Photo taken from Google Images

Hello all, my name is Jimmy Moberg and I will be giving you a monthly update from a fans perspective this season on the Minnesota Twins. I will air my frustrations and joy at the decisions of the Twins and the way that they are playing. There will also be some insights, I am sure, on the happenings of the rest of the league mixed in. Now on the off-season recap and look at Spring Training, hope you enjoy.

This has been one of the more daunting off-seasons that I remember as a Twins fan. Some big names that were due new contracts or else they were going to leave. Injury concerns to other stars. Development tracking on prospects and front office moves that always happen. All of that was expected.

Image by Neal Portnoy of www.idrawpeople.com

Now for what all actually did happen:

- Terry Ryan in and Bill Smith out as GM

- Cuddyer, Kubel, Nathan, and Mijares gone to Free Agency

- Slowey traded for a prospect/internal cap space

- Arrival of Zumaya, Willingham, Carroll, and Marquis among others

- Mauer announcing full health and Morneau starting “baseball activites”

- Sano and Hicks make preseason top prospect lists

With a 63-99 final record last season, most Twins fans where left wondering what happened to their team. One large part of the answer was injuries. Mauer played the fewest games since 2004, his first year in MLB, with just 82 and that was after what most fans called a disappointing 2010 season. Morneau missed over half of his second consecutive season with concussion symptoms. Denard Span missed over half of the season also with a myriad of injuries that included a concussion that ended 2011 early for him. The brand new big money import 2B/SS Nishioka missed a large chunk of games early because of a broken leg. Our starting rotation seemed to have a separate rotation of their own in response to further injuries and there was no consensus on the closer role because of Joe Nathan’s recovery from Tommy John’s Surgery. With all of that listed in front of me, I’m kind of surprised that the Twins stayed relevant to the All-Star break before finishing with almost 100 losses.

To say that all of the woes of last season were resulting from injuries is just wrong. Most fans have noticed a marked change in the Twins’ front office strategy for player personnel since moving into Target Field. Now don’t get me wrong, I have been screaming for years to have the organization start spending money on players, but the way that it happened is firmly what I believe lead to bringing Terry Ryan back as the General Manager. Nothing against Bill Smith but $14.3M for an unproven foreign player and then make him switch positions. Who really thought that was a good idea? I like Nishi, but at 2B where he is used to playing and seeing the field. I did like the move of locking Mauer up to a long-term contract but you have to still allow some space for spending on other areas of the team like pitching. What used to be a strength for the Twins was a huge liability all last season with our pitching and defense severely lacking.

Enough about last year that caused the fans to start looking towards “Next Season” for the first time since ‘07. Time to prepare for this season and look towards the future. The Twins have made some moves to replace the loss of some long time fan favorites, some I like and others are head scratchers. The Jamey Carroll pick up should help Gardenhire to move Nishi back to his preferred 2B position and give us a go to everyday double play combo. Jason Marquis should help a rotation that right now looks like Pavano and Liriano, but after that you have Diamond (who has to stay with the Twins because he was a Rule 5 pick), Baker, Blackburn, and Duensing. Zumaya should be great in the setup role if he can return from his broken elbow. Doumit should help Mauer stay healthy and provide a capable replacement in case of injury. Lastly Willingham should prove to be able to replace Cuddy in right but not his versatility.

Here is what positional lineup of how I see the Twins starting this year if all are healthy:

C - Joe Mauer

1B- Justin Morneau

2B- Tsuyoshi Nishioka

SS- Jamey Carroll

3B- Danny Valencia

LF- Denard Span

CF- Ben Revere

RF- Josh Willingham

DH- Chris Parmalee

Starting Pitchers

Carl Pavano

Francisco Liriano

Scott Baker

Scott Diamond

Nick Blackburn

Set Up Man - Joel Zumaya

Closer - Matt Capps

Some of the guys on the bench will be Rene Tosoni, Ryan Doumit, Sean Burroughs and 2 out of Casilla/Tolbert/Plouffe/Hughes. Duensing and Marquis will be the first looks if any starters get hurt or just can’t get the job done. Parmalee could start at 1B if Morneau isn’t ready in time or needs a day off and be one of the big pinch hitters with Burroughs.

This season I am optimistic because frankly the Twins cannot get much worse than they were last year. With the M & M boys getting healthy again and with Terry Ryan back as GM to renew the focus on developing talent, I see improvement. I just don’t see us getting back to the playoffs unless Detroit is nailed with injuries we had last year (already lost Victor Martinez for the year). I do see the Twins competing for the #2 spot in the Central again. The dynamic could change in the division any year though because the Royals keep improving, the Indians seem to be making strides and Chicago has to get used to a new manager after the departure of Ozzie to Miami.

Don’t agree, fully agree or just some things to point out to me, just let me know. I welcome all comments.

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The recent trade of Michael Pineda from the Seattle Mariners to the New York Yankees has created a lot of buzz, both in baseball circles and fantasy baseball debates. In regard to fantasy value, many people have stated that Pineda’s value immediately increases with his trade from the lowly Mariners to the mighty Bronx Bombers. Why is this? Simply because he will win more games. Or so the theory goes.

It got me thinking. Since Wins are an entire category in most fantasy baseball leagues, there is always the chance that pitchers will get over-valued simply because they play for good teams (and thus should have the opportunity to win more games). I don’t like chasing Wins. Never have. Never will. The deciding factors which come into play when determining if a starting pitcher will be awarded a Win are far too diverse and reliant upon external factors to ever be predicted accurately.

A talented pitcher may throw for seven solid innings, surrendering only one earned run but if his team’s offense scores no runs, that pitcher is faced with a loss. Conversely, a pitcher may go six innings and give up seven earned runs but if his offense comes up big with eight runs of their own, that pitcher gets a cheap +1 in the Win category.

So, what’s the bottom line? It is simply too unpredictable to go chasing Wins in fantasy baseball. By looking at other factors, you will be much better served.

Going back to the example of Pineda, he is moving from one of baseball’s worst teams to one of the best. As such, it makes sense to predict that he will naturally be in line to see an increase in his Win total and as such, his fantasy value is on the rise. However, pitching in the American League East is much more treacherous than pitching in the American League West so Pineda may be in line to see some regression in his outlying statistics such as ERA and WHIP. Is this risk worth the chance of an extra Win or two over the course of 30 starts? Toronto, Tampa Bay and Boston all scored significantly more runs than the L.A. Angels or Oakland Athletics in 2011.

