Ranking MLB's 10 Most Lethal Offenses Entering Spring Training
Dominant pitching is still the most valuable weapon in contending for a World Series title, but with offense down around the league, having a potent lineup can go a long way as well.
Just how important is a productive offense?
Of the 10 teams that reached the playoffs last year, seven ranked in the top 10 in runs scored, and only the St. Louis Cardinals averaged less than four runs per game.
With that in mind, which teams tout the most lethal offenses heading into spring training? Injuries could certainly shake things up between now and Opening Day, but these 10 are the teams to watch at the plate heading into the 2015 season.
10. Chicago White Sox
1 of 10
Projected Starting Lineup
1. CF Adam Eaton
2. LF Melky Cabrera
3. 1B Jose Abreu
4. DH Adam LaRoche
5. RF Avisail Garcia
6. 3B Conor Gillaspie
7. SS Alexei Ramirez
8. C Tyler Flowers
9. 2B Carlos Sanchez
Projected Bench
C Geovany Soto
IF Gordon Beckham
UT Emilio Bonifacio
OF J.B. Shuck
Overview
A handful of teams received consideration for the final spot in these rankings, including the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners, but the Chicago White Sox ultimately received the nod for the No. 10 spot.
Newcomers Melky Cabrera and Adam LaRoche should prove to be significant upgrades over Alejandro De Aza/Dayan Viciedo and Adam Dunn in left field and at designated hitter, respectively.
Jose Abreu could be in for some regression from his fantastic rookie numbers, as a 26.9 percent HR/FB ratio and .356 BABIP (via FanGraphs) may be tough to duplicate. However, he still figures to be among the most dangerous and productive sluggers in the game.
The real game-changer here could be the health of outfielders Adam Eaton and Avisail Garcia, who missed a combined 155 games last season. Eaton is capable of being a difference-maker atop the lineup, and Garcia has the tools to be a solid run producer, so keeping them on the field will be key.
Geovany Soto provides some depth to push Tyler Flowers at catcher, and Gordon Beckham is useful insurance for rookies Carlos Sanchez and Micah Johnson at second base, so there does not appear to be any glaring hole in the lineup at this point.
9. Colorado Rockies
2 of 10
Projected Starting Lineup
1. CF Charlie Blackmon
2. RF Carlos Gonzalez
3. SS Troy Tulowitzki
4. 1B Justin Morneau
5. 3B Nolan Arenado
6. LF Corey Dickerson
7. C Wilin Rosario
8. 2B DJ LeMahieu
9. Pitcher
Projected Bench
C Nick Hundley
1B Ben Paulsen
IF Daniel Descalso
OF Brandon Barnes
OF Drew Stubbs
Overview
The Colorado Rockies were the highest-scoring team in the National League last season, averaging 4.66 runs per game, but the Coors Field factor has to be taken into account here.
While they hit an impressive .322/.372/.529 as a team and averaged 6.17 runs at home, those numbers plummeted to .228/.279/.357 and an MLB-worst 3.15 runs away from Coors Field.
Then there is the ongoing question of how many games stars Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez will manage to play before inevitably landing on the disabled list.
All of that being said, this is still a quality lineup and one without any glaring holes heading into the season.
Nolan Arenado is a superstar in the making, outfielders Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson are both coming off of breakout seasons and Justin Morneau remains a quality veteran in the middle of the order.
The health of Tulowitzki and CarGo is the big question here. If they can avoid missing significant time, this could easily be the highest-scoring team in the NL once again.
8. Miami Marlins
3 of 10
Projected Starting Lineup
1. 2B Dee Gordon
2. LF Christian Yelich
3. RF Giancarlo Stanton
4. 1B Michael Morse
5. CF Marcell Ozuna
6. 3B Martin Prado
7. C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
8. SS Adeiny Hechavarria
9. Pitcher
Projected Bench
C Jeff Mathis
1B Justin Bour
IF Donovan Solano
IF/OF Jeff Baker
OF Ichiro Suzuki
Overview
The worst offense in the league as recently as 2013, when they hit .231 as a team and averaged just 3.17 runs per contest, the Miami Marlins now appear to be as formidable offensively as any team in the National League.
Slugger Giancarlo Stanton remains the centerpiece of their attack, but budding stars Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna join him to form what could be the most productive outfield in the league.
Dee Gordon gives the Marlins a game-changer in the leadoff spot, while the veteran duo of Michael Morse and Martin Prado at the corner infield spots figures to be an upgrade over last year's tandem of Garrett Jones and Casey McGehee.
Even shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria showed signs of becoming a useful offensive player last season, raising his batting average (.227 to .276) and OPS (.565 to .664) significantly and leading the team with 10 triples.
Top catching prospect J.T. Realmuto could challenge Jarrod Saltalamacchia for the starting gig by the second half of the 2015 season, and once he arrives, that will be just one more quality young piece on a vastly improved roster.
