For Better Or For Worse 4: The Reckoning - NL East

We're jumping leagues in our FBOFW series and looking at the National League East Division.

Atlanta Braves
Key Additions: Nick Markakis, Jason Grilli, Jonny Gomes, A.J. Pierzynski, Alberto Callaspo, Jim Johnson, Arodys Vizcaino, Manny Banuelos
Key Losses: Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Evan Gattis, Ervin Santana, Kris Medlen, Brandon Beachy, David Carpenter, Emilio Bonifacio, Aaron Harang, Tommy La Stella, Chasen Shreve
2014 Record: 79-83
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: Ugh. Read the losses again. The Braves found themselves down an entire outfield, a second baseman (during a time in which the team needed youth and certainty at the position), 80 percent of a starting rotation, a great reliever and a solid utility infielder. To replace those players, the team literally raided the MLB scrapyard and came away with a handful of rusty nails and a soggy box of trash. The revamped front office (Frank Wren is out, John Hart is in) is clearly shooting for 2017, when SunTrust Park opens, to contend once again. And yet, they gave 4 years to an outfielder who has spent his entire, relatively mediocre career in the AL, signed several bullpen guys who have had massive meltdowns as recently as the last calendar year, a backup catcher more notable for what he says than what he does, and Alberto Callaspo, which is the most insulting thing you can call a ballplayer. They didn't need Vizcaino that badly: the bullpen is one of the few strong spots of the team even after the subtraction of Carpenter and Shreve (especially with Banuelos now waiting in the wings), and they could have easily held onto La Stella, who would have brought some La Stability to a position previously handled by the tattered remains of Dan Uggla. Instead, as they did almost everywhere else there was a hole, they plugged it with garbage. Oh, and let's not forget The Artist Formerly Known As B.J. Upton, as Melvin (be honest, you didn't know that was his real name) has been the face of the freefall. I understand the necessity of a rebuild, or a restart, or whatever the hell we're pretending this is, but if you want fans to come to a new park, dismantling the team and shipping off most of the good players is not the way to put butts into those new seats. Over the past several years, my friends and I have made the trek to Turner Field for Opening Day, but none of us feel like it's worth the time now. This team is, quite simply, unwatchable.
Biggest Need: You can't narrow it down to just one. Rather, I can't, and I won't.

Miami Marlins
Key Additions: Mat Latos, Dee Gordon, Ichiro Suzuki, Dan Haren (tentatively), Michael Morse, Martin Prado
Key Losses: Andrew Heaney, Anthony DeSclafani, Nathan Eovaldi, Casey McGehee
2014 Record: 77-85
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: Remember back in late May, when the Marlins were still contending for a Wild Card spot and seemed to be a dangerous squad? Man, that was funny. What isn't funny are the major injuries that befell their two biggest stars: Jose Fernandez had Tommy John surgery in late May when he was en route to a Kershaw-ian season, and Giancarlo Stanton had his face rearranged by an errant Mike Fiers fastball (something that didn't stop the Miami brass from giving the batting behemoth the biggest contract extension of all time, in baseball or anything else, ever). While Stanton should be up and regularly crushing baseballs on Opening Day, Fernandez won't be appearing on a major league mound until June at the earliest. Still, this team acquired players that alone seem ancillary, but together, they actually form a pretty strong (albeit questionable) nucleus. Latos and Haren, both in walk years, will add stability to the rotation: Aside from missing the first couple of months last year, Mat has never made less than 30 starts, nor has Dan. They've still got Complete Game Henderson Alvarez and Jarred Cosart to hold down the hurling responsibilities in Eovaldi's absence until Jose is ready to rock. Morse saw a 160-point jump in his OPS from 2013-14, more impressively doing it in AT&T Park, a notorious pitcher's haven. He won't have any problem sending some balls out of Marlins Park, another cavernous confine, and his presence will make it more difficult for pitchers to throw around Stanton. Ichiro continues his quest for 3,000 (American) hits, Gordon has the potential to lead the game in stolen bags once more, and Prado gives the team a superlative amount of positional flexibility (although he projects as the starting third baseman, with the trade of McGehee). Perhaps surprisingly, this Miami team could be strong enough to contend in a weak division. Heh. Hehehe...
Biggest Need: Their biggest need is, rather, something they don't need. Stanton will be physically ready to start the season, but will he be prepared mentally? Getting your jaw broken by a baseball with the force of a locomotive would be enough to convince anyone to throw in the towel. If he can rebound, he'll remain the scariest slugger in baseball.

New York Mets
Key Additions: Michael Cuddyer...wait, really? That's it?
Key Losses: None
2014 Record: 79-83
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: When Cuddyer became the first free agent with draft pick compensation stigma attached to sign this year, there was a feeling that this was the first of several moves by the unlovable younger brother of MLB teams in NYC. It seemed confusing to just sign Cuddyer and call it an offseason, but surely the Mets had a plan. And they did! The plan was to just sign Cuddyer and call it an offseason, though. Still, the starting pitching will be a force to be reckoned with. They'll have their ace back in a fully-recovered Matt Harvey, with Noah Syndegaard knocking on the door quite loudly. The rest of the rotation, composed of reigning Rookie of the Year Jacob DeGrom, Zack Wheeler, Jonathan Niese and Bartolo "How is he still around?" Colon, rounds things out nicely (insert your own fat/round joke). The bullpen is about the same, with Jenrry Meija entrenched as the colorful closer and Jeurys Familia handling middle relief with finesse. If either of them find themselves incapable of shutting opponents down, Vic Black should be an adequate replacement, as he proved himself to be a perfectly capable middle reliever with the team last year. The lineup still leaves a lot to be desired, however: while Cuddyer should hit at an acceptable clip, Curtis Granderson disappointed mightily in his first year with the other NY team, posting career lows in batting average, slugging and OPS. He and Cuddyer will flank Juan Lagares, by all accounts one of the slickest-fielding middle outfielders in the game. Daniel Murphy and Lucas Duda both had surprisingly strong offensive seasons, but the other side of the infield did not: Wilmer Flores is a mirage, and David Wright hit just 8 balls over the fence. If this Amazin' team will be the first to contend in a decade, they'll need much more firepower from their big boppers.
Biggest Need: They need to be any team other than the Mets. Maybe not the Braves.

Philadelphia Phillies
Key Additions: Aaron Harang
Key Losses: Jimmy Rollins, Marlon Byrd, A.J. Burnett
2014 Record: 73-89
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: The Phillies' greatest accomplishment during their slow slide into irrelevance is passing the rising Mets on the way down. At least the ride is over, and the Phils are phirmly in the NL East cellar. While Chase Utley wraps up a Hall of Fame-caliber career in Philly, fellow Cooperstown hopeful Jimmy Rollins will play the rest of his games (most likely) in Los Angeles. Byrd was traded to Cincinnati, and Burnett left to join the other Pennsylvania team for the second time. Those who remain in the City of Brotherly Love, though, won't be feeling much of it. Ryan Howard is a bigger waste of money than ballpark beer, the entire outfield could be replaced by mannequins with gloves and nobody would notice, and any non-Hamels pitcher on the team (while not subject to the same level of trade scrutiny) is either too old, too young, ineffective, or some combination of the three, such as mean-mugger Cliff Lee, who is currently rehabbing from an elbow injury that sidelined him for the final 2 months of 2014. Speaking of the man himself, it's highly likely that the Phils open the season with Cole on the mound. His losing record last year belies his strong season (#killthewin), he remains one of the few bright spots on the roster, and general manager Ruben Amaro's outrageous demands make any deal difficult to consummate. If there was a team crazy enough to take on the remaining $94 million still due to Hamels ($114 million if a team on his no-trade list picks up his $20 million option for 2019) AND give up their three top prospects, wouldn't they have stepped in already? Just as challenging to move, for completely different reasons, is incumbent closer Jonathan Papelbon. The team has a replacement who is ready to rock in Ken Giles, but while they'd love to get Papelbon and his historically negative attitude out of the clubhouse, his contract also represents a huge obstacle. Hey, at least it's always sunny in Philadelphia.
Biggest Need: A new GM. Ruben Amaro lost his mind many years ago and continues to call the shots. It's staggering.

