Tailgate Crashers is giddy to present Inside Pulse’s two-time Writer of the Year, former contributor to Machine Gun Funk, writer of the world famous Inside Pulse Friday Music News Bootleg, and apparent “West Coast Sports Fan” Aaron Cameron. Tailgate Crashers is happy to have an actual west coaster write about the west coast. It gives us a leg up on juuust about every other sports’ blog.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Management: GM – Josh Byrnes; Manager – Bob Melvin
Notable Additions: Dan Haren – SP, Chad Qualls – RP, Chris Burke – UT
Notable Losses: Carlos Gonzales – OF, Jose Valverde – RP, Dana Eveland – SP
Down the Road: Max Scherzer – SP, Jarrod Parker – SP, Gerardo Parra – OF
Projected Starters:
C – Chris Snyder
1B – Conor Jackson
2B – Orlando Hudson
3B – Chad Tracy
SS – Stephen Drew
LF – Eric Byrnes
CF – Chris Young
RF – Justin Upton
SP – Brandon Webb
SP – Dan Haren
SP – Randy Johnson
SP – Micah Owings
SP – Doug Davis
CL – Chad Qualls
Vegas’ Over/Under (Wins): 86.5
2008 Outlook: Oh, America…you’ll regret not giving a damn about last year’s NLCS. The D’Backs ran into a molten-hot buzzsaw in 2007 and won’t be denied this year. Dan Haren isn’t as good as he looked for most of last season in Oakland, but coming over to the slo-pitch girls’ league that is the NL should buffer the expected drop-off. Offensively, CF Chris Young will kick up his batting average to go along with his terrific speed-power combo meal and I fully expect RF Justin Upton to take a huge step forward towards the superstardom that’s been predicted for him since he was first drafted. Take the over on those wins, kids. Aaron sez it’s free money.
Colorado Rockies
Management: GM – Dan O’Dowd; Manager – Clint Hurdle
Notable Additions: Marcus Giles – 2B, Kip Wells – SP
Notable Losses: Kaz Matsui – 2B, LaTroy Hawkins – RP
Down the Road: Hector Gomez – SS, Franklin Morales – SP, Ian Stewart – 3B.
Projected Starters:
C – Yorvit Torrealba
1B – Todd Helton
2B – Jayson Nix
3B – Garrett Atkins
SS – Troy Tulowitzki
LF – Matt Holliday
CF – Willy Taveras
RF – Brad Hawpe
SP – Jeff Francis
SP – Aaron Cook
SP – Ubaldo Jimenez
SP – Franklin Morales
SP – Jason Hirsh
CL – Manny Corpas
Vegas’ Over/Under (Wins): 83
2008 Outlook: Facts are facts and the facts are these: the Rockies were just two games above .500 when they took the field on August 29. They won their last two that month, then 21 of 29 the rest of the way en route to a World Series appearance and nationally broadcast shanking at the hands of the Red Sox. If the Padres’ Trevor Hoffman could hold either of the leads he was handed in his team’s last three games, the Rockies wouldn’t be getting nearly the amount of love they are by short-sighted writers who think Colorado “arrived”. The offense is the real deal and, two through five, they’re as good as anyone in the division. But, Jeff Francis ain’t winning 17 games again, Aaron Cook still doesn’t miss enough bats and Manny Corpas is an average middle reliever in closer’s clothing. Sorry, Rockies…back to anonymity with you and those horrible unis.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Management: GM – Ned Colletti; Manager – Joe Torre
Notable Additions: Andruw Jones – CF
Notable Losses: Luis Gonzalez – LF, Mark Hendrickson – SP, Randy Wolf – SP
Down the Road: Chin-Lung Hu, Clayton Kershaw, Andy LaRoche
Projected Starters:
C – Russ Martin
1B – James Loney
2B – Jeff Kent
3B – Nomar Garciaparra
SS – Rafael Furcal
LF – Juan Pierre
CF – Andruw Jones
RF – Matt Kemp
SP – Jason Schmidt
SP – Brad Penny
SP – Derek Lowe
SP – Chad Billingsley
SP – Hiroki Kuroda
CL – Takashi Saito
Vegas’ Over/Under (Wins): 87.5
2008 Outlook: I’m old enough to remember when new manager Joe Torre was the play-by-play man on California Angels TV broadcasts in the late ’80s. He returns to Southern California with a potentially terrific team that collapsed under the weight of its own “veteran leadership” last year. I’m not convinced that this entire overrated abstract concept has been entirely excised, either, since 2B Jeff Kent and 3B/DL Nomar Garciaparra are still expected to soak up tons of at-bats. And, don’t get me started on LF Juan Pierre – a grotesquely limited player and out-making machine who is given about 400 more plate appearances per year than he deserves. The Dodgers needed a manager who’d kick these guys in the backside and that ain’t ol’ Joe. There’s too much talent here for them not too contend, but there are just enough talentless malcontents for them not to win.