7. Washington Nationals
4 of 10
Projected Starting Lineup
1. CF Denard Span
2. 3B Anthony Rendon
3. LF Jayson Werth
4. RF Bryce Harper
5. 1B Ryan Zimmerman
6. SS Ian Desmond
7. C Wilson Ramos
8. 2B Yunel Escobar
9. Pitcher
Projected Bench
C Jose Lobaton
1B/OF Tyler Moore
IF Danny Espinosa
IF/OF Kevin Frandsen
OF Nate McLouth
Overview
The Washington Nationals' juggernaut of a starting rotation has received the bulk of the attention this offseason, and rightfully so, but their offense should again be among the best in the National League as well.
Adam LaRoche is gone, but a healthy Ryan Zimmerman could easily offset his lost production, and a full-time move to first base could go a long way in helping keep the 30-year-old healthy.
Anthony Rendon is a budding superstar after finishing fifth in NL MVP voting last season, and he won't have to deal with shuffling between second base and third base this season, as he's now entrenched at the hot corner.
The 2014 season was a disappointing one for Bryce Harper, as injuries limited him to just 100 games, but it's important to remember that he's still only 22 years old. A huge breakout season could be just around the corner, especially after an impressive showing in October.
Denard Span and Ian Desmond are both entering contract years, so expect them to be on top of their games. Desmond, who is working on a string of three straight 20/20 seasons, might be the best all-around shortstop in the game outside of a healthy Troy Tulowitzki.
Next offseason is going to be a busy one for the Nationals, as there figures to be a decent amount of roster turnover, so this may be the final chance for this current group to win together.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers
5 of 10
Projected Starting Lineup
1. SS Jimmy Rollins
2. LF Carl Crawford
3. RF Yasiel Puig
4. 1B Adrian Gonzalez
5. 2B Howie Kendrick
6. C Yasmani Grandal
7. 3B Juan Uribe
8. CF Joc Pederson
9. Pitcher
Projected Bench
C A.J. Ellis
1B/OF Scott Van Slyke
IF Justin Turner
OF Andre Ethier
OF Chris Heisey
Overview
Andrew Friedman wasted little time reshaping the Los Angeles Dodgers roster after being named president of baseball operations this offseason. While it's certainly a different-looking lineup, it still figures to be a productive one.
Howie Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins are the new double play combination, replacing Dee Gordon and Hanley Ramirez. The Dodgers will miss the speed of Gordon at the top of the lineup, but as long as the two newcomers can stay healthy, they should be one of the more productive duos in the league.
The team can no longer afford prolonged slumps from Yasiel Puig, as it will be counting on him to be a consistent run producer this year alongside Adrian Gonzalez now that Matt Kemp is gone.
However, the X-factor here figures to be top prospect Joc Pederson, who will be stepping into the everyday job that Kemp vacated. The 22-year-old posted a 1.017 OPS with 33 home runs and 30 steals in Triple-A last season, albeit in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
5. St. Louis Cardinals
6 of 10
Projected Starting Lineup
1. 3B Matt Carpenter
2. RF Jason Heyward
3. LF Matt Holliday
4. 1B Matt Adams
5. C Yadier Molina
6. SS Jhonny Peralta
7. 2B Kolten Wong
8. CF Jon Jay
9. Pitcher
Projected Bench
C Tony Cruz
1B/3B Mark Reynolds
IF Pete Kozma
OF Peter Bourjos
OF Randal Grichuk
Overview
The St. Louis Cardinals offense struggled for much of last season before coming on strong down the stretch and helping the team capture another NL Central title.
The Cardinals' 105 home runs as a team last year were the lowest total in the National League, and only the Kansas City Royals (95) hit fewer. That number figures to climb a bit this season with the additions of Jason Heyward and Mark Reynolds and a potential step forward from Kolten Wong.
Pairing Heyward (.351 OBP) with Matt Carpenter (.375 OBP) at the top of the lineup gives the team a pair of elite on-base threats, and those two should provide the middle-of-the-order bats with plenty of RBI opportunities.
The Cardinals are not your prototypical stacked offensive team, as they lack a legitimate 30-homer threat and really don't have a superstar-caliber hitter.
Instead, they rely on stringing together hits as a team as opposed to one or two players shouldering the offensive load. It's a philosophy that has worked for them time and again over the past few seasons, and they appear to be built for the same kind of success once again heading into 2015.
4. Los Angeles Angels
7 of 10
Projected Starting Lineup
1. RF Kole Calhoun
2. SS Erick Aybar
3. CF Mike Trout
4. 1B Albert Pujols
5. LF Matt Joyce
6. 3B David Freese
7. DH C.J. Cron
8. C Chris Iannetta
9. 2B Josh Rutledge
Projected Bench
C Drew Butera
IF Taylor Featherston
IF/OF Grant Green
OF Collin Cowgill
Overview
The Los Angeles Angels led all of baseball with 4.77 runs per game last season, and while they'll no doubt feel the loss of Howie Kendrick, they should again be one of MLB's top run-scoring teams in 2015.
Josh Hamilton underwent shoulder surgery at the beginning of the month, and he'll likely be sidelined to start the season. The team would obviously prefer he be healthy and productive, but big picture, he didn't provide much of anything last year and the Angels were fine without him.