A better strategy would be to draft and fill your fantasy baseball roster with pitchers who display extraordinary skills, regardless of the uniform they wear. Pitchers like Madison Bumgarner (SF), Cory Luebke (SD),Brandon McCarthy (OAK) and Scott Baker (MIN) all have shown talent and promising peripheral statistics but are often undervalued by your fellow fantasy owners because the teams they play for don’t pile up the wins.

By choosing pitchers from winning teams, you may give yourself an opportunity to be in a position to pick up a few extra Wins. However, by focusing on one category too strongly, you may just overlook pitchers who can help you in several other categories.

In fantasy baseball, the only Wins you should be chasing are those against your league opponents.

Adam Wainwright photo taken from Zimbio

A few weeks ago Chris McBrien offered a great list of fantasy baseball sleepers, as well as an excellent explanation of their role on your team for the 2012 season. However, as we all know, you can never be too prepared for your fantasy baseball draft! With that said, I have decided to dive in a little deeper into the theoretical sleeper pool to find some of the deep sleepers. Adam Wainwright is certainly a player who may be undervalued entering this season and deemed a sleeper, but he’s also a household name who will be drafted in the upper half of most drafts. Drafting sleepers like Adam Wainwright can help you win your league, but I’m interested in finding the players you will grab with the last picks in your draft that have your league-mates scratching their heads while you cheer in victory.

So, without further ado, here is my list of deep sleepers at catcher and the infield for the American and National League.

Please note that my projections are assuming regular playing time for each player and that each prediction should be seen as more of a baseline rather than a ceiling.

AL: Salvator Perez – Kansas City Royals. In his 39 game cup of coffee in 2011, Salvador Perez impressed hitting .331 with 3 HR and 21 RBI, and he’ll still only be 21 years old when the 2012 season starts! His average was aided by an unsustainable .362 BABIP and he won’t be hitting 30 HRs anytime soon (or ever), but realistically how many catchers actually will? Even with tempered expectations, Perez should be able to hit above .280 with 10 HRs in an underrated lineup, which is pretty solid production considering you can draft him in the late rounds after everyone else has secured their catching slot.  Young players like Perez, especially at catcher can bust (I’m looking at you, Matt Wieters circa 2010), but with the minimal risk it would take to draft Perez, he’s certainly a solid sleeper to keep in mind.

Projection: .285/10/60/60/1

NL: Devin Mesoraco – Cincinnati Reds. When the Reds let catcher Ramon Hernandez leave via free agency this year they were left with Ryan Hanigan and Devin Mesoraco as replacements. Ryan Hanigan may have the “experience” that an old-school (aka stubborn) manager like Dusty Baker may prefer, but all bets are on the Reds letting Mesoraco, one of their top prospects, take the reins as the starter. Mesoraco’s power has slowed down as he has moved up the ranks in the minors, but he has always displayed a solid eye at the plate, and given Cincinnati’s friendly ball park and above average lineup, Mesoraco can certainly provide a lot of value at catcher for your fantasy team at a pick with little to no risk.

Projection: .260/18/65/65/2

Other potential sleepers: J.P. Arencibia, Chris Iannetta and Wilson Ramos.

AL: Kendrys Morales – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (I still can’t believe this is their actual team name). The last time Kendrys Morales was playing he was having a successful follow-up to his breakout campaign, proving he wasn’t a fluke. However, that was in 2010 and Morales unfortunately hasn’t seen the field since. The addition of Pujols to the Angels lineup creates a potential logjam in the Angels lineup with Morales, Bobby Abreu, Mark Trumbo, Vernon Wells and Torii Hunter all sharing time for OF/DH spots, but if Morales is healthy he is the best of the bunch. Now, that is a very, very big if, but wouldn’t you rather roll the dice with Morales over a “proven” (aka boring) guy like James Loney? I wouldn’t recommend drafting Morales as your starting first basemen (not a knock against his ability, more his fragility) but at corner infield, utility or as a backup, Morales could be special.

Projection: .285/24/70/80/1

NL: Anthony Rizzo –  Chicago Cubs. Last offseason the San Diego Padres acquired Anthony Rizzo in a package in return for former Padre-great Adrian Gonzalez. This offseason, the Padres acquired another young first basemen in Yonder Alonso, which made Anthony Rizzo expandable leading to him being traded to the Chicago Cubs. Rizzo certainly isn’t complaining as he couldn’t ask for a better change of scenery, leaving the pitching paradise of Petco (which suppressed his pull-heavy power) to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. Rizzo struggled during his brief time in the majors in 2011, batting .141 in 153 at bats, but a large part of that was due to bad luck (.210 BABIP, regression is coming!). Also, Rizzo maintained an excellent eye at the plate throughout his struggles (13.7 BB%) which is a promising sign for his future. Rizzo won’t win the batting title this year, but if he’s playing every day, Rizzo could provide Carlos Pena-type production at a fraction of the cost.

Projection: .240/25/65/75/2

Other potential sleepers: Paul Goldschmidt, Brandon Belt and Kyle Blanks.

AL: Mike Aviles – Boston Red Sox. Dustin Pedroia isn’t going anywhere, but Mike Aviles will be eligible at 2b this season and should be at least splitting the starting shortstop duties for the Red Sox with Nick Punto. Playing time might be an issue for Aviles, but at worst he’s a fantastic platoon option for the Red Sox and your fantasy team. Plus, how long will the Sox trot out Nick Punto if he’s batting .220? For his career, Aviles is a .290 hitter and has some pop (.170 ISO) against lefties, which is better than most second basemen. Aviles shouldn’t hurt you if you find out there are no other second basemen at the end of your draft, and he doubles as an excellent bench/rotation guy to play against favorable matchups.

Projection: .270/9/45/55/12

NL: Jose Altuve – Houston Astros. Altuve is the classic case of a player’s fantasy value being greater than his real-life value, and often that is a formula for a sleeper. Altuve has never been a top prospect but he’s always hit for a solid average and stolen a few bases at every stop in the minor leagues and that shouldn’t necessarily change in the majors. Although the Astros have one of the weaker lineups in the league, everyone benefits from batting near the top of the lineup and Altuve should be batting in the #2 slot, providing your fantasy team with plenty of opportunities to score runs and steal bases. Altuve’s skill set limits his ceiling, but he has a high floor, and you can certainly do worse at your 2b or MI slot. Let your league mates draft Kelly Johnson and Aaron Hill, hoping to turn back the clocks, while you wait and draft Jose Altuve in the later rounds.

