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jamus23 · 12-19-2007, 07:06 PM

2083 Season Preview: NL West Division

Los Angeles Dodgers:
2082 Record: 82-80
Record over the last five seasons: 387-423
Payroll: 47,738,242
Payroll Rank: 19th (of 24 teams)
Minor League Rank: 2nd (of 24)

Last year, the Dodgers caught fire in the middle of the season and unexpectedly contended for a playoff spot, ultimately finishing three games behind San Diego for second place in the West. It would have been the Dodgers' first postseason appearance since 2076. This year, Los Angeles will hope for the continued development of a pair of young starting pitchers: Robert Jones(25), who has gone 40-15 the last two seasons with ERAs of 3.14 and 3.02, and Francisco Savala(24), who was 12-5 last year with a 2.86 ERA and 205 strikeouts.

The Dodgers don't have a strong lineup, but they do have a few hitters that can do some damage. First baseman Timothy Wegener belted 29 homeruns last year. Veteran third baseman Oscar Elkins is the owner of 323 career homeruns, 27 of which came in 2082. Centerfielder Urbano Belmonte had a career year last season at the age of 36. His .356./.404/.541/.944 batting line included career highs in all of those categories. Leland Pye, the rightfielder, doesn't get a lot of mention, but he's a consistent hitter who has poked out between 19-29 homeruns in each of the last five seasons.

Los Angeles' biggest weakness could be the catching position. They will open the season with three catchers on the 25 man roster, however all have question marks. The expected starter will be 25 year old Daniel Moise. Moise has a respectable .725 career OPS, but he has just 159 career at bats. Can he hold up as a regular? Sharing the backup duties will be a pair of veterans: Richard Franco(33) and Michael Grace(37). Franco has just a .685 OPS in over 1500 at bats, while Grace has a .758 OPS in more than 2200 career at bats. Franco doesn't appear to be any good, and Grace might be at the end of his career so it's unclear how useful he will be.

There are two players who could really make or break the Dodgers' season. In 2081, shortstop Jose Valle was having a breakout season. Over the first three months of the season, he was batting .346/.440/.549. But near the end of June, he was lost for the season with an MCL injury. Last year, he batted just a middling .262/.334/.397. Now 22 years old, this former number one overall draft pick would be a huge boost to Los Angeles' lineup if he could get back to where he was two years ago.

The second player who could be a huge factor for the Dodgers is 23 year old starting pitcher Edward Tiano. Tiano is considered to be the second best prospect in all of baseball and obviously has tremendous talent, but has proven to be a significant injury risk. Last year, he missed about 8 months with injuries to his elbow and tricep. If he can stay healthy and begin to harness his potential, the Dodgers could have the makings of an impressive rotation; not many teams have three frontline starters to throw at teams.

Predicted finish: 4th

Phoenix Cardinals:
2082 Record: 72-90
Record over the last five seasons: 355-455
Payroll: 34,590,357
Payroll Rank: 22nd
Minor League Rank: 19th

The Cardinals enter their 20th season still searching for their first winning record. Since entering the league in 2064, the most wins that Phoenix has managed is 75. Many have wondered why a team was ever put into Phoenix in the first place. The nearby Tucson Diamondbacks have been consistently competitive throughout their history and are one of the most popular teams in baseball. It's unlikely that there are enough fans in the area to support two teams, especially if one team is simply not any good. Not surprisingly, the fan support in Phoenix is the worst in baseball; they have finished last in attendance for two straight seasons.

That being said, there is a bit of talent on the Cardinals' roster. Gary Hunter looks to be a rising star at catcher. The 22 year old batted .281/.359/.439 last year in 342 at bats. The first baseman, Eli Cuestas, has 359 career homeruns, and ripped 28 last season. 24 year old third baseman Anthony Nicklas has a .323 AVG and a .947 OPS in 558 career at bats. Shortstop Mike Morales(24) hit .330 with a 1.008 OPS and 34 homeruns last year. 26 year old center fielder Eduardo Braza batted .298 with 42 stolen bases in 2082. On the mound, veteran starter Edward Carbonell posted a 3.50 ERA and made the All Star team last year(although, much of his success came while with Portland; he struggled quite a bit after coming to Phoenix). Control artist Jason Bradford(25) has posted respectable ERAs of 4.79 and 4.57 the last two seasons.

