Fantasy baseball 2014 draft preview: NL busts

Rafael Soriano recorded 43 saves last season, but his strikeout rate fell to a career-low 6.9 in 2013.

Greg Fiume/Icon SMI

Fantasy baseball 2014 draft prep: Player rankings, position primers, burning questions and more

Most fantasy owners will spend the offseason trying to identify sleepers and breakout candidates in order to get the most bang for their buck. But if you really want to make your money work in fantasy, it's vitally important to determine which players are going to bust in the upcoming season. Countless fantasy seasons were ruined last year by using a high draft pick on the likes of Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton or Starlin Castro, only to get replacement-level production or worse. With that in mind, we've picked 15 National League players who carry plenty of risk going into 2014.

AL: Breakouts | Busts | Sleepers
NL: Breakouts | Busts | Sleepers

NL East

Atlanta Braves: 3B Chris Johnson

2013 numbers: .321/.358/.457, 12 HR, 68 RBI, 0 SB (547 PA)

Johnson is likely going to pop up on a lot of bust lists for 2014, and there's one major reason why: His league-best .394 batting average on balls in play last season. Johnson is a solid line-drive hitter, but a .394 BABIP is unsustainable for all but baseball's best hitters, and Johnson doesn't have the walk rate to make up for a drop in that figure. Take his 2012 season as a cautionary tale: Johnson posted almost the same walk, strikeout and line-drive rate as he did in 2013, but his .354 BABIP depressed his overall numbers to .281/.326/.451. And that's still with a BABIP over 70 points above league average. Any further regression from there takes Johnson into replacement-level production, and you won't want to pay a high draft-pick price for that.

Miami Marlins: C Jarrod Saltalamacchia

2013 numbers: .273/.338/.466, 14 HR, 65 RBI, 4 SB (470 PA)

Once one of baseball's top prospects, Saltalamacchia turned in a career year for the World Champion Red Sox in 2013, posting career-highs in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and RBI. That landed him a multi-year deal with the Marlins, but anyone expecting Salty to match or exceed his 2013 output has another thing coming to them. Saltalamacchia is going from one of baseball's best lineups to one of its worst, not to mention a home park that was the least-homer friendly in all of MLB last season. Fenway Park was good to Saltalamacchia (.836 OPS at home last year vs. .770 on the road), and he can expect a tougher go of it in Florida. The cherry on top: A .373 BABIP in 2013 that he'll have a very hard time replicating.

New York Mets: OF Curtis Granderson

2013 numbers: .229/.317/.407, 7 HR, 15 RBI, 8 SB (245 PA)

Two fluke hand injuries, both a result from HBP, ruined Granderson's 2013, and you can expect a bounce-back in 2014. Just don't think that it will be a repeat of Granderon's superb 2011, or even his very productive 2012. Moving from Yankee Stadium to Citi Field won't murder Granderson's home-run totals, but the loss of the former's short porch and the addition of the latter's endless expanses in center field and right-center are going to put a dent in his power production. Granderson is still a solid offensive player, but Citi Field isn't an easy place for left-handed hitters. And at 33 years old, he doesn't have time on his side much longer.

Philadelphia Phillies: SP A.J. Burnett

2013 numbers: 10-11, 3.30 ERA, 209 K, 67 BB (191 IP)

There's absolutely nothing about A.J. Burnett's peripherals that suggests something bad; if anything, he was actually a little unlucky to post an ERA above 3.00 given his sterling strikeout rate and solid walk rate. Burnett's big problem going into 2014 will be his new home ballpark in Philadelphia, as he's moving from one of baseball's pitcher-friendliest stadiums to one that devoured starters last year. By park factors, Citizens Bank Park was the most homer-friendly stadium in baseball, and PNC Park in Pittsburgh was one of the stingiest. And veteran fantasy players remember all too well what happened to Burnett the last time he pitched his home games in a homer-friendly park: His less-than-stellar turn with the Yankees, where his homer-per-nine rate rocketed as high as 1.47 in his final season in pinstripes. Burnett's peripherals last year were better than at any point in his New York stay, but Citizens Bank Park will likely put a hit in his final numbers nonetheless.

Washington Nationals: RP Rafael Soriano

2013 numbers: 43 SV, 3.11 ERA, 51 K, 17 BB (66.2 IP)

The 43 saves are nice on the surface, but the giant red warning sign for Soriano is the massive plunge in strikeout rate. Soriano struck out 18 fewer batters in almost the same number of innings from 2012 to 2013, posting the worst full-season strikeout-per-nine ratio (6.9) of his entire career. Soriano got more swings in 2013 than 2012 but got fewer swinging strikes and gave up more contact, including a line-drive rate of 25 percent. He can mostly blame his slider, which went from his put-away pitch in 2012 to tattooed in 2013. Unless Soriano can correct the drop in strikeouts, he'll be walking a tightrope all season long.

NL Central

Chicago Cubs: OF Junior Lake

2013 numbers: .284/.332/.428, 6 HR, 16 RBI, 4 SB (254 PA)

A former top-ten prospect in the Cubs' system, Lake burst onto the MLB scene in 2013 by hitting .352 in his first 17 big-league games, and will go into 2014 as one of Chicago's starting outfielders and a popular sleeper. But the 24-year-old is still a raw product prone to streakiness: From that high point of .352 on Aug. 3, Lake slashed .255/.317/.370 over 180 plate appearances to the season's end. He's been an impatient hitter his entire career, and his troubles against right-handed pitching (.692 OPS against in 2013) suggest that Lake needs some refinement before he becomes a reliable fantasy option.

Cincinnati Reds: 2B Brandon Phillips

2013 numbers: .261/.310/.396, 18 HR, 103 RBI, 5 SB (666 PA)

Phillips has been coasting on name value the last two seasons now, but after a second straight year of declining numbers, it's worth wondering if the 32-year-old has any gas left in the tank for fantasy owners. Phillips' problem is an increasing inability to make solid contact, particularly against fastballs (.257 average against four-seamers in 2013 vs. .344 in 2011), and he doesn't walk enough to offset that decline. Don't let the 103 RBI fool you, especially with ace table-setter Shin Soo-Choo now in Texas; let someone else shell out for Phillips to see if he can turn it around.

Milwaukee Brewers: SS Jean Segura

2013 numbers: .294/.329/.423, 12 HR, 49 RBI, 44 SB (623 PA)

Segura was one of 2013's out-of-nowhere studs, providing tons of value for savvy fantasy owners, but assuming that his 2014 will be as good or better is a huge gamble. After a blazing start to the year, Segura cratered in the second half, with a .241/.268/.315 line in 226 plate appearances after the All-Star break. Also alarming: His abysmal .319 OBP against right-handers, and his inability to hit breaking pitches (.243 average on sliders, .250 on curveballs). A big sophomore slump is a very real possibility for Segura.

Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Starling Marte

2013 numbers: .280/.343/.441, 12 HR, 35 RBI, 41 SB (566 PA)

Marte owners were likely thrilled with his stellar 2013 season, but his numbers last year were likely inflated by a sky-high .363 BABIP. Any kind of regression from that will mean bad things for a player who had a groundball rate over 50 percent and a miniscule 4.4 percent walk rate last season. Marte is a big-time hacker who needs balls-in-play luck to provide above-average value. For proof of what happens when the hits don't drop, check out his 2012 line: Same walk rate as 2013, similar strikeout rate, but with a BABIP of .333. That led to a .257/.300/.437 slash line in 182 plate appearances.

