HOUSTON ASTROS

The temptation here is to skip this team and move on to the next.

Houston finished 56-106, 40 games off the pace! Next season they move on to the American League Central so that both leagues are equal in numbers.

In spite of a dismal year at the plate, the team batting average was .258, that ranked 10^th in the race for dismal. They finished 26^th in runs scored, 23^rd in on base percentage and 24^th in slugging percentage at .374 as a team. The teams pitching is probably the real reason for the team’s shall we say success? 28^th in ERA and everyone else hit .266 against them, including Webber’s Funeral Little League team.

Carlos Lee led the team in all categories. The ‘Stros’ failed to hit 100 homers in 2011, or any one pitcher win more than 11 games. But what did they do to help themselves:

Free Agent Market-

Clint Barnes SS escaped to Pittsburg, and Jason Michaels found the escape route to Washington. Livan Hernandez on the other hand took his 4.47 ERA with his 8-13 record and left Washington for Houston. Someone should have explained to him that it’s Houston TEXAS, not the TEXAS Rangers, but luckily for him it’s to a minor league contract! There were no takers.

Final analysis: Who cares?

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Arizona finished first winning the Western Division of the National League, with a 94-68 record, and went 43-29 against the National League West.

JUSTIN UPTON

Their hitting was a little better than average; 9^th in runs scored, 19^th (.250) in average, their on base percentage was 12^th and 8^th in slugging percentage. Justin Upton was the whole story in 2011, a.289 BA, 31 HR’s and 88 RBI’s and .369 On Base Percentage and 171 hits. As a team, they powered 171 on the wall.

The pitching was equally better than average; 14^th in ERA (3.80), opponents batting .257 against them. Leading the team was Ian Kennedy with 21 wins and a 2.88 ERA and 198 K’s, J.J. Putz holding the fort on 45 saves and David Hernandez with 23 holds.

On the open market – Henry Blanco resigned for another year for over a million, as a backup catcher, along with Willie Bloomquist LF, for 2 years $3.8 million, they managed to keep Aaron Hill at 2^nd for 2 more years and $11 million. Jason Marquis jumped ship for Minnesota, Lyle Overbay 1stB re-signed, while Micah Owings took his 8-0, 3.57 ERA to San Diego, but kept Joe Saunders, 3.69 12-13 ERA for 1 year $6 million. They stayed out of the marketplace otherwise, looking to re-sign and keep what they have for the most part.

There really hasn’t been a whole lot of improvements in the west, all the teams are average to bad at best, and so I think the Diamondbacks will repeat as winners once again in 2012.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The Giants finished 10 games over .500 in 2011. 8 games behind the pace of Arizona, their less than .500 record on the road needs to improve.

San Francisco took some big hits in the free agent market, with the loss of Carlos Beltran to the Cardinals. It was an expensive price to pay in a young promising pitcher to the Mets for the rental privilege of one year. Some good experience has retired in Cabrera and Burrell. Mark DeRosa is trying to extend his career to the Nationals for one year $800,000 Tampa Bay signed on Jeff Keppinger, 2^nd Base for 1 years $1.525 million, Cody Ross to Boston for 1 year $3 million. They resigned Eli Whiteside C, and Guillermo Mota for 1 year $1 million. Ryan Theriot ss, jumped from St. Louis to the Giants for $1.1/4 million

RYAN VOGELSONG

The team was dismal when it came to hitting, ranked between 26^th and 29^th in all the major categories, while the pitching ranked between 1^st and 3^rd in all major categories. When your best hitter, Aubrey Huff hits .246 and all the homers you hit is 121 HR’s, time to toss in the towel, how they finished in 3^rd is amazing! With Beltran gone, they will finish even lower.

Pitching, with a 3.20 team ERA, there was no real big winners or outstanding  performers, and it is probably time to look to jettison Barry Zito.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Unlike the other team in LA, this team has a high hill to climb. Finishing 82-79, they looked up behind the Division winning Arizona Diamondbacks by 11½ games, and 3 ½ games behind their archrivals the San Francisco Giants.

In the hitting department they went from mediocre to terrible, and like their record shows, mediocrity gets you nowhere.

The Dodger Blue finished 21^st in runs scored, 12^th in batting average, 14^th in on base percentage and 23^rd in slugging percentage.

Pitching was a different story. They were 5^th in team ERA-3.54, and opponents only batted .241 against them!

MATT KEMP

Matt Kemp led them in every offensive category that counts with a .324 BA, 39 HR’s, 126 RBI’s an OBP of .399 and 195 hits! Andre Ethier chipped in with 16 HR’s and .292 BA.

Clayton Kershaw a 22 year-old southpaw had a 21-5 record, leading the staff with wins, 2.28 ERA and 233.1 innings pitched amassing 248 K’s. All other starters pitched either .500 or under. But in all fairness, when you don’t score runs, you don’t win.

In the Free Agent marketplace: Casey Blake 3^rd Base, signed on with Colorado, closer Jonathan Broxton has reached agreement on a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals. Ss Jamie Carroll signed with Minnesota, Jon Garland went to Cleveland, the Mariners added Hong-Chih Kuo and Kuroda went to the Yankees for 1 year, $10 million. Padilla will now toss them at Fenway.