Despite this, however, the Cardinals have a huge weakness in their outfield. Braza has some talent, but the remaining outfielders are little more than decent fourth outfielder types. Phoenix will be starting too many guys out there that simply shouldn't be starting. As well, the pitching staff after Carbonell and Bradford is very weak, especially in the bullpen.

Predicted finish: 6th

Portland Trailblazers:
2082 Record: 77-85
Record over the last five seasons: 347-463
Payroll: 41,562,286
Payroll Rank: 20th
Minor League Rank: 21

It's been over 10 years since Portland was relevant. The Trailblazers last had a winning season in 2072, and their last playoff appearance was 2070. This year, there just isn't a lot to get excited about in Portland. Jaime Alemany(30) and Robert Penney(36) give them two competent starting pitchers: Alemany has a 4.46 career ERA and a pair of 200 strikeout seasons, while Penney has had consecutive seasons with an ERA under 4.00. He also has 2 200 strikeout seasons in the last 4 years. Closer William Griffin(27) is solid; he managed a 4.13 ERA and 24 saves in 60 appearances last year. Bill Bruch is an extremely talented 20 year old first baseman who has managed a .777 OPS in 280 at bats. At the moment, however, he is blocked by veteran Edward Schuh, who hit 24 homeruns last year.

Portland has very good depth, as it acquired a number of players in free agency who are very capable reserves. The problem is, despite the good depth, there simply isn't enough impact talent on Portland's roster to allow the Trailblazers to do any damage. They might be one of the most boring teams in baseball. Losing young slugger Gustavo Manrique to free agency was a devastating blow for a franchise that's been searching for an identity for a long time.

Predicted finish: 5th

Sacramento Kings:
2082 Record: 79-83
Record over the last five seasons: 453-357
Payroll: 69,601,828
Payroll Rank: 10th
Minor League Rank: 12th

From 2066 to 2080, the Kings had just one losing season, and only two seasons that they didn't finish over .500. However, in 2081 and 2082, they have posted consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 2064/2065. The Kings haven't had losing records in three straight seasons since 2055-57.

It would be surprising if Sacramento did have a losing record for a third year in a row. The Kings have plenty of talent, starting with veteran catcher William Stokley. The 36 year old Stokley is a .345 career hitter with a .949 OPS. Last year, he batted .353 with a 1.007 OPS, so it doesn't look like he is slowing down anytime soon. The Kings also added a pair of slugging corner infielders in free agency: 24 year old first baseman Nestor Adrover, who has posted a SLG of at least .530 in three consecutive seasons, and 34 year old third baseman Joseph Swayze, who pounded 37 homeruns for Denver last year. Shortstop Alberto O'Campo slugged .600 last year and had a .983 OPS. Ramon Montalvo is a dangerous slugger in left field; he has 341 career homeruns, while Matthew Milewski is one of the best young right fielders around. The 25 year old had 28 homeruns and a .929 OPS last year.

Carl Strothers is an interesting question mark at the top of the Kings' rotation. In 2079 and 2080, he had a combined record of 46-15, posted ERAs of 2.31 and 3.21, and whiffed a total of 510 batters. In 2081, he got off to a good start, but began struggling in May and June. After righting the ship in July, Sacramento traded him to a very bad Green Bay team. He proceeded to go 0-8 in the final two months of the season, though he pitched well in September. He finished with a 10-18 record, a 4.09 ERA, and, for him, a somewhat low 189 strikeouts. He returned to Sacramento as a free agent last season, but had his season disrupted by two lengthy injuries. He finished 9-10 with a 3.49 ERA. If Strothers can stay healthy and return to where he was a couple of years ago, Sacramento's rotation immediately becomes a force to be reckoned with. Strothers is as talented a number one as any in the National League.

Pedro Godinez gives the Kings a possible number two starter. The 29 year old had a 3.93 ERA last year. Effective relief pitching can be hard to come by, so the Kings are happy to have Carlos Fleitas anchoring their bullpen. The 30 year old has a 3.76 ERA in 297 career games. Last year, he posted a 2.68 ERA in 63 games.