St. Louis Cardinals: 1B/OF Allen Craig

2013 numbers: .315/.373/.457, 13 HR, 97 RBI, 2 SB (563 PA)

It's not often you can find concerns with a guy who boasts a .371 OBP and some of the best numbers with runners in scoring position in MLB history. But there are some worry spots for Craig after last year. His .457 slugging percentage was his lowest mark since his rookie season and represents a 50-point dip from 2012. In particular, it was breaking pitches that gave Craig the most trouble; he slugged just .306 against sliders and .302 against curveballs last year. His .368 BABIP was the highest mark of his whole career. And equally problematic is Craig's injury history. Last year, he missed 28 games, mostly due to a foot injury suffered in early September. He also missed a huge chunk of time in 2012 with various leg ailments. Given that Craig will be moving from first base to the outfield to make room for Matt Adams, it's worth wondering if the extra strain of patrolling the field will cause issues for the 6-foot-2-inch, 215-pound slugger.

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Mark Trumbo

2013 numbers: .234/.294/.453, 34 HR, 100 RBI, 5 SB (678 PA)

Most folks will look at Trumbo's counting stats -- the homers and RBI in particular -- and throw a high pick at him. But there are plenty of warning signs, beginning with his abysmal on-base percentage. No matter how much power he produces, a .747 OPS out of first base is hard to swallow, and Trumbo is entirely reliant upon the long ball for his production. Arizona is slightly more homer friendly than Anaheim, but not by much. Then take into account that he'll be switching leagues and positions, and that he'll have 57 games to play in the cavernous parks of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, and his stock takes yet another tumble.

Colorado Rockies: 1B Justin Morneau

2013 numbers: .259/.323/.411, 17 HR, 77 RBI, 0 SB (635 PA)

His 2013 numbers don't exactly scream "trust me," but Morneau could be a popular sleeper pick this year thanks to his move to the homer-friendly park that is Coors Field. But is there any real reason to expect his power to pick up with the move? Injuries have sapped Morneau of that skill since his MVP-winning 2006 season, resulting in a .411 slugging percentage and .152 isolated-power mark in 2013. Those are his worst full-season stats in those categories since his rookie year way back in 2003. Morneau is moving from one of MLB's stingiest parks in terms of home runs to one of its best, but as a dead-pull hitter, Morneau won't benefit much with both parks boasting similar dimensions to right field. At 32, Morneau's best fantasy days are behind him, new home regardless.

Los Angeles Dodgers: OF Matt Kemp

2013 numbers: .270/.328/.395, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 9 SB (290 PA)

When healthy, Kemp is one of baseball's best players, not to mention a fantasy MVP. The problem, though is that "when healthy" has become an increasingly large caveat for Kemp. Last season, he was derailed by a litany of injuries, starting with offseason shoulder surgery and followed by recurring hamstring and ankle problems, as well as pain in that surgically repaired shoulder. The ankle injury required offseason surgery, and Kemp is no lock to be ready for Opening Day, or to be at 100 percent at season's start. Kemp is a huge question mark for top-flight production, and more likely to disappoint than outproduce your expectations.

San Diego Padres: RP Huston Street

2013 numbers: 33 SV, 2.70 ERA, 46 K, 14 BB (56.2 IP)

Are Street's days as a top-tier closer at an end? Last year saw a worrying plunge in his strikeout rate (10.8 whiffs per nine in 2012 all the way down to 7.3 in 2013) and an equally concerning rise in home-run rate (12 longballs surrendered on the season, or 1.9 per nine). Street settled down after the All-Star break, holding opposing hitters to a .154/.206/.254 line in 97 second-half plate appearances. But he can ill afford another slow start, especially with former Tigers closer Joaquin Benoit now in the Padres' pen as insurance. A bad month could result in Street losing his job, perhaps permanently.

San Francisco Giants: 3B Pablo Sandoval

2013 numbers: .278/.341/.417, 14 HR, 79 RBI, 0 SB (584 PA)

Last year, Sandoval owners wondered where his power had disappeared to; his .417 slugging percentage and .139 isolated power were his lowest marks since 2010. For the most part, Sandoval can blame a decreasing amount of production against fastballs for his power woes; his .465 slugging percentage against four-seamers is his lowest mark since, again, 2010. He still manages to get on base at a decent clip, and reports that he came into Spring Training having shed a lot of weight bodes well for production. But until Sandoval can rediscover that power stroke, he's a tough bet for top-notch fantasy production

Fantasy baseball debate: Should owners target Choo or Rios?

Should owners target Alex Rios or Shin-Soo Choo in fantasy baseball drafts this spring?

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

As part of SI.com's 2014 fantasy baseball preview, our experts Michael Beller and David Gonos will be engaging in a series of debates. For our second debate, they argue whether you should draft Shin-Soo Choo or Alex Rios.

Michael Beller makes the case for Shin-Soo Choo:

I don't like unwelcome surprises in fantasy baseball, especially early in the draft. In those first few rounds, I want a foundation, a core of guys around whom I can build. I want players whose production isn't going to vary wildly from year to year, and who allow me to etch their statistical floors in stone.

One outfielder on the Rangers provides that sort of stability, and another does not. They're ranked just two spots apart on FantasyPros, so there's a good chance that if you're looking for an outfielder around the 40th pick or so, you'll be debating between these two. Allow me to tell you why you should take Shin-Soo Choo and not Alex Rios.

Let's go back to the 2009 season, when Choo joined Rios as an everyday major leaguer. Since then, both have put up very productive seasons. To his credit, Rios has been a top-10 outfielder in three of the last four years. He was the No. 7 overall outfielder last year, thanks largely to his career-high 42 stolen bases. Since 2009, he has averaged 18.8 homers and 26.8 swipes per season.

Choo has been one of the best outfielders in the league in that same time frame, first with the Indians and then with the Reds. He has put up 20-20 seasons in three of the last five years, and missed doing so in 2012 by just four home runs. In the five seasons that he has been a regular, he has put up an average of 17.4 homers and 19.2 steals.

Admittedly, those numbers alone seem to favor Rios. However, we have yet to take a look at rates, and this is where things start to turn in Choo's favor. Despite strong line-drive rates, Rios has never put up a reliably high batting average. He's a career .278 hitter, and has topped .280 just once in the last five seasons. Choo is a career .288 hitter. He has a pair of .300 seasons to his name since 2009, and has finished a season hitting worse than .280 just once. In addition to that, Choo is a remarkably patient hitter, posting a double-digit walk rate every year of his career. That has allowed him to compile a career .389 OBP. He set a new career high with a .423 OBP last year. Rios' career walk rate is a below-average 6 percent. He has had a single-season OBP higher than .350 just once in his 10 years in the majors.

The case for Choo improves when you look at a couple of favored sabermetrics. Choo has never been a detriment to his team offensively. Despite rating as a minus defender each of the last five seasons, Choo has posted positive WAR in all of them, racking up at least 4.8 WAR three times. He also has nothing but pluses in weighted runs created, registering a 135 wRC+ for his career.

Rios, on the other hand, has had two terrible seasons in terms of WAR and wRC+. In 2009, he was a replacement level player, totaling exactly zero WAR and producing 23 percent fewer runs than average. Two years later, the story was even worse. He had a -1.1 WAR and just 60 wRC+. For his career, he's barely better than average in wRC+, creating 101 runs where the average is 100.

