?
Arizona has been waiting a while for their young studs, Justin Upton, Stephen Drew, and Miguel Montero, to put it all together. All three are supremely talented, but, for one reason or another, performed below expectations last season.
The key to the Diamondbacks season this year, if these guys can turn into the players that they're expected to eventually become, Arizona could surprise quite a bit.
3.) Will the Diamondbacks get any production from the infield corners?
Arizona could start either Brandon Allen or Juan Miranda at 1B, but whichever does will be an unproven commodity. While both have enjoyed success in the minors, they've yet to translate that to the Major League level.
On the other side of the diamond, the Snakes brought in Melvin Mora to presumably man the hot corner. Mora has had an OPS over .800 only once since 2005 and, at age 39 is on his last legs.
It's entirely possible that Arizona could get almost nothing out of two positions traditionally occupied by good hitters, in which case this team might not be better than last year's disappointment.
Colorado Rockies
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1.) What kind of production will the Rockies get out of the right side of their infield?
Unfortunately, for Colorado, Todd Helton is just a shell of his former self, posting a career low .728 OPS in last year's injury-riddled season. If healthy, he could have something left in the tank, but that remains to be seen.
Next to Helton, second base will likely be occupied by the winner of the Jose Lopez/Eric Young, Jr. ST battle, although Ty Wigginton and/or Jonathan Herrera could figure in, as well.
Whatever combination of players the Rockies end up with over there, they're going to need more production out of that side of the infield to avoid last year's rollercoaster season.
2.) Can this team stay healthy?
One of the big issues that plagued Colorado last season was the injuries they suffered. Helton, Troy Tulowitzki, Jorge De La Rosa, Aaron Cook, Huston Street...the list of important injured Rockies was a long one.
If this team can maintain it's health, it will certainly be in the running to win the NL West or to snag the Wild Card spot, but they have to do a better job with injury prevention, especially to their main guys.
3.) Is this the year Chris Iannetta finally figures it out?
The Rockies have been touting Iannetta as their catcher of the future for what seems like forever. With Yorvit Torrealba in Texas, it appears as if Colorado is ready to hand the full-time catching gig to Iannetta, last year's .701 OPS and sub-.200 BA be damned.
Iannetta has shown he's capable of getting the job done, if he's healthy (where have we heard that before?), but he needs to maintain some consistency in order to be considered the real deal.
While he doesn't figure to be batting in a prominent spot in the order, Iannetta will be heavily scrutinized as, at age 28, this might be his last chance to prove he can be an every day catcher.
Los Angeles Dodgers
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1.) Where will the offense come from?
While the Dodgers do have Andre Ethier, who is a sure bet to produce, the rest of the Dodger lineup is littered with question marks.
The Dodgers are looking at rolling out a 2011 lineup which includes five players who had a sub-.760 OPS last season (Matt Kemp, Casey Blake, Rod Barajas, Juan Uribe, and James Loney). Loney has regressed for three consecutive years, while no one seems to be able to figure out the enigmatic Kemp.
If Rafael Furcal is healthy, he's usually pretty effective, but it's going to be largely up to the afore-mentioned quintet whether this offense succeeds or not.
2.) Which Matt Kemp will we see?
Piggybacking off the last question, we come to Kemp, who seems to be the ultimate paradox. Teams have long been enamored with his unquestionable talent, however Kemp has seemingly always had trouble translating that to the field.
While his .842 OPS in 2009 is nothing to sneeze at, Kemp has always shown tools that hint at something more spectacular. Whether or not new manager Don Mattingly can get the most out of him could be the key to the Dodgers season in 2011.
3.) Will the real Jonathan Broxton please stand up?
The Dodgers, who traditionally have one of the better pens in the league, slipped to the bottom half of the league last season, thanks in large part to the mysterious case of Jon Broxton.
Broxton had established himself as one of the most dominant relieves in baseball until he seemingly lost it last season, posting an ERA over 4 for the first time in his career and temporarily being removed from the closer role.
In order for the Dodgers to compete in a difficult division, Broxton will have to be back on top of his game.
San Diego Padres
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1.) Can the offense survive without Adrian Gonzalez?
The last few seasons, the Padres lineup has had one constant: Adrian Gonzalez. With Gonzalez being shipped off to Boston this offseason, the Padres lineup is left without any distinct or noticeable difference makers.
While San Diego did import Orlando Hudson, Jason Bartlett, Brad Hawpe, Jorge Cantu, and Cam Maybin, none of the five is going to come close to making up for what Gonzalez provided.
This offense could struggle mightily unless someone like Maybin suddenly realizes his tantalizing potential.
2.) Will the starting pitching surprise again this season?
Last year, the Padres were in contention until the very last day of the season, thanks in large part to an absolutely lock down pitching staff.
How much of that had to do with spacious Petco Park is anyone's guess, but this year's staff includes the likes of Aaron Harang, Dustin Moseley, and Tim Stauffer (who was very good in relief last year).
Whether or not these guys can duplicate the success of last year's staff will determine how competitive San Diego can be.
3.) Can the bullpen survive the loss of two key cogs?
The Padres bullpen was the best in baseball last season, but they dealt away two of their arms in Edward Mujica and Ryan Webb.
While they're still left with Heath Bell, Luke Gregerson, Ernesto Frieri, Joe Thatcher, and Mike Adams, these guys are going to need to be lights out again if San Diego's to have any chance.
San Francisco Giants
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1.) Can the Giants repeat as World Champions in 2011?
It's very difficult, in any sport, to repeat as champions, and for the Giants, it will be no different. The Giants, bolstered by a very strong pitching staff, rode a surprise offensive explosion to their first title in 56 years.
With their starting rotation returning intact, the Giants figure to be right back in the thick of things in 2011, but can the offense sustain the run of success it enjoyed in the 2010 postseason?
If they can, San Francisco will be right back in the thick of things come October.
2.) Does Miguel Tejada have anything left?
Tejada, who will turn 37 during the season, struggled mightily last season, posting only his second season with a sub-.700 OPS.
What might be of even bigger concern to San Fran is whether or not Tejada can still play an adequate shortstop.
After making 21 errors for Houston in 2009, Tejada switched to 3B last season. His 15 errors were nothing to write home about, but his diminishing range wasn't exposed as much at the hot corner.
Moving him back to short could leave the Giants with limited range up the middle between him and Freddy Sanchez.
3.) Can several Giants replicate last season's unexpected success?
The Giants caught lightning in a bottle with quite a few of their regulars as not many people expected Aubrey Huff, Cody Ross, Pat Burrell, and Andres Torres to have the years they did.
Each player is over 30 and could be hard-pressed to replicate last year's numbers. Unfortunately for San Francisco, they're still heavily reliant on at least three of the above players, so they'll need them to remain consistent.
