Baseball Guru
02-16-2004, 10:50 AM
http://www.fanball.com/bb/article.cfm/ID.2252
By Bo Mitchell, Content Manager
February 11, 2004 7:00 AM ET
Spring Training Home: Space Coast Stadium – Melbourne, Florida
First Grapefruit League Game: March 4 vs. Tigers
The Expos franchise is about as stable as LaToya Jackson. Hey, her more famous siblings have been getting ripped mercilessly in the media so we're merely spreading around the vitriolic barrage…lest poor LaToya feel left out. As currently constructed, the Expos are operated by major-league baseball, are destined to be relocated following this season, and are viewed by only a few thousand people on a regular basis when their home games are held in Montreal. Thousands more flock to the park when their "home" games are held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as 22 of them will be again in 2004. Note to fantasy owners: all 22 games at the bandbox known as Hiram Bithorn Stadium will be played prior to the All-Star break so feel free to unload your Expos hitters after the midsummer classic. Unfortunately for those NL-only fantasy owners who had the incomparable Vladimir Guerrero under contract he will no longer be taking advantage of the cozy confines of Hiram Bithorn—thanks to free agency and the millions of dollars the Angels had at their disposal.
Notable offseason transactions
Two major transactions shaped the Expos' offseason. The first, as mentioned above, was Guerrero's signing with the Angels. The second was the trade that sent staff ace Javier Vazquez to the Yankees for first baseman Nick Johnson, outfielder Juan Rivera, and pitcher Randy Choate. Third baseman Tony Batista and outfielder Carl Everett were signed via free agency. Those not named "Vlad" who left via free agency included Todd Zeile, Joe Vitiello, Fernando Tatis, and Wil Cordero.
What to watch
A year ago, a certain Content Manager for a certain fantasy sports site had the temerity to label Tony Armas Jr. his number one pitching sleeper for 2003. Sadly, five starts into what should have been his breakout season, Armas had to undergo season ending surgery to have tears in his right labrum and rotator cuff repaired. The 2.61 ERA and 1.064 WHIP through five starts left us with but a taste of what he is capable when healthy. Armas is supposed to be ready to rock and roll for spring training, but any pitcher coming off shoulder surgery warrants close monitoring, especially those with the potential to be a significant fantasy contributor like the son of the former Oakland outfielder.
Is Livan Hernandez ready to accept the mantle of staff ace? His 2003 season was shocking to many fantasy owners, but a double-check of the numbers reveals that Livan has now won between 12 and 17 games and pitched more than 210 innings in four straight seasons. Admit it, he's a little better than you thought.
There aren't many more combustible players than Everett. He was mellow by his standards last year, but one has to wonder how well he'll adapt to the great white north. Dude doesn't believe man landed on the moon or that dinosaurs ever walked the earth; who knows what weird preconceptions he might have of Canada. And the pressure to try to fill the huge shoes left behind by Vlad is also bound to wear on him.
Lastly, Nick Johnson is a nice hitter with the kind of on base percentages in his resume that would make Billy Beane genuflect. But let's not all get carried away with the projections now that he'll presumably be playing every day. At best, Johnson will bat over .300, crank 20-plus homers, and knock in 100 runs. Such Ruthian forecasts have resulted in some other outlets ranking him on the cusp of fantasy baseball's elite. Why? Through no fault of his own, Johnson has yet to turn in a 400 at-bat campaign, so we won't hold that against him too much. It's tough to get overly forthy about his career .254 average, though. Nick "the Stick" will definitely evolve into a nice hitter, but unless he starts flashing some heretofore unseen McGwire-esque power displays as he prepares for his first full-time major-league gig during Grapefruit League play, we would urge restraint when the auction bidding climbs too far into the double digits.
Position battles
For a team that lost their best hitter and best pitcher during the offseason, the Expos are pretty well set in their rotation and every-day lineup. Johnson and Batista are on the corners with Jose Vidro and Orlando Cabrera manning the middle of the infield as well as the middle of the lineup. Brian Schneider is behind the dish, Brad Wilkerson is in left, and Everett in right.
Center field will be a battleground this spring, as Endy Chavez, Juan Rivera, Terrmel Sledge, and Ron Calloway vie for the starting gig. Entering camp, Chavez holds the lead, but it's a tenuous lead at best. Of course, Wilkerson could wind up playing some center field or fill in for Johnson at first base, which would open left field for one of the aforementioned players.
Rocky Biddle enters spring training as the Expos' closer, but most observers feel he'll likely lose his grip on the job by the time the NBA playoffs are wrapping up in June. Closer-in-waiting Chad Cordero will be given a chance to flash his wares this spring, meaning Biddle's role could even be changed by the time Frank Robinson's club breaks camp and heads north. It doesn't help Biddle's cause that he had surgery in November to repair torn cartilage in his knee.
