MLB Trade Speculation: Every Team's Biggest Need Entering June
Every year when April rolls around, baseball fans get pumped up for the start of the season. More often than not, their team has added some new players, lost others and overall, just looks a little different than it did the last time it took the field the year prior. Fans get excited to see if their new team will click and if they have what it takes to make it to the playoffs and beyond.
However, for the first month or so, it's hard to tell how each squad is going to perform, with some players finding their grooves earlier than others. It usually takes around two months to see which areas each club excels in and which areas need some improvement. Once that is determined, it is only another two months before the trade deadline, and general managers start to formulate their plans, postulating which deals they think that they can get done that might be able to help give their teams that extra push for the stretch run.
So to celebrate the beginning of June, let's now take a look at which areas each club may find the need to make some improvements in.
Atlanta Braves: Centerfielder
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The Atlanta Braves are a talented team in a tough division. The juggernaut that is the Philadelphia Phillies, as well as the surprising young Florida Marlins, are stealing the show through the first two months of the season. The thing is that the Braves are only four and a half games behind the Phils and have the ability to win the NL East. Some of their best players are currently on the disabled list, including star right fielder Jason Heyward, reliever Peter Boylan and centerfielder Nate McClouth.
Now some might say, "Hey, when those guys come back, the Braves don't really have any weaknesses." However, the weak link here is one of those players, Nate McClouth. He was a star a few years ago in Pittsburgh solely because he was the best player on a terrible team. He has never really had it with the bat and is only helpful to the Braves with his Gold Glove-caliber defense in the spacious outfield at Turner Field. The Braves need someone to contribute offensively at the centerfield position, potentially as a leadoff man.
Possibilities: Carlos Beltran (NYM), Mike Cameron (BOS), Rajai Davis (TOR), Julio Borbon (TEX)
Florida Marlins: Starting Pitching
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The Marlins have one of the best one-two punches in baseball with Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez, but after those two, there isn't much to be happy about with Florida's staff. Ricky Nolasco is a serviceable number three starter, but at the back end of the rotation, Javier Vazquez and Chris Volstad having been awful. Volstad has an ERA over 5.00, and Vazquez's has hit 6.00. When they pitch half of their games at the spacious Sun Life Stadium and their ERA's are that high, you know there's a problem.
Volstad is still quite young, so there's still the possibility for him to rebound this year, but it's a different story with Javier Vazquez. Vazquez has been dreadful ever since his spectacular 2009 season, when he placed fourth in the NL Cy Young voting for the Braves. Some people (including myself) thought that last year's performance in the Bronx was because of his transition to both the AL and Yankee Stadium, but after struggling after moving back to the NL and into Sun Life Stadium, I'm starting to believe that Vazquez's career might be just about over. If he can't pick it up soon, the Marlins should either try to trade him for a prospect or just release him altogether.
If they do this, the Marlins are going to need another starting pitcher. Josh Johnson has also landed on the DL back in mid-May, so the Fish are also hoping he will return without much trouble. If he can't, the urgency to trade for another starter will only increase. The Marlins have a really good shot at winning the Wild Card or even the NL East, so they really need to address their pitching staff soon.
Possibilities: Mark Buehrle (CHW), Jason Marquis (WSH), Brett Myers (HOU)
New York Mets: Rebuild
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Absolutely nothing has gone right for the New York Mets for the past couple of years. It all started in 2007 with their end-of-season meltdown and has culminated into a fight to stay out of the cellar of the NL East in 2011. The Mets have no chance at winning the NL East this season, that much is for sure, but something needs to be done to keep the fans from abandoning the team whatsoever.
Unfortunately, I really don't know what to say when asked how the Mets can improve. By all accounts, they are set to lose two of their best players, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes, at the end of the season to free agency, and that will do nothing to help their cause. Even signing or trading for star players hasn't worked for the Mets lately, with Johan Santana and Jason Bay turning out to be disappointments thus far.
It almost feels like everything that the Mets try is destined to fail, so maybe it's time to trade Reyes and Beltran before they leave to try to get some proven prospects out of them. The decision to call a quits and rebuild is a difficult one to make, but the Mets' brass may need to make the call before they waste another golden opportunity.