This is where that foundation and predictability referenced at the beginning of my argument comes into play. If I take Choo, I know I'm getting a guy who will hit about .290 with a .380 OBP, 18 homers and 20 steals. Those are floors for Choo. He may not surpass those amounts by much, but I know I'm getting that rock-solid production from him. All I know for certain with Rios is that he's going to drag down my rates, regardless of whether my league uses batting average or OBP. He could go 20-30, or he could go 15-20. If it's the former, he will have earned his keep. If it's the latter, he will be one of the most overpriced outfielders in the league. Either way, I don't want to roll the dice on a player I don't trust that early in the draft.

Yeah, Choo is a black hole against lefties. But Rios has a nasty platoon split, too. He hit .267/.311/.403 against righties in 502 plate appearances last year. Choo was worse against lefties, but just 221 of his 712 plate appearances came against southpaws. Meanwhile, he destroyed righties to the tune of .317/.457/.554.

One final point in Choo's favor. He could very well lead the league in runs. On the strength of his .423 OBP last year, he scored 107 runs for the Reds, the third-most in the majors. This year, he's hitting at the top of one of the most potent lineups in the league, with a lethal 3-4 combo of Adrian Beltre and Prince Fielder. He's a lock to score 100 runs, something just nine guys did last season. If he even approaches last year's OBP total, he could push up into the 120s. Choo is going to be an elite contributor to runs and OBP, and a plus contributor to home runs, steals and batting average. I'll be happy to lock in a four-category player with the 40th overall pick, and let someone else take the chance on Rios.

David Gonos makes the case for Alex Rios:

I'm telling you right now -- Alex Rios is a fantasy gem.

Still not convinced?

Choo, 31, picked up his stats after being traded from Cleveland to Cincinnati and posted a career-high .423 OBP in 2013. This season, Choo leaves the fantasy frying pan (Cincinnati) and enters the fantasy fire (Texas), as he goes from a great lineup to an even better one in Arlington, with a similarly helpful hitter's ballpark. The question is -- can he repeat or even improve on that as he returns to the American League?

On the other hand, Rios, 33, is coming off a huge season, with 18 homers and a career-high 42 stolen bases with the Rangers and White Sox last season. While he has hit 20 or more home runs in three different seasons, you're not drafting him for his power. The fact that a smallish center fielder has flashed more power than Rios in recent seasons doesn't help my point, but I do point to Rios' speed from a power hitter's position as a reason to draft him over Shin-Soo Choo.

Rios has hit 70 doubles in the past two seasons combined, and while Rios' OBP might come closer to .325 this season, his run production is better than Choo's (who will hit leadoff for the Rangers). With Adrian Beltre and Prince Fielder hitting ahead of Rios, pitchers will be more than happy to give Rios a chance at parking one before the two before him.

Choo had the benefit of a full season at Great American Ball Park last year, while Rios spent two-thirds of last season with the White Sox. Now, Rios will get a full season in Texas, after coming over from one of the most dismal offenses in the AL last year. Things are looking up for Rios, who will be back with a team that's in the playoff conversation as well. Working through bumps and bruises is easier when your team is battling for a division title -- and not a high draft pick.

Admittedly, it's strange to predict that the leadoff hitter (Choo) will end up with more home runs than the 6-foot-5 ballplayer, but that's only matched by knowing that Rios' will outrun Choo on the basepaths, too. Rios stole 16 bases in 17 attempts once he joined the Rangers, and we have to expect that to continue in 2014.

I'm confident that Rios will end up with better stats across the board -- outside of home runs. Rotisserie owners will reap rich rewards with Rios.

SI.com Fantasy Baseball Debate Series:

I - Who's the No. 1 second baseman, Robinson Cano or Jason Kipnis?
II - Should fantasy owners target Shin-Soo Choo or Alex Rios?

Carl Pavano retires after 14 seasons in baseball

Saying goodbye to Carl Pavano: World champion, tabloid fodder and one of the Yankees' biggest busts.

Padres: Hit a HR in Petco, win 2014 season tix

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – February 27, 2014

Could the A’s share AT&T Park with the Giants? Could that be the solution while a new ballpark is built in Oakland.

It could be. That’s the topic for today’s episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

I want to see something cool for a new stadium for the A’s… like this proposed floating stadium for the Padres back in the 1960′s.

To subscribe to The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast on iTunes, click HERE.

To subscribe on SoundCloud, click HERE.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – February 27, 2014

Tagged: at&t park, oakland atheltics, Paul Francis Sullivan, petco park, san francisco giants, Sully baseball daily podcast

Wright: 90 wins 'a good starting point' for Mets

Fisk's World Series Game 6 HR ball up for sale

QB Wilson won't hit for Rangers in spring game

Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson won't be seeing any playing time in Rangers camp.

AP

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Texas Rangers have no plans to put Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson at the plate.

Manager Ron Washington says it's not a good idea to let Wilson hit in an exhibition game. Washington says Wilson hasn't seen any pitches and that it's too risky to have him bat.

The Seattle Seahawks quarterback is set to be at spring training on Monday and the former minor league second baseman might take part in infield drills. Washington says he wants Wilson to just enjoy his day at the ballpark.

Wilson is expected to participate in a team workout and then be in uniform for the game against Cleveland.

The quarterback played 93 games over two seasons in Colorado's minor leagues. He didn't play above the Class A level in 2010 and 2011.

Texas selected Wilson from the Rockies in the Triple-A portion of baseball's draft at the winter meetings in December.

Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Tigers' Triple-A team to wear Ghostbusters unis

MRI on Mets' Niese shows no shoulder problems

Jon Niese was scratched from his first spring start due to shoulder pain, but his MRI came up clean.

Jeff Roberson/AP

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The New York Mets say an MRI on pitcher Jon Niese's ailing left shoulder did not show any major problems.

Projected to be the Mets' opening-day starter, Niese had been scratched from his opening exhibition start, against Houston next Tuesday, and replaced by Zack Wheeler.

Mets manager Terry Collins says the club will have Niese back on the mound, "as soon as we can."

"There's no shoulder problems at all," Collins said Thursday. "He's got some weakness in his scap (scapula) area that is minor. They think in a few days he'll be back and ready to go. It was very, very good news."

Niese was sent back to New York for the MRI on Wednesday after he complained of shoulder pain.

Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

With one move, Tigers reinvent themselves on offense and defense

Ian Kinsler's addition and Prince Fielder's departure allow Miguel Cabrera to move from third to first.

Mark Cunningham/Getty Images

Last Nov. 20, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels gathered the members of his front office together for a brainstorming session. The central topic to be discussed was what to do about the glut of middle infielders the club had on its roster. The Rangers had Ian Kinsler, a 31-year-old three-time All-Star, at second base. They had Elvis Andrus, a 25-year-old two-time All-Star, at shortstop. They also had Jurickson Profar, a 21-year-old who prior to last season had been named by Baseball America as the game's top prospect, ready to step in on a full-time basis at either position. They had, in other words, three very good players for two spots -- and, rising fast through the minors behind them, another pair of highly rated Venezuelan middle infield prospects, Luis Sardiñas and Rougned Odor.

