MLB Predictions 2012: One Reason for Optimism for Every Team

Hope springs eternal, and with the start of spring training in the MLB, every fanbase has something to be excited for this coming season, even if their team has little to no chance of competing.

Whether it is a player coming back from injury, the debut of a prized offseason acquisition, a player taking that next step towards stardom or something else entirely, there's always reason for optimism in baseball.

So here's a look at one reason each MLB team and their fanbase should be optimistic about the upcoming 2012 MLB season.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Surprise Contender Has Gotten Even Better

The Diamondbacks surprised more than a few people when they went from a 97-loss team in 2010 to a 94-win team in 2011, capturing the NL West title.

Manager Kirk Gibson deserves at least some of the credit for the turnaround, but the fact is the Diamondbacks have a solid core of good young players who took the next step last season.

Rather than resting on the fact that they were returning the vast majority of their 2011 roster, the Diamondbacks were as active as anyone this offseason.

The team dealt a prospect package to the Athletics for All-Star right-hander Trevor Cahill who will slide into the No. 2 spot in the rotation. The team also signed Twins outfielder Jason Kubel to start in left field and Brewers setup man Takashi Saito to serve in a setup role.

Shortstop Stephen Drew will be back after missing the end of last season with a broken ankle, and slugging first baseman Paul Goldschmidt will be entering his first full big-league season.

They won't surprise anyone this year, but on paper, the Diamondbacks are the most complete team in the NL West and should be looked at as the favorites to win the division.

Atlanta Braves: Jason Heyward Should Be Back on Track

Jason Heyward was the talk of the baseball world when he broke camp as the Braves' starting right fielder in 2010, and he did not disappoint as he hit .277 BA, 18 HR, 72 RBI, 11 SB as a 20-year-old rookie.

However, he took a major step back last season as his numbers fell to .227 BA, 14 HR, 42 RBI, and he was limited to just 396 at-bats due to a shoulder problems.

He admitted to altering his swing to try to play through the injury, but he looks to be back on the right track now. He has slimmed down a bit and looks primed for a big season.

Adding a solid year from him to an already deep Braves lineup should put Atlanta right in the thick of things in the NL East.

Baltimore Orioles: A New-Look Starting Rotation

After a season in which their starting pitchers went a combined 46-72 with a 5.39 ERA, it was clear something needed to be done, and the Orioles took action by overhauling the starting staff.

Bright spot Zach Britton (11-11, 4.61 ERA) will lead the staff, and at just 24 years old, he has plenty of upside. The only other starter who will be back as part of the rotation is Jake Arrieta (10-8, 5.05 ERA), and he will look to take the next step in his third big-league season.

The team traded ace Jeremy Guthrie, who was in the final year of his contract, to the Rockies for reliever Matt Lindstrom and starter Jason Hammel (7-13, 4.76 ERA). Hammel will fill the No. 2 spot in the rotation and has gone 27-30 with a 4.63 ERA over the past three seasons in Colorado.

The real cause for excitement is a pair of Japanese imports in 26-year-old Wei-Yin Chen (8-10, 2.68 ERA) and 31-year-old Tsuyoshi Wada (16-5, 1.51 ERA).

Both are left-handed starters, and despite Wada having the better numbers, Chen has the better stuff and the potential to pitch towards the top of the rotation. Both guys could open the year in the minors, but the team will give them every chance to pitch their way into the rotation.

That means former top prospects Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman and Brad Bergesen will need to impress if they want a rotation spot, and as a whole, the improved depth and competition should make everyone involved better.

Boston Red Sox: Addition by Subtraction...and Addition

The Red Sox failed to make a big offseason splash this winter, although whatever they did would have paled in comparison to last year when they added Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford.

However, the team made some solid additions in the likes of Andrew Bailey, Mark Melancon, Nick Punto, Cody Ross and Ryan Sweeney.

More importantly though, the team severed ties with veteran pitcher Tim Wakefield (7-8, 5.12 ERA), Jason Varitek (.221 BA, 0.0 WAR) and J.D. Drew (.222 BA, -0.5 WAR) and will be without starter John Lackey (12-12, 6.41 ERA) for the entire season after he underwent Tommy John surgery.