Washington Nationals
Key Additions: Max Scherzer, Yunel Escobar
Key Losses: Adam LaRoche, Tyler Clippard, Asdrubal Cabrera, Rafael Soriano, Ross Detwiler
2014 Record: 96-66
Playoffs: Lost NLDS to Giants, 3 games to 1
Season Outlook: One of these seasons, the Nats will be pegged as the best team in baseball and actually live up to that moniker. Heading into the 2014 season, DC was once again the runaway favorite to take home the Commissioner's Trophy. Their rotation, starring Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and offseason pickup Doug Fister, was considered the best in the game. The lineup, including Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth and Anthony Rendon in a breakout year, was going to provide significant offensive muscle to back up the pitching. The bullpen, with Soriano, Clippard and Drew Storen, was supposed to close games out with ease. To be fair, the Nationals had one of the best records in the game, and the top record in the NL. Still, the franchise's second postseason trip ended the same way as the first: in a NLDS defeat. Bringing in Scherzer to strengthen baseball's best starting five is a great move, and Escobar's presence at second means no more waiting on Danny Espinosa (while giving the team a pretty solid backup plan should anything happen to incumbent free agent Ian Desmond). R-Zimm moving to first so Rendon can handle third full-time is another smart move that should further improve what is shaping up to be one of the game's better defensive infields. The biggest questions lie in the rotation, but nothing to do with the health of the starting five: after the World Series, Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister become free agents. Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez will be granted free agency after the 2016 WS. This is all barring extensions, of course, but things have been surprisingly quiet on all fronts. Therefore, it's paramount that the Nats capitalize on this season, and there is every indication (and the sorry state of the division) to believe they will. Stop me if you've heard this before, but the Nats are this writer's pick to win it all in 2015. And 2014, 2013, 2012...
Biggest Need: A full, healthy season from Harper. Even though the hype may have been a little over-the-top, Bryce is still a massive boost to this team when he's on the field. However, he's played in fewer games every year since debuting (139, 118, 100). If he plays 150+ games, not only could the Nats once again cruise to a division title, Harper might finally warrant serious MVP consideration.

Projected 2015 Standings
Washington Nationals
Miami Marlins
New York Mets
Atlanta Braves
Philadelphia Phillies

For Better Or For Worse 4: The Reckoning - AL West

In this FBOFW post, we'll take a look at the American League West Division.

Houston Astros
Key Additions: Evan Gattis, Colby Rasmus, Hank Conger, Luke Gregerson, Pat Neshek, Jed Lowrie, Luis Valbuena, Dan Straily
Key Losses: Dexter Fowler
2014 Record: 70-92
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: Houston fans have been told to "trust the process" that GM/madman Jeff Luhnow has employed to bring the Astros out of their perpetual cellar-dwelling ways, and while nobody expects them to pull a Royals next season, 2015 should still be a big step forward for the team. They avoided a fourth straight 100-loss season and added some serious punch to an anemic lineup and an equally faulty bullpen. With that in mind, a .500 season doesn't seem very far outside the team's grasp, although they'll have to strike while the injury iron is hot for some of their divisional and geographical rivals. Rasmus will shore up an outfield with George Springer and Jake Marisnick, Gattis will provide them with massive power out of the DH spot (and can even spell incumbent Jason Castro behind the plate if necessary), Lowrie can play either position up the middle in case breakout star Jose Altuve misses any significant amount of time, Gregerson and Neshek will help reinforce the bridge between the rotation and Chad Qualls, Valbuena gives the team a more reliable third base option than Matt Dominguez, and Conger and Straily also provide solid depth at their respective positions. If Springer, Jonathan Singleton and all those coveted prospects like Carlos Correa and Mark Appel can take a few steps forward, the trust placed in the process will soon bear the hard-earned fruits of the Houston front office's labor.
Biggest Need: Continued success from Chris Carter. He hit 37 homers last year and slugged .491, but his .227 batting average, .308 OBP and 9.8 walk percentage leave a lot of room of improvement. He won't be the lone catalyst in this lineup with the addition of Gattis and Rasmus, but he'll need to take more free passes and create more value on the basepaths if he is to add to the Astros' charge.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Key Additions: Andrew Heaney, Josh Rutledge, Roberto Baldoquin
Key Losses: Howie Kendrick, Gordon Beckham, Jason Grilli
2014 Record: 98-64
Playoffs: Lost ALDS to Royals, 3 games to 0
Season Outlook: Baseball's best player (do I really have to say who?) finally found himself on a team that rose to meet him, as the Trout-led Angels breezed to the game's best record. A strong first half from Albert Pujols gave the Halos an early jump start on the division title, and Garrett Richards was a rotational revelation before a knee injury sidelined him down the stretch. His absence was sorely felt during the first round of the playoffs, as the Angels were swept by the surging Royals. Josh Hamilton was a non-factor not only in October but the months preceding it, and his albatross of a contract makes it unlikely he'll be moved soon. Even worse, he experienced a relapse with cocaine and alcohol this season, and he'll be suspended for an as-yet-undetermined amount of time when the season begins. Knowing they needed more youth and power in the starting five, the team swung a trade with their crosstown NL counterparts for Heaney, the former Marlin, giving up Kendrick in the swap. Between him, Matt Shoemaker and a healthy Richards, former aces Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson may bounce back with lower expectations. However, both Weaver and Wilson have seen sharp declines in their velocity and location, so regaining their command will be vital. The bullpen is fairly reliable, with Joe Smith and Huston Street locking down the later innings. Rutledge is a solid utility guy who's logged innings everywhere in the infield except first, but Baldoquin, a Cuban defector, is a complete unknown (and won't even start the season with the big league club). As long as Richards comes back at 100 percent, Heaney adjusts to the AL, and Hamilton and Pujols provide at least minimal value, the Halos could be looking at a heavenly postseason.
Biggest Need: A resolution to the myriad of questions in the rotation. Will Richards return to his newly found form? Can Shoemaker replicate his surprising season? Do Weaver or Wilson have anything left in the tank? Who's next on the depth chart if one of these guys gets injured? Is Kelvim Escobar still around?

Oakland Athletics
Key Additions: Billy Butler, Brett Lawrie, Ben Zobrist, Tyler Clippard, Jesse Hahn
Key Losses: Jon Lester, Jeff Samardzija, Josh Donaldson, Brandon Moss, John Jaso, Luke Gregerson, Jason Hammel, Jonny Gomes, Jed Lowrie, Adam Dunn
2014 Record: 88-74
Playoffs: Lost Wild Card game to Royals, 9-8
Season Outlook: Nobody's ever quite sure what goes through Billy Beane's head. This offseason makes this humble blogger wonder if Beane has any clue himself. Are the A's rebuilding as a trigger-happy reaction to a tough WC loss? Are they reloading? If they are, why are they reloading with BB pellets and scrolls of paper that say BANG! on them instead of, you know, actual bullets? Moreover, some of the players that the team has brought in don't necessarily make sense or fit comfortably into the Moneyball archetype. Butler's power won't play in the Coliseum nearly as well as Dunn's did (and it didn't), Lawrie is an oft-injured, defense-first liability replacing an all-around force in Donaldson, and Hahn is still a relative unknown after a strong season with the Padres. Zobrist and Clippard are, admittedly, great additions: Ben will assume a similar role of mega-ultra-super utility player as he played in Tampa (even if his on base numbers are nothing to write home about), and Tyler will add stability to a bullpen that desperately needs it in the wake of Sean Doolittle's shoulder injury. Still, this team will be reeling from the whirlwind of moves, especially the losses in the rotation, and the Oakland faithful will be wary of getting too attached to any new faces. They can at least take solace in the fact that they'll have an entirely new crop of faces to be cynical about in 2-3 years.
Biggest Need: A NEW STADIUM, FOR GOD'S SAKE. The walls are crumbling, sewage usually overflows from the sinks and showers, and the location is less than ideal. Maybe new commissioner Rob Manfred will do more than his predecessor to resolve the conflict between the A's and Giants for territorial rights in San Jose, but don't hold your breath (unless you're trying to not smell the sewage, then go right ahead).

Seattle Mariners
Key Additions: Nelson Cruz, J.A. Happ, Justin Ruggiano, Seth Smith
Key Losses: Michael Saunders, Corey Hart, Chris Denorfia, Justin Smoak, Kendrys Morales
2014 Record: 87-75
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: After years of playing the role of whipping boy, the Mariners finally forced the world to pay attention to them once again, as they just missed the playoffs on the final day of the season. The first year of Robinson Cano's tenure in the Pacific Northwest was, therefore, a success, but they'll need to make some noise next year if they're to be taken seriously. The M's finally got their man in Cruz, after he led baseball with 40 homers while playing in Baltimore. In Nelly, they've added a strong power hitter, a rare commodity in today's offense-starved game, but Safeco Field is notorious for being a graveyard for prolific sluggers. In addition, Cano and Kyle Seager are the only other hitters that opposing pitchers need to worry about. Once they get past the heart of the lineup, it's just despair, agony, and Dustin Ackley. Felix Hernandez, still one of the best pitchers on the planet, and the rest of the rotation will benefit from the addition of Happ (and they only had to give up Saunders, who was reportedly unhappy with the organization anyway). The bullpen, led by closer/archer Fernando Rodney, was actually pretty solid, as they combined for the 7th highest relief corps WAR in MLB. Smith will add a bit of value at the plate, as he managed to knock 12 balls out of the park last year while playing in another cavernous field (Petco Park), although he'll likely platoon with Ruggiano, considering how Seth hits righties and Justin hits lefties, and neither provides much in the way of fielding. Optimism is running high in Seattle for the first time since Junior was there, but will it culminate in a playoff appearance in 2015? Hey, anything's possible in this game.
Biggest Need: One more bat wouldn't hurt, but it'll have to come on the trade market at this point. It's possible that the team could forego any more moves, though, and hope for a return to form from Jesus Montero. The DH/erstwhile catcher made more headlines for his ice cream-inspired feud with a scout last season than his performance on the diamond, but he's supposedly dropped some weight and is rededicated to becoming the slugger Seattle hoped he'd be when they traded Michael Pineda to the Yankees for him.

