Wade Miller has a golden opportunity to be a useful fantasy starter thanks to Mark Prior’s inability to stick with the Cubs.
For the fourth straight season, Mark Prior won’t be breaking camp with Cubbies. This time, it’s opened the door for Wade Miller to make hay as Chicago’s fifth starter. In the final Offseason Lowdown of the season, we examine several other late-breaking situations that have allowed some unexpected players to have potential value early this season.
C.C. Sabathia insists he’ll take the mound Monday, leaving a possible Adam Miller arrival a bit premature for now; Scott Hairston will get a chance to prove he belongs with Carlos Quentin out; and one-time stud prospect Joe Borchard should get plenty of ABs in April.
In just two years, Chien-Ming Wang has progressed from dressing like a cheerleader to being the likely Opening Day starter for the Yanks.
The problems with Andy’s Not-so-Dandy back earlier this week made me wonder if the Yankees could survive a major hit to their starting rotation. So in this week’s Offseason Lowdown, we put the pinstripers’ projected rotation under the microscope.
We also check in on the battle for the fifth starter job in Florida; and discuss the good news from the Angels’ camp.
If you’re seeking a distraction from your mourning over the death of Cathy Seipp (a woman who’s viewpoints we didn’t necessarily agree with, but she was proof that famous people can come from Winnipeg), try this week’s Offseason Lowdown on for size.
Tony La Russa may have to reach for the Pepto-Bismol a little early this year.
It sure didn’t take long for the St. Louis Cardinals to hit their first bump in the road on their quest to defend their World Series title. Manager Tony La Russa is expecting to begin the season without two-thirds of his starting outfield. Find out how the job opportunities might shake out in this week’s Offseason Lowdown.
Will Cristian Guzman be the worst regular in the majors this year? Could Sean Burnett be a sleeper once injury strikes in Pittsburgh?
Let’s hope the new Bosox closer (whoever the hell he is) can flog opponents as well as former closer Jonathan Papelbon flogs chicken products.
After a very forgettable season which saw the team get off to a 59-36 start yet somehow only win 86 games, the Bosox faced another winter of change. Several new faces have emerged, not the least of them being the next great Japanese sensation, Daisuke Matsuzaka. Here’s hoping he’s no fat toad and that he can become a key cog in the Bosox machine as the team looks to get back to the postseason in 2007. In this week’s Offseason Lowdown, we preview the Boston Red Sox.
We’ll assess their strengths and weaknesses; analyze their offseason acquisitions; discuss the key issue facing the team heading into 2007; identify their fantasy sleeper; project the batting order and pitching rotation; and highlight the team’s top two prospects.
Gerald Laird not only provides the Rangers with a better bat at catcher, but he’s also one of the best in the game at gunning down would-be basestealers.
Will firing Buck Showalter have the same effect on the Rangers that it did for the Yanks and D-Backs (namely, winning the World Series)? At this point, I’m sure they’d settle for their first playoff appearance since 1999 and in this week’s Offseason Lowdown, we see how close they are in our Rangers season preview.
We analyze the team’s strengths and weaknesses; check out the new toys they acquired in the offseason; answer the key question facing the club; project their starting lineup and rotation; and spotlight two of their top prospects.
Can Texas finally crack the two top in the AL West? Find out in this week’s Offseason Lowdown.
