The Secret Weapon

Baseball America recently released their Top Tools list and there is one major aspect that has me puzzled.  For those of you not familiar, the list details the top three players from each league in a number of different attribute categories, or “tools.”  The well-known tools of a so-called 5-tool player are ability to hit for contact, ability to hit for power, speed, defensive ability, and arm.  This list goes a bit further in depth, with 20 total categories: five offensive, two for baserunning, eight for pitchers, six for the best defensive player at each position, two for arm (infield and outfield), the most exciting player, and the best manager.  Names like Trout, Cabrera, McCutchen, Kershaw, and Verlander appear frequently across the different tools.  There is one name, however, that is found on two separate lists.  It is this player that is the source of my puzzlement.

The name is Tony Campana.  For those of you who haven’t heard of him, do not be too surprised.  He has only played in two partial seasons for the Cubs (2011-12) and has only appeared in two games in the majors this season for Arizona.  Now, I am really not surprised that Campana is not finding playing time in Arizona.  The Diamondbacks outfield has a pretty solid logjam between Gerardo Parra, Cody Ross, Jason Kubel, rookie AJ Pollack, rookie Adam Eaton, and utilityman Martin Prado.  The part that surprises me is that another team doesn’t go get him.  Not every outfield is as deep as the one in Arizona and Campana has the tools (as published in Baseball America) to warrant at least fairly regular playing time at the major league level.

In his career, the 27-year-old Campana has hit .299 in the minor leagues and posted a .262 average in his two years in Chicago.  I will admit, his power abilities are basically null.  His one major league home run was an inside-the-park homer at Wrigley.  It is his small-ball abilities that make him valuable.  He is rated the third-best bunter in the National League behind Everth Cabrera of the Padres and Juan Pierre of the Marlins.  He is also the third-fastest baserunner behind Cabrera and Carlos Gomez from Milwaukee.  Keep in mind the National League has a tendency to lean toward small-ball tactics.  Campana was also rated the best baserunner in the Pacific Coast League (AAA) in the minor league area of the Baseball America lists.

Through 2011-12 in Chicago, Campana played in 184 games.  During that time, he was 54/59 (91.5%) on stolen bases.  That is also one stolen base every 3.4 games.  Even with only playing in two games this season, Campana has managed to swipe two bags in three attempts.  That puts his career 162-game average at 49 successful steals and only 5 times being caught.  With those totals, he would have tied Mike Trout for the most steals in the majors in 2012.  Not to mention, his 90.91% SB efficiency last season was tied with Emilio Bonifacio for sixth and his 92.31% was good for third in 2011.

The question remains, how is a player like this so undervalued that he only has managed two major league games this season?  He is a solid defender with only one error in 184 total chances in the majors.  His arm is nothing special, but he is absolutely apt to play left or center field regularly.  I do not necessarily feel Campana should be an everyday player, but his value as a pinch-runner and fourth outfielder at the very least merits a roster spot.  Having a player that will steal successfully nine times out of ten on your bench is basically like having a secret weapon.  He can fill in as a defensive replacement, pinch-runner, or a pinch-hitter vs RHP.

My mind is boggled by how no team has found Campana to be valuable enough to pry him away from Arizona and keep him on the roster for the season.  He would fit well in St. Louis with his ability to run for aging hitters like Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday who have lost a step.  The Yankees have lost Granderson to injury again and have a team that, aside from Brett Gardner and Ichiro, is basically devoid of a speed element.  The Red Sox have a similar situation with only Jacoby Ellsbury as a major threat on the basepaths.  Campana could be a runner and defensive sub in left field for Boston.  If I was a new GM looking to build a team, he would not be the first player on the list, but I am sure there would be a spot on the roster for Tony Campana and I am amazed that among the thirty teams none have made that happen.

Visit http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/mlb-2013-best-tools/ for the full article.