Texas Rangers
Key Additions: Yovani Gallardo, Ross Detwiler
Key Losses: Alex Rios, Alexi Ogando
2014 Record: 67-95
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: Everything's bigger in Texas...including, it seems, the injury risk. Hopes were high for the former 2-time pennant winners, especially after signing Shin-Soo Choo to an outrageous deal and taking on another when they acquired Prince Fielder from the Tigers for Ian Kinsler. Then, suddenly, putting on a Rangers uniform became the equivalent of wrapping yourself tightly in a smallpox blanket. As per CBSsports.com's Matt Snyder, the team set a record for most active players on a 25-man roster. 40 (!!!) different pitchers were used, and 14 pitchers made a start with only one reaching 25 in Colby Lewis. Trading for Gallardo (30 starts or more every year since 2009) and Detwiler (who is comfortable starting or throwing long relief) makes a ton of sense, then. Slotting those two behind Yu Darvish and a healthy Derek Holland will help prevent a repeat of the revolving door on the mound. Even when healthy, the two big prizes of the Rangers' offseason were ineffective. Choo didn't play after August 23rd due to ankle surgery, and his OBP was a career-low .340. Fielder went down for the year in early May with a neck injury. Kinsler, if you didn't know, thrived in Detroit, provided superb defense, notched a career-high 92 RBI and helped the team win their fourth straight division title. Just saying. In his stead, Rougned Odor handled second base appropriately, and even slugged pretty well for a middle infielder. Elvis Andrus, however, was a non-factor for most of the year, having the worst offensive season of his career since 2010 and leading the league in failed stealing attempts. Jurickson Profar didn't appear in a single game as injuries also prevented him from taking the field, and he'll lose all of 2015 as well. Losing Rios in the outfield, though, doesn't hurt too much, and Adrian Beltre continues to add to his Hall of Fame credentials, so this team isn't without bright spots. They just got lost in the sea of maladies.
Biggest Need: Waking up from that nightmare 2014 season may be enough. Last year was a fluke in terms of days lost to injury, so the team is due for some positive regression there.

Projected 2015 Standings
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Seattle Mariners
Texas Rangers
Houston Astros
Oakland Athletics

For Better Or For Worse 4: The Reckoning - AL Central

As always, we keep plugging along in our FBOFW series with the American League Central Division.

Chicago White Sox
Key Additions: Jeff Samardzija, David Robertson, Adam LaRoche, Melky Cabrera, Zach Duke, Emilio Bonifacio, Gordon Beckham
Key Losses: Paul Konerko, Marcus Semien
2014 Record: 73-89
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: The ChiSox will be better next year not only for their massive shopping spree (bringing in Samardzija to relieve Sale of the burden of being the only competent pitcher in the South Side, Robertson and Duke to strengthen a faltering bullpen, and LaRoche and Cabrera to add some pop to a lineup with phenom Jose Abreu and little else), but bidding farewell to both Konerko and the free-swinging financial drain that was Adam Dunn should add by subtraction. Jose Quintana has shown impressive flashes of brilliance over the last two seasons, and having Shark behind Sale should allow him to flourish even further without too much pressure. In spite of Sale, White Sox pitchers ranked in the bottom five of most pitching stats outside of quality starts (in which they ranked 13th), so this rotation really can't be any worse than it was. Younger players like Avisail Garcia and Conor Gillaspie have demonstrated they can be solid major league regulars, although the team has to be hopeful that Garcia can improve upon his -10 DRS mark in just 46 games in right last season and that Gillaspie continues his ascent into the ranks of offensively-acceptable third basemen. Moreover, prospects like Carlos Rodon and Tim Anderson are making it hard to keep them in the minors, and it's doubtful that they won't reach the majors if the team is indeed contending later on this year. If the offseason acquisitions pan out, and Abreu has another year like his rookie campaign, Chicago may have a contender (or two) on their hands.
Biggest Need: This part originally said something about them getting a fair amount of usage out of a backup second baseman, but the team recently resigned Beckham after he was non-tendered by the team (Angels) they traded him to this past summer. Between him and Bonifacio, the keystone should be properly cared for until Carlos Sanchez is ready to take over.

Cleveland Indians
Key Additions: Brandon Moss, Gavin Floyd
Key Losses: Jason Giambi
2014 Record: 85-77
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: Seriously, in 2014-15, Jason Giambi was not only still playing (until his recent retirement announcement), he was the biggest free agent the Indians had. You can't make this stuff up. Anyway, last season was fairly prolific for Cleveland, as they notched another winning record in their ongoing quest to recapture the glory days of the 1990s. The signings of Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn a couple of years ago have yet to garner them more than a Wild Card spot two years back (that they pissed away by losing to the Rays), and with Jason Kipnis taking several steps backwards after a stellar 2013, things as they stand are looking dicey for the Indians. Swisher and Bourn have both gotten steadily worse since signing, as Nick hit fewer than 21 homers (8, to be exact) for the first time in a decade and Michael has stolen fewer than 25 bases in both of the last two years, a far cry from the 51 swiped bags he averaged between 2008-12. Although the addition of Moss can cover Swisher to an extent (and Brandon had his own power outage during the A's second-half stumble), Bourn's decline is on full display. There are, however, a few bright spots: Michael Brantley turned into a MVP candidate seemingly out of nowhere, and Corey Kluber came from the same place to win this year's AL Cy Young award. With the Central weaker than it's been in previous years (read: the Tigers are weaker than they've been in previous years), the Indians could feasibly strike while the iron is hot. Then again, they've been trying to strike since Grady Sizemore was a perennial All-Star, so...
Biggest Need: Another great season from the rotation can't hurt. Kluber tore through the league, but Carlos Carrasco also quietly notched a 2.55 ERA in 134 1/3 innings thrown. Trevor Bauer and Danny Salazar continue to struggle, but both are young enough to expect their ERAs to normalize with their high strikeout rates (FIP had them both pegged a little lower). Floyd is a solid back-end guy, and if his rehab from shoulder surgery continues to go well, he might still have a little left in the tank.

Detroit Tigers
Key Additions: Yoenis Cespedes, Alfredo Simon, Tom Gorzelanny, Shane Greene
Key Losses: Max Scherzer, Torii Hunter, Rick Porcello
2014 Record: 90-72
Playoffs: Lost ALDS to Orioles, 3 games to 0
Season Outlook: After 4 straight years of winning the division, 2015 could be the first season in some time that the Motown crew has some serious competition. They resigned resurgent DH Victor Martinez to a 4 year/$68 million deal they'll surely come to regret once V-Mart starts to show his age, but after a second-place MVP finish and leading the league in OBP (.409) and leading both leagues in OPS (.974), this was a deal they had to make. Never mind that Martinez just reinjured the same left meniscus that cost him the entire 2013 season, the Detroit brass needed to bring him back into the fold. Miguel Cabrera came back to Earth somewhat, but even his pedestrian numbers are well above replacement value and he should remain at first base, where his extreme defensive liabilities are much easier to hide. Gorzelanny is a good signing for a bullpen that is seemingly forever in flux, and the front office has to hope that the rotation (after losing Max Scherzer to the Nationals and Justin Verlander to the baseball gods) remains productive in David Price's final year before free agency. Simon and Greene should go a long way towards helping in that regard, and Anibal Sanchez is a fairly safe bet to pitch well. Cespedes will add more pop to this potent lineup, even if his defense lacks a little to be desired, making him a more than palatable replacement for the ageless Hunter. Ian Kinsler's spectacular defense made up for his sagging offense, and Jose Iglesias should be ready to go at shortstop after missing the entirety of last year, giving the team one of baseball's more enviable double play combinations. This Tigers team really isn't as threatening as its been in years past, but that doesn't mean Detroit will be a pushover in 2015.
Biggest Need: A bounce back from Verlander. After he signed that ludicrous extension, he's fallen off the map. His velocity is way down, he can't seem to throw strikes anymore, and it's possible he's smoking the same stuff that destroyed Tim Lincecum. Does Kate Upton know how to throw a curve, and how quickly can she get into midseason form?

