Welcome back to 25 Questions Until Opening Day 2008.
6) What team is most improved over last year?
Aaron Cameron: Last year, I picked the Diamondbacks to win the NL West and lose in the NLCS way before anyone else got on board the bandwagon. This year, their awesome young roster has an additional year’s worth of experience to go along with the acquisition of SP Dan Haren. They’re going to be scary good this year.
Chad Jorgenson: Tampa Bay Rays. Once Kaz is back watch out for that top 3. I don’t care that they’re in the east, Kaz, Shields, Garza can pitch with anyone. Teams will come into Tampa and some very good hitters are going to leave with an 0-12 with 9k’s. And they’ve got more young guys ready to come up if needed.
Thomas Daniels: Surprisingly enough I have to go with the Devil Rays. Their bullpen pitched to something like a 6 ERA last season. They added a real closer (who, yes, is 40) and a couple of mediocre relievers. If they lower the bullpen ERA to like 3.5 or 4.0, they probably win another 10 or *gasp* 16 games which would give them .500.
Eugene Tierney: Detroit – they weren’t missing much, but adding Cabrera’s bat and Willis facing new hitters should have them in the playoffs again.
Hulse: It was kind of a down year for big splashy free agent signings…but in the end, how can you not say Detroit. Miguel Cabrera is in the discussion for best hitting 3b in baseball alongside ARod and David Wright, and he’s now sitting in the middle of a monster lineup instead of playing in front of 1000 people a game in Florida. The Willis throw in is also intriguing. It’s hard to say whether he’s really lost it or maybe, just maybe, he’ll be rejuvenated by playing in front of…you know….fans. He seems like the type of guy who’s at his best when he’s amped up, feeds off emotion, all that jazz. Either way, if he regains form, they got a top end pitcher and a force of nature at the plate for a bag of magic beans.
7) Which team is least improved from last year?
Aaron: When LaTroy Hawkins (did Pat Mahomes not answer his phone?) is your most recognizable new face, it’s obvious that the Yankees are a little too content with the status quo. The glorious decline has begun. Oh, how I’ll miss those first-round flameouts.
Chad: St. Louis Cardinals. Carpenter isn’t back until midseason, they just signed Kyle Loshe to stabalize the rotation. Their best player needs Tommy John surgery but is putting it off. This team has Trainwreck written all over them.
Daniels: If we don’t count teams who obviously entered into rebuilding mode and we don’t count teams that are already really friggin good (the Red Sox, for instance, did not get much better… but they were already really good) then I’d have to go with the Dodgers. The addition of Joe Torre and Andruw Jones is not going to be enough to turn a bad team around in one season, especially in a division featuring the reigning champs and a bunch of really, really good pitching.
Eugene: There are many. The Cardinals didn’t add pitching which they needed; the Astros didn’t address their weak pitching either; Oakland conceded the season by trading Haren for prospects, as did Florida with Cabrera/Willis. Washington is probably the least improved; they upgraded the outfield, but still don’t have a starting pitcher that can eat innings or win games (or in the case of John Patterson, stay healthy).
Hulse: Well, The Twins made 2 trades where they gave up the best lefty in baseball, and another one where they got back bat-tossin’ Delmon Young. This is not how you win ballgames. I guess that’s what happens when your team is owned by a guy who got rich foreclosing on people during the depression.
8) Will Barry Bonds be signed and, if so, where and for how much?
Aaron: If, and only if, his trial can be delayed until after the 2008 season, I could see him showing up around the All-Star Break to help a team whose “Opening Day Plan A” went awry. My guess? The A’s bring him in (pro-rated $10M for the rest of the season) after Jack Cust turns back into a pumpkin and they’ve tired of those crappier-than-usual attendance figures.
Eugene: Bonds is done; his legal trouble is too much for most teams to handle.
Daniels: I can’t think of any team that wants to invite a media circus of that caliber into their clubhouse. Especially if he’s expecting $10 million and the same “I sit when I want to sit and play when I want to play” gig that he had in San Francisco. I’m also pretty sure that he’ll have to take one of the DH gigs since I’m not sure he can play defense anymore. That said: I want to see him sign in Cincinnati and hit 100 home runs in that park.
Chad: Hope not. But Tampa has sounded interested. If he makes more than the veteran minimum it’s too much.
Hulse: I can’t see it happening. First off, he wants too much money. A guy who’s accustomed to playing for 20 mil per year isn’t playing for 2. Also, even if he was willing to play for less money, the amount of baggage he carries is unparalleled. It’s tough to count on a guy who might be going to jail soon. He’s also so intertwined into the fabric of the Bay Area I can’t see him ever wanting to leave, which limits him to the A’s, who are all about value. I think the line for Barry just ended. Enjoy retirement Barry, Marion Jones sends her love.
9) Will Mike Piazza be signed and, if so, where and for how much?
Aaron: Nope. Honestly, watching him with my A’s last year was embarrassing, so he should just quietly ride off into the sunset. The real shame is that he’s most widely linked to his time with the Mets. Notwithstanding the post 9/11 home run, his most productive moments (and seasons) came with the Dodgers. The last of the great baseball mullets.
Chad: No.
Daniels: I’m not quite sure how Mike Piazza still isn’t signed unless he’s just asking an absurd amount for back-up catching/DH duties. Even with his ability to catch every day diminishing with his power numbers, he’s still better than every single back-up catcher in the league. I’ll say Piazza ends up wherever the first major injury to a catcher happens and for about $5 million… so the Yankees.
Eugene: Piazza won’t play in the US this year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays in Japan to rebuild value.
Hulse: See, now THIS is a guy with value. Honestly, he would probably play for less than Barry would “settle” for and his stats, assuming they were both healthy, wouldn’t be all that different. Factor in the fact that Piazza, by all accounts, is a guy everyone has enjoyed playing with and Barry’s a superdouche, then factor in the whole, you know, steroid/perjury/jail time thing with Bonds. Who would you sign? As far as where he’d play…tough to say. He’d have to be in the AL as a DH, and the only teams that look like they might have use for a DH with some pop are Seattle and Texas. Vidro did well last year for the M’s but he’s not the picture of durability, and Texas is DHing Frank Catalanotto. He might fit there too.
10) Will Billy Crystal make the Yankees. If so, will he be their oldest player?
Aaron: Not only would he be their oldest, but he’d also bring back “True Yankee” ways to the dugout, which, according to the local media, haven’t been seen in the Bronx since the greatest player of our generation starting playing third base there in 2004. Remember, these days “True Yankee” means “old and can’t hit”. Billy could be the new Luis Sojo.
Chad: He could probably help their starting pitching more than their lineup, but still no.
Daniels: Billy Crystal will not only make the Yankees but they’ll find out he’s a better 1B than Giambi. Take him early in your fantasy drafts.
Eugene: Since he’s already been cut, I’ll say no. It was a nice story, but it’s time to block it from our memories until Garth Brooks trys out again.
Hulse: I heard they’re signing the corpse of Clete Boyer for an at bat next week.
Tune in tomorrow when Tailgate Crashers looks in at some free-agent signings and the All-Star game. Cam and Eugene will also cover the last two divisions. Also, make sure to check out Part I from yesterday, along with previews of AL East, NL East, AL Central, and NL West.