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Philadelphia Phillies: Closer
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The Philadelphia Phillies are baseball's best team, with baseball's best starting rotation. In fact, their starting rotation may be one of the best in the history of the game. However, even a rotation that includes Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels can't throw complete games all the time. And even a lineup that includes Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Raul Ibanez can't put up 10 runs every game. Therefore, even a team as good as Philly needs a lockdown closer to make sure they can win the close games.
Brad Lidge was supposed to be that guy, but he has yet to pitch in 2011, and even when he does return near the All-Star break, he has been inconsistent in the years following the Phillies' 2008 championship run. The Phillies need to accept that Lidge is no longer suitable to hold the closer's role and should go out and trade for a better option at the Trade Deadline. Ryan Madson has done a fantastic job in Lidge's absence, but he would probably still be the most help to the Phillies back in his old role as the setup man.
Possibilities: Francisco Rodriguez (NYM), J.J. Putz (ARI), Brian Fuentes (OAK)
Washington Nationals: A Big Bat
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The Nationals have begun to put together a good team. In fact, once their two young stars make it (back) to the majors, this could be a contending team in the NL East. Starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg has already proven that he is the real deal at the major league level, and should pick up right where he left off as the ace of the Nats' staff when he returns from Tommy John surgery.
What the Nationals really need is a big-time offensive threat in their lineup. Many think that 18-year-old Bryce Harper could be that guy when he gets called up to the Majors, but even if he is, that might not be enough. Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth are the driving forces in D.C. this year, and adding Harper would only help, but one more bat could make the difference and bring the Nationals closer the the playoffs than they have ever been.
Possibilities: Jose Reyes (NYM), Carlos Beltran (NYM), Carlos Pena (CHC), Matt Kemp (LAD)
Chicago Cubs: Starting Pitching
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When the Cicago Cubs made the trade for Matt Garza last offseason, they probably thought he could be the answer to their rotation woes this season. However, Garza has landed on the DL, and even before, that wasn't winning games for the Cubbies. The rest of the rotation, including Ryan Dempster and Carlos Zambrano, has fallen to pieces as well. This could be in part due to the departure of pitching coach Larry Rothschild to the Yankees, but even so, this rotation has enough talent to perform at a high level by themselves.
Maybe if the Cubs brought in an ace-type pitcher, he would not only contribute with his performance, but would show the other pitchers what is possible and motivate them to pitch better. This shouldn't have to happen, but nevertheless, it may be the best option for the Cubs right now.
Possibilities: Brett Myers (HOU), Ubaldo Jimenez (COL), Mark Buehrle (CHW)
Cincinnati Reds: Starting Pitching
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Once their strength, the Cincinnati Reds' starting rotation is now their weakness. After returning from the DL, Johnny Cueto has been excellent, but he's been the only one performing well. Edinson Volquez pitched so poorly that he was sent down to Triple-A, Homer Bailey is on the disabled list and the other three (Arroyo, Wood, and Leake) all have ERA's north of 5.00. The Reds need another reliable pitcher, maybe even two, if they want to top the Cardinals and Brewers to return to the playoffs this season. Pitching wins championships, and right now, there's no way the Reds could win a championship with their pitching staff.
Possibilities: Jason Marquis (WSH), Ubaldo Jimenez (COL), James Shields (TB), Mark Buehrle (CHW)
Houston Astros: Starting Pitching
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The Houston Astros are a rebuilding team. They have traded away some of their aging veterans as of late, such as Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt, in favor of acquiring some new young talent. Unfortunately, young players need time to adjust to the major leagues, and during that time, there likely will not be too many wins for Houston. So, in the meantime, the Astros should look to bolster their rotation by adding some young arms that will be ready by the time the rest of the team matures enough to compete again.
They have already begun to do this by acquiring J.A. Happ from the Phillies in the Oswalt trade, but they could get a lot more by trading more of their veteran players, such as Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers. There are plenty of teams that could use those two or who might be willing to take a chance on Carlos Lee if the Astros eat most of his salary. It would be well worth it if Houston could bring in three or four young pitchers.