Kansas City Royals
Key Additions: Kendrys Morales, Alex Rios, Kris Medlen, Edinson Volquez
Key Losses: James Shields, Billy Butler, Norichika Aoki
2014 Record: 89-73
Playoffs: Lost World Series to Giants, 4 games to 3
Season Outlook: Make no mistake: pushing the dynastic Giants to the final out of Game 7 of last year's World Series is damn impressive. That being said, the Royals should not be viewed as strong contenders in 2015. Kinda funny, considering THIS is the year everybody expected the team to win the pennant, not 2014. They've had one of their busiest offseasons in recent memory, unsurprisingly, but a quick glance will tell you that they haven't necessarily improved: Morales and Rios both fell off a cliff offensively (admittedly, Morales played in two of the worst hitter's parks in the game), and only Rios provides borderline value in the field. Medlen is recovering from his second Tommy John surgery (guys who have it twice are far less likely to come back at full strength), and any success Volquez had last year was surely the result of the magical Pirates pitching coaches. While both signings are low-risk/high-reward, neither portends particularly well. Danny Duffy finally came to life last year, but how effective he'll be going forward remains a valid skepticism. Moreover, the team lost their ace (Shields), their long-suffering DH (Butler), and an outfielder (Aoki) who fields magnificently, if not efficiently. Unless Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas finally tap into that 30-homer potential we keep hearing about, it'll be difficult for the Royals to rank last in the majors in most offensive categories again and still make it to October. Then again, you could have easily said the same thing this time last year, and you would have looked foolish. This is everyday life for the common Royals fan.
Biggest Need: Competent, major league-caliber hitters. The rotation is still strong, with Yordano Ventura, Jeremy Guthrie and Jason Vargas to compliment Duffy, the relief triumvirate of Herrera/Davis/Holland seems like a safe bet to replicate their dominant season (although some regression should be expected), and Brandon Finnegan can be used in a starting capacity or that of a long reliever. They've just got to score more runs, bottom line.

Minnesota Twins
Key Additions: Ervin Santana, Torii Hunter
Key Losses: None
2014 Record: 70-92
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: If you've been paying attention at all the last 4 years, I don't need to tell you how bad the Twins have been. Joe Mauer, presumably after one too many Head and Shoulders commercials, seems to have disappeared after moving to first. His catching replacement, Kurt Suzuki, had a career year, but that doesn't mean it was anywhere close to prime Mauer. Bringing Hunter back to the organization he spent most of his solid career with is a nice feel-good signing, but the 38 year old can't have enough left in the tank to bring his once and future employers back to prominence so rapidly. Despite a 20-20 season from Brian Dozier, and the team as a whole ranking no lower than 11th in nearly all counting stats, the offense wasn't enough to keep the terrible pitching afloat. While signing Phil Hughes last offseason paid dividends (he posted the highest K/BB ratio of any qualified starter in history), the same cannot be said for Ricky Nolasco. Kyle Gibson struggled in his first full year, but his FIP implies some bad luck. Adding Santana may be a smarter move than it looks like on the surface, as he's had recent success in the division. Glen Perkins had a solid season, but the rest of the bullpen was uninspiring and ineffective. While people are excited for the eventual debuts of prospects Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, fellow minor leaguers Alex Meyer and Kohl Stewart might need to join the big league club, and excel, just as quickly. Whew, that pitching is seriously bad.
Biggest Need: A stronger bullpen would help. The aforementioned youngsters could always join the club halfway through the year and pitch in relief to help them transition to starting. Then again, nobody's mistakenly believing that this team will contend in 2015, so they could wait on adding bullpen pieces until the rest of the squad notches a winning season.

Projected 2015 Standings
Chicago White Sox
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals
Cleveland Indians
Minnesota Twins

For Better Or For Worse 4: The Reckoning - AL East

After a hiatus last season, TBF's For Better Or For Worse series is back and better than ever! Well, it's back, at least. 2014 was an exhilarating, fascinating season full of memorable occasions for fans of every team. Let's take a brief look at how 2015 might play out for all 30 franchises. We'll start, as always, with the American League East Division.

Baltimore Orioles
Key Additions: Travis Snider
Key Losses: Nelson Cruz, Nick Markakis, Andrew Miller
2014 Record: 96-66
Playoffs: Lost ALCS to Royals, 4 games to 0
Season Outlook: Coming off a year in which they cruised to a division title (and were just two games shy of the best record in the game), the Orioles got comfortable and stood pat this offseason on both the trade and free agent markets. It's defensible, since the AL East is still mostly in shambles, putting Adam Jones and crew in good position to repeat as divisional champs. But with the meltdown of Ubaldo Jimenez and the losses of Cruz (who hit most homers in MLB last year with 40), Markakis and Miller, it'll be an uphill battle in Baltimore. They resigned Hardy before he officially reached free agency, a deal (3 years, $40 million with a 2018 option worth $14 million) that was lauded as one of the shrewdest and quickest of the offseason considering the thin shortstop market, but they'll miss the firepower Cruz brought to the lineup. Jones becomes the bat they'll rely upon the most (again), and he's a virtual lock to deliver around 30 homers while finally finding his groove defensively: 2014 was the first season wherein he posted positive DRS and UZR figures in centerfield. Erstwhile infielder Manny Machado went down with a horrific knee injury for the second straight season. If healthy, he may be able to reach for 40 doubles after challenging for the single season record in 2013. Backstop Matt Wieters finally enters his walk year, and he'll look to rebuild his value after a lost 2014 if he wants to command the kind of contract he and agent Scott Boras expect to receive on the free agent market. Chris Davis remains an enigma: will he hit 50 homers, or will he hit under .200? This Orioles team, like last year, has a lot of question marks. Still, with the division being the weakest its been in years, the smart money would be on the O's remaining in control of the East.
Biggest Need: They still don't have a starter that will inspire fear in opposing hitters' hearts. Chris Tillman, their Game 1 starter in both the ALDS and ALCS, is a number 1 pitcher in rotational order only. Kevin Gausman should get a longer look in 2015, and top prospect Dylan Bundy should solidify the starting 5 sometime in the near future.

Boston Red Sox
Key Additions: Pablo Sandoval, Hanley Ramirez, Rick Porcello, Wade Miley, Yoan Moncada, Justin Masterson, Anthony Varvaro
Key Losses: Yoenis Cespedes, Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster, David Ross, Will Middlebrooks
2014 Record: 71-91
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: Pulling off baseball's very first occurrence of a team going worst-to-first-to-worst, last year's defending champions (ugh) spent the majority of 2014 in the cellar (yay!). The BoSox revamped their entire rotation with the deals for Porcello (sending Cespedes to the Tigers) and Miley (shipping De La Rosa and Webster to the Diamondbacks) as well as the signing of Masterson. All of the newbies, as well as disappointing holdover Clay Buchholz, are noted groundball pitchers, something that should be of great interests to the infielder. While Mike Napoli isn't the best defensive first baseman, the rest of the infield provides surprisingly high defensive value. As much as I hate to say it, this marriage of grounder-inducing hurlers and finesse fielders should be quite successful (ugh again). They resigned Koji Uehara around the end of the World Series and later traded for Varvaro, both moves that will strengthen the bullpen. And of course, having Panda and HanRam adds a lot of power and versatility to a lineup with returning vets David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia. Ortiz, at 39 years old, still mashes baseballs with utter authority, and Pedroia no longer has anybody nipping at his heels with the move of prospect Mookie Betts to the crowded outfield. Ramirez will see most of his game action in the outfield, where he has never once played in his professional career, while Sandoval's arrival necessitated the removal of Middlebrooks from the organization. They even swooped in and snatched up Moncada, the cream of the Cuban crop this offseason, and while he probably won't see much time in Beantown next year, he clearly adds immense future potential to the club. This Boston team should be closer to the 2013 champs than the 2012 and 2014 losers, which makes my skin crawl.
Biggest Need: Even after trading Cespedes, they still have approximately 98 outfielders. Trading Shane Victorino or Allen Craig may alleviate the logjam, especially if they move those guys for infield depth or more pitching. Here's hoping they don't.

New York Yankees
Key Additions: Alex Rodriguez (yes, he technically counts as an addition), Andrew Miller, Didi Gregorius, Nathan Eovaldi, David Carpenter
Key Losses: Derek Jeter, Hiroki Kuroda, David Robertson, Brandon McCarthy, Ichiro Suzuki, Shane Greene, Martin Prado, Shawn Kelley
2014 Record: 84-78
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: Although the Bombers notched a winning season, they fell well short of the postseason in Derek Jeter's final year. Since there was no drama as to whether or not the team would make the playoffs, the entire 2014 campaign felt like a farewell to The Captain mercilessly stretched out over 162 games, which had even the most hardcore Jeter fans (like myself) feeling a mighty hangover this offseason. Never content with baseball-free Octobers, the team took a slightly different approach to this offseason than they have in the previous 4 decades. Sure, they resigned Chase Headley to a deal (4 years, $52 million) that they'll live to regret, but they made some very creative trades to bring in Gregorius to replace Jeter at short (in a role reversal of sorts, as Didi is an excellent fielder while providing little value at the plate), Eovaldi to inject youth into/shore up a crumbling rotation, and Carpenter to join Miller for a nasty one-two punch out of the bullpen. The names in the loss column are big ones, but no one the team will truly miss other than McCarthy (whose time in pinstripes helped revitalize his cutter as well as his career) and Prado (who recorded a 2.1 WAR in just 37 games with the team). While it'd be foolish to ever count the Yanks out, it's hard to see how they could honestly expect to contend next year. The pitching still has a lot of questions, such as how CC Sabathia will rebound, how Michael Pineda will handle more responsibility, and how a MLB team can contend with invisible pitchers in the 4th and 5th slots. Oh, and A-Rod will get back to eliciting a shower of boos at a ballfield near you next year. Enjoy, America.
Biggest Need: The entire staff of Mount Sinai Hospital on retainer. This team looks a lot younger than recent incarnations, but the lineup still reads like a list of reserves for the 2008 All-Star Game. Bouncebacks from Mark Teixeira, Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann will go a long way to buoy the Yankees' chances of contending.