San Diego Padres
Management: GM – Kevin Towers; Manager – Bud Black
Notable Additions: Jim Edmonds – CF, Tadahito Iguchi – 2B, Randy Wolf – SP, Mark Prior – SP
Notable Losses: Mike Cameron – CF, Milton Bradley – LF
Down the Road: Chase Headley – LF, Matt Antonelli – 2B, Matt Latos – SP
Projected Starters:
C – Michael Barrett
1B – Adrian Gonzalez
2B – Tadahito Iguchi
3B – Kevin Kouzmanoff
SS – Khalil Greene
LF – Jody Gerut
CF – Jim Edmonds
RF – Brian Giles
SP – Jake Peavy
SP – Chris Young
SP – Greg Maddux
SP – Justin Germano
SP – Randy Wolf
CL – Trevor Hoffman
Vegas’ Over/Under (Wins): 85
2008 Outlook: Hey, it’s my adopted hometown team! With not one, not two, but three chances to advance to the playoffs last year, the Pads dropped three straight, with two of those coming in their opponent’s last at-bats. Who’d have thought that those 500+ regular season saves against the likes of Pittsburgh in July wouldn’t prepare Trevor Hoffman to save games that count? Anyways, San Diego’s window is closing rapidly. Re-signing SP Jake Peavy to a hee-yuge extension was a plus, but who’s gonna hit? 1B Adrian Gonzalez is a beast who hasn’t peaked, but the rest of this line-up is in decline (Giles, Edmonds) or just isn’t as good as they look at times (Greene, Kouzmanoff). I hope their slide doesn’t rub off on Petco Park’s Super Nachos. I f’n love those. Soooo greasy.
San Francisco Giants
Management: GM – Brian Sabean; Manager – Bud Black
Notable Additions: Aaron Rowand – CF
Notable Losses: Barry Bonds – LF
Down the Road: Angel Villalona – 3B, Nick Noonan – 2B, Madison Bumgarner – SP
Projected Starters:
C – Bengie Molina
1B – Dan Ortmeier
2B – Ray Durham
3B – Rich Aurillia
SS – Omar Vizquel
LF – Dave Roberts
CF – Aaron Rowand
RF – Randy Winn
SP – Barry Zito
SP – Matt Cain
SP – Tim Lincecum
SP – Noah Lowry
SP – Kevin Correia
CL – Brian Wilson
Vegas’ Over/Under (Wins): 72
2008 Outlook: I cannot tell you how much I’ve loved all these “the Giants are having fun now” stories that have polluted the already toxic waters of meaningless Spring Training reporting. We’ve already been expected to believe that Barry Bonds was a cross between Satan and the guy we’ve all been behind at Burger King who asks, “What’s the difference between a Whopper and a regular burger?” Well, Giants…you just lost your best player. Have fun with that. This squad might not score 600 runs all season and while SPs Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum and Noah Lowry (when healthy) are all potentially solid-to-spectacular, m’man Barry Zito is still assured of 35 starts. How it pains me to watch his flaky LHP schtick, perpetual 3-0 counts on #8 hitters and 110 pitches by the 5th inning gimmick in another uniform.
Predicted Order of Finish:
Arizona Diamondbacks
San Diego Padres
Los Angeles Dodgers
Colorado Rockies
San Francisco Giants