The Rangers executives considered trade possibilities centered upon each of the three big leaguers. Then A.J. Preller, an assistant GM, suggested that perhaps the Tigers might be inclined to move Prince Fielder -- the 29-year-old former Brewer who had struggled, by his standards, in his second season in Detroit (he batted .279 with 25 home runs and 106 RBIs) -- for Kinsler. It was, all agreed, an intriguing idea.

The very next day -- Tuesday, Nov. 21 -- Daniels' phone rang. Dave Dombrowski, the Tigers' GM, was on the line. Might Daniels be interested in a trade involving Ian Kinsler and Prince Fielder? Yes, Daniels said. He would be.

In the hours to follow, the two GMs discussed what the trade would look like. Would there be other players involved? There would not, they quickly concluded. How much money would the Tigers send to Texas to offset some of the nine-year, $214 million free-agent contract they had given Fielder just 22 months before, which was still the fifth-largest pact in baseball history? An even $30 million, they agreed, payable in annual installments between 2016 and 2020. By Wednesday afternoon, they had a deal. Rarely has a blockbuster been so easily consummated, in part because rarely has one made so much sense for both sides.

JAFFE: Fielder-Kinsler swap should help both teams short-term

For the Rangers, the trade was a matter of allocating their assets not to change their lineup's style, but to enhance it -- and even to rediscover it. In 2011, they ranked third in the majors with 855 runs scored and reached their second straight World Series, but by last season, their offense's potency was more a matter of reputation than reality. "Everyone thinks we had this dynamic offense, and we were okay last year, but we were lacking," Daniels said.

In 2013, without Josh Hamilton in the lineup, the Rangers fell to eighth in runs, and they were particularly bereft of the lefthanded power Hamilton had once given them. The 69 home runs their lefties struck ranked them 10th in the American League. Since 2007, the lefthanded-hitting Fielder has blasted 255 homers, 13 more than any other lefty, and with a messy divorce behind him and with Texas' short rightfield fence in front of him, the Rangers could reasonably expect a power renaissance. Texas had added a durable slugger at a cost of a million and a half dollars a year fewer than the Yankees would commit the following month to Jacoby Ellsbury.

The Tigers' side of the deal was billed as a re-imagining of their style and even their identity -- and it was, as became clear when they reported for their first spring training under new manager Brad Ausmus. There were no tallboys strategically spaced around the diamond, but the Tigers of the Fielder era were, in many ways, the world's greatest slow-pitch softball team. They didn't run so much as amble around the bases, waiting for the big blow. Last year, they mustered 35 steals, the second fewest by any team since 1994. Between July 23 and Aug. 27, a span of 34 games, they swiped one bag.

Their hitters, led by Fielder, Miguel Cabrera, Torii Hunter and Victor Martinez, were so good that this worked a lot of the time -- Detroit scored 796 runs, second in baseball behind the Red Sox -- and it often did so in bunches. The Tigers were 33-15 in games decided by five runs or more. When it didn't work, they had nowhere else to turn. They went 20-26 in one-run games, a record that has a lot to do with luck, but also at least something to do with the fact that they often couldn't manufacture a single run when they needed one most. Three of their four losses in the ALCS to the Red Sox came by one run.

This year's offense, Ausmus told his club right away, might have a little less power sans Fielder, but will be more dynamic, especially on the basepaths. Kinsler has stolen 36 bases over the last two seasons and, as the likely leadoff hitter, will be encouraged to surpass his recent average. Rajai Davis, who was signed to a two-year, $10 million deal in December and will split time in leftfield with Andy Dirks, has passed 40 steals in four of the last five seasons. Austin Jackson, the centerfielder whose steal totals have dropped in each of his four seasons, from 27 as a rookie to eight last year, will be expected to run, as will shortstop Jose Iglesias, who had just five swipes as a rookie. "Everyone talks about Kinsler, Rajai Davis, Austin," Ausmus said. "Jose's just as fast as those guys."

JAFFE: Winter report card: Tigers are significantly improved from last season

Ausmus's green light will glow upon those outside that quartet, and won't be limited to stolen-base situations. The Tigers' station-to-station days are over. "Before I came here, I was with Minnesota, and in that organization we went first to third," Hunter said. "Then with the Angels and Mike Scioscia, it was first to third. Brad Ausmus is bringing that same feel: First to third, no matter what. Base hit, go first to third, even if you're a big guy."

The Tigers' new composition will lead to changes beyond their baserunning. Last season, Detroit was the seventh-worst fielding team in baseball, according to Fan Graphs' Ultimate Zone Rating statistic. The fact that its pitching staff still yielded the second-fewest runs in the American League is a sign that Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and company are even more extraordinary that you might realize.

This season's defense will certainly be much improved, in part because of the slick-fielding double play combination of Kinsler and Iglesias (who is compared almost daily in Tigers' camp to the great Omar Vizquel, his tutor this spring). But Fielder's departure will allow Miguel Cabrera, who was the second-worst third baseman in the league according to UZR, to move back across the diamond to first. In his place will be Nick Castellanos, the top prospect and natural third baseman whose days of shagging balls in the outfield, in a desperate attempt to find a spot in Detroit, are now over. "I'd rather play outfield in the big leagues than third in the minors," Castellanos said, without hiding his relief at no longer having to make that choice (or having it made for him).

The other thing the Fielder trade did for Ausmus is provide him lineup flexibility that his predecessor, Jim Leyland, never had in his last year. Fielder really couldn't play anywhere but first (where he appeared in 151 games) or designated hitter, and that meant that Cabrera almost always had to play third (145 games) and Martinez almost always had to DH (139). Now, Ausmus said, "There's more interchangeable parts," which he can exploit based on pitching matchups, and which will become particularly useful in interleague games in National League ballparks. Those will come early this season, as Detroit plays at Dodger Stadium just a week into the season, immediately followed by a three-game set at San Diego's Petco Park.

Last year, Martinez got just 15 plate appearances in NL parks, a number he'll likely surpass early this season. Ausmus can use him at first base in those games (shifting Cabrera back to third) and even, the manager said, at his former position of catcher in place of Alex Avila, particularly against lefthanded starters. "We need Victor's bat in the lineup," Ausmus said. "We can't have him out five straight games."

So Ausmus' first Tigers team will be different than Leyland's last -- more athletic, more dynamic, more versatile. Will they be better? Well, no, not definitely. It is not easy to replace the production of a player like Fielder, even a down-year Fielder. "You take Prince Fielder's bat out of the lineup, that's 100 RBI, that's nothing to scoff at," Ausmus said.

The fact is that Detroit didn't need to get better. It is de rigueur for teams that don't win the World Series to focus publicly on their shortcomings and explain how they've addressed them so that the result will be different next time. But in the case of last year's Tigers, it was probably just bad luck, played out in the small-sample-size environment of the playoffs. "They were built to win it all," one rival GM said. "They just didn't."

One of the harmless lies we tell ourselves about sports with playoff structures is that the ultimate winner was the best team all along. Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. Change a few unfortunate bounces in very tight games, subtract a celebrating Boston cop, and the slow-pitch Tigers could easily have been last year's champions.

Dombrowski might have retained Fielder, and the overall style that resulted from his presence, and he could have been confident that he would again have a legitimate shot at a World Series. A lesser GM might have gone that route, but Dombrowski didn't for one reason: Money. Even counting the $30 million they sent to Texas along with Fielder, the Tigers all at once lopped $76 million in future commitments off their unwieldy books, funds that they might redirect to Cy Young winner Max Scherzer (who is due to become a free agent after this season) or Miguel Cabrera (who can hit free agency after 2015).