Tampa Bay Rays
Key Additions: Kevin Cash (manager), Asdrubal Cabrera, John Jaso, Steven Souza
Key Losses: Joe Maddon (manager), Wil Myers, Ben Zobrist, Yunel Escobar, Ryan Hanigan
2014 Record: 77-85
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: Nobody was a bigger disappointment in 2014 than the Rays. That's a loaded statement, but it's true: no team had higher expectations going into the season than the Tampa squad. David Price was leading the rotation, Evan Longoria was healthy, Myers looked like he was close to breaking out. A deep playoff run seemed like kismet. Even when burgeoning ace Matt Moore went down with Tommy John after just two starts, there didn't appear to be any reason to panic. Then, there were multiple reasons to panic. Price (in the middle of another stellar season) was dealt to the Tigers at the deadline, Longoria put up the worst numbers in a full season of his career, and Myers was traded to the Padres a couple of months ago for Souza and assorted others. Maddon took advantage of a contractual loophole triggered by former GM Andrew Friedman jumping ship for the Dodgers, left for the Cubs and was replaced by Cash. The versatile Zobrist and the troublesome Escobar were flipped to the Athletics, and Cabrera was signed to take their places, or at least one of them. Having Moore back near the middle of the season will help the team, and Alex Cobb is considered to be one of the top starters in the division now, although he admittedly has much weaker competition than usual. The Rays enter this new season in a familiar spot: a cellar-dwelling team that will likely serve as the league punching bag. But a rapid ascent to prominence isn't out of the question, and if any team could do it, wouldn't it be a team that's done it once already? While two of the biggest organizational cogs have left, this is still one of the more resourceful teams in the game. Don't expect that to change anytime soon.
Biggest Need: Patience. 2015 will be a tougher year than usual in Tampa, with the team clearly in rebuild mode. The prospects acquired from the Myers and Zobrist deals should pay dividends in the future, but for now, it seems like losing baseball has returned to Florida in full force.

Toronto Blue Jays
Key Additions: Russell Martin, Josh Donaldson, Marco Estrada, Michael Saunders, Devon Travis
Key Losses: Brett Lawrie, Adam Lind, Anthony Gose, J.A. Happ
2014 Record: 83-79
Playoffs: No
Season Outlook: You can say this about the Jays, they really keep chugging along in spite of everything. After another season-long waste of Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion's prime years, they looked at their roster (and, presumably, the state of the other teams on this list) and decided 2015 would be the perfect opportunity to push all of their chips to the middle of the table once again. After the blockbuster trades in the 2012-13 offseason flopped, the Jays surprised everybody by paying a huge premium to bring Russell Martin, the catching prize of the offseason, back to his home country. Considering how Martin led the charge to relevancy in Pittsburgh, the Blue Jays brass is hoping that his magnificent pitch framing abilities will help some of their younger hurlers like Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez find their stride, although it's incredibly unlikely that he replicates his .402 OBP from last year. Trading for Donaldson immediately improves the infield defense and the lineup's offense, and the MVP candidate only cost the Jays an oft-injured hothead in Lawrie and some low-end prospects. Talk about a steal. Saunders and Travis should provide a fair share of value at their respective positions, although Saunders will likely miss the first handful of games while recovering from a torn meniscus and Travis should start the season in Double-A, a level he has yet to outplay. Estrada should be serviceable as a starter or out of the pen, although with the team's relative surplus of strong relievers, it wouldn't be a shock to see him spend most of his time in the starting five. Jose Reyes had another solid season, and keeping him healthy at the top of the lineup is critical for the team's offensive juggernauts in Joey Bats and Encarnacion. The pieces are all there for the Blue Jays. The question remains, can they put them together to form a true contender?
Biggest Need: More reliable starting pitching couldn't hurt. Mark Buehrle is a workhorse and Stroman took large strides last season, but R.A. Dickey isn't aging as gracefully as other knucklers and the other rotation options (Drew Hutchinson and Daniel Norris) are uninspiring.

Projected 2015 Standings
Baltimore Orioles
Toronto Blue Jays
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays

A 9-Inning Race Against Time.

All my life, I've heard people complain about how slow baseball games are. "They take too long!" is the common refrain, although when asked to expand on that sentiment, it's mostly a lot of blustering and repetition of the phrase "It's boring to sit through an entire baseball game", which I suppose is true, if you have the attention span and cultural tastes of a chimpanzee in a diaper. But even I can admit that games are getting pretty lengthy. When an at-bat of 5 pitches takes twice as many minutes to end, there's a problem. Pitchers come off the bump halfway through their windup multiple times before ever delivering to the plate. Hitters step out and stare at their bats for 30 seconds at a time to "throw off [the pitcher's] rhythm," which seems counterintuitive when hurlers keep resetting on their own. And if there's a runner on base, especially first? Get ready for a half-inning with as much thrilling action as having Pride and Prejudice read to you by a bored septuagenarian.

In that vein, a pitch clock (or at least the implementation of one in Double-A and Triple-A beginning next season) makes a ton of sense. Limiting the amount of time players have to futz around between pitches should go a long way towards shaving minutes off of games instead of slowly adding them on. The clock would only go up to 20 seconds if someone(s) was on base, and would give the pitcher 12 seconds if the bags are empty, which is still a reasonable amount of time to throw a baseball, as long as you are not Jon Lester. Here's how the average length of a MLB game has steadily increased over the years, via Grant Brisbee of SBNation:

Average Time of Game
1950: 2:21
1960: 2:38
1970: 2:34
1980: 2:38
1990: 2:51
2000: 3:01
2014: 3:08

Over the past 6-plus decades, baseball games have gotten, on average, 47 minutes longer, or roughly the same amount of time it takes Prince Fielder to send a Golden Corral into bankruptcy. This belies all the games completed in a timely fashion, but also neutralizes those knockdown slugfests of the Steroid Era. You'll notice, in fact, that the second biggest jump comes between 1980 and 1990, right around the time Jose Canseco was slinking around clubhouse bathrooms with dripping syringes and that "I WILL STEAL YOUR SOUL AND CREDIBILITY" smile on his face.

Does this image make your skin curdle? If you answered yes, you might have a deep-seated fear of change.

MLB, perpetually a lock to drag their feet when there's a pressing matter at hand, had a departure from the norm and put together a pace of game committee back in September of last year, in the hopes of finding a resolution that would sit well with players, executives, and fans alike. At the time, it just looked like Bud Selig's death rattle, the last Hail Mary on a long list of attempts to restore his own tarnished reputation. However, it seems that, with the testing of pitch clocks, they may be the rare baseball collective that actually affects positive change in the game. That makes sense when you consider who the group is comprised of: commissioner-elect Rob Manfred (who can use this to earn a gold star early on in his tenure as Supreme Ruler of Base Ball), MLBPA director Tony Clark, executive VP of baseball operations and Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre, Red Sox co-owner Tom Werner, Red Sox partner Michael Gordon, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, and Braves president John Schuerholz, the committee's chairman. These are all men who stand to benefit greatly from drawing in more casual fans, which is always of concern to an organization worth more than $9 billion.

Therein lies the true purpose of shortening games: to get Joe Schmo to switch the channel to a baseball game instead of football/basketball/hockey/soccer/curling/bowling/competitive needlepointing. Hardcore fans (including yours truly) will sit through anything resembling a baseball game purely on merit of it being played. We're a given, a constant. It's those people in flux, those people who are never sure how to answer the question "Which sport is your favorite?" that MLB is targeting with this move. If the creation and institutionalization of a pitch clock converts just one group of affluent human beings with as much money as time on their hands into fans of the hometown nine, it will have done its job exactly. Another benefit to be reaped here is that it has yet to face massive backlash from those through-thick-and-thin supporters of the national pastime. This is not the confusing decision to have the result of the All-Star Game determine which league has home field advantage in the World Series, nor is it the befuddling addition of a second Wild Card team in both leagues. It's a smart change that necessitates more smart change, which is precisely the kind of impetus baseball needs to keep the charge going against obsoletion.

