By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Montgomery Media
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Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515 |
To help pass the time between now and the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season I am going to be examining a different team every day. Starting with the Pirates, working toward the Phillies. I will give you my projected starters, breakout and bust players, biggest spring training question and top prospect.
PROJECTED LINEUP
PROJECTED LINEUP
2B Brian Roberts
RF Nick Markakis
1B Derrek Lee
DH Vladimir Guerrero
CF Adam Jones
3B Mark Reynolds
LF Luke Scott
C Matt Wieters
SS JJ Hardy
PROJECTED ROTATION
Justin Duscherer
Jeremy Guthrie
Brian Matusz
Jake Arrieta
Brad Bergensen
PROJECTED BULLPEN
Closer - Kevin Gregg
Set-up - Koji Uhera
Top Prospect - Zach Britton (LHP)
Breakout
Matt Wieters - We live in a what-have-you done lately society and after one year in the bigs the glimmer has fallen off the former top prospect in baseball. Most big leaguers battle an early adjustment period and now that he is buried in a feared lineup he should be able to thrive hitting at the bottom of the order.
Breakout
Matt Wieters - We live in a what-have-you done lately society and after one year in the bigs the glimmer has fallen off the former top prospect in baseball. Most big leaguers battle an early adjustment period and now that he is buried in a feared lineup he should be able to thrive hitting at the bottom of the order.
Bust
Derrek Lee - He's just not the same player he was when he was with the Cubs and Marlins. I think Buck Showalter will try and shove Lee in the three hole at the beginning of the year, but by the end he'll be hitting 6th, 7th or be on the DL. I do like the leadership he brings to a rather young team, but he's not going to hit the .300 mark, hit 30 homers, or drive in 100 RBIs.
Biggest Spring Training Question
Feared of fogies - People around baseball want to praise the Orioles' organization for the revamped offense they put together this offseason. While it definitely better than last year and much more pop and the home runs should be flying for the home team more often in Camden Yards with Lee, Guerrero and Reynolds. I'm still not sure if that translate to wins. Hopefully they can find out what kind of hitters Lee, Vlad and JJ Hardy are at time this in their career and its enough to be competitive in 2011.
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 66-96
| Is the Buck Show on the right track? |
PROJECTED FINISH: 4th in the American League East
***THANKS FOR READING MY TEAM BY TEAM OUTLOOKS TO HELP PASS THE TIME
Check back tomorrow for the Kansas City Royals
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