Chris Capuano SP signed on for 2 years and $10 million, Todd Coffey RP $1.3 million for one year, Mark Ellis 2^nd Base  put his signature down for 2 years and  $8.75 million, Jerry Hairston, 3^rd Base .270 BA agreed to 2 years $6 million, and a good move for the Dodgers, Aaron Harang 3.64 ERA, 14-7, 2 years $12 million from the Padres, Adam Kennedy 2^nd base .234 BA, 7 HR’s as insurance, resigned Mike MacDougal, RHP for 1 year $1 million, left fielder Juan Rivera for 1 year and $4.5 million, a reserve catcher Matt Treanor from Texas for $800,000 and right handed pitcher Jamie Wright from Seattle for a minor league contract.

The Dodgers, like the New York Mets have ownership issues, and because of that have a limited budget to work with. Look for the Dodgers to finish next to last.

COLORADO ROCKIES

The Rockies ended their season 73-89, 21 games off the pace in the National League West, and 9 ½ games behind the LA Dodgers.

They had no problem scoring runs and making things happen offensively. They finished 7^th overall in runs scored, with rated 9^th in batting average and 7^th in on base percentage, and 11^th in slugging percentage. The problem is in baseball besides hitting you need pitching. The team ERA was 26^th, 28^th in quality starts, 25^th in opponent’s batting average, .265!

TROY TULOWITZKI

Their shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki led the team in all departments it seems, with a .302 BA, 30 HR’s and 105 RBI’s, a healthy .372 on base percentage and 162 hits. But he wasn’t alone, with 26 HR and 96 RBI’s with Dexter Fowler, Ty Wigginton, Chris Iannetta and Jason Giambi all providing muscle. The team hit 163 homers.

Like I mentioned earlier, the pitching was non-existent, when you look at what they have and what they achieved. Jhoulys Chacin was the leading man in this act, with 11 victories but 14 loses, a 3.62 ERA, and Huston Street with 22 saves!

The Free Agent Market:

Mark Ellis 2^nd Base, signed with the LA Dodgers for 2years and $8¾ Million, Kevin Millwood SP, went to Seattle in a minor league deal, J.C. Romero, right-hander signed on with the Cardinals, and that was all the talent anyone wanted.

Casey Blake 3^rd B signed on with the Rockies, .252 BA for 1 year, $2 million. Mike Cuddyer RF, 3 years over $31 million, and Ramon Hernandez C, from Cincinnati for 2 years $6.4 million .282, 12 HR’s.

It is hard to figure why they spent all that money on another bat (Mike Cuddyer) when what they need is more and stronger arms. The need for a starting pitcher is stronger than the need for a right fielder.

Finish: last to next to last once again.

SAN DIEGO PADRES

71-91 is where the Padres finished, 23 games behind the pack in the National League West.

The pitching for the most part was better than average in 2011, with overall era’s well under 4.00. You need runs for era’s to stand up, something San Diego couldn’t do. The team’s era was a phenomenal 3.42 per game. There were no big winners, with Aaron Harang leading with a 14-7 record, and a 3.64 ERA.

CAMERON MAYBIN

When your best hitter bats .364 (Cameron Maybin) and your big guy hits 11 HR’s and 64 RBI’s (Ryan Ludwick), it’s time to throw out the whole thing and start over.

In the free agent market, Heath Bell took his talents to Miami and got himself a 3 year $27 million contract. Chad Qualls 3.51 ERA to Philadelphia, and that ended the talent drain.

36 year old Mark Kotsay, RH from Milwaukee signed on for 1 year and $1.25 million, and Micah Owings SP from Arizona, $1,000,000.

Where’s the hitting coming from?

2012, last place.

NEW YORK YANKEES

The Yankees finished the 2011 season in first place 97-65, a failure because they didn’t finish with THE ring.

Their lineup was incredible, 2^nd in runs scored, 7^th in batting average and 2^nd in on base percentage, and 3^rd in slugging percentage.

Pitching is why they didn’t win the ring, 11^th in ERA, but 18^th in quality starts and opponents batted .256 against them.

They made two or three trades; one was riding themselves of J. J. Burnett, and acquiring Pineda.

The free agent marketplace was quiet for the Yankees: Bartolo Colon signed on with Oakland, resigned Freddie Garcia for one year $4 million, along with Andruw Jones for 1 year, $2 million, Damaso Marte as of this writing is still unsigned, Sergio Mitre has been cast adrift, Jorge Posada retired, the second of the core of players that made up the championship years. They signed Kuroda away from the Dodgers to a 1 year $10 million contract.

Robinson Cano .302 BA, 188 hits Curtis Granderson 41 HR’s, 119 RBI’s and Nick Swisher .374 OBP all had great seasons, that carried the Yankees. Picking up Granderson from Detroit was pure genius, and he might just repeat his 2011 performance, however there are two names that are absent from the above who should have been there. One is A Rod, and one is Jeter. The question begging to be asked is: are they past their prime. Jeter has lost a lot in his defense, and Rodriguez has missed over 62 games last year. If these two guys can’t produce on the field anymore, two holes are becoming very glaring on the left side!