To be fair, there are those who are not as enamored with this idea as I am. Some people, like Sportsnet.ca's Jeff Blair, are vehemently against the idea of tampering with the game in this manner. It plays well to the purists, bashing this advancement and writing it off as MLB kowtowing to perceived pressure to speed things up.  Blair calls it a "sop to the attention deficit generation", but that seems petty and reductive. I can't imagine that older fans, who currently make up a staggering majority (the most fans aged 55 or older of any sport that isn't golf) of baseball's fanbase, love the idea of spending so many hours watching Clay Buchholz readjust his cup 6 times between pitches. Are you telling me that parents who bring their young children to games aren't just as interested in a quick match as their unruly progeny? Plus, if MLB is indeed making a concentrated effort to draw in younger fans, or lure some people away from watching the NFL or NBA, why would that be a bad thing? There's no question that this endeavor already has its weak points, and more will probably be brought to light whenever it's up for adoption by the big leagues. But I don't see how that justifies doing nothing to abate those increasing game times.

What would a pitch clock look like, exactly? One was used during this year's Arizona Fall League, but keep in mind that this is/was in the early stages of the plan:

It's different, sure, but not invasive. You're aware that it's there, but it isn't all-encompassing. With any luck, you won't even see it on TV broadcasts (more likely, the networks will add their own, presumably next to the count). If you're at a game, you'll probably be more occupied with the action than the clock tracking it. It's not directly in the pitcher's line of vision, so any distractions they may claim it brings would be a result of their own susceptibility to lose focus. Hell, if it's really that big of a deal to have it on the field, put it on those multi-million dollar video boards. Remove one graphic of Benny the Bat crushing Barry the Ball or whatever and slap a big 12 or 20 on there as necessary. There are compromises that can be made at all junctures without diluting the benefits it brings.

Are pitch clocks vital to baseball's continuing success? Highly doubtful. Will they make everybody happy? About as likely as Josh Hamilton converting to Islam. Is this a good decision? Without question. Just because the game has thrived for 150 years without things like a pitch clock, video replay, or a comprehensive Hall of Fame voting structure doesn't mean that these processes can't improve both the quality and marketability of the sport. Embrace the chaos, folks.

Welcome To Atlanta, Where The Players Play (Poorly).

It's never easy watching a team that you root for undergo a rebuild. Players you've come to know and love are unceremoniously booted out of town, via free agency or trades. Managers and coaches that once brought success to the organization are shown the door, often after being turned into scapegoats for the failures of the team. Going to the stadium even becomes less enthralling, as you know the product you see on the field won't measure up to previous incarnations, desperately bumbling in cleats too big to fill. The one hope that remains is the promise of better days to come, although even that is hardly guaranteed. Such is the cycle of life in baseball.

While some teams freely admit when they're tearing it all down to build it back up, there are some that prefer to operate under the rebuilding mindset without using that dreaded word. One such team this offseason is the Atlanta Braves, who kicked things off after a disappointing 2014 by firing general manager Frank Wren and going with a GM-by-committee, with former Indians and Rangers GM John Hart taking charge and grooming longtime Braves assistant GM John Coppolella to eventually take the job, likely around 2017 when Sun Trust Park opens.

Somehow, after leading the team to a 79-83 record one year after winning the NL East title, manager Fredi Gonzalez is still employed by the team. Managers are often the first ones given a pink slip after a mediocre season, so Gonzalez should be thanking his lucky stars (or Liberty Media) that he still has a job. Third base coach Doug Dascenzo, hitting coach Greg Walker, and assistant hitting coach Scott Fletcher, however, were not as lucky. Dascenzo and Fletcher were let go, while Walker stepped down. Former Astros manager Bo Porter took the vacancy left by Dascenzo, while Kevin Seitzer and Jose Castro filled the roles previously held by Walker and Fletcher.

In addition to the facelift given to the coaching staff, several fan favorites are also no longer with the Bravos. Jason Heyward was traded to the Cardinals. Justin Upton was sent to the Padres. Kris Medlen was released and scooped up by the Royals. Brandon Beachy was also released, and there have been no indications that he'll resign. Ervin Santana was extended the qualifying offer after his make-good season here, and should command a contract larger than the team can afford. Hell, even Dan Uggla managed to latch on with the Giants midseason, and recently signed a minor league deal with the Nationals. Uggly still loves the NL East, even if it no longer loves him back.

So what will the 2015 Atlanta Braves look like? Let's take a gander, although I must warn the faint of heart that what you may see (hint: the starting right fielder's name rhymes with Sick Tarkakis) is potentially disturbing:

FIRST BASE - Freddie Freeman, starter; Joey Terdoslavich
Unless you are actually Joey Terdoslavich, chances are good you've never heard of him. He's had all of 89 major league at-bats across the last 2 seasons, appearing in 64 games total. With a career triple slash line of .225/.320/.292, he is the definition of replacement level. Therefore, this is the last you'll hear about him in this post, as we focus instead on the guy who he would be replacing. Freeman is one of the few consistent offensive producers Atlanta has had since Chipper Jones retired. Since becoming a regular in 2011, he's never played in fewer than 147 games (starting in every single one last season), has appeared in the All-Star game twice, and has hit .287/.368/.466, good for a 129 OPS+ (a stat that measures a player's OPS-related value above replacement, where 100 is average; therefore, Freeman has been 29 percent above league average in that span). He's averaged 21 home runs and 89 RBI over the course of those 4 years. The power may be lacking ever so slightly, but he's young enough and has an expertly timed swing, so it's not unreasonable to expect him to hit 30 or more homers at one point or another. He even plays marginally above average defense at a position known almost entirely for slugging. He'll play nearly all of 2015 at age 25, meaning we haven't even seen Freeman in his prime yet, and is under contract through 2021. As much value as he might provide to the team as a trade chip, it's nothing compared to the value he provides to them on the field. Thankfully, at least as of now, Freddie ain't going anywhere.

SECOND BASE - Alberto Callaspo, starter; Phil Gosselin, Tyler Pastornicky
I had to get up and walk away from my computer after typing the phrase "Alberto Callaspo, starter". I just did it again. Don't feel bad if you don't know who he is. I'd venture a guess that you've only heard his name escape your lips following a certain four-letter word, and that's only if he's been on a team you root for. He has over 100 innings at both corner infield spots, and over 4500 innings at shortstop to go along with the 2400 innings he has at second. At first and third, he grades out fairly well defensively. At shortstop, even better. At second, he is nothing short of atrocious. He has a -28 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved), which means that he's cost his teams a net total of 28 runs in his career, and his UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) stands at -9, a far cry from the 11 DRS and 7.5 UZR he's posted at short. The Braves already have a stellar defensive shortstop (who we'll discuss momentarily), so Callaspo will be manning second base. The awful defense might be palatable if he supplemented it with a strong bat. He does not. His triple slash line from 2009 on, the seasons in which he's appeared in more than 75 games, is .267/.331/.376. This isn't terrible, but it does nothing to excuse the liability of having him at the keystone. Gosselin and Pastornicky might see some starts, or at least replace Callaspo in the later innings of a game, but as he's a switch hitter, he doesn't necessarily need to be platooned. He just needs an extra arm, or an extra leg, or a glove with webbing large enough to cover the mound.

SHORTSTOP - Andrelton Simmons, starter; Pastornicky
In stark contrast to his new double play partner, Simmons' defense is by far the greatest aspect of his game. Since his debut in 2012, Simmons has saved 88 runs, an absolutely astounding total. For a frame of reference, that's including 19 runs in only 49 games in 2012. Brendan Ryan was the only shortstop who ranked higher, with 27 runs saved in 141 games. In 2013, Pedro Florimon and Elvis Andrus were second and third behind Simmons, with 12 and 11 runs saved respectively. No other shortstop saved more than 8 runs. Simmons saved 41. We're not talking about a good fielder, or even a great fielder. We're talking about the next coming of Ozzie Smith, with a little power. Andrelton has yet to crack a .250 batting average, a .700 OPS or 20 homers, but he's still serviceable at the plate, and when you can defend like him, you'll be in the lineup regardless of how infrequently you make meaningful contact. He's played in more than 145 games the last two seasons, his first two as a regular. Until he gives some indication of slowing down, or his prowess shows any sign of diminishing, the Braves are content to not fix something that isn't all that broken. As a result, the only contingency plan if Simmons gets hurt is to slot Pastornicky in, although something tells me that Callaspo might actually be the first backup shortstop, with Pastornicky instead taking over second. That would be the smart way to handle things, at least.