Projection: .285/5/75/50/20

Other potential sleepers: Sean Rodriguez, Johnny Giavotella and Brian Roberts (if he can play)

AL: Edwin Encarnacion- Toronto Blue Jays. Take a second and look at Encarnacion’s stats last year: .270, 17 HR , 55 RBI, 70 Runs, and 8 SB. Pretty good, right? That’s a better year than Kevin Youklis, Alex Rodriguez, David Wright and Ryan Zimmerman had in 2011. I wouldn’t pencil in Encarnacion to have better numbers than those players in 2012 (well maybe Youklis), but he should achieve similar numbers at a discounted price, or several rounds later.

Projection:.260/21/75/70/6

NL: Pedro Alvarez – Pittsburgh Pirates. It’s hard to say it’s make or break time for any prospect nowadays considering Jose Bautista is now one of the better players in the league and Alex Gordon had a breakout last year, but at the very least, it’s an important year for Alvarez. Honestly, none of the “signs” are promising as Alvarez wasn’t even able to limit his strikeouts during his demotion to the minors last year (28.4 %). However, the pedigree is still there (former top prospect), he’s only 24 years old and in just 2010 Alvarez looked like a budding star. Last year Alvarez entered the season out of shape and it hurt him the entire year so if he starts off 2012 with a dud, don’t be afraid to cut your losses early. But late in the draft there aren’t many players who could hit 30-35 homers, don’t let a guy like Alvarez pass for your 2nd middle infielder or backup infielder.

Projection: .250/22/75/65/2

Other potential sleepers: Brent Morel, Mike Moustakas and Lonnie Chisenhall

AL: Erick Aybar – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (again, really?).  Question: How many SS hit 10 home runs and stole 30 bases? Answer: Two, Jimmy Rollins and Erick Aybar. That’s it. Erick Aybar has been a decent SS option for a few years now, but really had a break out year last year and nobody really noticed. I suppose that wouldn’t make him a sleeper for this year, but it’s so surprising how little love Aybar is getting at such a weak position that I had to put him on the list. Expecting a repeat breakout performance may be too much, but Aybar will steal 25-30 bases and hold his own in all the other categories. When your competition is picking up Ryan Theriot and Alex Gonzalez you’ll be happy with who you have.

Projection: .282/9/45/80/27

NL: Jed Lowrie – Houston Astros. The Astros may be the worst team in baseball, but their middle infield is full of sleepers! Jed Lowrie has one problem, he’s never been able to stay healthy for a full season and it eventually lead to his departure from Boston to Houston. It’s definitely a big concern (injury risk) and there isn’t necessarily any reason why it would vanish while he’s in Houston, but you should get solid production out of Lowrie when he’s healthy and when he’s hurt you get the added value of his replacement. At the very least, Lowrie should crush left-handed pitching (.326 11 HR, 58 RBI in 279 ABs in his career). Bottom line: If he can improve against righties in the weaker league and stay on the field, you could be looking at a top 10 shortstop.

Projection: .280/14/60/60/3

Other potential sleepers: Zack Cosart, Eduardo Nunez (if/when Alex Rodriguez gets hurt) and Ruben Tejada

Photo taken from Zimbio via Google Images

New Red Sox skipper Bobby Valentine has gone on the record as saying that adding a starting pitcher isn’t at the top of his priority list.  He thinks they have plenty of arms in the mix when they get to Ft. Myers in three weeks, so for right now, it’s not at the top of his wish list.

Um, excuse me, Mr. Valentine, but if not now, when?

While everyone is focusing on the team’s epic September collapse, let’s not also forget the team’s dreadful start to 2011: 2-11.  It started with an opening-series sweep at the hands of the Rangers.  Fine, I’ll grant you, they were the defending AL champions and just happened to be on their way to heading right back to the World Series.  I get it, one of the best teams in the league knocked ‘em around a little.  But then you get to Cleveland and get swept?  Come on.

The Red Sox scored a total of 11 runs in those first six games while their opponents took extra BP and scored 38.  That kicked off a month that ended in an 11-15 record.  Clearly the traditional cliché of a marathon versus a sprint applies, as anyone who watched game 162 with baited breath will tell you.  It simply cannot be understated how important it will be for this 2012 team to get off to a good start.

Which brings us back to the issue of the starting pitching staff.  This year’s team features not a single pitcher who reached the 200-inning plateau in 2011.   While Josh Beckett and Jon Lester each had fine seasons (September struggles not withstanding), neither of them reached that critical marker.  Add to that the losses of John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka to Tommy John surgery.  Then add to that the Clay Buchholz injury watch.  Then add to that the unknown of Daniel Bard pitching as a starter instead of as a lights-out setup man.  Do you see where this is going?

The Red Sox finished with 90 wins last year, a number that for all intents and purposes should have assured them a playoff spot (stay tuned for the introduction of the second wild card this year).  The problem is all intents and purposes get checked at the door to the AL East.

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The Yankees mixed and matched all season until they found a mix that clinched the division.  Then in the offseason they’ve added an underrated workhorse in Hiroki Kuroda, wresting him away from possibly playing in Boston, and traded for an act on the rise in Michael Pineda.

The Rays, who did what the Red Sox couldn’t on September 28^th last year to claim the Wild Card, have arguably the best pitching staff in the American League in David Price, James Shields, rookie phenom Matt Moore, Jeremy Hellickson, and Wade Davis.  They didn’t stand pat either, bringing in a couple lefty bats in Carlos Pena and Luke Scott, both with plenty of experience in the AL East, to help back that staff.

So now the ball is in the Red Sox’ court.  They had a shot to get Kuroda and missed.  Now they’re in supposed conversations with Roy Oswalt and Edwin Jackson.  One guy gets hurt (meaning he makes your bad back look like a stubbed toe), the other guy has played for six teams in eight years.  They simply don’t know what to expect from three-fifths of their rotation, whether it’s injury concerns or simply not knowing who will take the ball the next day.  They’re taking it down to the likes of Carlos Silva, Vicente Padilla, Aaron Cook, Felix Doubront, Justin Germano, Clayton Mortenson, and last year’s pitching hero, Alfredo Aceves.  Leaves you feeling all warm and tingly inside, doesn’t it?