By Bo Mitchell, Content Manager
February 11, 2004 7:00 AM ET
Spring Training Home: Space Coast Stadium – Melbourne, Florida
First Grapefruit League Game: March 4 vs. Tigers
The Expos franchise is about as stable as LaToya Jackson. Hey, her more famous siblings have been getting ripped mercilessly in the media so we're merely spreading around the vitriolic barrage…lest poor LaToya feel left out. As currently constructed, the Expos are operated by major-league baseball, are destined to be relocated following this season, and are viewed by only a few thousand people on a regular basis when their home games are held in Montreal. Thousands more flock to the park when their "home" games are held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as 22 of them will be again in 2004. Note to fantasy owners: all 22 games at the bandbox known as Hiram Bithorn Stadium will be played prior to the All-Star break so feel free to unload your Expos hitters after the midsummer classic. Unfortunately for those NL-only fantasy owners who had the incomparable Vladimir Guerrero under contract he will no longer be taking advantage of the cozy confines of Hiram Bithorn—thanks to free agency and the millions of dollars the Angels had at their disposal.
Notable offseason transactions
Two major transactions shaped the Expos' offseason. The first, as mentioned above, was Guerrero's signing with the Angels. The second was the trade that sent staff ace Javier Vazquez to the Yankees for first baseman Nick Johnson, outfielder Juan Rivera, and pitcher Randy Choate. Third baseman Tony Batista and outfielder Carl Everett were signed via free agency. Those not named "Vlad" who left via free agency included Todd Zeile, Joe Vitiello, Fernando Tatis, and Wil Cordero.
What to watch
A year ago, a certain Content Manager for a certain fantasy sports site had the temerity to label Tony Armas Jr. his number one pitching sleeper for 2003. Sadly, five starts into what should have been his breakout season, Armas had to undergo season ending surgery to have tears in his right labrum and rotator cuff repaired. The 2.61 ERA and 1.064 WHIP through five starts left us with but a taste of what he is capable when healthy. Armas is supposed to be ready to rock and roll for spring training, but any pitcher coming off shoulder surgery warrants close monitoring, especially those with the potential to be a significant fantasy contributor like the son of the former Oakland outfielder.
Is Livan Hernandez ready to accept the mantle of staff ace? His 2003 season was shocking to many fantasy owners, but a double-check of the numbers reveals that Livan has now won between 12 and 17 games and pitched more than 210 innings in four straight seasons. Admit it, he's a little better than you thought.
There aren't many more combustible players than Everett. He was mellow by his standards last year, but one has to wonder how well he'll adapt to the great white north. Dude doesn't believe man landed on the moon or that dinosaurs ever walked the earth; who knows what weird preconceptions he might have of Canada. And the pressure to try to fill the huge shoes left behind by Vlad is also bound to wear on him.
Lastly, Nick Johnson is a nice hitter with the kind of on base percentages in his resume that would make Billy Beane genuflect. But let's not all get carried away with the projections now that he'll presumably be playing every day. At best, Johnson will bat over .300, crank 20-plus homers, and knock in 100 runs. Such Ruthian forecasts have resulted in some other outlets ranking him on the cusp of fantasy baseball's elite. Why? Through no fault of his own, Johnson has yet to turn in a 400 at-bat campaign, so we won't hold that against him too much. It's tough to get overly forthy about his career .254 average, though. Nick "the Stick" will definitely evolve into a nice hitter, but unless he starts flashing some heretofore unseen McGwire-esque power displays as he prepares for his first full-time major-league gig during Grapefruit League play, we would urge restraint when the auction bidding climbs too far into the double digits.
Position battles
For a team that lost their best hitter and best pitcher during the offseason, the Expos are pretty well set in their rotation and every-day lineup. Johnson and Batista are on the corners with Jose Vidro and Orlando Cabrera manning the middle of the infield as well as the middle of the lineup. Brian Schneider is behind the dish, Brad Wilkerson is in left, and Everett in right.
Center field will be a battleground this spring, as Endy Chavez, Juan Rivera, Terrmel Sledge, and Ron Calloway vie for the starting gig. Entering camp, Chavez holds the lead, but it's a tenuous lead at best. Of course, Wilkerson could wind up playing some center field or fill in for Johnson at first base, which would open left field for one of the aforementioned players.
Rocky Biddle enters spring training as the Expos' closer, but most observers feel he'll likely lose his grip on the job by the time the NBA playoffs are wrapping up in June. Closer-in-waiting Chad Cordero will be given a chance to flash his wares this spring, meaning Biddle's role could even be changed by the time Frank Robinson's club breaks camp and heads north. It doesn't help Biddle's cause that he had surgery in November to repair torn cartilage in his knee.