Jeter was adequate with his .297 BA with not much power showing, and Mark Teixeira with 39 HR’s needs to make more fair contact with the ball and get on base more with his .248 BA.

The Yankees hit 222 Homers last season and will probably do the same again this season. The pitching becomes an interesting the way they make up themselves this season. Last season they were just shy of pitching by a little bit. This season they rid themselves of the problem, J. J. Burnett, and added a solution in Pinada.

Last season C. C. Sabathia led in all categories and old reliable Mariano Rivera was solid once again with 44 saves! David Robertson did an incredible job of holding the fort down until Rivera showed up. I think one more year from Rivera is reasonable, and he will come through, giving the Yankees the division, the American League Championship, and THE ring.

TAMPA BAY RAYS

Residing in second place with a 91-71 record in the American League East, the Rays finished 6 games off the pace the New York Yankees set.

Not much of a hitting team, the pitching is some of the best in the American League. The rays have the power, hitting over 170 homers last year, they batted .244 as a team, but their opponents batted only .233 against Rays pitching.

Casey Kotchman led the team with a .306 clip and .378 OBP, while Evan Longoria clubbed 31 out of the park and chased home another 99 runs.

In the free agent marketplace: Johnny Damon choose free agency and as of this writing hasn’t signed on with anyone. Kotchman signed on with Cleveland for $3 million for one year, Kelly Shoppach took his .176 BA to Boston.

CARLOS PENA

Tampa signed on Jeff Keppinger, 2^nd base, .277 BA, 6 home runs and 35 RBI’s to a $1.5 million deal from San Francisco, and Jose Molina C, from Toronto for another $1.5 million, and Carlos Pena 1st Base or over $7 and a quarter million, a lot of homers but no average, RHP Fernando Rodney for middle relief, and left fielder Luke Scott from Baltimore for $6 million.

Agreed to terms with manager Joe Maddon on a three-year contract extension through 2015.

With Pena it seems that the Rays fall into the same pattern, homers but no average.

James Shields led the team last year with a 16-12 record and a 2.82 ERA. The team ERA was 3.58, and if they can get on base more consistently could make up for the 6 games they lacked behind the Yankees. They are at least sure to make the playoffs in 2012.

BOSTON RED SOX

My question this season is: are the Sox still collapsing? Last season’s finish all but destroyed the fall and winter for the Red Sox Nation.

Boston finished the season on the last day tied for a playoff spot, one victory and they were in, a loss and it is total collapse on a string of losing games. The rest is history. They finished 90-72, seven games off the pace. In desperation, they lost a great manager in Terry Francona and got another great one in Bobby Valentine.

As a hitting club went, they were the very best! 1^st in runs scored, 2^nd in batting average, 1^st in on base percentage and 1^st in slugging percentage! As a pitching team, the bottom fell out. 22^nd in ERA, 28^th in quality starts, you can’t carry pitching that bad and win.

On the free agent marketplace Erik Bedard is in Pittsburg, J.D. Drew remains unsigned, Conor Jackson to Oakland, Trevor Miller now pitches for the Cubs, 2.94 ERA, also know as Jonathan Papelbon closes now for Philadelphia, Jason Varitek remains unsigned and Dan Wheeler signed on with Cleveland.

On the receiving end they signed on Aaron Cook as a starter, Rich Hill, another pitcher that is breathing, Vincent Padilla from the Dodgers, and a few other signings not worth talking about.

Anchored at 1^st base, Adrian Gonzalez .338 BA 27 HR’s 117 RBI’s and .410 OBP is the centerpiece of the Sox offense, with Jacoby Ellsbury, .321 BA 32 HR’s 105 RBI’s and a .376 OBP. David Ortiz with his diminishing skills has signed on for one more year. The balance of the lineup, with Carl Crawford looking to play the way he did in 2010, Dustin Pedroia, and Kevin Youkilis steadily on course, this team will continue to hit.

Lester, Beckett and pray for a miracle, the Sox will continue to fall unless they can shore up the pitching, and without it will finish in third once more. Theo Epstein is gone, and it is under his realm that the Sox ended this way, although the new GM has done nothing so far to improve the situation.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

The Blue Jays finished flat last season, at 81-81, 16 games behind the New York Yankees, and 9 games behind Boston.

A team batting average of .249, and an on base percentage that ranked 18^th overall makes me wonder how they scored 6^th in that category! With a not too shabby .413 slugging percentage, I guess that helps answer the question.

Their pitching was dismal and that explains their finish, and if they don’t get it, they will finish even lower than the Orioles in 2012.

On the free agent market is where we have to look for the coming year if they are to hope for any improvement.

Frank Francisco, with an ERA of 3.55 and 17 saves, along with Jon Rauch signed with the New York Mets. Jose Molina, one of the better catchers in the league signed on with Tampa Bay.

They made up for their loses in pitching by signing Francisco Cordero, who although is a little old had a career season with Cincinnati, throwing a 2.45 ERA with 37 saves, the tonic they need to help fix what ails them. They also picked up for the mid innings Darren Oliver with his lifetime 4.60 ERA who had a great 2011 with a 2.29 ERA! And for a look-see: 44 year old Omar Vizuel.