2013 First Half All-Rookie Team

                The first half of the season has had many intriguing storylines.  There has been the overhanging threat of PED suspensions.  Multiple ace pitchers (Price, Dickey, Verlander, Cueto, etc.) have either struggled or have succumbed to injuries.  Other fixture players have missed substantial time, especially up and down the roster of the Yankees.  This has allowed for many new faces to begin making their mark on the league.  Some players made splashes late last year and are making waves this year.  Manny Machado finished the first half with the second most doubles ever before the break.  Jean Segura leads the NL in hits, is second in steals, and is tied for second in triples.  Starling Marte has had a very effective year that the top of the Pirates lineup and Andrelton Simmons has been unflappable on defense along with solid offensive numbers.  Both Segura and Machado made their first All-Star team.  Unfortunately, these four players were all 50-60 plate appearances over the limit to be eligible for rookie status this season.  There have been many true rookies making big splashes this year.  Here is my first half, all-rookie team:

Starting Pitcher: Shelby Miller (Cardinals)

                The pipeline in St. Louis is still pumping out young pitchers.  Already established are Adam Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, and Lance Lynn.  This year the Cardinals have had Joe Kelly, Seth Maness, Carlos Martinez, and Trevor Rosenthal getting their first real taste of big league action.  Shelby Miller has been the most impressive this year.  Into the break, he holds a 9-6 record in 18 starts with a 2.92 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and a 9.6 K/9.  He has made one of the best pitching staffs in baseball that much better and is a big reason why they command the best record in the National League.

Relief Pitcher: Justin Wilson (Pirates)

                The Shark Tank in Pittsburgh has been one of the best bullpens in the game this year.  They rank 2^nd in ERA (2.75), 2^nd in innings pitched (333.1), 2^nd in batting average against (.213), 1^st in WHIP (1.10), 2^nd in Saves (34), and 1^st in Holds (54).  They have veterans like closer Jason Grilli and setup man Mark Melancon that hole down the tail end, but rookie Justin Wilson has as impressive stats as any of them.  Wilson comes into the All-Star Break with a 6-1 record in 53 innings.  His 1.87 ERA is best among all rookie pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched.  He also boasts a 0.98 WHIP.  If the Pirates are to avoid their yearly second-half collapse, they are going to need Wilson and the rest of the Shark Tank to stay reliable.

Catcher: Evan Gattis (Braves)

                Despite missing the past month with an oblique strain, Gattis is still leading all rookies in home runs (14) and RBI (37).  Gattis was reinstated from the DL last week, so the question still remains how well he will rebound from his injury.  There have only been three rookie catchers that have played significant time, so there is not much competition in this category as of yet.  Gattis could get challenged by Rob Brantly or Mike Zunino in the second half.

First Base: Matt Adams (Cardinals)

                With little competition in the catcher category, there is actually less at first base.  Only Nate Freiman (Athletics) and Adams have played significant time this season.  That being said, Adams has stats that stack up well against all rookies.  He ranks 3^rd in average (.316), 4^th in slugging percentage (.544), 5^th in RBI (26), and tied for 6^th in home runs (7).  Adams is also hitting an impressive .341 with runners in scoring position.

Second Base: Jedd Gyorko (Padres)

                Gyorko has played some third base as well, but most of his time has been at second.  He ranks 5^th among all rookies in hits (67), tied for 2^nd in doubles (17), tied for 3^rd in home runs (8), tied for 6^th in RBI (25), and 2^nd in runs (36).  Gyorko could see some competition in the second half from Anthony Rendon (Nationals) who ranks top-10 among all rookies across the slash line – .293/.344/.449 (7^th/5^th/9^th) – in limited time.  Also, Nick Franklin (Mariners) put up a pretty impressive slash line of .270/.337/.453 with 6 home runs.