So it’s time to ask again: if not now, then when?

I believe hitters are way too often bombarded with too many baseball tips on hitting. The guilty culprits are often teammates, coaches, parents and occasionally even your Aunt Mary. Take your time and take hitting in stride. No pun intended. Try to learn a little bit at a time and you will be just fine. Relax and here are three things you might want to focus on.

Work On Your Weaknesses:

Human nature can be very funny at times. When a lot of hitters practice, they have a bad habit of practicing what they do well and not practice on their weaknesses. It probably has something to do with the fact that hitting the ball well, whether it’s during a game or at practice, makes us feel better. Now you can decide. Do you want to temporarily feel better and have your ego massaged or do you want to improve as a player? It is a very simple fact of life that real good hitters do not have glaring weaknesses! They may be able to handle some pitches better than others, but the differences are not that great. The reason they don’t have any glaring weaknesses is quite simple. They work on their weaknesses to eliminate them as soon as possible! They don’t practice and spend time working on their strengths. That’s why they are real good hitters.

Keep The Bat In The Hitting Zone:

One of the baseball hitting problems that many hitters encounter is they do not keep the bat in the hitting zone long enough. On the other side of the coin, the one thing that all great hitters have in common is that they do keep the barrel of the bat in the hitting zone longer than other hitters.

An outstanding baseball hitting drill is to visualize four baseballs being pitched to you when you are batting, instead of just one. They are one after another, and maybe two inches apart. The batter who keeps his bat in the hitting zone longer, will have a better chance to hit all four of the baseballs. A batter that does not keep the bat in the hitting zone long enough would probably only be able to hit the first ball and not the next three. Getting back to one baseball, the longer you keep the bat in the hitting zone, the better chance you have to make solid contact.

Line Drives Are The Goal:

Try to hit line drives and the doubles, triples and home runs will come, as well as the good batting average to go along with the extra base hits! If you hit it squarely, you have a very good chance for a hit. If you slightly top the ball, it may be a hard grounder for a hit. If you are slightly under the ball, it just might be an extra base hit. Many great power hitters say over and over again that the home runs almost happen “by accident.” The reason is that they simply try to hit a line drive. If they are a hair “under” the ball, it may very well leave the yard. It may seem a little ironic, but it’s true. They truly try to hit line drives and yet they are tremendous power hitters!

I’m well aware that some power hitters try strictly for the home run, and in almost all their cases, they have lower batting averages that reflect just that. Why not try to have both a high batting average as well as some power to go along with it? One of the better baseball tips on hitting to remember is that the home runs almost happen by accident. Line drives should be your goal.

Introduction

This article is a follow up to the one published here on Monday, December 12th. In this article I will delve in more detail into the Red Sox current Pitching situation. Here we will break things down by talking about the current list of injured pitchers and the effect that has on the team, the 2011 pitchers that are currently free agents, the rotation, the bullpen, pitchers that were not on the Red Sox in 2011 that are now free agents & pitchers that might be available via trade.

The Injuries

Almost like a team plague, Tommy John Surgery seems to have hit the Red Sox like a virus over the past two years. First, I believe, there was Junici Tazawa who had returned late last season from his surgery & since his there have been three more players that have succumbed to it…

SP Rich Hill – Recovering from Tommy John surgery (on June 9th) and was recently non-tendered. His recovery will probably result in him being out until after the start of 2012, but with Boston having so many lefties under team control (Morales, Doubront and Miller) without the ability (options) to sent them to Pawtucket (AAA), they had to release him. Although, if one of those guys were involved in a possible trade, that would open the door up to the Red Sox re-signing him. I personally think he’s be a better option for them than two of them if not all three.

SP Daisuke Matsuzaka - will miss at least half of the 2012 season due to recovery from his Tommy John surgery. It is hoped that his return will be the equivalent of a trade deadline acquisition as he might be back sometime after the All Star game. Although, given the tendency of pitchers returning from this procedure having control problems coupled with Dice-K’s insistence on nibbling around the plate sounds like a recipe for some scary innings of work (hopefully the Red Sox can keep him in AAA Pawtucket during that awkward time is his rehab). I don’t see him being a reliable option at the major league level until the All Star break at the earliest.

Picture of John Lackey taken by Tony Molica

SP John Lackey - He is the last pitcher to succumb to this injury as of late and because he didn’t address this injury until after the 2011 season, he will miss all of 2012. On the bright side, it looks like the injury that made this procedure a necessity was directly related to Lackey’s poor 2011 performance (it seems as if he may have pitched with this injury most of the season knowing that he couldn’t hurt himself further), one that was the worst by any Red Sox starting pitcher in the team’s storied history for a full season.  Some have also reported that he stayed off the DL for the team’s sake given the state of the staff and took one for the team so to speak. So, maybe he will look more like the pitcher we saw with the Angels in 2013!

Former Red Sox Pitchers that are now Free Agents
RP Trever Miller (age: 38) - Miller only pitched in 2 innings for the Red Sox (in 3 outings) while recording 1K without giving up a hit, a walk or a run. In all of 2011 between the Blue Jays, Cardinals and the Red Sox he only pitched in 21.1 innings over 48 outings and had an 0-1 record with 1 SV 3 blown saves and 5 holds, while maintaining a 3.80 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP.

RP Dan Wheeler (age: 34) - Wheeler is a Type B free agent. He declined the Red Sox offer of arbitration. He was on and off the DL during the 2011 season posting a line of 2-2 with 4 Holds, 0 blown saves, 39 K, 1.11 WHIP, 4.38 ERA in 49.1 IP. For his career he boasts a 3.88 ERA, 1.21 WHIP with 43 saves, a 25-43 record with 553K in 628.1 IP.