Sacramento doesn't have a lot of glaring weaknesses, but one position to watch might be centerfield, where the Kings are preparing to employ two guys who have been around for a very long time. Harold Willems is a fascinating story. Seventeen years ago, Willems was the American League Rookie of the Year as a member of the Denver Broncos. Seven years after that, he won a World Series with the San Diego Padres. The following year, 2074, he batted a pathetic .195 with a .714 OPS, and his days as a regular seemed numbered. His glove and his power, however, kept him around long enough to enjoy what has been a late career blossoming. Willems, now 38 years old, has posted OPS's of .860, .834, and .910 in the last three seasons. A year ago, he smashed 49 doubles and 38 homeruns. Despite just a .235 career batting average, Willems has clubbed 449 homeruns and has a career .807 OPS.

In free agency, the Kings added another 38 year old, Ulises Menendez. To put into perspective just how long Menendez has been around.... well, Menendez played in the major leagues before the second expansion. Menendez was the number one overall pick by Harrisburg way back in 2063- one year before Phoenix, New Jersey, Charlotte, and Green Bay entered the league- and he collected 171 at bats for the Capitals. Now, twenty years later, Menendez has compiled 3,119 hits and 471 homeruns. While Willems was enjoying one of his best seasons at an advanced age last year, Menendez showed his age considerably last season. Despite managing 18 homeruns for Miami last year, Menendez had just a .655 OPS. He did, however, win his fourth career Gold Glove in center field.

Although Willems has held up well as he's aged, it seems overly optimistic to expect him to keep it up, and Menendez seems unreliable as a backup. Look for the Kings to try and fill this position more adequately as the season progresses, especially if they have a shot at the postseason.

Predicted finish: 3rd

San Diego Padres:
2082 Record: 85-77
Record over the last five years: 382-428
Payroll: 57,022,171
Payroll Rank: 14th
Minor League Rank: 8th

The last 10 years or so have been a wild roller-coaster ride for the Padres. In 2072, the team lost 100 games for the first time in 24 years, finishing with a major league worst 107 losses. The following year, San Diego shelled out almost $45 million in free agent contracts. The free-spending paid off in a big way, as the Padres won 96 games and won their first World Series in 43 years. For two more years, the team remained competitive, winning 198 games combined in '74 and '75 and making the postseason both years. And then the piper came for his pay. San Diego lost 304 games over the next three seasons, and finished in last place in 2078. After an almost complete overhaul, San Diego returned to the playoffs in 2081 and hung tough against the eventual World Series winners, Pittsburgh, ultimately falling in seven games in the Divisional Round. Last year, it was the Padres who prevailed in seven games over the Pirates in the Divisionals, and then San Diego reached the World Series after handling San Jose with surprising ease in only five games. The Padres played well, but were overcome in six games by Miami in the World Series. Now San Diego looks to take it one more step.

Andrew Burdick, Gregorio Ruiz, Gaby Matos, and George Canales form the backbone of one of the league's most intimidating lineups. The 35 year old second baseman Burdick is closing in on 3,000 hits- he needs just 80 more- and after last season's Silver Slugger-winning campaign, he looks like he could play until he's 40. Ruiz, the 32 year old left fielder, batted .350 with 31 homeruns last year; he has 308 career roundtrippers. 22 year old center fielder Matos broke out last year and led the league with 48 homeruns. Almost forgotten sometimes is the first baseman, Canales(26), who enjoyed an .860 OPS and 31 homers last year.

Despite the powerful lineup, it is San Diego's pitching that will determine how good the Padres can be. 28 year old Casey Greene has established himself as a consistant, top of the rotation starter, with a career record of 43-21, a career ERA of 3.38, and a career WHIP of 1.19. However, it is 27 year old Carlos Lozoya who has the pure talent to be a dominating ace. Lozoya was 11-9 last year with a 3.77 ERA and 198 strikeouts. San Diego will need him to take another step forward if it hopes to win a World Series. Delbert Spicher gives the Padres a reliable, if unspectacular, third starter. Spicher won 14 games last year with a 3.86 ERA.

The bullpen is the area where the Padres have especially struggled. Closer Lamont Ruvalcaba may have saved 33 games, but his ERA was an unimpressive 4.56, and nobody is afraid of a guy with an 18/24 strikeout to walk ratio. Meanwhile, Ruvalcaba and Juan Donato were the only relievers in the bullpen at the end of the year who had ERAs under 5.00(left-hander Hernan Neyra had a 1.35 ERA in 19 appearances, but was lost for the season in early June with a torn back muscle and veteran right-hander Benji Padilla had a 4.26 ERA in 44 games before going down for the season in late August with a back injury, as well). The Padres like the talent of right-hander Dario Pena, but for him to be successful, he'll have to cut down on the walks: 60 in 73 1/3 innings simply won't cut it. San Diego made an attempt to address the bullpen weakness by acquiring Leo Salguero from the Denver Broncos. The veteran Salguero struggled last season, posting a 5.87 ERA, but the Padres hope that he will improve from that by coming to a more favorable home park and a non-DH league.

