With very few impactful free agents still out there and big trades unlikely, it’s probably a safe time to kick off my 2010 MLB Preview. Unlike 2008 and 2009, I will not be doing an individual preview for each of the 30 teams. Instead, I will do an individual preview for each of the NL East teams and then a division preview for the other 5 divisions. Mixed in, I will have a 4-part Phillies preview (while finishing off the prospect rankings and “best Phillies team ever” tourny) and some miscellaneous stuff.
This page will serve as a homepage with links to all the MLB Preview articles. I’ll kick it off next week with my AL Central preview and Phillies Infield preview.
Division Previews
NL East Team Previews
Phillies Preview
- Infield
- Starting Rotation
- Outfield
- Bullpen/Bench
- 20 Questions for Spring Training
- Halladay on Cover of TSN
Miscellaneous
- Players to watch in 2010
- 10 guys who’d look good in red pinstripes
- 10 best pitches of all-time
Bryce Harper’s collegiate debut yesterday. It’s the litle things that count…
<<Harper capped his night by hitting a sacrifice fly to left field in the eighth inning during an attempted intentional walk. He reached out and poked the opposite-field drive for his second RBI.
Harper was not available for comment. Older brother Bryan Harper, who got the win with seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 relief innings, said it wasn’t the first time Bryce has foiled an intentional walk.
“If they’re not going to execute the walk, he’s going to make them pay,” Bryan said.>>
http://www.lvrj.com/sports/harper-shows-flair-in-csn-debut-83143447.html
Another in the never ending series of prospect lists. Michael Taylor 13, Domonic Brown 24. Jesus Montero, Yankee catching prospect is ranked 3, a notch above Stephen Strasburg.
http://projectprospect.com/article/2010/01/30/top-25-prospect-list
looking forward to it. Pete.
wont be soon before; “LET’S PLAY BALL!”
You never know, but this has a chance to go down as a quote for the ages.
• General manager Neal Huntington made a striking pronouncement on the 2010 draft yesterday by telling the PirateFest crowd that Bryce Harper, the Las Vegas catcher dubbed “Baseball’s LeBron” by Sports Illustrated last June, is not currently among the Pirates’ top 10. They pick second. “He’s getting a lot of hype,” Huntington said. “We will scout Bryce Harper. But we’re not going to select him because somebody thinks he’s the best prospect in the history of the game and we think he’s the 10th-best.”
Fair warning, Pete. Don’t pick the Buccos too high in your preview. Not even PECOTA had gonads that large. Maybe the A’s, maybe the Rays, maybe even the Nats, but not the Pirate. The tag line on their broadcasts should be let’s pause for station identification on the Clippers East baseball network.
Pete, no Pro Bowl preview/prediction? What’s the problem?
(btw, all three Eagles announced in the starting lineups, Peters, DJax, and Weaver, all pointed to their Eagles’ helmet when being introduced). About half of the overall players did that. Just sayin’
Just in case… here’s the link to the Bryce Harper Sports Illustrated piece Ken Bland is referred to – it’s a good albeit lengthy read and I don’t think it can be boiled down to him being called the Lebron James of baseball, which doesn’t suit this kid’s situation in a lot of ways:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1156215/2/index.htm
Evidently, Baseball Prospectus has revised some of their thinking in projecting 2010. The Phils are still stuck on 88 wins, but Ryan Howard is now 36 and 112, instead of 34 and 111. Texas is now winning the AL West, Oakland drops to 3rd at 80-82. Dodgers drop to 3rd, Dbacks win the West. A bit more realistic, sor what its worth. Yanks take the East, Rays to 3rd.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/fantasy/dc/index.php?tm=PHI