Spring Training 2011: Each Team's Player To Watch from Weekend's First Games
Baseball season is finally here!
With the first spring training games played this past weekend, fans got to see the first look at what their 2011 team will look like. From getting to see their team's big-time prospects to the veterans, everyone is starting to make their predictions on everything from how a particular player will perform in 2011 to which team will in the World Series this season.
Although not all teams played this past weekend, most did and, thus, we can start to get an idea of who we should keep an eye on this spring.
With that, based on this weekend and the talk about them this winter, let's take a look at some of the players you should be keeping an eye on as spring training progresses.
Baltimore Orioles
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The Orioles are one of the teams that did not have a game this weekend; however, one of the players we should all be keeping an eye on this spring is Matt Wieters.
Wieters is the young Orioles catcher who has an extremely high ceiling. Although he didn't put up the numbers people expected to see from him in 2010, he did show certain signs of promise. For instance, there was a second-half spike in his contact rate, which led to a rise in his batting average.
Wieters is still very young, only 24, so there is plenty of time for him to live up to his hype. In fact, if he starts putting everything together this season, I wouldn't be surprised to see Wieters hit 20 home runs—especially given all the new offensive protection he will have around him in 2011.
Boston Red Sox
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The Red Sox added a lot of offensive pieces this winter, but they still would like to get significant production from David Ortiz in 2011.
Ortiz had a terrible April in 2010 but he was able to right the ship and finish with a solid line by the season's end. With Ortiz on a contract year, many believe this to be his last season with the Red Sox. It's also his last chance to prove he can still be an effective DH and gain a contract with another team post-2011.
On Sunday against the Twins, Ortiz went 0-for-3.
New York Yankees
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The Yankees really, really need AJ Burnett to rebound this year; but at age 34, does he have it in him? I doubt it.
Burnett hasn't pitched yet this spring, but because he is so important to the Yankees rotation, I chose him as the player to watch for the Yankees.
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Tampa Bay Rays
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Desmond Jennings, a major prospect for the Rays, may be the odd man out this spring. With the Rays signing both Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, there seems to be no room left for Jennings.
That said, however, there is nothing smaller-market teams love more than growing and advancing one of their own—probably because fanbases tend to be very attached to players who come through their own team's organization.
On Saturday against the Pirates, Jennings came off the bench; he played center field and he was walked in both at-bats, and he scored runs both times.
On Sunday, also against the Pirates, Jennings started in center field and went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.
Toronto Blue Jays
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Two players on the Blue Jays that may be fun to watch this spring are Jesse Litsch and Marc Rzepczynski—the two guys vying for the fifth spot in the Jays' rotation.
If Sunday's performance was a foreshadowing of how these two will be pitching this season then this competition may be really interesting to watch. On Sunday, Rzepczynski started against the Tigers; he pitched two innings and gave up no hits while striking out two.
After Rzepczynski, Litsch came into the game and pitched two innings as well, allowing only one hit and striking out one.
Chicago White Sox
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The Chicago White Sox, like the Toronto Blue Jays, are having a competition for their last starter (or possible bullpen, if Jake Peavy gets healthy) spot on the team. The race is between Phil Humber, Lucas Harrell and Charlie Leesman.
On Monday, the race begins as Harrell will be taking the mound following Gavin Floyd. Humber will pitch on Tuesday and Leesman, who was supposed to pitch an intrasquad game, has yet to be rescheduled.
Detroit Tigers
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On Sunday, Max Scherzer pitched two scoreless innings while giving up no hits and only one walk.
He's the guy to watch on the Tigers; a new ace is forming here. At only 26 years old, the Tigers have two, or maybe even three, young aces on their team. Expect them to compete for a playoff spot this year.
I'm under the opinion this will be a big year for Scherzer (obviously): 15 wins, 200-plus IPs and Ks, with a sub-3.50 ERA seems about right.
Cleveland Indians
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Carlos Santana, the Indians rookie catcher, will be leading the Indians lineup and rotation this year; man that's a lot of pressure on a kid. So, obviously, his success will mean a lot for the Indians and their season in 2011.
On Sunday, against the Reds, Santana started the game and went 0-for-1 at the plate.
Kansas City Royals
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With Greinke gone, the Royals really need their pitchers to step up. On Sunday against the Rangers, Kyle Davies gave the Royals fans something to be hopeful about when he pitched two scoreless innings while giving up only one hit and striking out three.
I wouldn't get too excited about this because Davies' numbers from the past aren't too exciting. This will not be a breakout year for him.
Nonetheless, he is off to a good start and certainly merits some attention after his solid performance on Sunday.
Minnesota Twins
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Although the big stories for the Twins are the health of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, another thing to pay attention to is how Carl Pavano pitches.
Pavano was just re-signed this offseason, and if the Twins want to have a chance to make a playoff run, they will need their starters to be as good, if not better, than last year.
Pavano will be a huge part of that,. On Sunday, he started off on the right foot. Against the Red Sox, Pavano tossed two scoreless innings while giving up one hit and striking out two.