As far as other weaknesses, right field appears to be a question mark. San Diego expects to platoon 25 year old Chet Prime and 29 year old Michael Saldana to fill that spot. The left-handed Prime posted a .577 OPS in 231 at bats in his first extended taste of the big leagues, while Saldana batted .331 with an .832 OPS in 163 at bats. Those numbers, however, are a far cry from his .262 career batting average and .703 career OPS.

Predicted finish: 1st

San Jose Sharks:
2082 Record: 96-66
Record over the last five years: 488-322
Payroll: 61,040,000
Payroll Rank: 12th
Minor League Rank: 23rd

After winning three World Series titles in five years from 2064 to 2068, it has been much more difficult for San Jose. The Sharks' last championship came in 2072, and they lost in the World Series in both '76 and '79. Now they face challenges from a revived San Diego team and potentially competitive Sacramento and Los Angeles teams. San Jose hasn't missed the playoffs since 2074, but that is a possibility that wouldn't shock many.

On offense, the Sharks remain formidable. First baseman Ugo Momoru(32) is one of the most feared sluggers in baseball, and for good reason. He has a .945 career OPS and has clubbed 421 career homeruns. Catcher Charles Seaver is coming off of a slight down season for him- his .818 OPS was far below his career .896 OPS- but he is still one of the best hitting catchers, even at age 34. He needs 4 homeruns to reach 300 for his career. Shortstop Orlando Escobedo(28) does only one thing, but he does it pretty well: hit homeruns. He ripped 35 last year and has a .506 career slugging percentage. Left fielder William Natali might be 38 years old, but there are few who match his ability to steal bases. He batted .336 last year and was second in the league with 65 stolen bases. He has 437 in his career.

San Jose's pitching staff includes probably the best bullpen in the game. Relief ace Bill Frisch has some of the nastiest stuff in the league, and the Sharks lean on him heavily. Last year, he tossed 94 1/3 innings and whiffed 118 batters while posting a 2.86 ERA. For his career, he has a 2.93 ERA in 407 games. 37 year old Anselmo Ortiz is a hard-throwing left-hander who is pretty much unhittable against anyone, no matter which side of the plate they hit from. Left-handed hitters last year were an embarassing 5 for 54 with 18 strikeouts against Ortiz last year, but righties weren't much better, mustering just a .203 batting average. The rising star of the bullpen is 25 year old Clinton Blanton, who has a 2.75 ERA in 97 career games. Blanton doesn't throw fireballs like Frisch and Ortiz, but he throws practically every pitch in the book(and a few that aren't!), sending hitters into fits as they futilely attempt to make solid contact.

While the bullpen is dominant, the biggest weakness of the Sharks is the rotation. Their best starter last year was 35 year old Roger Salazar, who won 15 games with a 3.38 ERA. Salazar has good control, but when he gets careless, he can get taken downtown; he served up 41 homeruns last year. Barry Gowen was once the most effective starter on the team, but his 4.63 ERA last year was his first above 4.00 since 2071. His 1.58 WHIP was the worst of his career. At 38, it is doubtful that he will be able to bounce back and remain a capable starter. 34 year old Benito Ortiz was one of the most consistant strikeout pitchers in the National League for many years, but injuries in recent years have begun to take their toll on the 34 year old. His 4.64 ERA last season was the second worst of his career. His 1.52 WHIP was the worst of his career. He failed to reach 200 strikeouts for the first time since his rookie season of 2071(not including an injury-plagued 2078 that limited him to 16 starts). 34 year old Justo Rubino has good enough stuff to miss some bats- he struck out 185 batters last year- but he has managed only one season with an ERA under 5.00 in the last four years. An old rotation that is largely in decline is not a good recipe for success, so for the Sharks to remain a dominant team, they are going to have to hope that their lineup can keep them in games long enough for the bullpen to take over and secure the victory.