Essentially, the team cleared some of the dead wood, and what's left is a team that may not look better on paper but could be better off in the long run.

On the addition side of things, the team brought in Bobby Valentine who should vastly improve the culture of a team that seemingly had the inmates running the asylum last year.

Carl Crawford should only improve on the worst season of his career, and the Red Sox will be hungry after their monumental collapse last year.

Chicago Cubs: New Team Direction, Youth Is Served

With the acquisition of Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer to the Cubs' front office has come a new way of thinking on the North Side, as the new regime is committed to building the team from the bottom up by trading short-term assets for long-term assets.

The team dealt right-hander Andrew Cashner to the Padres for first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who projects as a future .300 BA, 30 HR, 100 RBI guy and the anchor of the lineup.

The team also dealt Sean Marshall, who was a free agent at season's end, for left-hander Travis Wood and a pair of prospects.

Those new additions, along with youngsters such as outfielder Brett Jackson, third baseman Josh Vitters and catcher Welington Castillo could all play a major role with the team in 2012 and an even bigger one down the road.

The Cubs are beginning a youth movement, and it should be exciting to watch how the core of the team comes together in the years to come. They may not compete in 2012, but they will be laying the groundwork to be competitive for years to come.

Chicago White Sox: Adam Dunn, Gordon Beckham, Alex Rios Can't Be THAT Bad Right?

Last season, the White Sox Opening Day lineup had Gordon Beckham (second), Adam Dunn (fourth) and Alex Rios (fifth) all penciled into positions that showed that the team expected them to play big roles in the offense, and they all fell unimaginably short of those expectations.

Beckham, still just 24 years old, saw his numbers drop for the third straight season as he finished with a line of .230 BA, 10 HR, 44 RBI. However, his defense at second base improved greatly, and he still has plenty of time to turn things around.

Dunn, signed to a four-year, $56 million contract before the season began, may well have been the worst hitter in all of baseball as his line of .159 BA, 11 HR, 42 RBI left him with a -2.7 WAR. After averaging .253 BA, 40 HR, 101 RBI over the previous seven years, there's no reason the 32-year-old shouldn't at least partially bounce back in 2012.

Rios, claimed off waiver in 2009 with five years and $60.7 million left on his contract, followed up a very nice 2010 season with a .227 BA, 12 HR, 44 RBI season. His career has been an up-and-down one, but he's still just 31 and the .300 BA, 20 HR, 20 SB potential is certainly still there.

Cincinnati Reds: Same Potent Offense, Improved Pitching Staff

Last season, the Reds had the second-highest scoring offense in the National League but were held back by their pitching.

Just two starting pitchers had ERAs under 4.00 in Mike Leake (3.86) and Johnny Cueto (2.31), and the team addressed that issue when they dealt three of their top prospects and starter Edinson Volquez (5.71 ERA) to the Padres for 24-year-old right-hander Mat Latos.

He will be slotted second in the rotation behind Cueto and counted on to pay immediate dividends after what the team gave up to get him.

The team also addressed the bullpen, letting closer Francisco Cordero walk in free agency and signing Ryan Madson to replace him. They also dealt starter Travis Wood and prospects to the Cubs for lefty setup man Sean Marshall, who is among the best left-handed relievers in baseball.

Time will tell if that is enough, but the team certainly made every effort to back their potent offense with the best pitching staff possible.

Cleveland Indians: An Improved, More Experienced Starting Rotation

The Indians made a legitimate run at the AL Central title last season before fading down the stretch, due in large part to an inexperienced and worn down starting rotation.

Ubaldo Jimenez was acquired at the deadline for two of the team's top prospects, and simply having him for an entire season should make the rotation that much better.

The team also acquired veteran sinker-baller Derek Lowe from the Braves, and while he's coming off a less-than-stellar 17-loss season, he will add a veteran presence to the rotation that has been lacking the past few seasons. Though he's 39, he's still better than he showed last season.

Justin Masterson and Josh Tomlin will be back after leading the staff last season, and with the Fausto Carmona false identity scandal leaving his future in doubt, the team acquired Kevin Slowey from the Rockies to fill out the staff.