Third Base: Nolan Arenado (Rockies)

                In a very tight competition with Conor Gillaspie (White Sox), I am giving the nod to Arenado for his defensive ability and clutch performance.  The slash lines are nearly identical: .248/.310/.380 for Gillaspie and .242/.284/.392 for Arenado.  Both players have 7 home runs with 23 RBI/26 runs for Gillaspie and 27 RBI/25 runs for Arenado.  However, Arenado had 16 doubles to Gillaspie’s 9 and Arenado has very effectively taken over the everyday third base job in Colorado.

Shortstop: Jose Iglesias (Red Sox)

                There is a high level of competition at shortstop and Iglesias blows them all away.  Aside from nearly flawless defense, he has posted a slash line of .360/.410/.452, which is good for 2^nd/2^nd/8^th among all rookies.  Didi Gregorius (Diamondbacks) is a strong second with .273/.338/.399 and 5 home runs (1^st among rookie shortstops) as well as playing Gold Glove caliber defense.  Pete Kozma (Cardinals) and Adeiny Hechavarria (Marlins) have both played the full season as their respective teams and have put up solid numbers.  Kozma is 3^rd among rookies in RBI (30) and Hechavarria leads all rookies with 5 triples.

Outfield: Yasiel Puig (Dodgers), Marcell Ozuna (Marlins), AJ Pollack (Diamondbacks)

                Who would have thought Puig would land on this list?  His slash line is off the charts at .381/412/.600 which are all tops among rookies.  Despite only playing in 39 games, Puig has definitely been one of the most impactful rookies so far this year.  Ozuna filled in at right field for Miami while Giancarlo Stanton and was so effective he has been the everyday centerfielder since Stanton returned.  He is tied for 2^nd among rookies in doubles (17) and ranks 2^nd in triples (4), hits (71), and RBI (32).  Pollack may be the surprise on this list, but is more than worthy to be here.  He stepped up very big for a Diamondbacks outfield that was expecting highly-touted prospect Adam Eaton starting in centerfield and hitting leadoff.  Pollack leads all rookies in runs (39) and doubles (23), ranks 2^nd in steals (6), and 3^rd in hits (70).  Aaron Hicks (Twins) may be in the Gold Glove debate in the American League and is tied for 3^rd among rookies with 8 home runs, but has struggled to hit his weight only managing a paltry .192 average.  Third-rated prospect Wil Myers (Rays) has put up an impressive slash line at .310/.336/.460 in very limited time thus far and David Lough (Royals) has filled in very well in Kansas City with a slash line of .291/.311/.440, allowing for the departure of veteran Jeff Francoeur.

                There is a new generation of young players emerging in baseball this year.  The old guard is being pushed aside by the new wave coming through.  Keep your eyes on the new talent that continues to get a taste of the big leagues as the season continues into the second half.

The Quiet Thief

Juan Pierre has quietly gone about his business for the past 14 seasons.  The 35-year-old sports a lifetime batting average just shy of .300 and came into this season with only one more career strikeout (452) than walks (451).  The always reliable Pierre played in every game over a 5-year span from 2003-2007 with the Marlins, Cubs, and Dodgers.

Now in his second stint with the Marlins, Pierre has cemented his name among baseball’s elite with his 600^th stolen base.  Only 13 other players since 1900 have reached that mark.  Obviously Rickey Henderson’s lifetime mark of 1,406 is still very distant.  Lou Brock (938), Ty Cobb (892), and Tim Raines (808) may also be beyond reach.

If we keep in mind that Pierre is only three years removed from his career-high and MLB-best 68 steals in 2010 with the White Sox, there are a few other well-known base stealers that may be within reach on this list.  Even if Pierre can manage 35 stolen bases per year (which is 16 less than his career average per 162 games), he would pass Otis Nixon (620) and Kenny Lofton (622) by the end of this season.  He would overtake Honus Wagner (639) and Bert Campaneris (649) after 2014.  At that rate, he would finish the 2015 season at age 38 and very near 700 steals, which would move him up to 8^th on the all-time list passing Willie Wilson (668) and Joe Morgan (689).