SP Tim Wakefield (age: 45) - With Wakefield’s reoccurring back problems over the past few years and his painful-to-watch attempt to get his 200th victory last year, it is probably only a 50/50 chance at best that the Red Sox re-sign him for the 2012 season. And the latest news is that Theo (I mean Jed Hoyer) may seek to sign Wakefield (and possibly even Varitek) with the Cubs. 2011 saw Wakefield go 7-8 with 93Ks, a 1.36 WHIP, .267 BAA and a 5.12 ERA in 154.2 innings pitched with 1 CG in only 23 starts (10 relief appearances) while giving up a whopping 25 HRs. In contrast to those numbers, he has a career average of a 4.41 ERA, 1.35 WHIP (so that didn’t change) with 2156 Ks in 3226.2 innings pitched over 463 starts (164 relief appearances) with 33 CGs with 6 of those being shutouts. Bottom line: I’d bring him back even if it was just for insurance. He’s a great team player, can both start and pitch in the bullpen and can eat up innings. On top of all of that, when he gets going (if), he can string together a bunch of consecutive wins (if you have a catcher that can catch him and not many can).

The Rotation

Jon Lester - In my opinion Lester is the Ace of this staff! He has won 15 or more games in his last four seasons (19 in 2010) and 2012 should see him pitch in over 200 innings once again (he had only 191.2 IP last year, the first time under 200 in those same four seasons) and be in contention for the Cy Young Award once again with  also hitting the 200K mark again.

Josh Beckett - If Beckett has post another sub 3.00 ERA he might be in line to go head to head with Lester for that Cy Young Award, but he will more likely have an ERA under 4.00 and 190 or more Ks. Last year, for at least half of the season, he proved that he can still be a co-Ace on this staff and Bobby V might be the type of manager that can motivate him to do so once again, but his best years are behind him at this point, I’m affraid.

Clay Buchholz - I see Clay as being, realistically speaking, a solid number two pitcher on this staff with a performance that is in between his 2010 (.708 winning percentage) and 2011 (.667 winning percentage) seasons if he can stay healthy.

Daniel Bard – At first, I wasn’t sure how to take the news of Bard joining the rotation, but with the acquisitions of Melancon and Bailey I have to agree with it. I think Bard, if the opinion of Curt Young (Red Sox 2011 Pitching Coach) is accurate, is well suited to transfer into the rotation like the Rangers have done recently with CJ Wilson, Alexi Ogando, etc. Young mentions the addition of a newly mastered changeup to go with his fastball and slider as reasons that back a move to the rotation. I think he’ll do just fine and might end up in the pen three quarters of the way into the season due to the added workload after being a short reliever up until now.

Picture of Alfredo Aceves taken by Tony Molica

Alfredo Aceves - If no one besides one of the slew of low risk starters the Sox have signed to this point pans out, Alfredo should be the fifth starter (or at least the first guy out of the pen to spot start). His 2011 performance when called upon has earned him that right.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (DL: Tommy John Surgery) - Dice-K might just be the equivalent to a mid season aquisition when he returns from Tommy John surgery. With Bobby V at the helm, it just might be what the doctor ordered for Dice-K in his final months as a member of the Red Sox due to Bobby’s time spent managing in Japan. I expect the best performance we’ve seen up to this point upon his return if he is healthy enough post-surgery to accomplish it.

The Bullpen

Bobby Jenks - In December, Jenks has lower back surgery to remove bone fragments and less than a month later has had a second operation on his back and will probably miss the start of spring training. If he can stay healthy he would be a valuable 7th or 8th inning option along with Malanson; otherwise, he’s sure to be DFA’d or traded during the season.

Scott Atchison - Atchison has his best numbers in the following categories in 2011: ERA (3.26) and WHIP (1.20), but his SO/9 were at a career low at 5.0. He also had very good command as seen with a BB/9 rate of 1.8 and he did not give up even one HR. I’d keep him, but would monitor his SO/9 and H/9 rates to see if they loose any more ground. If they do, I’d expect that to affect his ERA and WHIP numbers, too and if that happens I’d cut ties with him. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options). Due to the signing of OF Cody Ross, Atchison has been designated for assignment. In my most humble opinion, this should have been Albers. Sorry Matt!

Matt Albers - The only thing I like about Albers stat line for 2011 was his increase in SO/9 which was almost 3 points higher than his previous season high. What I don’t trust is a RP with a WHIP of 1.43, which sadly enough was his second best total in his career. I’ll see if there were any takers on him & try to get a decent prospect out of it. Maybe put him into a package to the Cubs in an attempt to land a better compensation deal for Theo.

Franklin Morales – His totals in Boston were his best since his rookie year of 2007. In Boston he posted a 3.62 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9, a 2.82 SO/BB and a SO/9 of 8.6 second only to his 9.2 in 2009. That and the fact that he’s a lefty and only 25 years old tells me that he is a keeper. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

Michael Bowden - If Bowden can continue to lower his H/9, ERA and WHIP as well as increase his SO/9 while he continues to adjust to pitching in relief, he might have his best year in a Red Sox uniform in 2012. But even if he does, it might not be enough unless it is more significant than his progress thus far seeing his WHIP was 1.50. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

Junichi Tazawa - There’s not much to go on here so it all depends upon his efforts in spring training, but I don’t see a situation where he breaks camp with the big club. He’ll probably wind up in Pawtucket for some more seasoning of his game and see how he progresses as the season goes on. After all, he is still recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Felix Doubront - Doubront’s numbers last year in Boston were not very good as can be seen over at Baseball-Reference.com and unless he can show signs of bouncing back in 2012, I would add him in with Albers and try to flip him to the Cubs in the Theo compensation deal. It’s time to cut bait on him or change the way they are using him (which may be the best route to travel if they cannot find a taker for him). The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

Andrew Miller  - I don’t see where they can use him in Boston except in mop up duty unless he turns a corner in 2012 and starts living up to his potential. After all, he is just 26 years old. Just look at his numbers over at Baseball-Reference.com to see what I am talking about. His WHIP alone scares me away. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

RP Rich Hill - Was recently resigned to a minor league deal with the Red Sox that will pay him $750K if he makes it to Boston in 2012 after recovering from Tommy John surgery he had back in June 2011. I see him as a big part of the Red Sox bullpen if he can bounce back from the surgery.

Currently Available Free Agent Pitchers

SP’s

Rich Harden – I think they have gotten enough players like Harden already; therefore, I do not see them going after him, too! Although he can be dominant when healthy, but the problem is, lately, he rarely is…

Edwin Jackson - is going to cost too much for them to sign him this off season both in years and overall salary. He’d be a good number 4 or 5 starter though (much like Paul Maholm who was signed by the Cubs to an affordable one-year contract, darn you Theo!).