With the offense healthy and having added Casey Kotchman, the team should be improved from last year. And while they may not be capable of making a run at the Tigers, they should top the 80 wins they posted last year.

Colorado Rockies: Veteran Acquisitions Give Team a "Win Now" Mentality

The Rockies have had a busy offseason, both in free agency and on the trade market, signing RF Michael Cuddyer, C Ramon Hernandez and 3B Casey Blake and trading for SP Jeremy Guthrie, SS Marco Scutaro, SP Guillermo Moscoso, SP Josh Outman and SP Tyler Chatwood.

Those moves have shored up several areas of need for the team, as all but Outman and Chatwood figure to be starters from the get-go, and even those two provide experienced depth.

With the addition of so many veteran pieces, it's clear that the Rockies are looking to make a run at the NL West title in 2012, and while none of those moves were by any means earth shattering, they bring about an overall feeling that the Rockies think they are close, and with a handful of solid veterans, could be pushed over the top.

Detroit Tigers: Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera in the Same Lineup

The Tigers signing of Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214 million contract this offseason raised more than a few eyebrows, as the team needed a replacement for injured DH Victor Martinez and went big in finding that replacement.

The move will shift Miguel Cabrera to third base, a position that he has not played regularly since 2004, and that was a much smaller, more agile version of Cabrera that did that.

However, those concerns aside, the Tigers now have the best one-two punch in all of baseball without questions and those two will be a lot of fun for Tigers fans to watch this season.

Since becoming a full-time starter in 2006, Fielder has posted an average line of .282 BA, 38 HR, 108 RBI, while Cabrera has been an everyday player since 2004 and put up an average line of .320 BA, 33 HR, 115 RBI.

The Fielder signing made an already good Tigers team a legitimate contender, evidenced by the fact that their Vegas odds of winning the World Series went from 15:1 to 9:1 immediately following the signing.

Houston Astros: "You Have to Hit Rock Bottom in Order to Climb Back Up"

That expression, or something along those lines, is something that every Astros fan needs to keep in mind this coming season as it's going to be a long year in Houston.

The team is rebuilding like few other teams have in the past, as they traded stars Roy Oswalt, Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn for prospects over the past two years and could move their remaining three veteran pieces in Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers and Carlos Lee this coming season.

The Astros will essentially be running out a Triple-A team this coming year, and while they're going to lose a TON of games, the experience those players gain and the opportunity to evaluate players who the front office will have will be invaluable down the road.

It could be a few seasons before the Astros have a competitive team on the field again, but they're rebuilding the right way, and once they find success again, they should be able to sustain it.

Kansas City Royals: Another Year of Progress, Another Year Closer to Contention

Last year marked the arrival of some of the much-hyped prospects who have made the Royals' farm system the envy of the league, as 1B Eric Hosmer and 3B Mike Moustakas took over as everyday starters.

Also getting a taste of big- league action was 2B Johnny Giavotella, CF Lorenzo Cain and C Salvador Perez, all of whom will open the season as everyday starters.

Still on the way is top prospect OF Wil Myers, SP Mike Montgomery, SP Jake Odorizzi and a handful of others who could make an impact sooner rather than later.

The Royals are still likely a year or two, and a front-of-the-rotation starter, away from legitimate contention, but the team is building a terrific young core and should continue to improve on a daily basis.

Los Angeles Angels: The Additions of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson

If you need a reason for optimism as an Angels fan, you have been hiding under a rock this offseason, as the team not only lured superstar Albert Pujols away from the Cardinals with a 10-year, $240 million contract, but also signed the top free-agent starter in C.J. Wilson to a five-year, $77.5 million contract.

The Pujols signing immediately puts the lineup among the best in the American League, and while there are still holes and the matter of figuring out how to get Mark Trumbo and Kendrys Morales at bats, the team should score more than enough runs, especially considering their pitching.

With Jered Weaver (18-8, 2.41 ERA), Dan Haren (16-10, 3.17 ERA) and Ervin Santana (11-12, 3.38 ERA) already part of the starting rotation, adding Wilson (16-7, 2.94 ERA) gives them as formidable a starting rotation as any team in the league.