Even though Pierre has never hit for power in his career (17 home runs lifetime), he has certainly made his mark taking bases.  He has never been a flashy player, but has just shown up each day and done what he does best: get on base and move himself along.  There are some very high-caliber names on the list ahead of him, not to mention the fact that he has more steals since he came into the big league in 2000 than any other player during that span.  Juan Pierre has to be placed on any list of the elite leadoff hitters and base stealers in major league history.

Some Days Things Just Don't Go Your Way

You win some, you lose some, and some days you walk away scratching your head.  Just ask the St. Louis Cardinals today.  More specifically, just ask Mitchell Boggs and Mark Rzepczynski.  If you saw in a box score that a team scored nine runs in one inning, as the Reds did, the automatic assumption would be some horrendous pitching.  However, the St. Louis tandem did not pitch all that poorly.  Just call it a case of bad luck.

	Innings	Hits	Runs	Earned Runs	Walks	Strikeouts
Boggs	0.1	2	7	6	4 (2 IBB)	0
Rzepczynski	0.2	4	2	2	1	1
Total	1.0	6	9	8	5	1

Even looking at the stat lines, it still gives the illusion of poor pitching performances.  Sure, Boggs started with a four-pitch walk to leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo.  Chris Heisey followed that up with a popout to second.  With Joey Votto up, Boggs threw a very wild pitch that missed the catcher, Yadier Molina, completely and allowed Choo to advance to second.  With first base open and a 2-0 count, Boggs opted to issue Votto the intentional pass.

At this point, Boggs started to get unlucky.  The next hitter, Brandon Phillips, quickly fell behind 0-2.  The next pitch ran outside and Phillips managed to get weak contact and send it down the first base line.  The ball landed inches fair resulting in a double for Phillips and the go-ahead run (Choo) scoring.  With first base again open, Boggs issued a second free pass to Jay Bruce.

Boggs got ahead 0-2 again on Todd Frazier, but could not get another pitch across and walked him on a full count, forcing in another run.  Jack Hannahan pinch-hit for the pitcher spot and hit a weak ground ball that managed to get just under the outstretched glove of third baseman David Freese.  Pete Kozma was able to field the ball behind Freese, but could not make a play at any base and another run scored.  Ryan Hanigan fell behind Boggs 1-2 and hit a ground ball up the middle.  This time, Kozma pulled his glove too early and failed to field the ball cleanly.  Another run scored and the bases remained loaded.

Now that the Cardinals had fallen into a 4-run deficit, manager Mike Matheny decided to end the misfortunes of Boggs and bring in the left-hander Rzepczynski.  His first batter, Cesar Izturis, hit a single on a soft line drive through the right side of the infield, which plated another run.

That turned the lineup over and brought up Choo for his second turn.  Atoning for two early errors that led to three St. Louis runs, Choo managed the only hard-hit ball of the inning when he laced a double into the left field corner and cleared the bases.  Heisey managed to make the second out of the inning with a ground ball to second that moved Choo to third.

Joey Votto returned and hit a single past a diving Kozma that brought in Choo.  Brandon Phillips drew a walk putting runners on first and second for Jay Bruce.  Bruce hit a chopper back toward the mound that deflected off Rzepczynski and lost all momentum.  Daniel Descalso fielded the ball at second, but had no chance for a play.  Todd Frazier then struck out looking with the bases loaded.

So the Cardinals bullpen gave up nine runs in the top of the ninth.  However, they did so with one bad walk (the leadoff four-pitch walk to Choo) and only one solid hit (the 3-run double, also by Choo).  Two of the five walks were intentional.  Boggs gave up only two hits: the bad-break double to Phillips that barely stayed fair and the infield single to Hannahan.  Rzepczynski gave up four and one of them was the deflected infield single to Bruce.

