AL West Preview

1. Los Angeles
The Angels landed the biggest prize of the off-season when they signed Albert Pujols (.299, 37 HR, 99 RBI with St. Louis) to a mega deal worth over 240 million dollars. The Angels didn't stop there however, as they also brought in pitcher CJ Wilson (2.94 ERA, 16-7, 206 K, 1.19 WHIP) from Texas to shore up an already stellar rotation led by Jered Weaver (2.41 ERA, 18-8, 198 K, 1.01 WHIP). The Angels offense was in the middle of the pack last season (15th in average) and the addition of Pujols instantly improves their hitting, just from the lineup protection a player of his caliber brings. Anaheim will need the rest of the lineup to step up as well, especially lead off man Erik Aybar (.279, 10 HR, 59 RBI). The Angels free agency signings will push them over the top and they look to be in good shape to capture the division title.

2. Texas
The American League's resident offensive juggernaut (league leading .283 team average) the Texas Rangers look to ride their bats back to the playoffs. Michael Young (.338, 106 RBI, 213 hits, .380 OBP) is the best pure hitter on the team and as a career .304 hitter, the trend should continue. The Rangers are also not short on power, as five players hit 25+ home runs in 2011 (Adrain Beltre, Ian Kinsler, Josh Hamilton, Mike Napoli and Nelson Cruz). Pitching is the biggest concern for Texas, they lost staff ace CJ Wilson to division rival Anaheim and now the load will fall on Derek Holland (16-5, 3.95 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 162 K). Behind Holland is a young trio who will benefit from Texas' potent offense but will they be able to handle the pressure come crunch time? Despite the youth on the pitching staff, expect Texas to make the playoffs and perhaps even beat out the Angels.


3. Seattle

The Mariners were atrocious last year, winning 67 games. Their hitting was bad and their pitching was worse. Not even stars Ichiro Suzuki (.272 his worst average in his career) and Felix Hernandez (14-14, 3.47 ERA) could keep the Mariners afloat. In the off-season the Mariners made waves when they traded young pitcher Michael Pineda to the Yankees for top catching prospect Jesus Montero (.328, 4 HR, 12 RBI in 12 games). Montero is expected to DH for the Mariners for the time being, at least until his catching catches up with his bat. In addition to Montero, Seattle is relying on 2B Dustin Ackley (.273, 6 HR, 36 RBI in 90 games) and LF Mike Carp (.276, 12 HR, 46 RBI in 79 games) to help push them back to relevance. The rotation is anchored by 2010 Cy Young Winner Felix Hernandez, who has the ability to be the best pitcher in the majors. Behind Hernandez the Mariners have new arrival Hisashi Iwakumi (107-69 in his career in Japan), Jason Vargas (10-13, 4.25 ERA, 131 K), and 23 year old Blake Bleavan (5-6, 4.27 ERA, 42 K in 97 innings pitched). The Mariners aren't going to beat the Rangers and Angels this year, but they will be making noise in the very near future.

4. Oakland

The Oakland Athletics and their personnel decisions were made famous in the book/movie Moneyball and if they want to challenge for a playoff spot, they're going to need a whole lot of Billy Beane magic. Cliff Pennington, the team leader in average last season hit .264. Josh Willingham, the team leader in on base percentage, RBI, and home runs is now a Minnesota Twin. The Athletics do have one bright spot however, with the addition of Cuban outfielder and top prospect Yoenis Cespedes. The Athletics won out on a bidding war for the 26 year old, and expect him to be the lead hitter in the lineup for years to come. The pitching is not much better, as 2011 team leader in wins, ERA, and strikeouts Gio Gonzalez is now a member of the Washington Nationals. Seasoned veteran Bartolo Colon will be counted on to provide experience to a young and unproven rotation. If the Athletics' young players don't step up, they could very easily end up in the bottom of the entire American League.