The idea is to get your team to the playoff tournament as many times as you can, where the odds say you might eventually hoist a trophy. Dombrowski knew that he needed to trim his payroll in order to fund those shots not just in 2014, but in the years to follow. The Kinsler-for-Fielder trade allowed him to do that in the best way possible: By fielding a team that will still win, just differently. It would be no surprise at all if the trading partners meet again in late October, with a World Series on the line.

Odds To Win The MLB 2014 World Series : Tigers Best Value Of The Week

The Tigers are my pick of the week for value. They were the AL favorite just two weeks ago outright, before being tied with Boston last week. This odd is favorable for sure. The AL Central provides the Tigers with an easier path to the World Series because of 76 games within the Division. The AL East had 4 teams over 85 wins last year. Baltimore and New York are better than they were in 2013, and Boston plus Tampa should maintain. The AL East has 5 of the top 13 odds for the World Series (5 of the top 8 clips for the AL.) The AL West is also going to beat up each other a little. Take this AL Central team that has appeared in 3 straight League Championships, and has the best Pitching Staff in the American League.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024

Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports

Well, it is nice to be vindicated on the market again.  Just like I said when the Mariners roamed up from +4000 to +2800 after the Cano signing.  I told people to pounce on that odd.

Last week, I posted in this column, that your bet of the week for value as the Orioles.

I have also been calling for the Rays to be higher on the oddsmakers list, and while they have passed the Jays finally, how come they are so far behind the Yankees and Red Sox?  Market correction is needed there.

For the record, I called the Yankees a great value at +1500 in December, before they signed Masahiro Tanaka.  If you have listened at home, this has worked out for you.  Don’t bet the, at +1200, tied for the 6th best odd in the AL, there is no value there.  Tampa at +1800 is still a better option.

This is a not a slight on the Red Sox at all, but they should not be favored to win the American League right now. Detroit should be that placeholder. I am not sure the Red Sox will even in the AL East. I would go with the Rays or Yankees before them right now. The Rays had one of the best second half records in 2013, and the Yankees are a lot better as well. I am also not sure of the team losing Ellsbury, Drew, Dempster and Saltalamacchia has improved itself with Capuano, Middlebrooks, Pierzynski and the tandem of Sizemore/Bradley JR. as replacements.  No doubt they will be one of the better clubs in 2014, just wouldn’t have them listed as the AL favorite.

Yes, I have been wrong too.  The Rangers have dipped from +1100 to +1200, since the loss of Matt Harrison for a few weeks.

I said back last fall, the Blue Jays, Angels and Braves were favored too much and now they have all fallen several spots on the favorites list since the start of the winter.

http://www.bet365.com doesn’t project any of those clubs to be in the postseason when the regular season ends.

They project division winners of the Cardinals, Nationals, Dodgers, Tigers, Rangers and Red Sox.  I agree with 5 out of those 6 claims.  I am surprised to see that Boston is the #1 favorite in the AL now.

The AL East is so strong that they will knock each other down a peg with 380 total division games.  That is 190 Losses to be split pretty equally.  

Last Year, the AL East was 190 – 190 vs each other (this is standard for all 6 divisions), but were the best Division in baseball against other divisions.  Try a record of 243 – 187 (.593) against anybody not residing in the AL Beast.

Odds To Win The 2014 World Series

1.  LA Dodgers +700

2.  Washington Nationals +800 (Up from +900)

The gamblers like the Nats more and more.  The top 3 teams to win the World Series now reside in the NL.

T3. St. Louis Cardinals +1000

T3. Boston Red Sox +1000

5.  Detroit Tigers +1100 (Down from +1000)

If you love the Tigers, now is the time to pounce on their odd here.  It has plummeted down from +900, and once they win a few games to start the year, this odd will never be as high again.

T6.  Texas Rangers +1200

T6. New York Yankees +1200

T8. Oakland A’s +1500

This is because of the jump for the Mariners.  All along I think this is a pretty fair evaluation for  Oakland now.

T8. Cincinnati Reds +1500

10. Atlanta Braves +1600 (Down from +1400)

This is the oddsmakers thinking that the Nationals are winning the NL East, and that Atlanta won’t survive a Wild card Game with the lack of an ace pitcher.

11. Los Angeles Angels +1700

12. Tampa Bay Rays +1800 

T 13. Toronto Blue Jays +2200 (Down From +2000)

The club hasn’t done enough coming off of a 74 win campaign in 2013.  This is the second straight week of adding +200 as a longshot.  The O’s gain, is the Jays loss.

T 13. Baltimore Orioles +2200 (Up from +2500)

With JImenez and Nelson Cruz signings, the club is no longer forecasted in the Division basement alone.  Now there are 5 AL East in the top 13 odds to win the Fall Classic.

T15. Kansas City Royals +2500

T15. San Francisco Giants +2500

T15. Pittsburgh Pirates +2500

T18. Cleveland Indians +2800  (down from +2500)

The Ubaldo JImenez signing created another +300 for the club, because it wasn’t with them

T18.  Seattle Mariners +2800 

T20.   Arizona Diamondbacks +3300

T20.   Philadelphia Phillies +3300

22. Milwaukee Brewers +4000 (Down from +3500)

Easy come…easy go.they go back to where they were a few weeks back

23.   Chicago White Sox +5000

24. Colorado Rockies +5500

T25.   San Diego Padres +6600

T25.  Chicago Cubs +6600

27. Minnesota Twins +8000

28   New York Mets +9000 (Down from +8000)

Probably the inactivity to land another players, and that the team is 24th in Team Payroll, with the management not willing to part with more dough is a major factor in gambler’s non confidence.

29.   Miami Marlins +10000

30.   Houston Astros +25000

The Blue Jays, Pirates and Indians have had pretty bad offseasons so far and it is starting to reflect in the odds. The Indians have dropped to the back 40% of favorites, and the Jays went from +1600 all the way to +2200, tied for fourth with the Baltimore Orioles for highest favorite in the AL East. The Pirates are even a worse odd at +2500, for a team that featured 94 wins last year, while the Indians lost 40% of their Starting Rotation, and are at +2800.  At least in the AL Central and NL Central, the Divisional Opponents are not as tough for Cleveland and Pittsburgh.  The Jays AL East Rivals feature a combined .565 Win PCTG from last year between BOS/NYY/TB/BAL, and may be even better this campaign.

odds brought to you by www.bet365.com

Please note that it is illegal for US citizens to gamble in most States. 

 *** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com and their partners***

For all of the Rosters, Depth Charts, State of the Unions and Salaries Posts that we do, please visit our dedicated page link here.

Chuck Booth and Larry Lucchino talk baseball in the RF reserved seats at Fenway.

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Watch: A's OF Reddick climbs fence, robs homer

The Texas Rangers Organizational Depth Charts (All Affiliates) – Spring 2014 (Majors and Minors)

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024 & Jeff Kleiner (Org Depth Chart + Payroll Expert – find his website here) Follow @prosportsroster

Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports

This has been the most successful run in Rangers history in the last 4 years.  2 World Series Appearances (albeit losses) – and the club has 4 straight 90+ Win Seasons.

Nolan Ryan envisioned this kind of progress when he anchored the current regime.  While he has left the nest, many of the players have been stocked up in the Minors and Majors.