Possibilities: Andrew Brackman (NYY), Brad Bergesen (BAL), Derek Holland (TEX), Edwin Jackson (CHW)
Milwaukee Brewers: Shortstop
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When the Brewers traded for Zack Greinke, they were forced to give up some young and talented players. One of those players was shortstop Alcides Escobar. They did manage to convince the Royals to throw Yuniesky Betancourt into the deal to plug the hole at short, but they probably didn't need much convincing. Betancourt is bad with the bat, but if possible, he's worse with the glove. He has already made five errors this season and usually averages around 20 per year. Nothing about him is heloping the Brewers, so they should focus on finding a serviceable, or even star shortstop, at this year's trade deadline.
Possibilities: Jose Reyes (NYM), Rafael Furcal (LAD), Jhonny Peralta (DET), Brendan Ryan (SEA)
Pittsburgh Pirates: Experience
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The Pittsburgh Pirates are a young team. If at all possible, they're too young. The oldest player on the club is newly signed first baseman Lyle Overbay, while the rest of the team resembles an extremely talented Triple-A team. The Pirates have an immense amount of talent that will make them a strong contender in a few years once they gain experience, but for now, they might look to acquire another veteran player to help mentor the other players, but only if they can get him without giving up any players on the current roster.
Possibilities: Kevin Millwood (free agent), Derek Lowe (ATL), Javier Vazquez (FLA), Mike Cameron (BOS)
St. Louis Cardinals: Closer
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After a spectacular 2009 season as the Cardinals' closer, Ryan Franklin had an alright 2010, and then blew four of his first five saves to start off the 2011 season, leading to his dismissal from the closer's role. Any other year, Kyle McClellan probably would have stepped up as the closer and done a great job, but this isn't any other year. Cards ace Adam Wainwright underwent Tommy John surgery this spring, forcing St. Louis to move McClellan to the rotation. While this has gone just about as well for McClellan as it did for Wainwright a few years back, there is still a hole in the bullpen that needs to be filled, and fast.
Without a proper closer, McClellan can turn in as many quality starts as he wants, and the Cardinals could still lose. With no other real holes on their team up to this point, finding a closer might actually be the only thing on the Cardinals' list of to-do's for the Trade Deadline.
Possibilities: Francisco Rodriguez (NYM), J.J. Putz (ARI), Brian Fuentes (OAK)
Arizona Diamondbacks: Second Baseman/Leadoff Hitter
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The Arizona Diamondbacks, host of this year's All-Star Game, are another team like the Pittsburgh Pirates that have a plethora of young and talented players that simply need some time to gain experience. However, in their case, I don't feel like that veteran presence is as much needed, with players like Stephen Drew, Justin Upton and Joe Saunders, as well as manager Kirk Gibson, having the capability to mentor the rest of the young guys.
What the D-Backs do need is a better second baseman, preferably one who can hit leadoff. Kelly Johnson is similar to the Yankees' Jorge Posada right now. He has hit seven home runs, but is only hitting at a .210 clip. He's fine at second base, but Arizona could do better, and should do better. A leadoff hitter would also be nice because third baseman Ryan Roberts should really be hitting in the middle of the order, and when he does, Willie Bloomquist leads off, and he should be relegated to a bench role at best.
Possibilities: Jason Bartlett (SD), Maicer Izturis (LAA), Sean Rodriguez (TB), Eduardo Nunez (NYY)
Colorado Rockies: Trade Ubaldo Jimenez
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Ubaldo Jimenez is one of the best pitchers in the game. We all saw his incredible first half last year and then his decline during the second half that left a lot of people thinking it was a fluke. When he struggled out of the gate this year and to this point has posted a 5.86 ERA, all it did was affirm those people that 2010 was indeed a fluke. However, if you dig deeper like I did, you will see exactly why Jimenez's numbers are what they are.
You see, Ubaldo pitches at baseball's best hitter's-park, Coors Field. Now if you look at his splits, you will find that Jimenez has posted a 7.67 ERA this season in Colorado. Pretty bad, I'll admit. But when you look at his road starts, you will see that he has posted a 2.84 ERA. Now that's more of the Ubaldo Jimenez I know. When you pitch poorly in half of your starts, it's going to affect your numbers.