THIRD BASE - Chris Johnson, starter; Gosselin, Pastornicky
Johnson is probably best known for being the forgotten man in the first Upton trade, coming to the team from Arizona. Admittedly, he did fairly well in his first season in Atlanta, hitting .321 for the second best average in the National League (fifth highest in baseball) with 12 homers and 165 hits in 142 games while providing predictably shoddy defense at the hot corner. However, his hitting stats took a significant dip in 153 games last season, batting just .263 and seeing his OPS drop from .816 in 2013 to .653 last year. It's not hard to guess why the new front office has been trying desperately to get him out of town, and the opportunity to ship him to San Diego (again with J-Up) would have made some sense on both sides, since the Padres don't currently have a third baseman, but even they didn't bite. When the Padres pass on any major league-caliber player, I assume those guys have to take a long, hard look at themselves to figure out where it all went wrong. The Braves did receive Dustin Peterson in the Upton trade, who could slot in as the third baseman at some point in the future. However, Peterson is still only 20 and has yet to play above Single-A, where his numbers have been solid for someone his age. As Pastornicky is more apt to spell the middle infielders, Gosselin is likely the first man off the bench if Johnson goes down. Considering how little value CJ provides, that might not be the worst thing in the world.

CATCHER - Christian Bethancourt, starter; A.J. Pierzynski, Evan Gattis
Long gone are the days of Brian McCann, and if Gattis is still on the team come Opening Day, he'll be covering left field (more on that in a bit), so the starting catcher's job is Bethancourt's to lose. This appears to be a tremendous sign of faith, as the 23 year old has all of 32 games above Triple-A to his name so far. He's typically devoid of power, only hitting double digit homers once (in Double-A, no less), and providing a complete dearth of extra base hits. However, like his teammate at short, his defense is simply superb. He graded out quite well at every minor league level he played in, and was just slightly below average in a small sample size of 260 innings with the big league club last year, committing just 3 errors and only costing the team 1 run defensively. Bethancourt, on the whole, is something of an enigma. He could become a fairly strong catcher, a high commodity in the game, but until he actually plays a full season, we really have no idea what he'll be. Sensing that he might not be ready to handle an entire season behind the dish just yet, the front office signed longtime backstop and salty instigator A.J. Pierzynski to a one-year pact to not only mentor the young catcher but presumably spell him from time to time. Pierzynski is certainly no slouch when it comes to hitting, crushing 11 or more long balls in 9 different seasons, including 27 in his last season with the White Sox back in 2012. His defense, though, is about as shaky as Callaspo's, so it would not behoove Gonzalez to give AJ many starts unless absolutely necessary.

LEFT FIELD - Evan Gattis, starter; Zoilo Almonte, Terdoslavich
Hey, look! Joey T-Bags shows up again! We're not discussing him any further, though, as I'm a man of my word. Gattis earned the starting catcher job in McCann's injury-riddled absence back in 2013, and started the 2014 season there after B-Mac bolted for the Yankees. El Oso Blanco has been one of the Braves' top offensive performers over the last two years, blasting 43 homers in just 213 games and a 125 OPS+ last season. His relatively low RBI totals are more indicative of the team around him not being on base for many of those homers than his inability to knock in runs. And, assuming he's not dealt before the 2015 season begins (as it stands now, he's the only remaining positional trade chip with a lot of value on a team that's clearly throwing in the towel), he'll slide out from behind the plate and be the starting left fielder. This is not as good of a scenario as it might seem: once you look past Gattis' impressive hitting stats, his defense leaves a whole lot to be desired. He's only cost the team one run behind the plate (3 runs saved in 2013 followed by 4 runs lost in 2014), but in 342 1/3 innings in left last season, he recorded a whopping -10 DRS, and UZR was also unkind at -24.1. Even if you don't care for sabermetrics, watching him flail around in left during the 2013 playoffs should have been all the evidence you need that Gattis doesn't belong in a position where good defense is preferred. If he is dealt, though, Almonte should be moderately acceptable in the yard.

CENTER FIELD - B.J. Upton, starter; Almonte, Terdoslavich
Please keep in mind that the term "starter" is used very loosely here. B.J. shouldn't even be coming off the bench at this point, much less starting. A five-tool phenom early in his career, it appears that somebody raided the shed shortly before Upton signed the largest contract the Braves have ever given to a free agent ($75.25 million for 5 long, long years). Gone are the days of him hitting for average (he rarely cracked .250 with the Rays, but staying above the Mendoza line appears to be nearly impossible now), hitting for power (a combined 21 homers over the last 2 years, or 7 fewer than he hit in his last season in Tampa), running (after 5 straight years of 30+ stolen bags, he stole 12 in 2013 and 20 in 2014), and throwing/fielding effectively (never a great defender, his play in center has only become more detrimental). It'd be nice if he started next season on a different team, or if the Braves signed a center fielder between now and Opening Day (Georgia native Colby Rasmus is still available), but chances are slim that either will come to pass. In short, Upton is no longer a viable option to start for a Major League Baseball team. The question is, can he rebound to the point that he MIGHT be a useful piece off the bench? The answer looks more and more like "No way, B.J." with each passing game. Stranger things have happened, sure, and Upton could always rise back to prominence with 20 homers or 30 stolen bases. Babe Ruth could also come back to life and lead the Cubs to 10 straight World Series titles. Which one do you think will happen first?

RIGHT FIELD - Nick Markakis, starter; Almonte, Terdoslavich
Ugh. Is there any way Hank Aaron could be swayed to come out of retirement? Markakis, a longtime Oriole, signed a 4 year, $44 million contract with the Braves a day or two before it was announced that he required surgery to repair a herniated disc, something both Baltimore and Atlanta knew before and at the time. He's not expected to miss any time during the season, and should be ready to go about halfway through Spring Training. Still, knowing they needed a right fielder AND being fully aware of Markakis' ailment, why in the hell did the Braves sign him?! Nori Aoki, a close comp to Markakis, was eminently available at the time. Alex Rios signed with Aoki's old team in Kansas City on a one-year deal that would have still been affordable for Atlanta. So why Markakis??? Unfortunately, dear reader, I don't have an answer to that question, or at least an answer that makes sense in this plane of existence. Maybe there's a parallel universe where Markakis is a powerhouse offensively and not a negative defensively. But we don't live in that universe. We live in a universe where Markakis is a good contact hitter (a career .290 average) and little else. Factor in his age, 31, and it's irrational to expect an improvement, much less sustained production for very long. Boy, Joey T-Bags may get more love next year than I anticipated! OK, last time he's mentioned. I promise. Kinda.

STARTING ROTATION - Julio Teheran, Shelby Miller, Mike Minor, Alex Wood, David Hale
Finally, we get to the team's greatest strength: the pitching. Teheran had a breakout year, making 33 starts for the first time in his promising young career and throwing 221 innings. He was good for a 2.89 ERA, although FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching, which factors in the outcomes involving only the pitcher and the batter, those being strikeouts, walks and homers) had him pegged a bit higher at 3.42, indicating a little luck. He notched 186 strikeouts, good for a 7.57 K/9, and even threw 4 complete games, 2 of which were shutouts. I think we can safely predict that he'll be starting on Opening Day. Miller was the main piece in the Heyward trade, and should have more of a chance to blossom into the effective hurler everybody in St. Louis thought he was (except the Cardinals' front office, apparently). He's outperformed himself over the last 2 seasons, with his FIP being over half a run higher than his actual ERA both years, but he's done a pretty solid job of leaving opposing batters on base when they get on, and showed significant strikeout potential in the minors, so there's reason to believe he can regain his form with an organization known for revitalizing pitching careers. Aside from 2013, Minor has been the weakest link in an otherwise durable rotational chain. Outside of that aforementioned 2013 season, he hasn't posted an ERA lower than 4.12, nor has he thrown more than 180 innings. It might be easier to stomach his poor mound presence if he could throw strikeouts with aplomb, a la the current incarnation of Tim Lincecum, but he can't even do that. He's the number 3 guy as of now, but I wouldn't be shocked if Wood leapfrogs him sometime during Spring Training. Wood, for his part, could be a younger version of Medlen, as he's shown he can be successful in the starting five or in the bullpen. With the departure of Santana, Wood should have ample opportunity to start, and he'll likely continue to be great on the bump. He's been stellar at preventing balls from leaving the park, with a 0.35 HR/9 in 2013 and a 0.84 in almost 95 more innings last season. Hale is something of an unknown, as he's only started 8 games in his short MLB career, and his 4.53 K/9 in 87 1/3 innings last year is extremely disheartening. FIP also disagrees with him, as his 3.30 ERA translated into a 4.31 mark. There's still plenty of offseason left, and if the Braves are smart (most fans seem to think they are), they'll sign someone for depth like they did with Aaron Harang and Gavin Floyd last winter. Both of them managed to put up good numbers, so maybe there's still some magic left in that old Turner Field.