Jose Bautista, if he continues to supply the numbers, mainly a .302 BA and 43 HR’s with 103 RBI’s will help Toronto keep Baltimore at bay. Adam Lind and Edwin Encarnacion with their power, poses a power lineup that if you look at the rest of it, is so-so. Escobar at short, and you have the 186 homers the blue Jays hit last season.

The Blue Jays need three things: starting pitching starting pitching starting pitching.

I see them possibly finishing behind the Orioles.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Baltimore had a dismal 2011, finishing 69-93 finishing 28 games behind the Yankees.

Vladimir Guerrero is probably gone, he is losing bat speed and left fielder Luke Scott is gone to Tampa, a part-time player who will make $6 Million next year!

They managed to pickup Luis Ayala a right-handed pitcher, third baseman, Wilson Betemit .285 BA 8 HR’s 46RBI’s and a .343 OBP. Picking up Endy Chavez a career .274 hitter with a great glove in Center field, Wei-Yin Chen, a Japanese import who signed for 3 years and $11 Million a risk, maybe not a big as Darvish, Tsuyoshi Wada, 2 years-$8 million, another risk from Japan Both never faced major league pitching, Ronnie Paulino from the Mets who signed for a minor league contract for a backup and coming off the bench.

 

As a hitting team they are not bad. There on base percentage is not great, but their slugging percentage is ranked 9^th in the Majors. Their batting average is 11^th and their runs scored is 14^th, average.

 

Mark Reynolds

Mark Reynolds yields a big bat with 37 HR’s and 86 RBI’s while Nick Markakis hits and gets on base. Adam Jones with 25 HR;s 83 RBI’s and a .280 batting average, along with J. J. Hardy’s 30 home runs and 80 RBI’s make for a decent offense. Matt Wieters 22 HR’s and 68 RBI’s along with Andino and Reynolds round out a good hitting team.

 

Their pitching staff headed by Zack Britton with only 11 wins and Jeremy Guthrie with a 4.33 ERA speak volumes for why they finished last in the American League East.

 

Maybe with the acquisition of two new starting pitchers they can improve their record and not be the American League Least finishers. Wilson Bitimet and Endy Chavez are good pickups who will definitely help the team win more games, but I think they will languish in last place for at least one more year.

DETROIT TIGERS

The Tigers won the American League Central division by 15 games, winning at home 50 times and on the road 45.  That means they were just as good on the road as at home, home field advantage meant nothing.

Tiger baseball was consistent to say the least with the team finishing 4^th in runs scored, 3^rd in batting average and 4^th in on base percentage with an equaling punch of 4^th in slugging percentage.

Pitching was another story; spotting the league a 4.04 ERA, 218^TH overall, with 11 quality starts, and opposing hitters batting .257 against them.

Here is how they Detroit did in the Free Agent marketplace.

Wilson Betemit  3^rd baseman – to Baltimore for 2 years and $3.25Million

Joel Zumaya RP to Minnesota 1 year $850,000

Ramon Santiago 2^nd baseman – resigned 2  years $4.2 Million

Octavio Dotel RP from St. Louis 1 year $3.5 Million

Prince Fielder 1B From Milwaukee 9 years $214 Million

Gerald Laird Catcher from St. Louis 1 year $1 million

Miguel Cabrera

Offensively, you could say Miguel Cabrera and call it a day. The man hit .344 with 30 home runs and 105 RBI’s. His On Base Percentage was a phenomenal .448 with 197 hits!  They did lose some great bench strength and backup to Cabrera in Wilson Betemit signing with Baltimore.

Brennan Boesch with his .283 BA, 16 homers and 54RB’s and Alex Avila’s .295 BA and 19 home runs plus 82 RBI’s, Jhonny Peralta’s 21 HR’s and 86 RBI’s, and for good measure add Victor Martinez’s .330 BA and 103 RBI’s with 12 HR’s helped create a powerhouse in Detroit. Now bring Prince Fielder into the picture and you have one big monster! If anyone can challenge the Angels, this is the team.

Starting pitching is not an issue. Justin Verlander led off with 24 wins, Max Scherzer 15-9, Rick Porcello 14-9, and Brad Penny 11-11 seem to make a nice starting four. They could use a fifth starter and maybe a little more production from Brad Penny. Jose Valverde with 49 saves and Joaquin Benoit with 29 holds round out a decent staff., it just isn’t enough to convince me that they can overtake the Angels in the Championship Series, or the Yankees for that matter.

Without a doubt one of the best teams in baseball.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

The Indians finished 2011 with a 80-82 record, 15 games off the pace. That is just under ‘mediocre’ and they are a decent team. As a team their stats reflect their finish: 16^th in runs scored, 18^th in batting average, their on base percentage was 17^th in the league and their slugging percentage was 16^th.

The Free Agent market saw them re-sign Grady Sizemore for 1 year and $5 Million and Jim Thome sign with Philadelphia. Meanwhile they signed Casey Kotchman: a lifetime .268 BA with 59HR’s and 332 RBI’s and a .336 on base percentage, who had a better than average year for himself in 2011, batting .306 with 10 HR’s and 48 RBI’s and a .378 OBP for Tampa Bay. It was a very quiet winter for the Indians in the player market.