Keep an eye on how Pavano continues to pitch this spring. Does he have another good season now that he has gotten a contract? We'll see.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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So far, the list has been comprised of only good accolades or speculation for players to watch...that ends here.
Scott Kazmir can be a huge part of the Angels' rotation, but he is going to have to pitch better than he did on Sunday. For the Angels' sake, let's hope he was just rusty from the long winter.
On Sunday against the Dodgers, Kazmir pitched two innings while giving up five hits and three earned runs.
Oakland Athletics
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Sunday was a good day for Josh Willingham; he went 2-for-3 and had an RBI.
The Athletics got Willingham to add more power to their lineup and to be able to put up more runs for their starters. For Oakland fans, you have to be encouraged by what Willingham showed this weekend.
He's not the most talented guy on the club, nor does he have the most potential, but he could certainly have a big impact on his team in 2011.
Seattle Mariners
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Sunday was not only a good day for Josh Willingham; it was also a good day for Seattle Mariners' Chone Figgins.
After a disappointing inaugural season with the Mariners in 2010, Figgins and the Mariners fans are hoping for him to rebound in 2011. On Sunday, he took the first step towards that by going 2-for-3 against the Padres while driving in two runs and scoring one himself.
If Figgins can rebound, he would not only change the entire course of the Mariners' season, but his trade value (should the Mariners' still be interested in that option) would skyrocket.
Texas Rangers
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This has to be the most exciting/intriguing player to watch on the Rangers this spring.
If Webb is healthy and regains even some of his form from a few years ago, then the Rangers will be able to successfully replace Cliff Lee. In fact, I would argue that, if Webb rebounds to his old form, they have a better pitcher than Lee.
This weekend, Webb threw off a mound for about 10 minutes and had no problems—a very good sign for the Rangers. The next step for Webb is to throw a bullpen session, which is being scheduled for later on this week.
Not only the Rangers, but all of baseball, will be keeping their eye on how Webb progresses this spring.
Atlanta Braves
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Alright, so you can make a very strong argument that Chipper Jones is the player to watch for the Braves, but I am looking to the new instead of the old. While I'm not downplaying Chipper's importance, Freeman is also very important to the Braves.
Freeman is the big-time prospect for the Braves. Between him and Heyward, the Braves organization thinks they may have two great hitters for years to come.
On Sunday against the Mets, Freeman went 0-for-3 with a run scored and a strikeout.
Florida Marlins
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Everyone knows the potential young Mike Stanton has. The only problem is he needs to play in order to reach, and exceed, those expectations.
Stanton homered but then had to leave the game with a strained right quad; that's what Marlins fans need to keep their eye on...Stanton needs to be healthy.
Philadelphia Phillies
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The Marlins need Mike Stanton to be healthy; likewise, the Phillies need Chase Utley to be healthy. Unfortunately for these teams, both are hurt right now.
An MRI showed that Utley has tendinitis in his knee. As the oldest team in the majors, the Phillies season is seriously threatened by the age of their players and their ability to get hurt.
Without Utley, the Phillies offense will take a huge hit and so will their playoff run. Everyone who roots for the Phillies should be, and will be, watching Utley to see just how bad his knee is.
New York Mets
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The New York Mets have the chance to exceed expectations this season. Despite all the trouble the organization is having off the field, the Mets are capable of having a decent year.
Since the Mets have a lot of free-agents-to-be, it wouldn't surprise me to see the team do well in 2011. They won't be making the playoffs, but they should put up a respectable season.
Some of this success, however, will be dependent on the pitching. With Santana out until the middle of the season, other guys are going to have to step up. Chris Young, on Sunday, did this. Pitching against the Braves, Young pitched two innings, striking out two and giving up no runs.
If Young can rebound to his old form, the Mets have added another very solid pitcher to their rotation.
Washington Nationals
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With Stephen Strasburg out for the year, the attention will certainly be turned onto the other young phenom the Nationals have—Bryce Harper.
Harper won't be joining the big-league team this year, most likely, but everyone will certainly be waiting for his arrival. He's been hyped so much, and maybe rightfully so, that all the Nationals fans are anxious to get him to the majors.
Harper will be making his spring training debut on Monday; don't worry, with all the buzz surrounding this guy you won't have to go too far to find out how he did. Everyone in baseball is keeping some of their attention on this guy.
Cincinnati Reds
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Matt Maloney, a pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, made a spot start on Sunday against the Indians. Although the Reds rotation is locked, Maloney is fighting for a spot in the bullpen, and he helped his cause with his performance yesterday.
Maloney pitched two innings, giving up no hits and striking out two.
Sure there are bigger names to watch and perhaps more interesting players to watch, but I still find one of the most entertaining things to watch in spring training are the players that actually have something to play for, players that are competing for a position, whether it be a starting role, utility role or a spot in the bullpen.
Don't overlook these guys/competitions on your favorite team; you'd be surprised at how much fun and speculation you can have with your friends by paying attention to these little competitions.