The real ninth innings stats should read: 9 runs (8 earned) on a double, a Texas-league double, two infield singles, two regular singles, an error, three standard walks and two intentional walks.  Sure, Boggs got the loss and the ballooned ERA will stick with both pitchers.  Hopefully their coaches and teammates can help them realize that the cards were stack against them tonight and that their respective outings were not as bad as the line scores may read.

First Series Surprises in 2013

Well, baseball is back.  We have just made it through our first set of series and there are already some surprising players bursting through the statistical gates.

5.    Rickie Weeks (MIL): 6-for-11 with a double, a homer, an RBI, a stolen base and five runs scored. OPS: 1.552

• After his dismal 2012 season that saw career-lows in batting average (.230) and on-base (.328), Weeks was a run-scoring machine for the Brewers in their 3-game series against the Rockies in Colorado.  The Milwaukee second baseman managed to reach base three times in each game in the series.  He finished the trip with a 3-for-4 performance with both of his extra-base hits (2B and HR), an RBI, and two runs scored.

4.    Mike Morse (SEA): 6-for-16 with 4 homers, 4 runs, and 6 RBI.  SLG: 1.125

• This should not have been much of a surprise after Morse’s offensive spring onslaught with a ML-leading nine homers.  However, there are always those naysayers that totally disregard any significance to Spring Training statistics.  Well, here you go.  After going 1-for-4 with a single in the first game, Morse went off for four homers in three games in the not-so-hitter-friendly Oakland Coliseum.

3.    Gerardo Parra (ARI): 8-for-16 with 3 doubles, a triple, a homer, an RBI, a stolen base and four runs scored.  Slash line: .500/.500/1.000

• After the injury to Adam Eaton, Kirk Gibson turned the reins of the leadoff spot over to Parra and it has paid immediate dividends.  Opening night, he ripped off four hits with three doubles off Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals pitchers.  Then in the 16-inning finale, Parra finished the night a double short of the cycle, stole a base, and scored 3 runs.

2.    Jed Lowrie (OAK): 6-for-13 with 4 doubles, a homer, 3 runs, 3 RBI. Slash line: .462/.533/1.000

• After his trade from Houston passed by as an afterthought, Jed Lowrie started the year without many expectations.  Despite going 1-for-6 in the first two games, Lowrie had a third game with a stat line filled with threes: 3-for-3 with 3 extra-base hits (2 2B and a homer) and 3 RBI.  He followed that impressive performance with two more doubles and two runs in the series finale.

1.    Chris Davis (BAL): 7-for-11 with 3 doubles, 3 homers, 4 runs, and 11 RBI.  Slash Line: .636/.692/1.727

• There is no doubt that Chris Davis has started 2013 hotter than anyone in baseball.  Not only has he homered in each of the team’s first three games, but he became the first player in Major League history with three or more RBI in each of those games.  During the second game, Davis had a ridiculous 4-for-4 night with two doubles, a homer, and four RBI.  Perhaps most impressive by Chris Davis standards, he has only tallied one strikeout in 13 plate appearances.

I know that it has only been three or four games, but some of these starts are sizzling.  Along with Davis’s historic first three games, Mike Morse also has become the first Mariners hitter to hit four bombs in the first four games since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1997.  Junior went on to hit 56 homers that year along with 147 RBI en route to winning the AL MVP.  It looks like Rickie may be back, the A’s found an eleventh hour solution at shortstop, and the Diamondbacks don’t have to worry about the injury to Eaton.  However, it is not only possible but probable that none of these players will keep anywhere near these paces through even the month of April.  The point is, baseball is back and if you’re not watching then you’re missing out.

Seattle Mariners 2013 Season Preview

The Seattle Mariners threw their young talent into the fire and saw some very positive results.  Much of the offseason has been spent loading up on veteran leadership and power potential.  They brought in Kendrys Morales, Michael Morse, Raul Ibanez, and Jason Bay to go along with their solid core of young talent and one of the best farm systems in baseball.