The original plan when the team traded for Matt Joyce was to use him as half of a DH platoon with C.J. Cron, but he'll likely now be in a platoon with Collin Cowgill in left field. Either way, it proved to be a necessary move for the sake of team depth.
Mike Trout deservedly claimed the bulk of the headlines last season on his way to AL MVP honors, but quietly productive seasons from guys like Kole Calhoun and Chris Iannetta are a big reason why the Angels had the best offense in the league.
Deciding who replaces Kendrick at second base will be the big battle this spring, with newcomers Josh Rutledge and Johnny Giavotella and Rule 5 selection Taylor Featherston in the mix, along with former top prospect Grant Green.
3. Detroit Tigers
8 of 10
Projected Starting Lineup
1. 2B Ian Kinsler
2. CF Anthony Gose
3. 1B Miguel Cabrera
4. DH Victor Martinez
5. LF Yoenis Cespedes
6. RF J.D. Martinez
7. 3B Nick Castellanos
8. C Alex Avila
9. SS Jose Iglesias
Projected Bench
C Bryan Holaday
IF Hernan Perez
IF/OF Andrew Romine
OF Rajai Davis
Overview
With Miguel Cabrera already on the mend from early offseason ankle/foot surgery, fellow Detroit Tigers slugger Victor Martinez joined him in going under the knife when he had surgery to repair a torn knee meniscus Feb. 10.
Both players are questionable for the start of the regular season, and their recovery merits a close watch this spring. However, whenever the lineup returns to full strength, the Tigers figure to again be one of the most dangerous attacks around.
J.D. Martinez and offseason addition Yoenis Cespedes give the team two more dangerous sluggers alongside Cabrera and V-Mart, and if everyone can stay healthy, the Tigers could challenge for the team home run lead.
Nick Castellanos and Anthony Gose are both former top prospects, and they look like X-factors as potential breakout candidates heading into 2015. Castellanos in particular is capable of more than the .259/.306/.394 line he posted as a rookie, though he did manage 31 doubles, 11 home runs and 66 RBI.
2. Toronto Blue Jays
9 of 10
Projected Starting Lineup
1. SS Jose Reyes
2. RF Jose Bautista
3. 3B Josh Donaldson
4. 1B Edwin Encarnacion
5. C Russell Martin
6. DH Dioner Navarro
7. LF Michael Saunders
8. 2B Ryan Goins
9. CF Dalton Pompey
Projected Bench
C Josh Thole
1B Justin Smoak
IF Maicer Izturis
OF Kevin Pillar
Overview
Already the fifth-highest-scoring team in the league (4.46 runs per game), the Toronto Blue Jays added Josh Donaldson and Russell Martin to the mix this offseason.
That was enough for them to receive serious consideration for the No. 1 spot in these rankings, as those two newcomers join Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion to form a middle of the order that can rival any in recent memory.
However, the revolving door at second base and an unproven rookie in Dalton Pompey in center field are enough to keep them at No. 2, at least for the time being.
The speedy Pompey began last season in High-A and ended it in Toronto, hitting a combined .317/.392/.469 with 40 extra-base hits and 43 stolen bases in 113 minor league games. He's capable of providing the team with a second leadoff hitter at the bottom of the order if he makes a smooth transition to the majors.
Michael Saunders was a nice low-cost replacement for Melky Cabrera, and a change of scenery could serve him well after falling out of favor in Seattle.
If prospect Devon Travis can move quickly and take over the everyday job at second base, this lineup could potentially be rock solid 1-9, but chances are he won't arrive until the second half at the earliest.
1. Boston Red Sox
10 of 10
Projected Starting Lineup
1. RF Mookie Betts
2. 2B Dustin Pedroia
3. DH David Ortiz
4. LF Hanley Ramirez
5. 3B Pablo Sandoval
6. 1B Mike Napoli
7. SS Xander Bogaerts
8. CF Rusney Castillo
9. C Christian Vazquez
Projected Bench
C Ryan Hanigan
1B/OF Allen Craig
UT Brock Holt
OF Shane Victorino
Overview
The Boston Red Sox moved quickly to sign arguably the two top bats on the free-agent market, adding Hanley Ramirez (four years, $88 million) and Pablo Sandoval (five years, $95 million) to a lineup that already had plenty of potential.
Just as important as those signings is the health of Dustin Pedroia, who landed awkwardly on his left wrist during the Boston Red Sox's home opener last year and dealt with a nagging injury the rest of the season.
He finally underwent season-ending surgery Sept. 11, and the procedure was expected to improve his range of motion in the wrist. That could help his offensive numbers rebound in 2015, after he managed just seven home runs and a .712 OPS last year.
Cuban defector Rusney Castillo will be expected to make an impact after getting his feet wet with a 10-game debut last season, while Xander Bogaerts is also a potential breakout candidate in his second full big league season.
The outfield situation still needs to be sorted out, with a potential future star in Mookie Betts battling with veterans Allen Craig, Shane Victorino and Daniel Nava for the right field job, but Betts should settle in as the everyday guy and leadoff hitter before long.
The Red Sox rode the highest-scoring offense in baseball to a World Series title in 2013, and they'll be looking to go worst-to-first again in 2015 on the strength of what looks to be another potent attack.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.