Chicago Cubs
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The Chicago Cubs are trying to put together a contender and, in keeping with that theme, the Cubs went out and traded for pitcher Matt Garza this offseason. I'm a fan of Garza; I really like what he brings to the mound when he pitches, but whatever he usually has with him, he certainly didn't have it on Sunday.
Yesterday against the Athletics, Gaza pitched two innings: he gave up five earned runs on five hits with one walk and one strikeout.
It's only the first start so getting worried now would be premature, but the Cubs will really need Garza to pitch well this season if they want to compete.
Houston Astros
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Brett Wallace didn't have the best season in 2010, but the Houston Astros' organization still believes in him. And why not? He's only 24 years old. One bad season isn't really a cause for concern at that age—especially given the stats he put up in the minors.
Wallace could be the next wave of Astros players. The team is caught in the middle right now because they need to spend some time rebuilding but can't as long as they are paying players like Carlos Lee.
Keep an eye on Wallace as this could be his bust-out season.
Milwaukee Brewers
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Of course, all the eyes at the Brewers' camp is on their new acquisition—Zack Greinke. Greinke's success could translate into a playoff appearance for the Brewers in 2011. He has yet to make his debut, but you can be sure all the Brewers fans will be watching when he does.
It's also worth the time for the Brewers fans to keep an eye on Prince Fielder this spring. After all, this will probably be his last spring with the team.
Pittsburgh Pirates
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OK, so he's not an unknown nor is he competing for a spot on the roster, but, man, is this guy fun to watch.
The face of the Pirates' organization, Andrew McCutchen exploded right out of the gate—he had a fantastic 2011 spring training debut on Sunday against the Rays. McCutchen went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI.
St. Louis Cardinals
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Forget all the guys competing for spots on the roster. Forget everything because there are only two things that each Cardinals fan is thinking about—the injury to Adam Wainwright and the fate of Albert Pujols.
In all likelihood, the injury to Adam Wainwright has killed the chances of the Cardinals making the playoffs this year. You never know what will happen—maybe someone steps up big time or maybe the Cardinals acquire a big-time pitcher—but, as it stands right now, the Cardinals 2011 season is in a lot of trouble.
Furthermore, the Cardinals' future could be facing a huge problem if Albert Pujols decides to leave after the season.
You never know what will happen, but the Cardinals' future, both immediate and long-term, could be looking really dark.
San Francisco Giants
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Yes, the San Francisco Giants' pitching is the most important part of the team, and if they have any chance of repeating, the pitching needs to be just as good. With that said, however, the Giants will need to continue to get those timely hits from their offensive players in order to have success in 2011.
One of the offensive players who could have a huge impact is Pablo Sandoval. Sandoval has lost weight in the offseason (which you can see even in his new picture versus a picture from last year), and his success could be a huge boost to a lackluster offense.
If Sandoval was able to regain his form from a few years ago, the Giants will certainly be a tough team to face this year. And, if the games so far are an indication of anything, things are looking up for the Giants.
On Saturday against the Dodgers, Sandoval (who played third that game) went 2-for-3—one hit was a home run—with two runs scored and three RBI. Additionally, on Sunday against the Diamondbacks, Sandoval (at the DH position) went 1-for-3 with another home run.
San Diego Padres
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Tim Stauffer had a rough night on Sunday against the Mariners. The middle-of-the-rotation guy on the Padres lasted only 1.2 innings while giving up six hits and one walk, which became five earned runs.
If the Padres want to be successful in 2011, their pitching is going to have to be really good—especially since they no longer have Adrian Gonzalez in the middle of their order. This was not the start the Padres pitching wanted.
Arizona Diamondbacks
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As I've written before, it's only one start (and the first start of spring training for that matter) so speculating on just one game isn't wise. That said, however, you'd still prefer to see the pitchers of your team do better than either Ian Kennedy or Dan Hudson of the Arizona Diamondbacks did.
This is especially upsetting for Diamondback fans because Kennedy and Hudson compose the two-three punch of their rotation this year.
On Sunday against the Giants, both Kennedy and Hudson failed to impress. Kennedy pitched two innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and one walk. Hudson immediately followed that up with two innings of his own, in which he allowed three hits and one earned run.
As I said, it's obviously still very early, but you'd still like to see them, at least one of them, perform a little better.
Colorado Rockies
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The Colorado Rockies are going to need Ubaldo Jimenez to have another stellar year in order to make a push for a playoff spot. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. Jimenez is a good pitcher, but he won't be repeating such a great season.
With that said, however, Jimenez pitched well on Saturday against the Diamondbacks: he went two innings and allowed no earned runs on two hits and one walk.
Los Angeles Dodgers
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Rafael Furcal will be a huge factor in the Dodgers 2011 season. Ultimately, as the leadoff hitter, Furcal sets the tempo for the team and how he goes so goes the team. Furthermore, as the shortstop, he is the leader of the infield.
Unfortunately for the Dodgers, Furcal is a massive health risk. So not only does Furcal need to stay healthy, but he needs to perform well in order for the Dodgers to have a good season.
On Sunday he took the first step in the right direction. Furcal went 2-for-2 with a run scored while playing shortstop.
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