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 2012 Major League Baseball season I am going to be examining a different team every day. Starting with the Astros, working toward the Phillies. I will give you my projected starters, breakout and bust players, each team's X-Factor and top prospect.
PROJECTED LINEUP
SS Rafael Furcal
RF Carlos Beltran
LF Matt Holliday
1B Lance Berkman
3B David Freese
C Yadier Molina
CF John Jay
2B Daniel Descalso
P Adam Wainwright
PROJECTED ROTATION
Adam Wainwright
Jaimie Garcia
Kyle Lohse
Jake Westbrook
Lance Lynn
**Chris Carpenter (questionable for Opening Day)
Jaimie Garcia
Kyle Lohse
Jake Westbrook
Lance Lynn
**Chris Carpenter (questionable for Opening Day)
PROJECTED BULLPEN
Closer - Jason Motte
Set-up - Fernando Salas
Closer - Jason Motte
Set-up - Fernando Salas
Top Prospect - Shelby Miller(RHP)
Breakout
Shelby Miller - With the bad news on the horizon about Chris Carpenter, pitching coach Dave Duncan will have to work his magic one more time. He's done wonders with Lohse and Garcia, but it looks like Miller may not need any help. The top prospect in the Redbirds' system has excelled at everyone level jump and could become an instant impact in 2012. If the opportunity presents itself the 21 year-old Miller could put his name in the Rookie of the Year race.
Bust
Shelby Miller - With the bad news on the horizon about Chris Carpenter, pitching coach Dave Duncan will have to work his magic one more time. He's done wonders with Lohse and Garcia, but it looks like Miller may not need any help. The top prospect in the Redbirds' system has excelled at everyone level jump and could become an instant impact in 2012. If the opportunity presents itself the 21 year-old Miller could put his name in the Rookie of the Year race.
Bust
Carlos Beltran - I feel GM John Mozeliak is trying to pull off the same tricks two years in a row and who can blame him after ending 2011 with a champagne bath and a parade? While the Berkman move looked brilliant, the real test will be doing it two years in a row. by buying in on an aging veteran on the cheap. I think Beltran is a big wild card for the Cards. I remain pessimistic about Beltran's ability to perform like the run producer he once was and even stay in the outfield for a full season.
X-FACTOR
Lance Berkman - They are not asking Berkman to be Albert Pujols, but he certainly needs to be closer to his resurgent 2011 season than his baffling 2010 season if the Cards want to repeat. He and the rest of the veterans (Holliday, Carpenter, Furcal, Beltran) should take some pressure off first year coach Mike Matheny, but it's a tall order for everyone involved. They need to replace two legends (Larussa and Pujols), defend a title, and avoid the injury bug for all their aging stars including Berkman.
Lance Berkman - They are not asking Berkman to be Albert Pujols, but he certainly needs to be closer to his resurgent 2011 season than his baffling 2010 season if the Cards want to repeat. He and the rest of the veterans (Holliday, Carpenter, Furcal, Beltran) should take some pressure off first year coach Mike Matheny, but it's a tall order for everyone involved. They need to replace two legends (Larussa and Pujols), defend a title, and avoid the injury bug for all their aging stars including Berkman.
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 90-72
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| Adam Wainwright could be comeback player of the year |
PROJECTED FINISH: 2nd in National League Central
***THANKS FOR READING MY TEAM BY TEAM OUTLOOKS TO HELP PASS THE TIME
***THANKS FOR READING MY TEAM BY TEAM OUTLOOKS TO HELP PASS THE TIME
Check back tomorrow for the New York Yankees
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