Starting pitching has been a strong point for the Mariners in past seasons and finished 4th in the AL in ERA in 2012.  As usual, their rotation was anchored once again by The King – Felix Hernandez – and his 232 innings, 3.06 ERA, 223 strikeouts, 1.14 WHIP, and perfect game on August 15th that all contributed to his 4th place finish in the Cy Young voting.  To bring in Kendrys Morales from the Angels, they traded away Jason Vargas, who led the team in wins and was the only other Mariners pitcher to eclipse 200 innings pitched.  Hisashi Iwakuma was a big signing for the Mariners coming over from Japan last year.  He began the year in the bullpen, but was moved to the starting rotation at the beginning of July and went 8-4 in 12 starts with a 2.65 ERA.  The M’s are counting on him to repeat that success in his first full year as a starter and help fill the spot left by Vargas.  Kevin Millwood opted for retirement after a year that saw his ERA fluctuate drastically by month.  The Mariners did bring in Joe Saunders to replace Vargas as the veteran southpaw in the middle of their rotation. The former first round pick is returning to the AL West where he had back-to-back 16+ win seasons for the Angels in 2008 and 2009.

The youth movement in Seattle will be a big determining factor on the level of success the Mariners see in 2013.  The back end of their rotation is widely up for grabs between pitchers with a little major league experience (Erasmo Ramirez, Blake Beavan, and Hector Noesi) and prospects with no major league experience (Danny Hultzen, James Paxton, Taijuan Walker).  Noesi lost his starting spot after posting a dismal 2-12 and 6.24 ERA in 18 starts.  Ramirez began the year in the bullpen, but was effective in 8 starts with a 0.98 WHIP and a .218 batting average against despite only going 1-3.  Beavan turned around from a brutal June (0-2, 15.43 ERA) to finish the season strong from July through September (8-5, 3.40 ERA).  Although rated the #5 prospect by MLB.com, Walker is unlikely to break into the majors this year at 20 years old.  Hultzen (#18) and Paxton (#61) are two talented lefties that could take a rotation spot coming out of spring.  Non-roster veterans Jeremy Bonderman and Jon Garland are also in the mix looking for a chance to extend their careers after injuries kept them out of 2012.

The Mariners bullpen is deep, young, and strong going into 2013.  They traded Brandon League and his 6 blown saves in only 15 opportunities to the Dodgers on July 30th.  On the same day, they traded Steve Delabar and his 9 homers allowed in only 36 2/3 innings to the Blue Jays.  Those moves opened the door for flame-throwing youngsters Carter Capps and Stephen Pryor who are both capable of hitting triple digits on the radar gun.  Pryor notched his first career win during the six-pitcher combined no-hitter on June 8th against the Dodgers.  In lieu of League, Tom Wilhelmsen stepped in and proved to be a very effective closer.  In late and close games, the “Bartender” was nothing short of dominant with his 1.42 ERA, .164 batting average against, and 0.95 WHIP.  There are also three very effective lefthanders in the Seattle ‘pen.  Charlie Furbush had a breakout year as a lefty specialist, holding lefties to a paltry .147 average.  The Mariners Rule 5 pick, Lucas Luetge, was very strong through the first half (1.61 ERA, .187 average, 1.25 WHIP, and no ER through May), but struggled in the latter part of the season (6.87 ERA, .311 average, 1.80 WHIP) though still holding lefties to a .193 average  for the season.  Oliver Perez had a renaissance coming out of the bullpen and led Mariners relievers with a 2.12 ERA that earned him a new contract for 2013.