Predicted finish: 2nd

12-19-2007, 07:06 PM	#245 (permalink)
jamus23 All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 599	2083 Season Preview: NL West Division Los Angeles Dodgers: 2082 Record: 82-80 Record over the last five seasons: 387-423 Payroll: 47,738,242 Payroll Rank: 19th (of 24 teams) Minor League Rank: 2nd (of 24) Last year, the Dodgers caught fire in the middle of the season and unexpectedly contended for a playoff spot, ultimately finishing three games behind San Diego for second place in the West. It would have been the Dodgers' first postseason appearance since 2076. This year, Los Angeles will hope for the continued development of a pair of young starting pitchers: Robert Jones(25), who has gone 40-15 the last two seasons with ERAs of 3.14 and 3.02, and Francisco Savala(24), who was 12-5 last year with a 2.86 ERA and 205 strikeouts. The Dodgers don't have a strong lineup, but they do have a few hitters that can do some damage. First baseman Timothy Wegener belted 29 homeruns last year. Veteran third baseman Oscar Elkins is the owner of 323 career homeruns, 27 of which came in 2082. Centerfielder Urbano Belmonte had a career year last season at the age of 36. His .356./.404/.541/.944 batting line included career highs in all of those categories. Leland Pye, the rightfielder, doesn't get a lot of mention, but he's a consistent hitter who has poked out between 19-29 homeruns in each of the last five seasons. Los Angeles' biggest weakness could be the catching position. They will open the season with three catchers on the 25 man roster, however all have question marks. The expected starter will be 25 year old Daniel Moise. Moise has a respectable .725 career OPS, but he has just 159 career at bats. Can he hold up as a regular? Sharing the backup duties will be a pair of veterans: Richard Franco(33) and Michael Grace(37). Franco has just a .685 OPS in over 1500 at bats, while Grace has a .758 OPS in more than 2200 career at bats. Franco doesn't appear to be any good, and Grace might be at the end of his career so it's unclear how useful he will be. There are two players who could really make or break the Dodgers' season. In 2081, shortstop Jose Valle was having a breakout season. Over the first three months of the season, he was batting .346/.440/.549. But near the end of June, he was lost for the season with an MCL injury. Last year, he batted just a middling .262/.334/.397. Now 22 years old, this former number one overall draft pick would be a huge boost to Los Angeles' lineup if he could get back to where he was two years ago. The second player who could be a huge factor for the Dodgers is 23 year old starting pitcher Edward Tiano. Tiano is considered to be the second best prospect in all of baseball and obviously has tremendous talent, but has proven to be a significant injury risk. Last year, he missed about 8 months with injuries to his elbow and tricep. If he can stay healthy and begin to harness his potential, the Dodgers could have the makings of an impressive rotation; not many teams have three frontline starters to throw at teams. Predicted finish: 4th Phoenix Cardinals: 2082 Record: 72-90 Record over the last five seasons: 355-455 Payroll: 34,590,357 Payroll Rank: 22nd Minor League Rank: 19th The Cardinals enter their 20th season still searching for their first winning record. Since entering the league in 2064, the most wins that Phoenix has managed is 75. Many have wondered why a team was ever put into Phoenix in the first place. The nearby Tucson Diamondbacks have been consistently competitive throughout their history and are one of the most popular teams in baseball. It's unlikely that there are enough fans in the area to support two teams, especially if one team is simply not any good. Not surprisingly, the fan support in Phoenix is the worst in baseball; they have finished last in attendance for two straight seasons. That being said, there is a bit of talent on the Cardinals' roster. Gary Hunter looks to be a rising star at catcher. The 22 year old batted .281/.359/.439 last year in 342 at bats. The first baseman, Eli Cuestas, has 359 career homeruns, and ripped 28 last season. 