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Team Will Soon Be Sold

The last few seasons have been a mess for the Dodgers, with the on-going divorce of the McCourts serving as a constant distraction, and the team filing bankruptcy ranking among the more embarrassing moments in baseball history.

The field of candidates has begun to be narrowed down, and Frank McCourt has agreed to choose a buyer by April, with the sale set to be closed by April 30th.

Those financial issues did not keep the team from locking up star center fielder Matt Kemp this offseason, but with the ownership situation finally resolved, the team could become big spenders once again as they attempt to return to contention.

Miami Marlins: New Stadium, New Manager, New Players...Hard to Pick Just One

No fanbase in all of baseball has more reason for excitement following the offseason as the Marlins' fanbase, a fanbase that ownership hopes will grow significantly after what took place this winter.

The team will open a brand new stadium this year, leaving the cavernous Sun Life Stadium for a place they don't have to share with the Miami Dolphins.

With that move has come new uniforms and a new team name as they are no longer the Florida Marlins, but now the Miami Marlins, which has little on-field significance but helps signify a fresh start.

Wearing those new uniforms will be a slew of new faces, starting at the top where the team traded for boisterous White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to lead the team.

As far as the actual lineup, signing Jose Reyes was the team's top move, and a somewhat controversial one, as it will force Hanley Ramirez to play third base. The team also signed starter Mark Buehrle, closer Heath Bell and traded for temperamental Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano. 

Milwaukee Brewers: Despite Losses, Team Can Still Compete in NL Central

From a team with all the reason in the world to be optimistic to a team on the opposite end of the spectrum, it has been a tough offseason for the Brewers.

Not only did the team lose slugging first baseman Prince Fielder to the Tigers in free agency, but it also looks as though they will be without left fielder and reigning MVP Ryan Braun for the first 50 games of the year after he tested positive for PEDs.

That said, even in losing those two, the Brewers could still very much compete in the NL Central. The Cardinals were also dealt a blow in losing Albert Pujols, and are a team that could wind up dealing with their fair share of injuries.

The Reds got better but still have questions in the starting rotation, the Cubs and Astros are rebuilding and the Pirates are heading in the right direction but could still be a year or two off.

The Brewers signed third baseman Aramis Ramirez to replace some of Fielder's production, and Mat Gamel (.310 BA, 28 HR, 96 RBI at Triple-A) will step in as the starting first baseman. Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart are still solid offensive players.

Pitching wise, the trio of Zack Greinke, Yovani Gallaro and Shaum Marcum is among the best in the National League, and John Axford is an elite closer with an elite setup man in Francisco Rodriguez. They are not the 2011 Brewers, but they are still capable of contending.

Minnesota Twins: Joe Mauer Is Healthy

Slowed by knee problems and pneumonia, the 2011 season was more or less a lost one for Twins catcher Joe Mauer, as he managed just 296 at bats and hit .287 BA, 3 HR, 30 RBI.

Just three years removed from an MVP season, and still only 29 years old, Mauer will need to prove himself healthy and productive to once again join the ranks of baseball's elite, but reports say he's healthy and ready to go this spring.

The Twins had little to cheer about last season, as Mauer and Justin Morneau were sidelined much of the season, and the winter was not much better as they lost outfielders Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel.

However, if Mauer can return to his elite form, he would once again give the team a superstar and a face of the franchise, something that will be important as they attempt to once again build towards contention in the AL Central.

New York Mets: Ike Davis and Lucas Duda Look Primed to Become Stars

The Mets have lost big names in Carlos Beltran who was dealt at the deadline last year and Jose Reyes who signed with the Marlins after winning the batting title last year. However, there looks to be a new pair of stars ready to break out in 2012.

First baseman Ike Davis enjoyed a solid rookie season in which he hit .264 BA, 19 HR, 71 RBI to finish seventh in NL Rookie of the Year voting. He looked ready to build on that in a big way last year, as he started the season with a .302 BA, 7 HR, 25 RBI line through his first 36 games. However, he was lost for the season with an ankle injury, and now, he will be looking to pick up right where he left off in 2012.