A lot of eyes are going to be following the catchers in Mariners camp this year.  After letting Miguel Olivo go in free agency and trading John Jaso in the deal that brought back Mike Morse, Jesus Montero was the only catcher on the 40-man roster for a three week period.  Montero was originally expected to be only a part-time catcher and spend a lot of time at DH, but Seattle is obviously putting their faith in his defensive ability to play every day behind the dish.  To shore up their depth, the Mariners signed veteran catcher Kelly Shoppach to a major league deal and Ronny Paulino to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training.  Mike Zunino will be entering his first full season as a professional after he won the Golden Spikes Award for the University of Florida in 2012.  In two levels last year, Zunino blew away expectations by putting up a .360/.447/.689 slash line, hitting 14 doubles and 13 homers, scoring 35 runs, and driving in 43 in 44 games.  The 21-year old was rated the #23 prospect by MLB.com and is an outside shot an earning a spot on the roster out of Spring Training.  The Mariners are likely to play it safe with Zunino, in which case he would start out the season playing every day in AAA.

Unlike most positions, the Mariners infield is pretty straightforward.  They need to upgrade production at all four positions using essentially the same players as last season.  Kyle Seager quietly put in a very solid year and finished third in RBI among AL third basemen behind Miguel Cabrera and Adrian Beltre.  His most impressive stat was his 44 RBI with two outs that placed him third in the majors behind only Cabrera (47) and Andre Either (45).  Dustin Ackley is looking to rebound from an ankle injury that hindered him all season and required offseason surgery to clear up.  The former second overall draft pick has said he is back to full strength and is ready to improve upon his .226/.294/.324 slash line and only 36 XBH.  Ackley and shortstop Brendan Ryan did put up the best fielding percentage from a middle infield tandem.  However, Ryan’s inability to keep his average above the Mendoza Line prompted the Mariners to bring in Robert Andino to compete for the starting job at shortstop.  Justin Smoak did finish second on the Mariners in home runs, but that was only with 19 and his .217 batting average caused him to spend some time in AAA.  Seattle brought in Kendrys Morales and Mike Morse via separate trades this winter to improve their power potential and force Smoak to earn his spot.  If he does, Morse is likely to spend the year in the outfield and Morales at DH.  One prospect to look for in the Mariners infield this spring is Nick Franklin.  Ranked #47 in baseball, Franklin can play second and shortstop, is a switch-hitter, and put up a 20-20 season in 2010.  He could make his own statement for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

The Mariners outfield has seen a major overhaul in the offseason.  In the ongoing effort to improve offense, GM Jack Zduriencik brought in Morse, Raul Ibanez, and Jason Bay.  Franklin Gutierrez hopes to finally put together a full season after being limited by injury to only 40 games in 2012.  Michael Saunders finally had his breakout year with 19 homers and 21 steals.  He is projected to be the starting right fielder or center if Gutierrez succumbs to injury for the third straight year.  Eric Thames and Casper Wells also will be strong contenders for roster spots.

It is a very new-look Mariners roster heading into 2013.  There is a focus on adding power and continuing to improve the offense with the same core of young talent.  Seattle is difficult to project because of the wide range of results this season could see.  Many analysts are keeping the Mariners in the category of a potential dark horse candidate to vie for a Wild Card spot in a very competitive AL West.

Washington Nationals 2013 Season Preview

                What do you do with a team that finished the regular season with the best record in baseball?  You get better, and that’s just what the Washington Nationals have done this offseason.  Now the Nationals look to be the favorite to repeat as the champion in the NL East and make another strong push in the postseason.

                The biggest headline for Washington is the prospect of an uninhibited Stephen Strasburg this year.  The 24-year old phenom will not be under an innings limit and will head up a rotation that is widely regarded as the best in baseball.  Gio Gonzalez led the NL with 21 wins and struck out 207.  Jordan Zimmermann posted a career-best 2.94 ERA in his age-26 season.  The Nationals did lose starters Edwin Jackson and John Lannan from last season.  They were replaced with free agent veteran Dan Haren, who has top-of-the-rotation stuff when he is healthy, but will fill into the bottom part behind Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, and Jordan Zimmermann.