Roy Oswalt – On a one-year contract under $10M (probably around the $8M mark), I do that deal in a heart beat even if it means trading a few minor pieces to get it done! Come on Ben, sign him already!

Brandon Webb – He is damaged goods that I don’t think even the Red Sox would take a flyer on at this time. Let’s see what he can do on a one year contract for someone else before we jump to a final assessment on him for the long haul…

Chris Young – I still think that Young would be a good back end of the rotation kind of guy, but the question is…can he handle playing in Boston with the media frenzy and all? We may never know…the Sox may be done shopping for the rotation at this point.

RP’s

I have only listed the available arms I’d be interested in. If you would like to know my opinion on another name not listed here, please ask me in the comments below and I’ll get back to you ASAP!

Mike Gonzalez - If Gonzalez can get back to his 2009 form, he would be a nice lefty out of thre pen, but his ERA and K/9 are both trending in the wrong way, he is not a groundball pitcher and even his xFIP was over 3.7 which is a bit high for my taste for a bullpen arm.

Chad Qualls – My main concern with Qualls is the drop in his K/9 last year. He went from being over 7 and 8 (with a low of 7.47 in 2010) over the last four years, to a 5.21 in 2011. In fact, it has been dropping ever since it’s height in 2008 at 8.67. Although 2010 saw his ERA spike at 7.32, his xFIP was actually 3.72. Another bonus is that his groundball percentages have been 55% or more his whole career, which fits into the new GM’s mold for pitchers.

DFA List

SP Micah Owings – He’s coming off a year that saw him hit his best numbers in ERA (3.57), appearances (33, with 4 starts) and BABIP (.258) in the majors, but his xFIP was 4.51 (but even that was his best thus far in his career). I’d like to see him get his K/9 back up around 9.45 (2010 with the Reds). He can also be a long reliever, another spot start option or might be useful pitching in the 7th inning right in front of Melancon. A role he has not been in up to this point in his early career, but is something that could rejuvenate his career and allow him to regain those high K/9 numbers.

What I like most about his is his ability to be another right handed bat off the bench, something you don’t normally think about with a pitcher these days! Read this: in only 217 PA he has hit .286 with 27 R, 35 RBI, 9 HR, .313 OBP, .507 SLG a 106 wRC+, .222 ISO, .389 BABIP and holds a 3.8 WAR as a hitter. It’s almost like carrying an extra bench player! This move is a no brainer to me, especially when you consider that he only made around $423K last year.

Pitchers that Might be Available via Trade

If 3B prospect Will Middlebrooks sets AAA ablaze offensively and maintains his deffensive prowess, we might see Kevin Youkilis jettisoned out in a trade for one of these guys. If not, then a multi-player deal surrounding the likes of Ryan Kalish, Lars Anderson, Matt Albers, Felix Dubront, Andrew Miller, Bobby Jenks or Michael Bowden (pick a few from this list, but there are others not mentioned that could be had) might pry one of these guys loose.

SP Matt Garza (Cubs) – Probably the least likeliest of trade possibilities, but it could happen. I just don’t think Theo and Jed would do it unless they were blown away (including Middlebrooks, Iglesias or Brittan) and I don’t see Cherrington doing that. The Cubs could use Youk, too.

SP Wandy Rodriguez (Astros) – I’m sort of luke-warm on Wandy…I just am not sold on him and I have no idea if we could handle the pressure cooker that is pitching in Boston. He also could be had on the cheap!

SP Brett Myers (Astros) – My least favorite choice. Myers is a poor mans Schilling and simply not good enough in my estimation, but could probably be had on the cheap.

SP – Tom Gorzelanny (Nationals) - Although I’d take Masterson or Garza ahead of him, Gorzelanny would work out well (if healthy) at the end of the rotation if he could handle the pressure in Boston. The deal that would net him wouldn’t be as costly either!

SP – Justin Masterson (Indians) – Probably my favorite choice on this list (which is admittedly short). I was disappointed to hear that he was a part of the Victor Martinez trade to begin with, although I would have never admitted to thinking he’d be this good as a starter. I always projected him as a long-to-short reliever. But after seeing what he’s doing in Cleveland, I’d be tickled pink to have him at the end of the Red Sox rotation! And…the Indians are looking to upgrade at 1B (Youk’s best position), too.

SP – Gavin Floyd (White Sox) - If the remaining free agent starting pitchers sign elsewhere or are asking for more (in terms of either years or dollars) than what the Red Sox are willing to shell out, then maybe the speculated trade for Floyd would be a nice option. The “other” Sox team has been either trading away players(Carlos Quentin) letting them walk (Buehrle) or signed to a long term contract (John Danks); making it difficult to understand what direction they are going in at the  present time. But seeing what the asked for in exchange for Quentin, Boston might be able to put a deal together either before the start of the season or by the trading deadline in July. I like this idea, but it would depend upon what they’d need to give up. The price might still be too high.

Hot Stove Season Transactions To Date

RP Mark Melancon - He was obtained via trade for INF Jed Lowrie and P Kyle Weiland. Melancon is primed to become a late inning arm that will be a big threat in either the 7th, 8th or 9th innings for Boston in 2012. He is young (will turn 27 during the season), comes inexpensive and will be under team control until after the 2016 season. He became the Astros closer after an injury to Brandon Lyon in May saving 20 in 25 opportunities over 74.1 innings (in 71 appearances) with an ERA of 2.78 and a 1.22 WHIP with 3 Holds. His other stats include a 7.99 K/9, .234 BAA and 2.54 K/BB. With the trade for Bailey, Melancon becomes the set up man for him taking over for Bard who will now be free to convert to the starting rotation.

Closer Andrew Bailey - He was obtained (along with OF Ryan Sweeney) via trade for OF Josh Reddick, 1B/3B Miles Head and P Raul Alcantara. Bailey, who is also 27 (like Melancon) is a two-time All Star as the A’s closer & will remain under team control until 2014.

Aaron Cook – Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. The 5th spot in the rotation (that is if Bard is the # 4 starter) is between Cook, Silva and Padilla (edge to Padilla) and he’ll need to earn it! Plus Cook has only had 10+ wins twice in his career (16 in 2008 and 11 in 2009).