AL Central Preview

1. Detroit

Last year’s AL champions, led by AL MVP and Cy Yong winner Justin Verlander (24-5, 2.40 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 250 K), added more offensive firepower as they landed top-tier free agent Prince Fielder (.299, 38 HR, 120 RBI). Fielder will provide even more power to a lineup that already has weapons such as Miguel Cabrera (.344, 30 HR, 105 RBI) and Alex Avila (.295, 19 HR, 82 RBI). The Tigers also return the rotation that helped carry them to the World Series. To go along with Verlander the Tigers have Doug Fister (8-1, 1.79 ERA, 1.06 WHIP), Max Scherzer (15-9, 4.43 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 174 K), and Rick Porcello (14-9, 4.75 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 104 K). The weak AL Central coupled with the Tigers superior talent should equal another trip to the postseason and possibly the World Series.

2. Kansas City

No seriously. The Royals are one of the teams on the rise, not just in the division but also in the league.  Players who were drafted years ago are coming up to the majors now and succeeding. Alex Gordon (.303, 23 HR, 87 RBI, 28 years old) leads the charge, and Billy Butler (.291, 19 HR, 95 RBI, 26 years old), Eric Hosmer (.293, 19 HR, 78 RBI, 23 years old), and Sal Perez (.331, 3 HR, 21 RBI in 39 games, 22 years old) are close behind. The Royals rotation is the only question mark, but the foundation is there for a solid group, most notably in Luke Hochevar (11-11, 4.68 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 128 K). Look for the Royals to push for a wild card spot in 2012.

3. Cleveland

The Indians are a team that has been on the brink of becoming a powerhouse ever since their division title in 2007, but they have not been able to maintain success over the long-term, last year they won 80 games and finished 2^nd in the division. This year they must overcome another injury to centerfielder Grady Sizemore and an overall anemic offense to challenge for a playoff berth. The Tribe’s offense is led by Carlos Santana (.239, 27 HR, 79 RBI) and outfielder Shin-Soo Choo (.259, 8 HR, 36 RBI in 85 games) but beyond those two, the cupboard is bare. On the hill, the Indians best pitcher is Justin Masterson (12-10, 3.21 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 158 K) After Masterson, the Indians must rely on an assortment of veterans (Ubaldo Jimenez, Roberto Heredia [aka Fausto Carmona] and Derek Lowe). The bullpen is solid for the Tribe however, closer Chris Perez finished 4^th in the AL with 36 saves.

4. Minnesota

The Twins suffered through 2011, finishing with a record of 63-99 and missing their two biggest stars Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau for the majority of the season. Both Mauer and Morneau look to be healthy for 2012, but the Twins will need more than their two stars to make any noise in the division. Denard Span (.264, 2 HR, 16 RBI in 70 games) is another bat the Twins can count on, but he too missed a big chunk of time in 2011. For years the Twins rotation was their hallmark but in 2011 those numbers slipped, as only one pitcher finished with a winning record (Scott Baker, 8-6). The Twins added Jason Marquis (8-6, 4.43 ERA) in the offseason, hoping to bring some veteran savvy to the rotation but at 33 years old, he is on the decline.

5. Chicago

The White Sox are a team in flux. They parted ways manager Ozzie Guillen after he provided one too many headaches for the club and brought on former White Sox player Robin Ventura to lead the team. Unfortunately for Chicago, Ventura is only managing, as they could’ve used his bat from his playing days. The White Sox have one true offensive threat in 1B Paul Konerko (.300, 31 HR, 105 RBI), and after him the lineup is weak. Adam Dunn was brought on in 2011 to improve the lineup but he struck out 177 times on the way to a .159 average and a .292 OBP. If Dunn can return to his career numbers (.243, .374 OBP) the White Sox will be much improved. The rotation for the Sox is not much stronger, with only John Danks and Gavin Floyd having real potential to put out a successful season. The White Sox will need to rebuild if they want to return to the glory years that saw them win a World Series in 2005, the first the city of Chicago had seen in nearly 90 years. 

American League East Preview

As the weather turns warm it's time for baseball season to kick off, and we at Danger Zone Sports turn our attention to the American League East.