                The 2012 Nats bullpens was deep and effective, posting a 3.23 ERA in 515 1/3 innings which was good for 3rd in the NL.  That bullpen became even better when they added one of the top free agent relievers – Rafael Soriano.  Along with Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard, Craig Stammen, and Henri Rodriguez, the Nationals will once again tout a fearsome group of firemen.  Storen missed the beginning part of last season coming off elbow surgery, but had 43 saves in 2011.  Clippard was the primary closer for the Nationals in 2012, posting 32 saves and holding hitters to a .204 average.  Stammen led the Nationals relievers in innings pitched with 88 1/3 and finished the season with a 6-1 record and an impressive 2.34 ERA.

                Wilson Ramos was projected to have a breakout year in 2012.  Last spring he was kidnapped in his home country of Venezuela and then tore his ACL on May 13th ending his season after only 25 games.  Jesus Flores took on the bulk of the catching, but only managed to hit .213 and was let go in free agency.  Kurt Suzuki came over in an August 3rd trade with Oakland and took over as the primary backstop.  He will compete with Ramos for the starting job in 2013.  Youngster Jhonatan Solano was impressive in his 12-game cup of coffee.  Solano hit .314 and threw out 3 of 8 attempted base stealers.  He will provide depth behind Ramos and Suzuki in the case that either of them falter or are hit with injury.

                Washington boasts one of the best infields in baseball.  Adam LaRoche was re-signed this offseason after popping 33 homers, 35 doubles, and driving in 100 runs along with his Gold Glove worthy campaign at first base.  Ryan Zimmerman is among the best in the game at third base, and despite missing some time with injury still managed 93 runs and 95 RBI.  Ian Desmond was the only Nationals position player elected to the All Star team, but did not compete due to injury.  Desmond battled an oblique injury and a hamstring injury that limited him to only 130 games.  Desmond came on strong toward the end of the season including hitting .314 with 14 XBH and 15 RBI in 27 games in September.  The big change for Desmond came when he was dropped from the first and second spots in the order to sixth where he put up a slash line of .316/.362/.532 in 66 games.  The only Nationals player to appear in all 162 games was Danny Espinosa, and he put up solid numbers with 82 runs, 17 homers, 20 stolen bases, and led the team with 37 doubles.  The news this offseason is that Espinosa played the latter part of 2012 with a rotator cuff injury and intends to go into 2013 playing through it without surgery.  His health will be one to monitor throughout the spring.

                The Nationals also saw injuries plague the outfield last year.  Mike Morse, recently traded to Seattle, only played in 102 games and Jayson Werth only managed 81.  Bryce Harper actually played the most games among Washington outfielders despite starting the season in AAA.  His 2012 campaign consisted of a .270/.340./.477 slash line, 26 doubles, 9 triples, 22 homers, and 98 runs scored that were good for Rookie of the Year honors in the NL.  Werth hit .300 in his limited time and will benefit from moving out of the leadoff spot with the addition of Denard Span.  Span brings a much needed speed element to the top of the Nationals lineup and is a true stolen base threat.  If they can stay healty, the expectations are lofty for the Washington outfield.

                With all of the injuries in 2012, the bench played a big role in their success.  Roger Bernadina played in 129 games with a very impressive .291/.372/.405 and did not commit an error.  Steve Lombardozzi played in 126 games between second, third, shortstop, and left field and hit .273 while posting a .987 fielding percentage.  The Nationals also got 75 games from Tyler Moore between first base, left field, and right field and 73 games from Chad Tracy at first and third base.

                The Nationals were the best team in baseball in 2012, despite injuries to Desmond, Morse, Storen, Werth, and Zimmerman.  With an outstanding performance from their pitching and very strong bench play, they won 98 games and came within one out of advancing to the NLCS.  This winter they addressed the need for speed at the top of their lineup with Span.  They upgraded their starting rotation and their bullpen that were among the best in baseball in 2012.  They are definitely primed to make another postseason run in 2013.