Carlos Silva – Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. He is a long shot who will probably start the season in AAA and be kept as insurance, but might help out in long relief if he regains his accuracy. The 5th spot in the rotation (that is if Bard is the # 4 starter) is between Silva, Cook and Padilla (edge to Padilla) and he’ll need to earn it! Plus Silva has only had 10+ wins in a season four times (2004, 2006-2007 and 2010). I like the possibility of Silva regaining his touch over Cook. Silva has also been better more recently than Cook, too.

Justin Germano - Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, but after seeing his numbers per Baseball-Reference, and the signings of Cook and Silva, I don’t see him making the big club out of spring training.

Vicente Padilla – Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. He is my favorite choice out of the pack obtained to vie for the 4th & 5th spot in the rotation because he’s had more recent success than the others. He has also had four seasons with 10+ wins, but in those seasons he has been more consistent (14 wins three times in 2003-04 and 2008 and 15 wins in 2006) and his xFIP (3.40 and 3.47 in 2011 and 2010 in LA) has been more consistent throughout his career.

John Maine – Was recently signed to a minor league deal and will probably start off the season at AAA as a relief pitcher.

The Free Agent Pitchers, To Date, Who They Should Have Signed

The following pitchers all signed one year deals that the Red Sox could have afforded and should have made.

Hiroki Kuroda (SP) - Signed for $10,000,000 with the Yankees and the Red Sox were known to be interested in him. This is the one fish I am really sad to see get away and the fact that he went to the arch rival Yankees makes it hurt even worse!

Paul Maholm (SP) - Signed for $4,750,000 with the Cubs and the Red Sox were known to be interested in him. Why the Red Sox didn’t beat Theo to the punch on this one is beyond me unless they had no idea he could be had for so cheap and for just one year!

Jon Rauch (RP) – Signed for $3,500,000 with the Mets. He’d have been a nice addition to the pen…

George Sherrill (RP) - Signed for $1,100,000 with the Mariners. He would have been a nice guy to pitch to lefties (as much as I hate this tactic) out of the pen.

Joel Zumaya (RP) - Signed for $850,000 with the Twins and the Red Sox were known to be interested in him. At this price, he was so worth the risk!

In closing, if you have any questions about a player I have either mentioned or neglected to mention, but should have, let’s discuss that in the comments below. I look forward to seeing you there!

What do you get when you cross a successful Major Leaguer, one of the most historic teams in Major League baseball and an adorable dog? Author Barbara Gregorich answers this question in her new book Jack and Larry: Jack Graney and Larry, the Cleveland Baseball Dog.

In this children’s book told in a prose style, the story of former Cleveland ballplayer Jack Graney and his relationship with a dog named Larry is chronicled. Graney is not a ballplayer many fans, even from Cleveland, remember even though he had a solid Major League career and perhaps because of this, his dog Larry has become forgotten in many circles as well.

Gregorich brings to light the emotional story of one man’s relationship with a dog who became much more than a four legged friend to the ballplayer and his teammates.

The author describes how Larry became the team’s mascot for essentially a decade and became perhaps the most well-known dog in the United States during the first two decades of the 20^th century. Knowing that Jack and Larry had a special relationship might make one immediately think that Larry was always Jack’s dog and he took some steps to convince the team that his dog needed to spend time with him at the ballpark.

In actuality, Larry was not Jack’s dog to begin with Larry became a companion of Jack’s one summer when Jack was injured and his manager noticed he was down. His manager recommended that Jack take Larry, who was by then a staple at the ballpark, home with him. From that time on, Jack and Larry became inseparable.

Not only was Larry around during home games, but as the official team mascot, Larry also travelled with the team on the road. During those days, teams would typically travel by train when going from city to city. Unfortunately for both Jack and Larry, dogs weren’t allowed to ride in the same boxcars as people were even if that dog happens to be the official mascot of a Major League Baseball team. While almost all journeys turned out successful for the pup, the reader does get an exciting story when Gregorich describes a time when Larry didn’t get routed to the same place as the rest of the team, creating a search and rescue scenario.

The author does a great job describing the enthusiasm that Larry had for what he was expected to do as the team mascot. Even though to many he may have been perceived as “just a dog,” Larry seemed to have a genuine interest in how the Indians did on the field. It was almost as if he could feel what the attitude of the team was at any time and acted accordingly. If the team was on a losing streak and needed a lift, they could always count on Larry to pull something silly like grabbing some of the players’ gloves and taking the gloves out to the field for them.

As with most people’s relationships with their pets, Jack and his career outlive Larry, but that is not to say that Jack wasn’t thinking about Larry even on the last day of his career. Although Jack has his most successful season in terms of wins when Larry is no longer able to be with him, it is clear by the writing that Jack played with a heavy heart as if Larry was there with him the entire time.

Although the book is meant to be a work for children, adults can certainly find this book entertaining as well. It would be a fast read for any adult, but it does have a story line that carries, so it is worth the read. If reading to a child, at 92 pages, it might be good to spread it over a week of nights for bedtime stories as there are some emotional highs and lows.

Rating: 3.5/5

Combining physical, mental, and baseball skills are necessary for elite performance on the diamond, but how is that attained, practiced, improved and honed? There are trainers you can visit and books you can read, but they can be costly and time consuming. Now there is an interactive educational website that combines the skills needed to practice, workout, and perform. NowPerformance.com integrates training for the body with a winning mindset to take your game to the next level.

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Looking for the perfect item to get your baseball fix on TV in the offseason?  Well, you can stop looking once you acquire Baseballs Greatest Games. Put out by MLB and A&E Studios in 2011, this 11 disc DVD set will occupy any baseball lover for hours (29 hours and 56 minutes to be exact).

The set features ten of the most hotly contested games in MLB history. Watching these games is made even better when the viewer notices that they can actually watch baseball without having to wait for inning changes and commercials.

The games featured in this set are:

Image via Wikipedia

Game 7 of the 1960 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates: Fans will quickly remember this as the Bill Mazeroski game when he hit the historic walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure the Series for the Pirates.

Game 6 of the 1975 World Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox: This is the game when Carlton Fisk hits his childlike walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 12^th inning to send the Series to seven games.

Slugfest at Wrigley Field in 1979 between the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs: This game went into extra innings eventually ending with the Phillies winning 23-22 in the tenth inning.