Joining him in the middle of the Mets lineup this year will be right fielder Lucas Duda, who saw his first significant big-league action last year and hit .292 BA, 10 HR, 50 RBI over 301 at-bats, while showing solid on-base skills with a .370 OBP. At 6'4" and 255 pounds, he has big-time power potential, and he will get his first crack at everyday at-bats in 2012.

They may not be household names now, but if everything goes as expected, Davis and Duda will be making headlines in New York on a regular basis for years to come.

New York Yankees: An Improved Starting Rotation

Despite the fact that they won 97 games last season, the Yankees' starting rotation was scrutinized the entire season, as the likes of Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon inspired little faith in the team's faithful.

C.C. Sabathia is a constant at the top of the rotation, and he will be there once again this season, joined by last year's impressive rookie Ivan Nova (16-4, 3.70 ERA), but aside from those two, the rotation was one big question mark heading into the winter.

The Yankees balked at signing big-money free agents like Roy Oswalt, C.J. Wilson or Edwin Jackson, and for a while it looked as though they would not address the rotation at all.

However, when they finally did, they did in a big way, dealing uber-prospect Jesus Montero to the Mariners for All-Star rookie Michael Pineda. The same day, the team signed Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda to add a proven veteran to the front of the rotation.

That left Phil Hughes, A.J. Burnett and Freddy Garcia vying for the fifth spot, and following the team's trade of Burnett to the Pirates, it looks as though Hughes will fill that role. Just a year removed from an 18-win season, he could be the best fifth starter in baseball.

Oakland Athletics: Moneyball Could Win Some Oscars

Nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Lead Actor (Brad Pitt) and Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill), Moneyball was a sweeping success at the box office, pulling in over $75 million.

Moving back to reality, however, there's not much to get excited about in Oakland these days as the team is in a perpetual state of rebuilding, constantly moving anyone with any semblance of talent for prospects.

This offseason, the team dealt two of their top starters in Trevor Cahill (four-year, $30 million) and Gio Gonzalez (five-year, $42 million signed with Nationals after trade) and two young pitchers who were relatively inexpensive given the position and their talents.

That just shows that the team is not rebuilding to compete, but rebuilding to build towards more rebuilding, and that leaves A's fans with little reason for optimism, unless a middle-of-the-order of Josh Reddick, Seth Smith and Scott Sizemore screams out World Series contender.

So tune in on Oscar night Oakland fans, as that is likely the greatest chance of success the A's have this season.

If only Scott Hatteberg were still around.

Philadelphia Phillies: Halladay, Lee and Hamels Still Front the Rotation

With a solid lineup from top-to-bottom and a rotation that already featured Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels, the signing of Cliff Lee last winter immediately made the Phillies NL favorites as talks of them having the greatest rotation of all time came up on a regular basis.

The team fared well enough in the regular season, winning 102 games, but they fell to the Cardinals in the NLDS for a disappointing finish to a season where anything short of a title was a failure.

Now, the team will be faced with dealing with the loss of Ryan Howard who ruptured his Achilles and will miss significant time, as well as the departure of Raul Ibanez and Roy Oswalt in free agency.

Despite all that, the team still has arguably the best 1-2-3 in all of baseball in Halladay, Lee and Hamels and on if they can only get to the postseason those three pitchers are capable of carrying the team to a title.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Team Is Surprisingly Good, Should Only Get Better

Despite a 72-90 finish, the 2011 season was a successful one for the Pirates as they far exceeded expectations and actually led the NL Central on July 19th before a major slide eliminated them from contention.

Still, no one expected them to be in contention as long as they were, and with a young core of players such as Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker and Jose Tabata soon to be joined by premier pitching prospects Jameson Tallion and Gerrit Cole among other top Pirates prospects, the future is incredibly bright.

For now, a patchwork group of veterans and talented youngsters should at least be good enough to match the 2011 teams record and could even improve on it, but it won't be long now before the Pirates are right in the thick of things through July and on into September.