Justin Masterson

If there was a part of the equation that did not live up to mediocrity, it was the pitching. The team finished 23^rd in ERA, 17^th in quality starts, 23^rd in BAA. Justin Masterson was definitely the ace of the staff, but only 12 wins, a 3.21 ERA and 158 K’s, clearly a #2 starter for most winning teams.

Without any movement on the free agent market this winter, you can’t expect the Indians to move up on Detroit. They may have some difficulty holding on to 2^nd place in the Central Division of the American League.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

The Hose finished in third place, 79-83.

Like their record, their stats were very mediocre: 18^th in runs scored, 17^th in batting average, their on base percentage was 15^th in the league and their slugging percentage was 20^th.

Pitching wise they were 19^th in ERA, 11^th in quality starts and their BAA was 21^st.

Mark Buehrle SP 32years old signed with Miami for 4 years $58,000,000, their biggest loss in the free agent marketplace, and along with Buehrie they also lost Juan Pierre  a lifetime .296 16HR 484RBI’s, who went to Philly.

The Chicago White Sox and starting pitcher John Danks have reached an agreement on a five-year contract extension, a major league source told ESPNChicago.com.

Paul Konerko is the Sox saving grace, last year with a .300 season, 31 HR’s and 105 RBI’s. Of course they will miss Juan Pierre, and you wonder how they will replace that hole in center field? Lillibridge and Ramirez will probably have to step it up somewhat, and maybe it is time for a phenom in center to make up for the loss of Pierre.

There were n major acquisitions in the free agent market, and minor league contracts are just that, iffy players trying to hang on.

With the loss of Mark Buehrie to Miami, there isn’t much hope without decent starting pitching, I’m picking them to fall back to 4^th place this year, especially with the loss of Ozzie Guillen as manager.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

The Royals are another dreary American League Central team that is surprisingly decent as hitting goes. Finishing 71-91 24 games back, they could very well be a better team except for pitching.

Finishing 10^th in runs scored, an impressive 4^th in batting average with an on base percentage of 8^th overall, and 7^th in slugging percentage, the team can hit. Probably what keeps fans in the stands.

In the free agent marketplace, the Royals stayed right where they were and resigned Alex Gordon with his .303 BA, 23 HR’s and 87 RBI’s for $4,775,000 contract for 2012, thus closing any issues in left field.

Bruce Chen

Along with Gordon came Bruce Chen and his 12 victories for 2 more years for $9 million. Meanwhile Jonathan Broxton signed up with Kansas City from the Dodgers and becomes a setup man for Soria. Maybe not the greatest stats for a setup man but adequate. Another late game option for manager Ned Yost is the signing of right-hander Jose Mijares from Minnesota. That would wrap up the free agent signings for now.

Making up the 24 game difference between the Royals and division winning Tigers with this team is an issue, and can best be summed up in three words: pitching, pitching, pitching.

Let’s look at the team leaders in pitching.

ERA: L. Hochevar 4.68

W: B. Chen 12

K’s: L. Hochevar  128

Those numbers don’t exactly inspire confidence that any games will be made up between the Royals and Tigers. Overall, they ranked 27^th in ERA, 27^th in quality starts and 27^th in BAA! There are 30 teams, and they need pitching.

Finish will be where they finished last season.

MINNESOTA TWINS

The Twins in 2011 finished with the worst record in the American League, losing 99 games, while winning only 63.

Carl Pavano

The Free Agent market was not good to Minnesota, when Mike Cuddyer signed with Colorado, taking his .284 BA and 20 HR’s with him. Jason Kubel taking his .273 BA and 12 HR’s to Arizona, pretty much took care of the outfield. Jose Mijares signed off with Kansas City, Joe Nathan’s new address is Texas and Matt Capps with his large ERA elected to stay in Minnesota. 37 year-old Jamey Carroll solidified 2^nd base by signing with the Twins.

One positive was the signing of Ryan Doumit, a career .272 hitter with some power. Jason Marquis moved over from Arizona. To replace Cuddyer, the Twins have invested $21 Million for 3 years on Josh Willingham’s .246 BA, 29 HR’s and 98 RBI’s

Let’s face it, when Carl Pavano is your ace, time to take the season off or start spending like crazy. The Twins don’t have a lot of talent or hope, and frankly could be the worst for the next few years, depending on how bad the Astros are in 2013.

TEXAS RANGERS

In 2011, the American League Champion Texas Rangers had a pretty impressive hitting stat sheet. They were 1^st in batting average, 2^nd in slugging percentage, 3^rd in runs scored and 5^th in on base percentage.

The Free Agent marketplace had its mark on Texas. Starting with Endy Chavez signing with Baltimore. Chavez, a lifetime .274 hitter, had himself a decent year in 2011 with his bat, hitting .301.