Game 5 of the 1985 National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Saint Louis Cardinals: Ozzie Smith makes this game memorable with his walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Game 6 of the 1986 World Series between the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox: This is a game that is etched in Red Sox fans’ hearts for all time as they see Mookie Wilson’s grounder bounce down the line.

Game 7 of the 1991 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins: Jack Morris put his mark on this fall classic by throwing a 10 inning shutout.

Game 7 of the 1992 National League Championship Series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves: This game is remembered by Sid Bream’s slide across home plate in the bottom of the ninth to bring the Braves all of the way back from down 2-0 at the start of the inning.

Game 6 of the 1993 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Toronto Blue Jays: Joe Carter’s walk-off blast in the bottom of the ninth is the play that most remember about this contest.

Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees:  To Red Sox fans, this is the Aaron Bleeping Boone game.

Game 7 of the 2004 American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox: No team had ever come back from being down 3-0 in a seven game Series until David Ortiz helped the Sox change all of that with his historic homerun in game seven.

In addition to the ten games, there is an extra disc as well that provides viewers with postgame interviews and analyst reaction to the happenings of those games. These interviews further help to put the games into context of what was happening in baseball at that time.

One of the more interesting aspects of this DVD set is that viewers have the option to view the games either with the commentary from television or from radio. This is a great feature as many fans enjoy the radio broadcast more than television because it tends to be more descriptive. This feature has them lined up correctly so there is no delay between radio and television like there usually is if the viewer attempts to do this live.

These games can either bring back memories, or increase one’s knowledge about the teams and players of the different times in baseball history.

Rating: 3.55/5

Photo taken from Google Images

The Detroit Tigers were silent long enough. An offseason that had so far peaked with the weak uneventful signing of reliever Octavio Dotel and plummeted with the news of Victor Martinez tearing his ACL just got a lot more exciting. Prince Fielder joins Miguel Cabrera to form the best middle of the lineup in baseball for the foreseeable future.

The Signing

Rumors swirled around Detroit all off-season about possible additions to shore up pitching or hitting. The “big” names included Matt Garza, Yoennis Cespedes, and Jose Reyes, as Detroit needed speed or a solid third starter. Detroit wasn’t supposed to have a lot of money to spend. Dombrowski himself said Detroit wouldn’t pay for another $20 million per year player. And Prince Fielder? Besides not truly needing another power hitter, let alone a first baseman, many thought he wouldn’t play where his estranged father Cecil became a star.

Then Martinez got hurt…

Whether Detroit was serious about Fielder before the injury is unknown. Even if the team claims the two are unrelated, something went through Mike Ilitch’s mind the moment he heard his star DH was most likely out for the season. Ilitch has desperately sought a World Series win after tasting a sample of what could be in 2006. Maybe he thought the dream was now slipping away. That gave the remaining ammo for Dombrowski to use all money necessary for Scott Boras to bring Prince Fielder to Detroit.

Mike Ilitch, once known as the worst owner in baseball, has officially solidified himself near the top.

2012

Before the signing, the Tigers were still easy favorites in what may be the weakest division in baseball, the AL Central.  This move puts them right on par with the Angels, Rangers and Yankees after their big pitching heist earlier in the offseason.

But Detroit might not be finished.

Signing Fielder may be great for the lineup, but Detroit entered the offseason with some pitching question marks. Justin Verlander and Doug Fister give the team a solid 1-2 punch, but the inconsistencies of Rick Porcello and Max Scherzer cannot be overlooked. Add in a still vacant fifth spot in the rotation and work remains for the front office.

As baseball continues to prove yearly with teams touting monster lineups, pitching still wins championships.

Ilitch must continue to give Dombrowski free reign of the baseball world to complete the All Star roster Detroit has begun to assemble. Members of the farm system become more expendable as the roster sees less spots open for the future.

The rumored Matt Garza deal may come to fruition still or Roy Oswalt deciding to join in on the Detroit bandwagon, but Detroit doesn’t have to act immediately. A combination of the weak AL Central and the depth of the lineup; however, allow the Tigers to take their time making a move. A team never knows what pitchers will become available by the trade deadline as Detroit proved by grabbing Doug Fister last season.

Without Martinez for the season Fielder and Cabrera should play every game of the season as they switch off days at DH. This can also help ease Cabrera back into a third base role so he can readjust to the riggers of the hot corner.

As for the lineup itself, Jim Leyland would be wise to glue Miguel Cabrera at the three spot with Prince Fielder cleaning up. This would mirror his situation with Ryan Braun in Milwaukee, a spot he dominated.

The lineup as a whole should look like this:

Austin Jackson

Brennan Boesch

Miguel Cabrera

Prince Fielder

Delmon Young

Alex Avila

Jhonny Peralta

Don Kelly/Brandon Inge

Ramon Santiago/Ryan Raburn

Uncertainty still exists with the leadoff spot and the very bottom, but there is very little room to pitch around anybody.

Fielder and Cabrera should continue with their annual .400 OBPs coupled with 35+ HRs and 100+ RBIs. If Austin Jackson improves on his strikeouts and Boesch exhibits patience at the plate, pitchers will have nowhere to go.

In addition, Delmon Young should parlay the strength in front of him with last season and continue to be a valuable contributor for the Tigers. A healthy Alex Avila, who has a now serviceable backup in Gerald Laird, should get back the hitting groove that solidified the catcher position as his own. Detroit won’t need to ride Avila as hard with consistency and power coming from Cabrera and Fielder.

All that being said, an MVP pitcher and lineup featuring two potential Hall of Famers in their prime makes winning the AL Central simply not good enough.

Beyond 2012

Assuming the world doesn’t end after the 2012 baseball season, the Detroit Tigers will have at least five years with that core of Cabrera, Fielder, and Verlander. This announces to baseball: World Series or bust!

Add a healthy Victor Martinez in 2013 and 2014 to an already terrifying lineup for opposing hitters and the future only gets brighter. If the supporting cast of pitchers and hitters succeed in their roles there’s no reason to think Detroit won’t be playing in late October at least once.

If Detroit doesn’t win a World Series over the length of Prince’s contract, regardless of his numbers, he becomes the one of the most disappointing free agent signings in baseball history.

If I’m the Tigers, however, I like my chances.