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
CF Austin Jackson
RF Brennan Boesch
3B Miguel Cabrera
1B Prince Fielder
DH Delmon Young
C Alex Avila
SS Jhonny Peralta
LF Andy Dirks
2B Ryan Rayburn
PROJECTED ROTATION
PROJECTED ROTATION
Justin Verlander
Max Scherzer
Doug Fister
Rick Porcello
Andrew Oliver
Max Scherzer
Doug Fister
Rick Porcello
Andrew Oliver
PROJECTED BULLPEN
Closer - Jose Valverde
Set-up - Joaquin Benoit
Closer - Jose Valverde
Set-up - Joaquin Benoit
Top Prospect - Jacob Turner (RHP)
Breakout
Delmon Young - I think I could drive in 50 runs getting the fastball Delmon Young will see hitting behind the best 3-4 combination in the game today. If Young can continue to improve off his solid September and torrid spring, Detroit could be looking at the man Tampa thought they were getting six years ago. Hitting fifth in the Detroit lineup should be enough for 100 RBIs easy and I think the ceiling for a guy who is only 26 years old is much higher.
Bust
Delmon Young - I think I could drive in 50 runs getting the fastball Delmon Young will see hitting behind the best 3-4 combination in the game today. If Young can continue to improve off his solid September and torrid spring, Detroit could be looking at the man Tampa thought they were getting six years ago. Hitting fifth in the Detroit lineup should be enough for 100 RBIs easy and I think the ceiling for a guy who is only 26 years old is much higher.
Bust
Brennan Boesch - To counter what I said about Delmon, the fact you are hitting in front or behind a superstar is not a guarantee to any success. You need some talent too. Now, while Boesch has some talent, I'm not sold he has enough to be the 30 home run canidate people think he can be. He is a career .321 hitters in the first half and a .182 hitter down the stretch. That does not bode well for a team trying to do big things in 2012.
X-FACTOR
Rick Porcello- If there is a question anywhere on the defending A.L. Central champs it is the starting pitcher depth behind the Cy Young/MVP Justin Verlander. Can guys like Porcello, Max Scherzer and Doug Fister need to put a solid full season together to make their rotation formidbale? And with the move of Miggy to third base, will Porcello, a sinker-baller, get the defense behind him he needs to have a successful season?
Rick Porcello- If there is a question anywhere on the defending A.L. Central champs it is the starting pitcher depth behind the Cy Young/MVP Justin Verlander. Can guys like Porcello, Max Scherzer and Doug Fister need to put a solid full season together to make their rotation formidbale? And with the move of Miggy to third base, will Porcello, a sinker-baller, get the defense behind him he needs to have a successful season?
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 95-67
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| Could Cabrera, Fielder and Young be the best 3-4-5 in baseball? |
PROJECTED FINISH: 1st in American 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 St. Louis Cardinals
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