24 year old third baseman Anthony Nicklas has a .323 AVG and a .947 OPS in 558 career at bats. Shortstop Mike Morales(24) hit .330 with a 1.008 OPS and 34 homeruns last year. 26 year old center fielder Eduardo Braza batted .298 with 42 stolen bases in 2082. On the mound, veteran starter Edward Carbonell posted a 3.50 ERA and made the All Star team last year(although, much of his success came while with Portland; he struggled quite a bit after coming to Phoenix). Control artist Jason Bradford(25) has posted respectable ERAs of 4.79 and 4.57 the last two seasons. Despite this, however, the Cardinals have a huge weakness in their outfield. Braza has some talent, but the remaining outfielders are little more than decent fourth outfielder types. Phoenix will be starting too many guys out there that simply shouldn't be starting. As well, the pitching staff after Carbonell and Bradford is very weak, especially in the bullpen. Predicted finish: 6th Portland Trailblazers: 2082 Record: 77-85 Record over the last five seasons: 347-463 Payroll: 41,562,286 Payroll Rank: 20th Minor League Rank: 21 It's been over 10 years since Portland was relevant. The Trailblazers last had a winning season in 2072, and their last playoff appearance was 2070. This year, there just isn't a lot to get excited about in Portland. Jaime Alemany(30) and Robert Penney(36) give them two competent starting pitchers: Alemany has a 4.46 career ERA and a pair of 200 strikeout seasons, while Penney has had consecutive seasons with an ERA under 4.00. He also has 2 200 strikeout seasons in the last 4 years. Closer William Griffin(27) is solid; he managed a 4.13 ERA and 24 saves in 60 appearances last year. Bill Bruch is an extremely talented 20 year old first baseman who has managed a .777 OPS in 280 at bats. At the moment, however, he is blocked by veteran Edward Schuh, who hit 24 homeruns last year. Portland has very good depth, as it acquired a number of players in free agency who are very capable reserves. The problem is, despite the good depth, there simply isn't enough impact talent on Portland's roster to allow the Trailblazers to do any damage. They might be one of the most boring teams in baseball. Losing young slugger Gustavo Manrique to free agency was a devastating blow for a franchise that's been searching for an identity for a long time. Predicted finish: 5th Sacramento Kings: 2082 Record: 79-83 Record over the last five seasons: 453-357 Payroll: 69,601,828 Payroll Rank: 10th Minor League Rank: 12th From 2066 to 2080, the Kings had just one losing season, and only two seasons that they didn't finish over .500. However, in 2081 and 2082, they have posted consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 2064/2065. The Kings haven't had losing records in three straight seasons since 2055-57. It would be surprising if Sacramento did have a losing record for a third year in a row. The Kings have plenty of talent, starting with veteran catcher William Stokley. The 36 year old Stokley is a .345 career hitter with a .949 OPS. Last year, he batted .353 with a 1.007 OPS, so it doesn't look like he is slowing down anytime soon. The Kings also added a pair of slugging corner infielders in free agency: 24 year old first baseman Nestor Adrover, who has posted a SLG of at least .530 in three consecutive seasons, and 34 year old third baseman Joseph Swayze, who pounded 37 homeruns for Denver last year. Shortstop Alberto O'Campo slugged .600 last year and had a .983 OPS. Ramon Montalvo is a dangerous slugger in left field; he has 341 career homeruns, while Matthew Milewski is one of the best young right fielders around. The 25 year old had 28 homeruns and a .929 OPS last year. Carl Strothers is an interesting question mark at the top of the Kings' rotation. In 2079 and 2080, he had a combined record of 46-15, posted ERAs of 2.31 and 3.21, and whiffed a total of 510 batters. In 2081, he got off to a good start, but began struggling in May and June. After righting the ship in July, Sacramento traded him to a very bad Green Bay team. He proceeded to go 0-8 in the final two months of the season, though he pitched well in September. He finished with a 10-18 record, a 4.09 ERA, and, for him, a somewhat low 189 strikeouts. He returned to Sacramento as a free agent last season, but had his season disrupted by two lengthy injuries. He finished 9-10 with a 3.49 ERA. If Strothers can stay healthy and return to where he was a couple of years ago, Sacramento's rotation immediately becomes a force to be reckoned with. Strothers is as talented a number one as any in the National League. Pedro Godinez gives the Kings a possible number two starter. The 29 year old had a 3.93 ERA last year. Effective relief pitching can be hard to come by, so the Kings are happy to have Carlos Fleitas anchoring their bullpen. The 30 year old has a 3.76 ERA in 297 career games. Last year, he posted a 2.68 ERA in 63 games. Sacramento doesn't have a lot of glaring weaknesses, but one position to watch might be centerfield, where the Kings are preparing to employ two guys who have been around for a very long time. Harold Willems is a fascinating story. Seventeen years ago, Willems was the American League Rookie of the Year as a member of the Denver Broncos. Seven years after that, he won a World Series with the