Darren Oliver and his 2.29 ERA went over to Toronto, and Brandon Webb and his 3.27 ERA and 87-62 lifetime record remains unsigned. But the big loss is C. J. Wilson’s 2.94 ERA and 16 victories opposed to only 7 losses going to Los Angeles along with 206 K’s, all for the low price of $77.5 Million for 5 years, they practically gave himself away!

Derek Holland

The starting four of Harrison, Ogando, Holland and Lewis is still a formidable staff, and if by chance Darvish does work out, then the Rangers will have a real shot of finishing close to LA. With their 57 vicotries among them last year.

Not to be outdone by the Los Angeles Angels, Texas went out and spent over $50 million to talk and $60 Million to sign an unknown commodity called Yu Darvish to ease the pain of C. J. Wilson’s jumping ship. Not enough money spent? Well there is the really great pick-up of Joe Nathan for the paltry sum of $14.5 for 2 years, a veteran on the down side of a 10-year career.

Texas may have spent themselves into embarrassment and into 2^nd place. The overspending for an unknown Japanese pitcher who has never pitched in the majors, and keep in mind, most Japanese pitchers have failed.

Their hitting will not match up with the Angels even with Michael Young’s .338 BA, 106 RBI’s .380 OBP and 213 hits, or Andrian Beltre’s 32 homers.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

They made the biggest splash this off season in signing Albert Pujols, the biggest name in the free agent pool. The money alone could finance most teams for a year; the sense to it seems remote.

Albert Pujols

If the Angels win the World Series this year, it will be a very expensive World Series. When they got Albert Pujols they pretty much said, we are the next champions. That may be true, but then again it may not. The problem is the Angels are paying this guy $25 Million a year, for TEN YEARS! Is he going to be the same hitting Albert Pujols in 8 or 9 years? Is that contract going to hold up signing anyone else in the future free agent market on the Angels?

The Angels finished 86-76 and 10 games out of first place. A few bounces one way or the other could have given them either the pennant or mediocrity. They finished 17^th in runs scored, 15^th in batting average and 21^st in on base percentage, and a mediocre 14^th in slugging percentage. Albert Pujols should make a difference in those numbers.

A deal to keep Jered Weaver, the Angels reached a similar agreement with Howie Kendrick. These are productive players going into their prime, so they are solidifying their future.

Kendrick will bat in front of Pujols, and after a career year in which he may take it to a new level, Kendrick is in position to become a force in his own! Kendrick is the 2^nd baseman for now and the future.

The pitching seems solid for now with Jered Weaver, 2.41 ERA, 18-8 record and 198 K’s.  the Angels agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins2.42 ERA 0 Saves and 28 K’s.

The other piece of their starting pitching is C. J. Wilson, signed as a free agent, taking away their main obstacle to first place and moving by Texas. 2.94 ERA, 16-7 record and 206 K’s, makes this an important signing.

Jordan Walden, 32 saves, and setup man Scott Downs closes out a pretty decent pitching staff.

Alberto Callaspo at third; .288 BA and .366 OBP, Mark Trumbo, 29 HR’s and 87 RBI’s and Erick Aybar’s 155 hits look to be a promisingly destructive lineup. The question is how well will Trumbo do away from 1^st base?

Overall, with the addition of Pujols and Wilson, the Angels upgraded better than anyone this off season. The signings of Weaver and Kendrick were smart moves toward the future, so I would think they are the favorites to win the AL West

OAKLAND A’s

Finishing just ahead of Seattle, the Oakland A’s failed to reach .500 ball in 2011.

Hideki Matsui-DH, is no longer the player he was, offering himself out there for free agency, in the hopes that someone will sign the former Yankee and extend his career. With some power left he could help someone. A .285 career hitter, his skills fell considerably in 2011, but he could spell someone occasionally in left field.

Josh Willingham escaped the torture of the Oakland Coliseum and signed on with Minnesota. With 29 home runs for Oakland last year, he signed on to Minnie for 3 years and $21 million. But let’s face it, Josh Willingham’s 29 HR’s and 98 RBI’s will be hard to replace on this team, who would want to come play here, and it may be a while before the farm system comes to bare any influence on the big ball club.

In his place they signed Jonny Gomes, who let’s face it is not going to lift them any higher than they finished in ’11. Meanwhile they retained the services of Coco Crisp for 2 more years and $14 million.

Bartolo Colon

Bartolo Colon signed on for 2 years and his .400 ERA show do very little for the dreary team, his biggest claim is being an ex-Yankee.

If there is one bright spot, it is Gio Gonzalez. 3.93 ERA, a 38-32 W-L and 511 strikeouts lifetime brings some hope for the future. Last season for Washington he posted a 3.12 ERA with a 16-12 record. The pickup of Andrew Bailey, 3.24 ERA, 24 saves should help save some games and is an upgrade from Brian Fuentes.

The prospects look to be about the same as they were in 2011, but hope springs eternal.

2012 BASEBALL SEASON

The Super Bowl is over, and the basketball and hockey season moves along. Time for spring training soon to begin, and with that we will look at each of the teams from a fans point of view.

We will start in Seattle in the American League West Division and work from the bottom up.

The second worst record at 67-95 in the Majors, finishing 29 games behind the front running Texas Rangers. Seattle needs a major revamp, new talent and a lot of hope. In all of Major League Baseball, Seattle finished dead last in runs scored, batting average, and slugging percentage and on base percentage.