Now the Rockies know that Jimenez is a poor fit at Coors Field, and so do all 29 other MLB teams. Therefore, the Rockies should try to trade Jimenez this Deadline for a few young starters, preferably ground-ball pitchers to complement Coors Field. Jimenez is a great pitcher; just not where he needs to be.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Closer
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It was once thought that Dodgers' closer Jonathan Broxton was one of the game's best closers, potentially even in Mariano Rivera's class. Opinions of players can change very quickly in baseball. Broxton had a subpar season last year and started off dreadful in 2011, blowing saves and eventually losing his closing job. The Dodgers organization has enough to worry about, so they don't need Broxton blowing potential wins in the ninth inning. What they need is a reliable closer who can take the mound at Chavez Ravine and have the fans' trust in his ability to convert a save opportunity.
Possibilities: Francisco Rodriguez (NYM), J.J. Putz (ARI), Brian Fuentes (OAK), Matt Capps (MIN)
San Francisco Giants: Catcher
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Just as quickly as the phenomenal young catcher came, he has now left. Buster Posey suffered season-ending injuries during a home plate collision, cracking his fibula and tearing the ligaments in his ankle.
With Posey out, the Giants have a gaping hole in the catching position that needs to be addressed. Eli Whiteside is a serviceable backup catcher, but he is not a starter, so the Giants are going to have to acquire a catcher to serve as the stopgap between now and Posey's return next season.
Losing Posey is huge for the Giants. Not only do they lose his bat in the lineup, they also lose his defense and his extraordinary ability to call a game. It's going to be near impossible to find one guy to fill all these holes, but the Giants are going to need to try if they want to give themselves a chance to defend their World Series title.
Possibilities: Kelly Shoppach (TB), Russell Martin (NYY), Mike Napoli (TEX), Bengie Molina (free agent)
San Diego Padres: First Baseman
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During the offseason, the San Diego Padres dealt their superstar first baseman, Adrian Gonzalez, to the Boston Red Sox for a package of highly-touted prospects. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was more than a little perplexed upon hearing that news. After all, the Padres had just finished a season in which they had gone from worst to...second. They held onto first place for most of the year, but unfortunately, they ran straight into the eventual World Series champion San Francisco Giants, who eliminated the Padres on the final day of the season.
If they came that close to winning the division, then why would they trade away their best player? It confused me at the time, and still does, as the Padres are back in last place with Brad Hawpe taking over as the everyday first baseman. Hawpe is a right fielder by trade, so it's not too surprising that his defense has been subpar so far at first. Now that would be something that San Diego could deal with if Hawpe was crushing the ball, but he's not, so there really isn't much sense in sacrificing the defense with him. The Friars need a new first baseman who can at least save some errors and flash the leather a little bit if he's not going to be hitting at a first baseman-type level.
Possibilities: Casey Kotchman (TB), Daric Barton (OAK), Carlos Pena (CHC)
Baltimore Orioles: Left-Handed Relief
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The Baltimore Orioles went out last offseason and re-stocked their lineup with some big-name hitters. First baseman Derrek Lee, third baseman Mark Reynolds, shortstop J.J. Hardy and DH Vladimir Guerrero all joined the Orioles through free agency or trades, leading many people to believe that the Birds might be able to actually compete in the doghouse of the AL East in 2011.
However, Baltimore has been decimated by injuries to various members of both their lineup and their pitching staff. Presently, Lee, second baseman Brian Roberts and starter Brian Matusz are all sidelined, but the Orioles have still managed to keep themselves within striking distance in the AL East, albeit from the cellar of the division. Once their key players return from the DL, the O's have just as much of a chance of winning the division as the Yankees and Red Sox.
Their true weakness lies in the bullpen. Now, don't get me wrong, the Orioles' bullpen has been pretty good so far, with Koji Uehara, Jim Johnson and closer Kevin Gregg pitching very well, but what they are lacking is a solid left-hander in the 'pen. In fact, other than a couple of rookies that they have recently brought up for the sole purpose of trying to patch this hole, Baltimore does not have any lefties in their bullpen. Every team needs a good lefty reliever to get out the other team's lefty hitter, so it would behoove Baltimore to acquire one at this year's Trade Deadline.