BULLPEN - Craig Kimbrel, closer; David Carpenter, Luis Avilan, James Russell, Arodys Vizcaino, Jason Grilli, Jim Johnson
The last name on that list should give Braves fans the most pause of any other bullpen arm. Johnson is famous for leading baseball in saves for the Orioles in both 2012 and 2013, then imploding spectacularly after an offseason trade brought him to the Athletics. He was released early in the season, signed a minor league pact with the Tigers, then proceeded to be similarly terrible there. Somehow, the Braves saw some appeal in watching him do the same here next season, but not being in the closer's role should hopefully help him regain some efficacy. Grilli had a 3 season stretch for the Pirates wherein he was a lights-out setup man with a K/9 over 10 from 2011-2013, and over 13 the last 2 years. Then, something happened (most likely age catching up with him, as he recently turned 38) and while he still threw a lot of strikeouts in not too many innings, his ERA ballooned last season between Pittsburgh and Anaheim, where he was traded midseason. FIP has pegged him lower than his ERA the last 3 years, though, so with some good defense behind him, he might rebound. Vizcaino returns to the organization he was part of from 2010-12 before being traded to the Cubs for Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson at the 2012 deadline. He was brought back in exchange for Tommy La Stella a couple of weeks after the World Series ended, and despite being so well traveled, he'll play all of next year at age 24. He's struggled in very limited action (17 1/3 innings with the Bravos in 2011, 5 with the Cubbies last year), and his minor league numbers are nothing special. Combined with his high walk rate, it doesn't seem likely he'll add much value. Russell is another Cubs transplant, joining the team at this year's deadline with Emilio Bonifacio. What is it about marginal pitchers and utility guys in Chicago that the Braves front office loves so much? He did record the lowest ERA of his career between the two last year, although that was on the back of an extremely low opposing hitters' BABIP (Batting Average on Balls In Play, or how well a hitter is at turning swings into hits) at .244, well below his career mark of .278. Avilan, the only reliever so far who has spent more than a few months with the team, is probably best suited for mop-up duty in blowouts than anything else. He throws an alarmingly low number of strikeouts for a reliever, walks far too many hitters per 9 innings, and doesn't do a good job of preventing batters from reaching base. Carpenter will take the role of setup man vacated by Jordan Walden, who went to the Cardinals with Heyward. He's done very well over the last 2 seasons, recording high K/9 figures while keeping the ball in the yard. He's only 29, still young for a reliever, so he should be an important cog in the bullpen for years to come. Kimbrel is the best closer in baseball. If you've watched a single game he's appeared in since coming up in 2011, you'll understand why I don't have to explain that. Like Gattis, he's a player with monumental talent on what projects to be a bad team, so many are anticipating that he'll also be shipped out of town for a solid package. Until then, Atlanta can enjoy having the best post-Mariano Rivera closer in the game.

To summarize: The Braves have a great rotation with a couple of small question marks, a bullpen that will likely dominate opposing hitters, a first baseman and left fielder with light-tower power, a shortstop and catcher who are defensive wizards, and piles of flaming garbage at every other position. If the NL East was as imbalanced as it's been the past few years, this Atlanta team could have a fair shot at making the playoffs in 2015. However, the Mets and Marlins should be markedly improved from last year, the Nationals still have one of the best overall rosters in baseball, and if the Phillies trade Cole Hamels for the kind of return they're expecting, they could rise from the cellar quicker than we think. All we know for sure is that it's going to be a rough time in Turner Field's golden years, and all we can hope for is the team to at least stay competitive, and not play like turd...oslavich (that's the last one).

If I Had A Hall Of Fame Vote.

Well, loyal TBF readers, 2014 is coming to a close. It's been one hell of a year, but I suppose you could say that about any year. However, as we head into 2015, we approach the most aggravating, stressful, and disappointing season of all: the Hall of Fame voting and the subsequent announcement of the results.

My feelings towards the members of the BBWAA (Baseball Writers' Association of America) have never been kept secret. While it's an organization I aspire to join one day, I'm not so enamored of the archaic set of standards many of these reporting relics hold dear. For example, take Ken Gurnick, who covers the Dodgers for MLB.com and wielded the great power of his HOF vote last year by putting Jack Morris on his ballot along with...nobody else. In a year that Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Frank Thomas were all slam-dunk first-balloters, Gurnick cast his vote for a single pitcher whose admittedly impressive counting stats belied his average peripherals and called it a day. His rationale? Morris won more games in the 1980s than any other pitcher. Hell, what more do you need? It's not like wins are more of a team-dependent stat than a pitcher-dependent one, and it's also not like there are far more effective stats one can use to properly determine a pitcher's value outside of an arbitrary win or loss. The problem is not that Gurnick decided to give Morris full support in his last year of eligibility, it's that he didn't seem to find any other candidates, a group that also included the greatest hitting catcher of all time (Mike Piazza, now on his third ballot), a guy who hit more doubles than any other right handed hitter in history (Craig Biggio, on his third ballot after missing election by two votes last year), one of the most dominant postseason pitchers ever (Curt Schilling, you guessed it, third ballot), and those steroid-addled monsters who rank in the top 10 players of all time (Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, both on ballot number 3), worthy of induction. The mind reels.

I'm not getting into all the stigma surrounding PED players like Bonds, Clemens and others of their ilk. I've spent too many hours poring over posts, texts, comments, and angry conversations with my friends to waste much more time on this subject. In short: steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs were not illegal in baseball until 2005, which is also when the drug testing started. If you're going to fault a professional athlete with an unbreakable drive for taking a substance that was not against the rules in an attempt to extend their career, then you don't deserve a HOF ballot. Period. You're not seeing the forest for the juiced up trees. Bonds and Clemens both dominated the league from the mid 1980s until 2007, when both retired. Only in the final 2 years of their concurrent careers were these substances outlawed. So, for the 20 or so years prior to that, they were simply taking advantage of what was available to them. I'd like to see one sportswriter with a self-proclaimed "strong moral compass" admit that they wouldn't have done the same.

But I digress, as I often do. You won't find any grandstanding in regards to synthetically enhanced players in this blog. I simply look at the stats, combine that with what these players meant to the game, and decide who should go to Cooperstown from that. Many writers with an actual vote appear to take a similar, rational approach to their ballots, which gives me hope that they're not all fools like Gurnick. The reasoning should be simple: if you can't talk about baseball during the time period in which one of these guys played without mentioning them and their contributions, they're a Hall of Famer. It shouldn't be more difficult than that.

So, without any further ado, here's what my 2015 Hall of Fame ballot would look like, if I actually had one:

1. Randy Johnson
2. Pedro Martinez
3. John Smoltz
4. Craig Biggio
5. Barry Bonds
6. Roger Clemens
7. Mike Piazza
8. Tim Raines
9. Curt Schilling
10. Jeff Bagwell

Two caveats: I'm more of a hitting enthusiast, but there are simply too many deserving pitchers on the ballot for me to include players like Larry Walker, Edgar Martinez and Gary Sheffield; and I really want to see Biggio and Bagwell become the first Astros inducted into the Hall. I'm sure that many baseball fans would find fault with this ballot, or the inclusion of some of the names on it. To me, it looks pretty solid. Cases have already been made for the Big Unit, Pedro and Smoltzy by many of those with actual votes, as unnecessary as they may have been. As I said before, Biggio missed induction by two votes last year, so it's hard to see him missing out for much longer. Bonds and Clemens are integral parts of baseball history, so that's the end of that discussion. Piazza and Schilling were always electric behind the plate and on the mound. Raines is basically Rickey Henderson Lite, and were it not for his misfortune of playing during the same stretch as the Man of Steal, he'd be more widely recognized as one of the greatest leadoff hitters of all time. Bagwell was one of the strongest slugging first basemen in history, and won the MVP of the strike-shortened 1994 season. While I doubt all 10 players listed will be inducted in the coming years (Bonds and Clemens will most likely be deceased by the time they're voted in), every single one of them should be. Sadly, some of these players and, likely, dozens who will come after will be squeezed out quicker than ever before. Recent changes to the balloting rules make it so that a player can only spend 10 years on the ballot instead of 15. This is clearly a shot across the bow to those writers that support the induction of the druggies, as their abating support will need to grow much quicker than before. Considering some of the voters are stubborn old men...scratch that, MOST of the voters are stubborn old men, the younger voices of reason won't be heard until it's too late for some of baseball's greatest legends to finally cross into the pantheon.

The Hall of Fame is a museum. It's supposed to be an instructive and comprehensive guide to the national pastime's illustrious history. It's not supposed to be a glorification of the players and eras that writers and misguided fans have collectively decided were "clean", and a willful disregarding of those that weren't by a lack of acknowledgment. How can you really expect an institution dedicated to the preservation of historical facts to omit such meaningful careers? And how long can we keep punishing these players? The fight is over. Justice, as determined by the Most Honorable Allan H. Selig, has been served. PEDs are now verboten. But that shouldn't justify retroactively vilifying the men that played when they were copacetic. While it'll be great seeing Randy, Pedro and John receive their plaques in July of next year, the picture will never be complete until the voting rules, as well as the writers who cast the ballots, undergo a significant modification.