The Rangers have many young players like Jurickson Profar, Leonys Martin, Martin Perez and Elvis Andrus that are entering their prime.

The greatest job done by the brass was to assemble a pitching unit of homegrown products, as this has kept the teams payroll within reason – even as some of these guys mature.

Based on the club’s success in this avenue, key Free Agents such as Adrian Beltre, Yu Darvish and Shin-Soo Choo have been brought into the fold, while a guy like Prince Fielder was acquired with Ian Kinsler.

There are many young prospects still to come up with Texas.  Here is the organizational depth chart for the entire franchise.

Management

GM-	Jon Daniels
MGR-	Ron Washington
PCO-	Mike Maddux
HCO-	Dave Magadan
1BCO-	Bengie Molina
3BCO-	Gary Pettis
BHCO-	Tim Bogar
BPCO-	Andy Hawkins

Players

          Pos                                                              Player   Level         MILB              ST                                         INJ     Age

	SP-1	Yu Darvish	ML	0	x			27	$10,000,000
.	SP2-	Derek Holland	ML	3	x		60	27	$5,400,000
.	SP3-	Martin Perez	ML	3	x			22	$750,000
.	SP4-	Matt Harrison	ML	6	x		15	28	$8,000,000
.	SP5-	Nicholas Tepesch	ML	0	x			25	NON-ARB2
.	SP6-	Tommy Hanson	ML	4				27	$2,000,000
.
.	SPS-	Alexi Ogando	ML	6	x			30	$2,625,000
.	RHMR-
.	LHMR-	Michael Kirkman	ML	5	x	OOO		27	NON-ARB3
.	RHSU-	Jason Frasor	ML	5	x			36	$1,750,000
.	RHSU-	Tanner Scheppers	ML	1	x			26	NON-ARB2
.	RHSU-	Shawn Tolleson	ML	1	x			25	NON-ARB3
.	LHSU-	Robert Ross	ML	2	x			24	NON-ARB3
.	LHSU-	Neal Cotts	ML	7	x			33	$2,200,000
.	LHSU-	Joseph Ortiz	ML	3	x		60	23	NON-ARB1
.	LHSU-	Pedro Figueroa	ML	4	x			28	NON-ARB1
.	CL-	Cory Burns	ML	2	x			26	NON-ARB1
.	CL-	Joakim Soria	ML	3	x			30	$5,500,000
.	CL-	Neftali Feliz	ML	5	x			25	$3,000,000
.			13						$28,225,000
.		POSITION PLAYERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	C-	Geovany Soto	ML	7	x	OOO		30	$3,050,000
.	1B-	Prince Fielder	ML	3	x			29	$24,000,000
.	2B-	Jurickson Profar	ML	1	x			20	NON-ARB2
.	SS-	Elvis Andrus	ML	4	x			25	$6,750,000
.	3B-	Adrian Beltre	ML	4	x			34	$17,000,000
.	LF-	Mitchell Moreland	ML	4	x			28	$2,650,000
.	CF-	Shin-Soo Choo	ML	7	x	OOO		31	$14,000,000
.	RF-	Alex Rios	ML	5	x			32	$13,000,000
.	DH-	Lance Berkman	ML	4		RET		37	FA
.
.	C-	J.P. Arencibia	ML	4	x			27	$1,800,000
.	C-	Robinson Chirinos	ML	10	x			29	NON-ARB2
.	1B-
.	3B-
.	UTL-
.	UTL-
.	OF-	Leonys Martin	ML	0	x			25	NON-ARB2
.	OF-	Engel Beltre	ML	4	x			24	NON-ARB1
.	OF-	Michael Choice	ML	1	x			24	NON-ARB1
.			10						$82,250,000
.	AAA	Round Rock Express (PCL)
.	CEO-	Reid Ryan
.	GM-	George King
.	MGR-	Steve Buechele
.	PCO-	Brad Holman
.	HCO-	Scott Coolbaugh
.		PITCHERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	SP1-	Chad Bell	AAA	1				24	NON-ARB1
.	SP2-	Ryan Feierabend	AAA	7		INV		28	SIGNED
.	SP3-	Scott Richmond	AAA	5				34	SIGNED
.	SP4-	Nathan Adcock	AAA	5		INV		25	SIGNED
.	SP5-	Edwar Cabrera	AAA	3				26	NON-ARB2
.	SP6-	Colby Lewis	AAA	7		INV		34	SIGNED
.	SP7-	Collin Balester	AAA	7		OOO		27	NON-ARB3
.	SP8-	Doug Mathis	AAA	6		INV		30	SIGNED
.	SP9-	Justin Germano	AAA	10		OOO	INV	30	SIGNED
.	SP10-	Armando Galarraga	AAA	8				31	SIGNED
.	SP11-	Tommy Hanson	AAA	4				27	$2,000,000
.
.	SPS-
.	RHMR-	Ben Rowen	ML	1	x			25	NON-ARB1
.	RHMR-	Kyle Lotzkar	AAA	4				24	SIGNED
.	LHMR-	Aaron Poreda	AAA	4				27	SIGNED
.	LHMR-	Travis Blackley	AAA	10		OOO		31	FA
.	RHSU-	Armando Rodriguez	AAA	4		INV		25	SIGNED
.	RHSU-	Johan Yan	AAA	5				25	SIGNED
.	RHSU-	José Contreras	AAA	1		INV		42	SIGNED
.	RHSU-	Daniel Bard	AAA	3		INV		27	SIGNED
.	LHSU-	Nate Robertson	AAA	6				35	FA
.	LHSU-	Rafael Perez	AAA						SIGNED
.	CL-	Wilmer Font	ML	4	x			23	NON-ARB2
.	CL-	Miles Mikolas	ML	2	x		OOO	25	NON-ARB2
.
.		POSITION PLAYERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	C-	Jose Felix	AAA	3				25	NON-ARB1
.	1B-
.	2B-
.	SS-
.	3B-	Kevin Kouzmanoff	AAA	6		INV		32	SIGNED
.	LF-	Brad Snyder	AAA	9				31	SIGNED
.	CF-	James Adduci	ML	7	x			28	NON-ARB2
.	RF-	Jared Hoying	AAA	1				24	NON-ARB1
.	DH-
.
.	C-
.	1B-
.	3B-	Brent Lillibridge	AAA	6				30	SIGNED
.	UTL-	Kensuke Tanaka	AAA	0				32	SIGNED
.	UTL-	Josh Wilson	AAA	9				31	SIGNED
.	UTL-	Adam Rosales	ML	5	x	OOO		30	$750,000
.	UTL-	Brendan Harris	AAA	8				33	FA
.	OF-	Alex Castellanos	ML	3		OOO		27	NON-ARB2
.	OF-	Che-Hsuan Lin	AAA	4				24	SIGNED
.	OF-	Bryan Petersen	AAA	4		OOO	INV	27	SIGNED
.	OF-	Jake Smolinski	AAA	4				24	SIGNED
.	OF-	Michael Bianucci	AAA	3				27	NON-ARB1
.
.	AA	Frisco RoughRiders (TEX)
.	CEO-	Scott Sonju
.	GM-	Scott Sonju
.	MGR-
.	PCO-	Jeff Andrews
.	HCO-	Jason Hart
.		PITCHERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	SP1-	Roman Mendez	ML	3	x			23
.	SP2-
.	SP3-	Kevin Pucetas	AA	5				29	SIGNED
.	SP4-
.	SP5-
.
.	SPS-	Lisalberto Bonilla	ML	2	x			23
.	SPS-	Daniel McCutchen	AA	5				31	SIGNED
.	RHMR-	Ryan Rodebaugh	AA	1				24
.	RHMR-	Nicholas McBride	AA	1				22
.	LHMR-
.	RHSU-	Kyle McClellan	AA	6				29	FA
.	RHSU-	Arlett Mavare	AA	0				23
.	RHSU-	Joseph Van Meter	AA	1				25	FA
.	RHSU-	Zach Russell	AA	3				24	SIGNED
.	LHSU-	Jimmy Reyes	AA	1				24
.	CL-	Alex Claudio	AA	1				21
.	CL-	Phil Klein	AA	0				24
.	CL-	Randy Henry	AA	1				23
.
.		POSITION PLAYERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	C-	Tomas Telis	AA	3				22