San Diego Padres: The Minor League System Is as Deep as Any in Baseball

The Padres struggled last season after a surprise push for the postseason in 2010, and it has been an active offseason as the team dealt starter Mat Latos to the Reds for three prospects and Edinson Volquez, then dealt two of their top pitching prospects to the White Sox for Carlos Quentin.

Quentin, along with an emerging Cameron Maybin and Reds-pickup Yonder Alonso should give the team an improved offense this coming season, but in all reality, the team is unconcerned with 2012.

In trading and drafting well over the past few seasons, the Padres have built a stockpile of young talent that rivals any organization in baseball.

In compiling my top 100 prospects earlier this month, eight Padres appeared on my list, more than any other team in baseball, and many of those prospects are close to big-league ready.

It may not be in 2012, but within the next couple seasons, the Padres could be the Royals of the National League, building towards long-term contention.

San Francisco Giants: Buster Posey Is Back to Lead the Offense

The Giants failed to repeat as World Series champs last season, failing in fact to even make the postseason as they finished 86-76, eight games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks.

That failure can be directly blamed on the offense, which ranked dead-last in the National League with 570 runs scored, while hitting just .242 (14th) as a team.

Some of that is due to underperforming veterans such as Aubrey Huff (.246 BA, 12 HR, 59 RBI) and Cody Ross (.240 BA, 14 HR, 52 RBI) who were counted on to lead the offense, but injuries played a big role as well.

Aside from losing high-average spark plug Freddy Sanchez, the team was dealt a huge blow when catcher Buster Posey went down with a broken ankle and was lost for the year on May 25th.

Posey should be back at 100 percent come Opening Day, and if he can even match the numbers he put up his rookie season (.305 BA, 18 HR, 67 RBI), the offense would be light-years better than they were last season without him.

Seattle Mariners: Young Hitters Could Break Out, Make Offense Formidable

The Mariners lineup was abysmal last season, as they hit .233 collectively and got dreadful seasons from guys like Chone Figgins (.188 BA), Franklin Gutierrez (.224 BA), Miguel Olivo (.224 BA) and a numbers of others, as even Ichiro (.272 BA) had the worst season of his career.

While all of the above mentioned players will be in the starting lineup on Opening Day, there's still reason for optimism surrounding the Mariners lineup this coming season.

Young sluggers Dustin Ackley (.273 BA, 6 HR, 36 RBI), Mike Carp (,276 BA, 12 HR, 46 RBI) and Justin Smoak (.234 BA, 15 HR, 55 RBI) are another year older and will have some help in the middle-of-the-order from newly acquired Jesus Montero (.328 BA, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 61 AB) who was sent to Seattle in the deal that sent Michael Pineda to the Yankees.

It's not Prince Fielder, who many hoped would wind up in Seattle, but the Mariners' young hitters have a ton of promise, and if they can all put it together this season, the Mariners just might surprise.

St. Louis Cardinals: Adam Wainwright Is the Best Offseason Addition in Baseball

Losing Albert Pujols was a big blow the Cardinals, but they may be the only team in baseball capable of overcoming a loss of that magnitude, and while signing Carlos Beltran will help offset some of the lost offense, it is the return of Adam Wainwright that could very well cancel out the loss of Pujols in 2012.

Injured for the season in spring training last year, Wainwright was arguably the best pitcher in baseball from 2009-2010, going 39-19, 2.53 ERA, 425 Ks.

Getting him back atop the rotation will not only take some pressure off Chris Carpenter, but could essentially offset the Pujols loss. If Wainwright can post a WAR of 5.0, and Beltran can post a WAR of 2.0, they would essentially offset the loss of Pujols from a statistical stand point.

Not having Pujols in the lineup will hurt the offense, but a middle-of-the-order of Matt Holliday-Lance Berkman-David Freese is still among the best in the league, and while that group is injury-prone, Allen Craig is capable of stepping in for any of them and putting up big numbers as well.

Tampa Bay Rays: Matt Moore Could Be the Team's Best Pitcher in 2012

The Rays organization is stocked with young pitching talent, and Jeremy Hellickson stepped into the rotation last year and dominated with a 13-10, 2.95 ERA, 117 Ks line to win AL Rookie of the Year.