San Diego Padres. The following year, 2074, he batted a pathetic .195 with a .714 OPS, and his days as a regular seemed numbered. His glove and his power, however, kept him around long enough to enjoy what has been a late career blossoming. Willems, now 38 years old, has posted OPS's of .860, .834, and .910 in the last three seasons. A year ago, he smashed 49 doubles and 38 homeruns. Despite just a .235 career batting average, Willems has clubbed 449 homeruns and has a career .807 OPS. In free agency, the Kings added another 38 year old, Ulises Menendez. To put into perspective just how long Menendez has been around.... well, Menendez played in the major leagues before the second expansion. Menendez was the number one overall pick by Harrisburg way back in 2063- one year before Phoenix, New Jersey, Charlotte, and Green Bay entered the league- and he collected 171 at bats for the Capitals. Now, twenty years later, Menendez has compiled 3,119 hits and 471 homeruns. While Willems was enjoying one of his best seasons at an advanced age last year, Menendez showed his age considerably last season. Despite managing 18 homeruns for Miami last year, Menendez had just a .655 OPS. He did, however, win his fourth career Gold Glove in center field. Although Willems has held up well as he's aged, it seems overly optimistic to expect him to keep it up, and Menendez seems unreliable as a backup. Look for the Kings to try and fill this position more adequately as the season progresses, especially if they have a shot at the postseason. Predicted finish: 3rd San Diego Padres: 2082 Record: 85-77 Record over the last five years: 382-428 Payroll: 57,022,171 Payroll Rank: 14th Minor League Rank: 8th The last 10 years or so have been a wild roller-coaster ride for the Padres. In 2072, the team lost 100 games for the first time in 24 years, finishing with a major league worst 107 losses. The following year, San Diego shelled out almost $45 million in free agent contracts. The free-spending paid off in a big way, as the Padres won 96 games and won their first World Series in 43 years. For two more years, the team remained competitive, winning 198 games combined in '74 and '75 and making the postseason both years. And then the piper came for his pay. San Diego lost 304 games over the next three seasons, and finished in last place in 2078. After an almost complete overhaul, San Diego returned to the playoffs in 2081 and hung tough against the eventual World Series winners, Pittsburgh, ultimately falling in seven games in the Divisional Round. Last year, it was the Padres who prevailed in seven games over the Pirates in the Divisionals, and then San Diego reached the World Series after handling San Jose with surprising ease in only five games. The Padres played well, but were overcome in six games by Miami in the World Series. Now San Diego looks to take it one more step. Andrew Burdick, Gregorio Ruiz, Gaby Matos, and George Canales form the backbone of one of the league's most intimidating lineups. The 35 year old second baseman Burdick is closing in on 3,000 hits- he needs just 80 more- and after last season's Silver Slugger-winning campaign, he looks like he could play until he's 40. Ruiz, the 32 year old left fielder, batted .350 with 31 homeruns last year; he has 308 career roundtrippers. 22 year old center fielder Matos broke out last year and led the league with 48 homeruns. Almost forgotten sometimes is the first baseman, Canales(26), who enjoyed an .860 OPS and 31 homers last year. Despite the powerful lineup, it is San Diego's pitching that will determine how good the Padres can be. 28 year old Casey Greene has established himself as a consistant, top of the rotation starter, with a career record of 43-21, a career ERA of 3.38, and a career WHIP of 1.19. However, it is 27 year old Carlos Lozoya who has the pure talent to be a dominating ace. Lozoya was 11-9 last year with a 3.77 ERA and 198 strikeouts. San Diego will need him to take another step forward if it hopes to win a World Series. Delbert Spicher gives the Padres a reliable, if unspectacular, third starter. Spicher won 14 games last year with a 3.86 ERA. The bullpen is the area where the Padres have especially struggled. Closer Lamont Ruvalcaba may have saved 33 games, but his ERA was an unimpressive 4.56, and nobody is afraid of a guy with an 18/24 strikeout to walk ratio. Meanwhile, Ruvalcaba and Juan Donato were the only relievers in the bullpen at the end of the year who had ERAs under 5.00(left-hander Hernan Neyra had a 1.35 ERA in 19 appearances, but was lost for the season in early June with a torn back muscle and veteran right-hander Benji Padilla had a 4.26 ERA in 44 games before going down for the season in late August with a