The offense was anemic last year, with Ichiro Suzuki batting a paltry .272, with an OBP of .310 and 184 hits. Miguel Olivo hitting 19 home runs and 62 RBI’s, and that was the offense. Olivo appeared in only 130 games, and Ichiro Suzuki the only other player to appear in more when he tied his spikes for 161 games.

I wonder if it makes sense for Suzuki to bat leadoff. Once you get by him in the lineup, the rest is easy. His bat is productive and there seems to be no one right now who can produce except Olivo. After 10 years batting leadoff, he is slowing down, and may not have the speed he once did, or the ability to do what he once did. This is his last years on the current contract, and you have to wonder what he is thinking about free agency.

Speaking of which: Michael Pineda has signed on with the New York Yankees, while losing Josh Bard and Adam Kennedy, along with Willy Mo Pena. Aside from Pineda, the Mariners have lost nothing of value. They do need a center outfielder with the loss of Rick Ankiel.

Felix Hernandez is the only bona-fide pitcher the Mariners have. At 14-14 on a dreadful team, he shows something, while his ERA is a very decent 3.47. He is a definite #2 or #3 starter on most teams, and is the only starter they have.

With 37 saves last year, Brandon League is a keeper. He is the key to any success the mariners have this season coming, as he was last year, and along with Jamey Wright, who holds them for League, this is a small nucleus of success. In late innings, his 3.16 ERA has kept the opposition at bay until the 9^th.

This is a dreadful team, which should finish close to where they were last year.

A GAME OF INCHES

Baseball is a game of inches, and many years ago that was true more so than it is today.

Ebbets Field

In the old days, prior to 1960, ballparks were built to accommodate the local neighborhood they stood in. A ballpark was usually right in the streets of the city, and the way the streets ran determined the size and shape of the outfields. Ebbets Field, the home of the old Brooklyn Dodgers, the original Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds the home of the New York Giants, all had their personality shaped by the surrounding streets.

Yankee Stadium

This made for some interesting baseball. Throughout the two leagues all the parks were located in the heart of the cities. Each team built its personal around the dept of the outfield when it came to pitching and hitting. Until 1958, there were no restrictions as to how far from home plate a fence could be. After 1958, 325 feet was the minimum. So your best slugger would be primed for the shortest fence. For instance, in Brooklyn, the right field fence was 290 feet away form home plate, so Duke Snider a left handed batter shot for the right field wall.

Small ball yards made for some interesting games, since dimensions were so odd, balls would rattle around in the outfield, often inside the park home runs resulted. Just inches made a difference where the ball hit a wall whether it was a double or a triple, and single against the wall could result in a the batter being thrown out at first base.

Yankee stadium had a right field as short as Ebbets Field, and the left centerfield was miles away, called Death Valley It had Monuments and a flag pole in fair territory!

The Polo Grounds went on forever into center field, with a stairway leading up to the clubhouse in the deepest reaches of centerfield, all in fair territory, yet a flip of the wrist would result in easy homeruns in either the left or right field foul lines, the stands were so close.

Shea Stadium

Then after the Dodgers and Giants moved from New York to California, they started building symmetrically round ballparks all over the two leagues. Suddenly, the game took on a not too appealing look, as games became cookie cutter in all aspects. Shea, Veterans Memorial, Busch, Riverfront and Three Rivers to name a few became boring, structures with no personality. If it weren’t for places like Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, baseball may have completely died, during the 1970’s and 80’s.

Then one day they built Camden Yards, and the look of baseball came back to what it used to be, as fan interest in the Orioles became a must, as the ballpark reminded people of Ebbets Field, a place baseball fans were missing.

NFL EXPANSION

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in an interview with Bob Costas indicated that the league would entertain expansion to two additional teams if LA gets a stadium proposal settled.

The league would not want to go from 32 to 33 teams, since one team a week would be off, along with a bye and a 5-team division. The scheduling problems are an issue enough so you are compelled to go to still another city.

“We probably don't want to go to 33" teams by adding just one new team if a suitable stadium is built in the Los Angeles area.” Goodell said. There is even talk that the city would get two expansion teams.

What I don’t understand is why the NFL would even go to LA. It is a lousy place for a professional football franchise, once having the Raiders along with the Rams, in which both teams moved away.

Los Angeles is a football town, but it’s college football. UCLA, USC control the stage. Bruins and Spartans football is what it is all about.

I think that LA is a great climate for football in the winter, the temperatures are ideal for the fans to see the game live, but the history is otherwise. LA supports two baseball teams, two basketball teams, all professional and even a hockey team. But professional NFL football didn’t take, what makes anyone think it will now?

Maybe what they need to do is get some fans from around the league and import them into LA.

That's all I wrote, folks!

THE OWNERS: CHARLES FINELY

Charles Oscar Finley (February 22, 1918–February 19, 1996), nicknamed Charlie O or Charley O, was the owner of the Oakland Athletics in the American League. Finley purchased the franchise while it was located in Kansas City, and moved it to Oakland in 1968.