Hellickson is joined by David Price, James Shields and Wade Davis in a rotation that will once again feature a rookie starter in 2012 in Matt Moore.

However, as good as Hellickson and the rest are, Moore could very well be the best pitcher on the staff from day one, as he absolutely dominated minor league hitters last season to the tune of a 12-3, 1.92 ERA, 210 Ks, 155 IP line.

That earned him a late season call-up, and he wound up not only making the Rays' postseason roster but getting the start in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Rangers and their stacked offense.

He then proceeded to dominate them, up just two hits while striking out six over seven shutout innings. That was likely only a sampling of what he's capable of, and he makes an already fantastic young Rays staff that much better.

Texas Rangers: Yu Darvish Could Emerge as Staff Ace, Team Doesn't Need Him to

The Rangers won the Yu Darvish sweepstakes this winter, signing the Japanese right-hander to a six-year, $60 million contract and paying a $51.7 million posting fee simply to negotiate with him.

He will take the place of departed starter C.J. Wilson in a rotation that will also feature Derek Holland, Colby Lewis, Matt Harrison and converted closer Neftali Feliz.

While the team would love nothing more than for Darvish to step in and dominate like he did in Japan and take over for Wilson atop the rotation, the fact of the matter is they don't need him to.

With one of the best offenses in baseball and a deep pitching staff that will see former starters Alexi Ogando and Scott Feldman working out of the bullpen, Darvish could essentially start the season in the minors, and the team would still be a among the AL favorites.

That won't happen, as he'll open the year in the rotation, but the point is that he won't have to be superman in his first season for the Rangers to be a postseason team, he simply needs to hold down a rotation spot.

Toronto Blue Jays: Brett Lawrie and Ricky Romero Could Become Stars in 2012

The Blue Jays failed to make the splash many thought they would this offseason, but they already have a legitimate star in Jose Bautista, and they could have two more players joining the ranks of the elite in 2012.

Left-hander Ricky Romero is the best pitcher that no one talks about, as he has gotten markedly better in each of his three big-league seasons, going 15-11, 2.92 ERA, 178 Ks last season to finish 10th in Cy Young voting.

Still just 27 years old, Romero could take the next step in 2012 and join the ranks of the elite pitchers in all of baseball, as he is just entering his prime and another season's worth of improving at the rate he has, could make him a dark horse candidate for the AL Cy Young.

On the other side of the ball, Lawrie was called up at midseason last year after being acquired from the Brewers in the offseason for starter Shaun Marcum, and he hit .293 BA, 9 HR, 25 RBI in 150 at bats.

That after hitting .347 BA, 18 HR, 62 RBI in 300 minor league at-bats between High Single-A and Triple-A. Still just 22 years old, Lawrie has tremendous potential, and he could take the next step towards being an elite offensive third baseman in 2012.

Having two more stars won't be enough for the Blue Jays to compete in the AL East but would likely make them a more appealing place for free agents to sign in the next couple offseasons.

Washington Nationals: 2012 Could Be the Year Strasburg and Harper Play Together

When the Nationals drafted Stephen Strasburg first overall in 2009 and followed that up by taking Bryce Harper with the first overall selection in the 2010 draft, the question became when would the two incredibly hyped young talents see the field together.

That time could be as soon as Opening Day, as Strasburg is back from Tommy John surgery and showed he was as good as new in five starts at the end of last season, going 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 24 Ks in 24 innings of work.

As of now, it looks like Strasburg will be the Opening Day starter, and if Nationals manager Davey Johnson has his way, Harper will be manning right field to kick off the season as well.

The 19-year-old made his pro debut last season and hit .297 BA, 17 HR, 58 RBI, 26 SB between High Single-A and Double-A. He will be in the majors at some point this season, and with a good spring, it will be to start off the year.

That does not mean that the Nationals are instant contenders, but the baseball world will be buzzing over what is going on in Washington in 2012, and with the additions of Gio Gonzalez, Edwin Jackson and Adam LaRoche (return from injury), they could make a run at the NL East if everything goes right.