.	1B-	Brett Nicholas	AA	1				25
.	2B-	Odubel Herrera	AA	2				22
.	SS-	Hanser Alberto	AA	1				21
.	3B-	Guilder Rodriguez	AA	10				30	SIGNED
.	LF-	Teodoro Martinez	AA	2				21
.	CF-	Ryan Strausborger	AA	1				25
.	RF-
.	DH-
.
.	C-	Zach Zaneski	AA	3				27
.	1B-
.	3B-	Alex Buchholz	AA	3				26
.	UTL-	Alejandro Selen	AA	5				24	FA
.	UTL-	Rougned Odor	AA	0				19
.	UTL-	Jeudy Valdez	AA	5				24	FA
.	OF-	Joe Benson	AA	5				25
.	OF-	Kalian Sams	AA	5				27	SIGNED
.
.	A+	Myrtle Beach Pelicans (CAR)
.	CEO-	Chuck Greenberg
.	GM-	Scott Brown
.	MGR-	Jason Wood
.	PCO-	Steve Mintz
.	HCO-	Josue Perez
.		PITCHERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	SP1-	Luke Jackson	A+	0				22
.	SP2-	Jerad Eickhoff	A+	0				23
.	SP3-	Will Lamb	A+	0				23
.	SP4-	Victor Payano	A+	1				21
.	SP5-	Matt West	ML	5	x			25
.
.	SPS-	Randol Rojas	A+	2				23
.	RHMR-	Nicholas Martinez	A+	0				23
.	RHMR-	Taylor Dennis	A+	1				24
.	LHMR-
.	RHSU-	Francisco Mendoza	A+	3				26
.	RHSU-	Jon Edwards	A+	0				25	SIGNED
.	RHSU-	Alec Asher	A+	0				22
.	RHSU-	Ryan Harvey	A+	0				22
.	RHSU-	Paul Schwendel	A+	0				24
.	LHSU-
.	CL-	Josh McElwee	A+	0				24
.
.		POSITION PLAYERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	C-	Kellin Deglan	A+	1				21
.	1B-	Trever Adams	A+	0				25
.	2B-	Edwin Garcia	A+	3				22
.	SS-	Luis Sardinas	ML	1	x			20
.	3B-	Drew Robinson	A+	1				21
.	LF-	Christopher Grayson	A+	0				24
.	CF-	Jacob Skole	A+	1				21
.	RF-	Royce Bolinger	A+	0				23
.	DH-
.
.	C-	Patrick Cantwell	A+	0				23
.	1B-
.	3B-
.	UTL-
.	UTL-
.	OF-	Zachary Cone	A+	0				24
.	OF-	Christopher Grayson	A+	0				24
.	OF-	Preston Beck	A+	0				23
.
.	A	Hickory Crawdads (SAL)
.	CEO-	Don Beaver
.	GM-	Mark Seaman
.	MGR-	Corey Ragsdale
.	PCO-	Ryan O’Malley
.	HCO-	Justin Mashore
.		PITCHERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	SP1-	Jose Valdespina	A	0				21
.	SP2-	David Perez	A	1				21
.	SP3-	Connor Sadzeck	A	0				22
.	SP4-	Luis Parra	A	0				22
.	SP5-	Sam Stafford	A	0				23
.	SP6-	Frank Lopez	A	0				19
.
.	SPS-
.	RHMR-
.	LHMR-	Andrew Faulkner	A	0				21
.	RHSU-	Cody Kendall	A	0				24
.	RHSU-	Ryan Bores	A	0				23
.	RHSU-	Keone Kela	A	0				20
.	RHSU-	Jose Leclerc	A	0				20
.	RHSU-	Tyler Smith	A	0				21
.	RHSU-	Jose Monegro	A	2				24
.	LHSU-	Joseph Burns	A	0				24
.	CL-
.
.		POSITION PLAYERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	C-	David Lyon	A	0				23
.	1B-	Ronald Guzman	A	0				19
.	2B-	Nick Urbanus	A	2				21
.	SS-	Luis Marte	A	0				20
.	3B-	Ryan Rua	A	0				23
.	LF-	Jordan Akins	A	1				21
.	CF-	Lewis Brinson	A	0				19
.	RF-	Nomar Mazara	A	0				18
.	DH-
.
.	C-	Jorge Alfaro	A	1				20
.	C-	Steven Teschner	A	0				22
.	1B-
.	3B-	Joey Gallo	A	0				20
.	3B-	Nick Vickerson	A	0				24
.	UTL-	Russell Wilson	A	1				25
.	UTL-	Talor Wren	A	0				24	FA
.	UTL-	Christopher Bostick	A	0				20
.	OF-	Nick Williams	A	0				19
.	OF-	Hirotoshi Onaka	A	0				25
.
.	A-	Spokane Indians (NW)
.	CEO-
.	GM-
.	MGR-	Tim Hulett
.	PCO-	Ryan O’Malley
.	HCO-	Oscar Bernard
.		PITCHERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	SP1-	John Kukuruda	A	0				21
.	SP2-	Abel De Los Santos	A-	1				21
.	SP3-	Kelvin Vasquez	A	0				20
.	SP4-	Eric Brooks	A	0				23
.	SP5-
.	SP6-
.	SP7-
.
.	SPS-	Shawn Blackwell	A-	1				23
.	RHMR-	Richard Alvarez	A-	2				21
.	RHMR-	Coby Cowgill	A-	0				22
.	LHMR-
.	RHSU-	Carlos Melo	A-	3				22
.	LHSU-
.	CL-
.
.		POSITION PLAYERS	LEV	MiL		ST	INJ	AGE	2014 SALARY
.	C-	Kevin Torres	A+	3				23
.	1B-	Barrett Serrato	AA	0				23
.	2B-	Cam Schiller	A-	0				24
.	SS-	Gabriel Roa	A-	0				23
.	3B-	Smerling Lantigua	A-	0				19
.	LF-	Royce Bolinger	A-	0				23
.	CF-	Preston Beck	A-	0				23
.	RF-	Christopher Garia	A-	1				21
.	DH-
.
.	C-	Guy Edmonds	A-	1				20
.	1B-
.	3B-	Joey Gallo	A-	0				20
.	UTL-
.	UTL-
.	OF-	Brandon Garcia	A-	0				23
.	OF-	Saquan Johnson	A-	0				20
.
.		2014 Baseball America’s Top Ten Prospects
.	1	Rougned Odor, 2b
.	2	Jorge Alfaro, c
.	3	Michael Choice, of
.	4	Nick Williams, of
.	5	Joey Gallo, 3b
.	6	Alex Gonzalez, rhp
.	7	Luis Sardinas, ss
.	8	Luke Jackson, rhp
.	9	Travis Demeritte, ss/3b
.	10	Ronald Guzman, 1b
.
.		2013 Baseball America’s Top Ten Prospects
.	1	Jurickson Profar, ss
.	2	Mike Olt, 3b/1b
.	3	Martin Perez, lhp
.	4	Leonys Martin, of
.	5	Justin Grimm, rhp
.	6	Luke Jackson, rhp
.	7	Luis Sardinas, ss/2b
.	8	Cody Buckel, rhp
.	9	Jorge Alfaro, c/1b
.	10	Joey Gallo, 3b
.
.		2012 Baseball America’s Top Ten Prospects
.	1	Yu Darvish, rhp	ML
.	2	Jurickson Profar, ss	ML
.	3	Martin Perez, lhp	ML
.	4	Mike Olt, 3b	ML
.	5	Leonys Martin, of	AAA
.	6	Neil Ramirez, rhp	AA
.	7	Cody Buckel, rhp	AA
.	8	Jorge Alfaro, c	A
.	9	Christian Villanueva, 3b	CHC
.	10	Rougned Odor, 2b	A
.
.		2011 Baseball America’s Top Ten Prospects
.	1	Martin Perez, lhp	AAA
.	2	Jurickson Profar, ss	A
.	3	Tanner Scheppers, rhp	AAA
.	4	Robbie Erlin, lhp	AA
.	5	Engel Beltre, of	AA
.	6	Michael Kirkman, lhp	AAA
.	7	Mike Olt, 3b	A+
.	8	Luis Sardinas, ss	RK
.	9	Jake Skole, of	A
.	10	Miguel de los Santos, lhp	A+
.
.
.		2010 Baseball America’s Top Ten Prospects
.	1	Neftali Feliz, rhp
.	2	Justin Smoak, 1b
.	3	Martin Perez, lhp
.	4	Tanner Scheppers, rhp
.	5	Jurickson Profar, ss
.	6	Kasey Kiker, lhp
.	7	Robbie Ross, lhp
.	8	Mitch Moreland, of/1b
.	9	Danny Gutierrez, rhp