Possibilities: Hideki Okajima (BOS), Matt Thornton (CHW), Randy Choate (FLA)
Boston Red Sox: Relief Pitching
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Coming into the season, the Red Sox bullpen looked like a significant strength on an already excellent club. Signing free agent relievers Dan Wheeler and Bobby Jenks, a former closer with the White Sox, seemed like it would make every lead safe when you take into account the fact that Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon were already entrenched in Boston's relief corps. However, Jenks and Bard have struggled, with Jenks even landing on the disabled list.
Other relievers Alfredo Aceves and Tim Wakefield have been forced into the starting rotation due to injuries to Daisuke Matsuzaka and John Lackey. Papelbon has been great, however, so a closer is not what the Red Sox should be looking for. They need a decent setup man to help bridge the gap between the starter and Papelbon. Acquiring a lockdown eighth-inning man could work wonders for the Red Sox.
Possibilities: Matt Capps (MIN), Brian Fuentes (OAK), Brandon League (SEA)
New York Yankees: Starting Pitching
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At the start of the 2011 campaign, the Yankees' rotation looked far from promising, with the only trustworthy members of the staff being CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes. Hughes has reminded Yankees' fans of Chien-Ming Wang from 2009, landing on the DL after multiple disappointing starts. However, the Yankees have received pleasant surprises from A.J. Burnett, Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia and in particular, Bartolo Colon. While as a Yankees fan I would like to believe that these pitchers will all continue to pitch this way all year, I feel the need to be realistic and completely expect at least one or two of them to either fall apart or hurt themselves. If Bartolo Colon is the one to get hurt (and let's face it, he probably has the best chance of all of them), the Yankees will be in trouble.
In the AL East, and if they make it, in the playoffs, the Bombers will be playing teams with excellent pitching staffs, and theirs needs to measure up.
Possibilities: Mark Buehrle (CHW), Jason Marquis (WSH), Brett Myers (HOU), Ubaldo Jimenez (COL)
Tampa Bay Rays: A Power Bat
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Everyone expected the Rays to have problems heading into the 2011 season. They had lost their entire bullpen, their star left fielder in Carl Crawford and their slugging first baseman in Carlos Pena. When they barely signed anyone else to replace these players, most people figured that the Rays would return to their previous home in the cellar of the AL East. However, they have defied the odds and are hanging in there in the division standings with the Yankees and Red Sox.
Their bullpen has pulled itself together and the offense has managed to score runs, but the Rays are still missing that major force in their lineup that can drive in all of the runners that get on base. Manny Ramirez was supposed to be that guy, but he failed yet another drug test and opted to retire instead of serving his 100-game suspension. B.J. Upton and Johnny Damon have stepped up, but neither one of them are true power hitters or middle-of-the-order-type hitters. Even the Rays' star third baseman, Evan Longoria, has not produced like he has been known to following a stint on the DL. The Rays need production if they want to stay alive in the standings.
Possibilities: Jim Thome (MIN), Jason Kubel (MIN), Adam LaRoche (WSH), Carlos Pena (CHC)
Toronto Blue Jays: Closer
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Over the offseason, the Blue Jays bolstered their bullpen with multiple closer-type relief pitchers. Jon Rauch, Octavio Dotel and Frank Francisco have all been given save opportunities, but none of them have really been a fit in the role. All of them are still excellent relievers, but just simply can't handle the pressure of the ninth inning.
Although they probably never thought they would have to this season, the Blue Jays need to go out and acquire a bona fide closer at the trade deadline. They have plenty of prospects to deal, and a superstar closer, maybe one who needs a change of scenery, is really the only thing that could help their team right now. Despite the steep competition, the Blue Jays are very much capable of winning the AL East, and acquiring a closer would be taking a step in the right direction towards making that happen.
Possibilities: Francisco Rodriguez (NYM), J.J. Putz (ARI), Joe Nathan (MIN), Brad Lidge (PHI)
Chicago White Sox: Relief Pitching
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Now I know a lot of you might be saying "wait, you don't think the White Sox need some help with their offense? Their hitters have been awful!" However, they don't have any bad hitters. Everyone is just slumping right now, so adding another player probably wouldn't help. The White Sox simply need to snap out of it. Either that or they need to fire their hitting coach.
