#6: Oakland Athletics (88-74, 746 RS, 695 RA)
Not a typo, though I keep thinking it is. The A's additions of Matt Holliday and Orlando Cabrera were such massive upgrades on both sides of the ball over what played left field and shortstop last year that they'll have a huge effect. It's not just a statistical thing; the A's, who collectively take good at-bats and draw walks, needed guys to bat .290 with a bunch of doubles, because few teams squandered more good counts and more good situations last year. Holliday and Cabrera fit perfectly in this lineup, making it a good offense. The rotation is shaky—Dallas Braden, Opening Day starter?—but there's so much pitching in the upper levels that it could be a lot better in August than in April. The bullpen is fantastic, five deep when Joey Devine returns.
#5: Atlanta Braves (91-71, 799 RS, 703 RA)
Also not a typo. The Braves' rotation was a bad joke last season, so the additions of Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, and Kenshin Kawakami have a similar effect on their prospects as the additions of Holliday and Cabrera do for the Braves. The Braves are going to play very good defense; only Chipper Jones and Garret Anderson don't handle their positions well. The threat of two OBP sinks in the middle of the lineup, Anderson and Jeff Francoeur, is the main reason to be pessimistic, and using Tom Glavine in the rotation provides another. The organization's blind spot about experience could hurt it in a season when it should be able to get back to October.
#4: Los Angeles Dodgers (92-70, 819 RS, 711 RA)
I'm no Casey Blake fan, but if he's the worst hitter you've got, then you're on to something. The Dodgers' signings of Orlando Hudson and Manny Ramirez upgraded them from a fringe contender to one of the best teams in baseball in the waning days of the offseason. The decision to use James McDonald in the rotation will be worth a few wins as well, and while the back of the rotation is still a weakness, there's enough bullpen here—Cory Wade and Hung-Chih Kuo could own the seventh and eighth innings—to make up for it.
I'm very surprised to see both the A's and the Braves cracking his top 10. I expected the Dodgers in the top 10, and think they are a top 10 team, but am surprised to see them that high. I am also disappointed to see them that high.
Not a typo, though I keep thinking it is. The A's additions of Matt Holliday and Orlando Cabrera were such massive upgrades on both sides of the ball over what played left field and shortstop last year that they'll have a huge effect. It's not just a statistical thing; the A's, who collectively take good at-bats and draw walks, needed guys to bat .290 with a bunch of doubles, because few teams squandered more good counts and more good situations last year. Holliday and Cabrera fit perfectly in this lineup, making it a good offense. The rotation is shaky—Dallas Braden, Opening Day starter?—but there's so much pitching in the upper levels that it could be a lot better in August than in April. The bullpen is fantastic, five deep when Joey Devine returns.
#5: Atlanta Braves (91-71, 799 RS, 703 RA)
Also not a typo. The Braves' rotation was a bad joke last season, so the additions of Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, and Kenshin Kawakami have a similar effect on their prospects as the additions of Holliday and Cabrera do for the Braves. The Braves are going to play very good defense; only Chipper Jones and Garret Anderson don't handle their positions well. The threat of two OBP sinks in the middle of the lineup, Anderson and Jeff Francoeur, is the main reason to be pessimistic, and using Tom Glavine in the rotation provides another. The organization's blind spot about experience could hurt it in a season when it should be able to get back to October.
#4: Los Angeles Dodgers (92-70, 819 RS, 711 RA)
I'm no Casey Blake fan, but if he's the worst hitter you've got, then you're on to something. The Dodgers' signings of Orlando Hudson and Manny Ramirez upgraded them from a fringe contender to one of the best teams in baseball in the waning days of the offseason. The decision to use James McDonald in the rotation will be worth a few wins as well, and while the back of the rotation is still a weakness, there's enough bullpen here—Cory Wade and Hung-Chih Kuo could own the seventh and eighth innings—to make up for it.
I'm very surprised to see both the A's and the Braves cracking his top 10. I expected the Dodgers in the top 10, and think they are a top 10 team, but am surprised to see them that high. I am also disappointed to see them that high.
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