Finley first attempted to buy the Philadelphia Athletics in 1954, but Arnold Jackson won the bid and then moved the team to Kansas City in 1955. Toward the end of the 1950’s Finley tried to buy the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Turning to the expansion process he looked at the new LA franchise but once again was beaten out by Gene Autry, the famous cowboy star who named the team the Los Angeles Angels.

In December of 1960, Finley purchased controlling interest of the Kansas City Athletics from Johnson's estate then bought out the minority owners a year later. Finley quickly turned the franchise around, refusing to make deals with the New York because of a long history of Yankee/Athletic deals that always favored the New Yorkers and searched for unknown talents. He also invested heavily into the farm system for the first time in the franchise's history.

He purchased the minority shares of the team and then started the process of looking for other horizons that would house the team. Cities like Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Louisville, Milwaukee, San Diego and Seattle were all considered before settling on Oakland.

After it was suggested that the Yankees' success was attributable to the dimensions of Yankee Stadium he built the "K.C. Pennant Porch" in right field, bringing the right field fence in Kansas City Municipal Stadium to match Yankee Stadium's dimensions of 296 feet from home plate. A rule passed in 1958 stated that no (new or renovated) major-league fence could be closer than 325 feet, to home plate, so league officials forced Finley to move the fences back before the season got underway. Finley then ordered a white line painted on the field at the original "Pennant Porch" distance, and told the public address announcer to announce "That would have been a home run in Yankee Stadium" whenever a fly ball was hit past that line but short of the fence. That was quickly ended when the announcer was calling more "would-be" home runs for the other team than the A's.

Finley also changed the team's uniforms in 1963, to "Kelly Green, Fort Knox Gold and Wedding Gown White." In  1967 the team's traditional black cleats were changed to white ones. Finley made one more change, going from the Athletics’ to the ‘A’s’ as the team’s nickname.

1964 saw Finley sign a commitment to move the team from Kansas City to Louisville (where he would rename the team the Kentucky Colonels, thus keeping the "KC" logo), but the other American League owners voted down the idea. With attendance declining in Kansas City, Finley was given permission to move the team to California where the Oakland A’s were born in the 1968 season.

The new talent collected over the years in the minors was starting to come together as a team. The once bad team was now a power-house with Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, Joe Rudi, Bert Campaneris, Jim ‘Catfish’ Hunter, Vida Blue and Rollie Fingers. The A's won from 1972 to 1974, three straight World Series and five straight divisional titles from 1971 to 1975!

During the 1973 World Series against the New York Mets, Finley forced Mike Andrews an infielder to sign a false affidavit stating that he was injured after making 2 consecutive errors in the 12^th inning that cost the A’s the game. The backlash was tremendous from the manager Dick Williams to Andrews’ teammates and the fans, that Bowie Kuhn, Commissioner of baseball made Finley re-instate Andrews. In game, Andrews grounded out to a standing ovation from Mets fans, who were taking a pop shot at Finely. In his rage he ordered Andrews benched for the rest of the series, and never played another inning of baseball again. When the A’s won the World Series, Dick Williams, fed up with Finley immediately resigned. Finley had run-ins with Reggie Jackson and Vida Blue after contract disputes and he threatened to send them to the minors, where once again the commissioner had to intervene on the player’s behalf.

After losing Hunter to free agency in 1976, Finley started dismantling his club, attempting to sell Rudi and Fingers to the Red Sox and Blue to the Yankees. Kuhn decided to invoke the "best interests of baseball" clause in order to stop Finley's sales. Finley filed a ten million dollar restraint-of-trade lawsuit against Kuhn and Major League Baseball. Finley lost the case, the court ruling that the commissioner has the authority to determine what is in the best interest of baseball.

In 1977 many of the A's stars left the team for free agency. In 1978, only two years after winning the  division title and three years after winning a World Series—Oakland finished with the worst record in all of baseball. After the season, Finley tried to trade Blue to the Reds. Kuhn vetoed the trade stating that it amounted to a fire-sale.

In both 1978 and again in 1979, Finley tried to move the A's to New Orleans. The city of Oakland and Alameda County refused to let Finley out of his lease with the Coliseum. In 1980 his wife filed for divorce midway through the season. She would not accept a part of the team as settlement. With his money tied up in the A's or his insurance interests, Finley was forced to sell the team.

Throughout his ownership of the Oakland A’s, Finley was fond of gimmicks, outfitting his team in green and gold uniforms and paying his players $300 bonuses to grow moustaches. Rollie Fingers the handlebar moustache he grew for Finley became his trademark. Signing Jim Hunter, he nicknamed him "Catfish," fabricating a boyhood story about Hunter to give him publicity. He introduced ball girls and was a big supporter of night games for the World Series to increase fan interest. Finley also became a strong advocate of the designated hitter rule, until adopted by the American League. His suggestions included innovations that were tried and rejected for various reasons, such as:

• Orange baseballs -
• A three-ball walk and two-strike strikeout.
• A mechanical rabbit that would pop up behind home plate and deliver new balls to the umpire –
• A designated runner –

He was without a doubt, one of the most irritating, controversial, sinister owners of all the owners that ever took over a sports franchise.