The area that actually needs improvement is their bullpen. Besides new closer Sergio Santos and new addition Jesse Crain, the White Sox 'pen has been dreadful. Matt Thornton started out as the closer, but lost that role after blowing four out of six save opportunities. Even last year's rookie phenom Chris Sale has performed poorly thus far. Once Jake Peavy re-adjusts to the rotation, Phil Humber might be able to join the relief corps, but even then, the Sox will need another arm.
Possibilities: Brian Fuentes (OAK), Brandon League (SEA), Matt Capps (MIN)
Cleveland Indians: Ace Starter
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The Cleveland Indians came out of nowhere this season and currently have the best record in the American League. This is mostly due to the overwhelming amount of talent and youth taking control of the team. Most people, myself included, thought the Indians were crazy for the past couple of years when they were trading away stars like CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez for prospects instead of making playoff pushes.
However, the players that they have received in return, like Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley and Justin Masterson, have thrust them into contention once more with surprisingly dominant performances. The rotation has been decent, with Masterson and Josh Tomlin leading the way, but it lacks an ace. With as young as they are, the Indians' starting pitchers need someone to lead them and to teach them.
Possibilities: Derek Lowe (ATL), Brett Myers (HOU), Hiroki Kuroda (LAD), Chris Carpenter (STL)
Detroit Tigers: A Big Bat
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The Detroit Tigers surprised a lot of people this offseason when they signed free agent catcher Victor Martinez...to DH for them. It has worked out thus far, as Martinez has been his usual self at the plate, but apart from him, Miguel Cabrera and Alex Avila, the Tigers offense has been lacking. Magglio Ordonez was re-signed with the hopes he could turn around his performance from last season, but all he has done so far is slump and land on the DL. The Tigers need someone to protect Cabrera and Martinez in the batting order, and as well as Avila has been hitting, it shouldn't be him.
Possibilities: Jason Kubel (MIN), Matt Joyce (TB), Carlos Lee (HOU), Aramis Ramirez (CHC)
Kansas City Royals: Starting Pitching
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The Royals traded away Zack Greinke this offseason, then had Gil Meche up and retire on them, leaving them with a young and inexperienced starting rotation. Their offense, led by surprising performances by Jeff Francouer and Melky Cabrera, has been more than satisfactory, but without the pitching to back them up, the Royals have sunk to fourth place in the AL Central. Kansas City needs at least one pitcher to keep them relevant, and they might need two.
Possibilities: Hiroki Kuroda (LAD), Brett Myers (HOU), Jason Marquis (WSH), Ubaldo Jimenez (COL)
Minnesota Twins: An Explanation
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I would absolutely love to tell all of you what is wrong with the Twins. I would love to be able to explain why they aren't hitting, pitching, or pretty much doing anything that resembles the usual activities of a major league baseball team.
But I can't.
The Twins went from being one of the best teams in the AL to the worst team in baseball in one fairly uneventful offseason. Sure they lost some bullpen arms, but was their bullpen really 100 percent responsible for their ability to win? Joe Mauer is on the DL, but the Twins were playing poorly before he left, so I doubt he makes that much of an impact. Their lineup is amazing without him, and their rotation is decent, so I see no reason for the Twins to be playing as badly as there are. And you really can't blame the reigning AL Manager of the Year, can you? I'm sorry, but when it comes to the Minnesota Twins, I don't really know what to say.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Relief Pitching
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The Angels have a great rotation headed by Jered Weaver and Dan Haren, and once some key players return from injury, their offense will be one of the game's best. However, it is their bullpen that needs some help, as very few of the Angels' relievers have performed well thus far. The only exceptions are new closer Jordan Walden, who has been decent, converting 13 of 16 save opportunities, and new addition Scott Downs, who has a 1.50 ERA. Fernando Rodney has struggled, losing the closer's job, and Hisanori Takahashi has performed poorly. The Angels need relief pitching, maybe even a closer, if they want to win the AL West, which, as of right now, is baseball's most "winnable" division.
