These names jumped out at me as I’m working on my book. (See the sidebar. Available soon.)
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B.J. Upton, CF—Tampa Bay Rays
Upton is probably one of the most aggravating players in all of baseball to fans, teammates and everyone else. So talented that he can do anything—-anything—on the field, his motivation and hustle are contingent on the day and his mood.
But he’s a free agent at the end of the season and wants to get paid. Expect a big power/stolen base season and a return to the high on base numbers from 2007-2008.
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Carlos Villanueva, RHP—Toronto Blue Jays
He won’t cost anything and was under-the-radar impressive when the Blue Jays put him in the starting rotation last season.
They have starting pitching, but with Kyle Drabek a question to make the team and the limits still being placed on Henderson Alvarez and Brandon Morrow, Villanueva is a veteran they could count on as a starter they don’t have to limit.
As a starter, he was able to use all of his pitches including a changeup. Strangely, he gets his secondary pitches over the plate consistently, but not his fastball.
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Jim Johnson, RHP—Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles haven’t specifically said what they’re doing with Johnson. They’ve implied that he’s staying in the bullpen, but the acquisition of Matt Lindstrom frees them to make Johnson a starter where he could be very effective.
Either way, he’s not a “name” closer or guaranteed starter who’d be overly in demand.
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Jacob Turner, RHP—Detroit Tigers
As the Tigers proved with Rick Porcello, they don’t let a pitcher’s inexperience dissuade them from sticking him in the rotation.
Turner has far better stuff than Porcello—a good fastball and wicked hard curve. He throws multiple variations on his fastball, has great control and is poised and polished.
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Adam Dunn, DH—Chicago White Sox
I have trouble buying that a veteran who hit 40 home runs annually and wasn’t a PED case suddenly lost it all at once.
The not-so-witty line, “Dunn is Done” is a cheap shot and inaccurate.
He was terrible last season to be sure, but he was also unlucky (a .240 BAbip vs a career number of .292).
Dunn still walked 75 times and in comparison to his absurd .159 average, a .292 OBP is pretty good.
The combination of the new league; the expectations and pressure from a big contract; and a raving maniac manager in Ozzie Guillen put Dunn out of his comfort zone. A year in with the White Sox and a more relaxed and understanding manager, Robin Ventura, along with the diminished team-wide expectations will let Dunn be himself—a gentle giant who walks a lot and hits home runs.
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Hisanori Takahashi, LHP—Los Angeles Angels
The Angels were kicking the tires on Francisco Cordero and Ryan Madson and it wasn’t to be a set-up man.
If Jordan Walden is suffering from shellshock after the way his massive gack against the Athletics late in the season essentially eliminated the Angels from contention, they might have to pull him from the closer’s role sooner rather than later.
Manager Mike Scioscia is loyal to his players and doesn’t make changes like this until he absolutely has to, but the Angels can’t afford to mess around with the money they spent this off-season and the competition they’re facing for a playoff spot.
Takahashi can do anything—start, set-up, close—and is fearless.
Worst case, if your league counts “holds”, he’ll accumulate those for you.
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Fautino De Los Santos, RHP—Oakland Athletics
Don’t ask me what the A’s are planning this year because as the trades of their starting rotation and closer and signing Yoenis Cespedes signing prove, they’re flinging stuff at the wall and hoping something sticks.
Although Brian Fuentes and Grant Balfour are on the roster, they might be willing to look at a younger, inexperienced closer at some point. Fuentes is hot and cold and Balfour has never been a full time closer.
De Los Santos has an upper-90s fastball and as the season rolls on, it’s likely that both Fuentes and Balfour will be traded. They’ll need someone to rack up the saves and De Los Santos is as good a choice as any.
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Kila Ka’aihue, 1B—Oakland Athletics
His minor league on base/power numbers are absurd and the A’s first base situation is muddled at best.
The Royals kindasorta gave Ka’aihue a chance for the first month of 2011, but abandoned him when he got off to a bad start. The A’s have nothing to lose by playing him for at least the first half of the season and, if nothing else, he’ll walk and get on base.
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Hector Noesi, RHP—Seattle Mariners
Noesi doesn’t give up a lot of home runs and has good control. These attributes will be magnified pitching in the big ballpark in Seattle and with the Mariners good defense. He also strikes out around a hitter per inning, so that all adds up to a good statistical season if you’re not counting wins.
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