back injury, as well). The Padres like the talent of right-hander Dario Pena, but for him to be successful, he'll have to cut down on the walks: 60 in 73 1/3 innings simply won't cut it. San Diego made an attempt to address the bullpen weakness by acquiring Leo Salguero from the Denver Broncos. The veteran Salguero struggled last season, posting a 5.87 ERA, but the Padres hope that he will improve from that by coming to a more favorable home park and a non-DH league. As far as other weaknesses, right field appears to be a question mark. San Diego expects to platoon 25 year old Chet Prime and 29 year old Michael Saldana to fill that spot. The left-handed Prime posted a .577 OPS in 231 at bats in his first extended taste of the big leagues, while Saldana batted .331 with an .832 OPS in 163 at bats. Those numbers, however, are a far cry from his .262 career batting average and .703 career OPS. Predicted finish: 1st San Jose Sharks: 2082 Record: 96-66 Record over the last five years: 488-322 Payroll: 61,040,000 Payroll Rank: 12th Minor League Rank: 23rd After winning three World Series titles in five years from 2064 to 2068, it has been much more difficult for San Jose. The Sharks' last championship came in 2072, and they lost in the World Series in both '76 and '79. Now they face challenges from a revived San Diego team and potentially competitive Sacramento and Los Angeles teams. San Jose hasn't missed the playoffs since 2074, but that is a possibility that wouldn't shock many. On offense, the Sharks remain formidable. First baseman Ugo Momoru(32) is one of the most feared sluggers in baseball, and for good reason. He has a .945 career OPS and has clubbed 421 career homeruns. Catcher Charles Seaver is coming off of a slight down season for him- his .818 OPS was far below his career .896 OPS- but he is still one of the best hitting catchers, even at age 34. He needs 4 homeruns to reach 300 for his career. Shortstop Orlando Escobedo(28) does only one thing, but he does it pretty well: hit homeruns. He ripped 35 last year and has a .506 career slugging percentage. Left fielder William Natali might be 38 years old, but there are few who match his ability to steal bases. He batted .336 last year and was second in the league with 65 stolen bases. He has 437 in his career. San Jose's pitching staff includes probably the best bullpen in the game. Relief ace Bill Frisch has some of the nastiest stuff in the league, and the Sharks lean on him heavily. Last year, he tossed 94 1/3 innings and whiffed 118 batters while posting a 2.86 ERA. For his career, he has a 2.93 ERA in 407 games. 37 year old Anselmo Ortiz is a hard-throwing left-hander who is pretty much unhittable against anyone, no matter which side of the plate they hit from. Left-handed hitters last year were an embarassing 5 for 54 with 18 strikeouts against Ortiz last year, but righties weren't much better, mustering just a .203 batting average. The rising star of the bullpen is 25 year old Clinton Blanton, who has a 2.75 ERA in 97 career games. Blanton doesn't throw fireballs like Frisch and Ortiz, but he throws practically every pitch in the book(and a few that aren't!), sending hitters into fits as they futilely attempt to make solid contact. While the bullpen is dominant, the biggest weakness of the Sharks is the rotation. Their best starter last year was 35 year old Roger Salazar, who won 15 games with a 3.38 ERA. Salazar has good control, but when he gets careless, he can get taken downtown; he served up 41 homeruns last year. Barry Gowen was once the most effective starter on the team, but his 4.63 ERA last year was his first above 4.00 since 2071. His 1.58 WHIP was the worst of his career. At 38, it is doubtful that he will be able to bounce back and remain a capable starter. 34 year old Benito Ortiz was one of the most consistant strikeout pitchers in the National League for many years, but injuries in recent years have begun to take their toll on the 34 year old. His 4.64 ERA last season was the second worst of his career. His 1.52 WHIP was the worst of his career. He failed to reach 200 strikeouts for the first time since his rookie season of 2071(not including an injury-plagued 2078 that limited him to 16 starts). 34 year old Justo Rubino has good enough stuff to miss some bats- he struck out 185 batters last year- but he has managed only one season with an ERA under 5.00 in the last four years. An old rotation that is largely in decline is not a good recipe for success, so for the Sharks to remain a dominant team, they are going to have to hope that their lineup can keep them in games long enough for the bullpen to take over and secure the victory. Predicted finish: 2nd __________________ 2081: Desperation in Denver