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Jeff Kleiner:  ”I have been a sports fan since the first Baseball game I went to at Comisky Park in Chicago in 1959, when baseball for me turned from black and white to color.

I have attended or watched thousands of games, always paying attention to statistics, rosters and salaries of all professional sports.

Luckily I had the advantage of watching WGN TV and seeing hundreds of games in the 60′s. Collecting Baseball Cards and then later dealing them gave me an extra sense of the sport, both good and bad.”

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Chuck At Arlington April.11/2012

Tagged: 2011 Baseball America's Top Ten Prospects Martin Perez, 2012 Baseball America's Top Ten Prospects Yu Darvish, 2013 Baseball America's Top Ten Prospects Jurickson Profar, a.j. pierzynski, aaron cunningham, Abel De Los Santos, adrian beltre, alec asher, Alejandro Selen, Alex Buchholz, Alexi Ogando, Andrew Faulkner, Andy Hawkins, Barrett Serrato, ben henry, ben rowen, Bill Richardson, Bobby Jones, Brad Holman, brad mills, Brandon Garcia, Brant Brown, Brett Nicholas, Brett Weibley, Brian Broderick, C.J. Edwards, Cam Schiller, Carlos Melo, Carlos Pimentel, Chad Bell, Chih-Hsien Chiang, Chris McGuiness, Christian Villanueva, Christopher Garia, Christopher Grayson, Chuck Greenberg, Coby Cowgill, Cody Buckel, Cody Kendall, colby lewis, collin balester, Connor Sadzeck, Cory Burns., craig gentry, Daniel Lopez, Dave Anderson, Dave Magadan, david murphy, David Perez, Derek Holland, derek lowe, Don Beaver, Drew Benes, Drew Robinson, Edwin Garcia, Eli whiteside, elvis andrus, engel beltre, Eric Brooks, Evan Meek, Francisco Mendoza, Frisco RoughRiders (TEX), Gabriel Roa, Gabriel Suarez, Gary Pettis, geovany soto, Greg Miclat, Gregory Williams, Guilder Rodriguez, Guy Edmonds, Hanser Alberto, Hickory Crawdads (SAL), Hirotoshi Onaka, ian kinsler, Jackie Moore, Jacob Brigham, Jacob Skole, Jake Skole, James Adduci, Jared Hoying, Jared Prince, Jason Frasor, Jason Hart, Jason Wood, Jeff Andrews, Jeff Baker, Jerad Eickhoff, Jeremy Williams, Jhonny Gomez, jimmy reyes, joakim soria, Joe Maloney, joe nathan, Joey Butler, Joey Gallo, Johan Yan, John Kukuruda, jon daniels, Jon Edwards, Jordan Akins, Jorge Alfaro, Jose Felix, Jose Mavare, Jose Monegro, Jose Valdespina, Joseph Burns, Joseph Ortiz, Joseph Van Meter, josh lindblom, Josh McElwee, Joshua Richmond, Josue Perez, Julio Garcia, jurickson profar, Justin Grimm, Justin Miller, Kellin Deglan, Kevin Matthews, Kevin Pucetas, Kevin Torres, Kyle Devore, kyle mcclellan, lance berkman, leonys martin, Leury Garcia, Lisalberto Bonilla, Luis Sardinas, luke jackson, Mark Seaman, martin perez, matt garza, Matt Harrison, Matthew West, Michael Bianucci, michael choice, Michael Kirkman, Michael Olt, Miguel de los Santos, Mike Maddux, mike olt, Mitchell Moreland, Myrtle Beach Pelicans (CAR), Nate Robertson, Neal Cotts, neftali feliz, Neil Ramirez, nelson cruz, Nicholas Martinez, Nicholas McBride, Nicholas Tepesch, Nick Urbanus, Nick Vickerson, nolan ryan, Odubel Herrera, Oscar Bernard, Patrick Cantwell, Paul Schwendel, Phil Klein, Preston Beck, prince fielder, Randol Rojas, Randy Henry, Randy Wells, Reid Ryan George King, Richard Alvarez, Richard Bleier, robbie erlin, Robert Ross, robinson chirinos, Roman Mendez, Ron Washington, ross wolf, Rougned Odor, Round Rock Express (PCL), Royce Bolinger, Ryan Feierabend, Ryan Harvey, Ryan O’Malley, Ryan Rodebaugh, Ryan Rua, ryan strausborger, Santiago Chirino, Santo Perez, Saquan Johnson, Scott Brown, Scott Olsen, Scott Sonju, Shawn Blackwell, shin-soo choo, Smerling Lantigua, Spokane Indians (NW), Steve Buechele, Storm Davis, tanner scheppers, Taylor Dennis, Teodoro Martinez, Terry Clark, Tim Hulett, Tim Murphy, Tomas Telis, Tommy Mendonca, Trever Adams, Tyler Tufts, Victor Payano, Vincent DiFazio, Will Lamb, Wilmer Font, Yangervis Solarte, Yefry Castillo, Yonata Ortega, Yoshinori Tateyama, yu darvish, Zach Osborne, Zach Simons, Zach Zaneski, Zachary Cone