Possibilities: Matt Capps (MIN), Francisco Rodriguez (NYM), J.J. Putz (ARI)
Oakland Athletics: A Big Bat
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The Oakland Athletics are a great team, and they have just as much of a chance to win their division as any of the other teams in the AL West. Their pitching rotation is extremely young and extremely good. Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson, Brandon McCarthy and Josh Outman are all pitching very well, but they all lack one major element that every good pitcher needs, and that's sufficient run support. We all saw it last year with the Seattle Mariners, who had undoubtedly the best one-two punch in baseball with Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee. The M's lacked any kind of offense and ended up trading away Lee, while King Felix managed to win the Cy Young Award with an all-time low 13 wins.
The A's lineup is starting to come into shape with young hitters like Ryan Sweeney and Daric Barton backing up veterans like Josh Willingham and Hideki Matsui. Coco Crisp and Kurt Suzuki also provide some offensive contributions, but this team is ultimately missing a true cleanup-hitter type of guy. They thought Matsui could be it, but he has been disappointing ever since leaving the Bronx. Willingham has stepped up and has hit 10 home runs this season, but he can't be the only one to produce if this team wants to win. They need to go out at the deadline and find a serious HR/RBI guy to bolster their lineup.
Possibilities: Carlos Beltran (NYM), Raul Ibanez (PHI), Vladimir Guerrero (BAL)
Seattle Mariners: A Big Bat
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Just like their division rivals, the A's, the Seattle Mariners lack a major run-producer in their lineup. They thought Milton Bradley could be that guy when they took him off the Cubs' hands in 2009, but he was just as messed up in Seattle as he was in Chicago and was released this May. Just like the A's, the Mariners have a great semi-young pitching staff made up of Felix Hernandez, Michael Pineda, Jason Vargas, Erik Bedard and Doug Fister, but they don't get enough run support.
The Mariners' offense is currently anchored by rookie Justin Smoak, but after him, there really isn't much to talk about. Brendan Ryan, acquired from St. Louis this offseason, has been surprising, but only sports a .269 average, and Ichiro Suzuki is quietly pulling a "Derek Jeter," hitting only .266 on the season after never having hit below .300 in his career.
The M's need a big bat to help them make a playoff push. Like I said before, this division is completely up for grabs, so one player could make the difference for Seattle. However, as I just discussed in the previous slide, the A's may also be on the hunt for a big-time HR/RBI guy, so Seattle may have some competition.
Possibilities: Carlos beltran (NYM), Raul Ibanez (PHI), Vladimir Guerrero (BAL)
Texas Rangers: Starting Pitching
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Now I know what you all must be thinking. Is this guy crazy? Does he follow baseball at all? I know, I know, the Rangers have had some of the best starting pitching performances in baseball this season. However, it's not their starting pitching that is the actual problem, but it is their starting pitching that has caused the problem.
You see, having to move two of their relief pitchers, Alexi Ogando and Matt Harrison, to the rotation has weakened the Rangers' bullpen. Last season, Ogando was Neftali Feliz's lockdown setup man, essentially making games into seven-inning affairs. Matt Harrison was one of the Rangers' lefty specialist along with Darren Oliver. He was replaced in the bullpen this year by Arthur Rhodes, but Rhodes is aging and has been far less effective this year. So, as effective as Ogando and Harrison have been in the rotation, they were just as effective in the bullpen. The Rangers' current relievers are struggling to hold leads for Ogando and Harrison, making their stellar performances sometimes seem pointless.
Now, I'm no fool. Ogando has been one of the best pitchers in the AL this year, and by no means do I suggest that the Rangers take him out of their rotation. However, Harrison has only been okay, so moving him back to the 'pen would be the best option for Texas. Derek Holland should also be removed from the rotation, as his ERA has been hovering around 5.00 for the majority of the season. Assuming Tommy Hunter can return from his injury, the Rangers would then only need one starting pitcher to supplant Harrison and Holland in the rotation.
It's going to be the same scenario as last season, with the Rangers acquiring that ace starter for a playoff push. Hopefully this time, they won't waste their prospects by losing him during the offseason.
Possibilities: Mark Buehrle (CHW), Brett Myers (HOU), Hiroki Kuroda (LAD), Ubaldo Jimenez (COL)
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