1. New York
The Yankees are looking like the top dog in the division, especially with the addition of Hiroki Kuroda and Michael Pineda to the already strong pitching staff (3.73 ERA, 1.32 WHIP). The Yankees only concern will be offensive production at the bottom of the lineup. Russell Martin is the new starter this year and will need to improve on last year's .237 average to be a consistent force for the Bombers. Another concern for the Yankees will be SS Derek Jeter's downward production. Will Giradi move him down in the lineup if his numbers fall off? Only time will tell and even if Martin and Jeter don't hit as well, the Yankees are still the class of the division.





2. Tampa Bay
The Rays have one of the best rotations in the majors, and its young, so it's only going to improve. Stud pitchers like James Shields (16-12, 2.82 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 249.1 IP) and Jeremy Hellickson (13-10, 2.95 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 189 IP) are workhorses who will carry the Rays to the wild card spot. On offense, the Rays have All-Star Evan Longoria (.244, 31 HRs, 99 RBIs, .355 OBP) who had a down 2011, but will most likely revert to his career averages (.274, .360) and have a much better 2012. Matt Joyce (.277, 19 HRs, 75 RBI, .800 OPS) looks to replicate a successful 2011 and help the Rays return to the playoffs.

3. Boston
After last season's epic September collapse, the Red Sox had a huge turnover, GM Theo Epstein left for the Cubs, manager Terry Francona's option was declined, longtime catcher Jason Varitek retired, and new manager Bobby Valentine was brought on to right the ship. The Red Sox forte will once again be offense, led by 1B Adrian Gonzalez (.338, 27 HR, 117 RBI, .410 OBP) and CF Jacoby Ellisbury (.321, 32 HR, 105 RBI,  .376 OBP, 39 SB). The Red Sox Achilles heel will be their pitching. The starters aren't very solid beyond Josh Beckett (13-7, 2.89 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 175 K) and Jon Lester (15-9, 3.47 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 182 K) and the bullpen will suffer without Johnathan Papelbon (51 saves) who left for Philadelphia in the offseason.

4. Toronto

Last year the Blue Jays were all about Jose Bautista, and with good reason, Bautista led the team in average (.302), home runs (43), RBI (103), OBP (.447), and hits (155). The Jays are going to need more than Bautista tearing the cover off the ball to make any real noise in the toughest division in the majors. The pitiching staff must improve from  last season, which saw only one starter (Ricky Romero) finish the year with an ERA under 3. The Jays finished last year at .500, a mark that will be a stretch to equal in 2012, especially with teams around the league figuring out how to work around Bautsita.

5. Baltimore
This blogger's beloved team, the Orioles finished last season 24 games under .500, and unless the young pitching staff gets it together after an abysmal 2011 (Brian Matsuz: 1-9, 10.69 ERA. Jake Arrieta: 10-8, 5.05 ERA, season ended due to elbow surgery) the Orioles could find themselves in a very similar position. But there is hope in Baltimore as Matsuz, Arrieta, and fellow young gun Zach Britton are all projected to improve and the offense wasn't actually that bad., particularly JJ Hardy (30 HR, 80 RBI) and Mark Reynolds (37 HR, 86 RBI). The Orioles are also rich in young talent ( C Matt Wieters, CF Adam Jones, IF Robert Andino) but are still a year or two away from actually accomplising anything beyond moral victories. That being said, don't be surprised if the Orioles overtake Toronto and climb out of 5th place for the first time in years.

Breaking Down the Bracket

It's that time of year again, the time to shirk work, school, relationships, whatever and fill out your NCAA bracket. Here's a region by region breakdown of the bracket including a stone cold lock* for champion. (*Results may vary)

South Region:

Top Dog: Kentucky. The Wildcats ended the season at 32-2 and the #1 team in the nation. They will be the favorite for many people as the brackets are filled out. The Wildcats are led by stud freshman Anthony Davis who averages 14.3 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game. The 'Cats must be careful, however, as they have stumbled in tournaments past despite being arguably the most talented team in the field.

Underdog To Consider: Wichita State. The Shockers won the always competitive Missouri Valley Conference and won non-conference games against tournament teams Colorado, UNLV, Creighton, and Davidson. The quality wins, coupled with the knee injury to Indiana's Verdel Jones III, equals a potential Sweet 16 run.

Team To Avoid: VCU. The 2011 Cinderella story VCU Rams are not the team they were last year. The Rams have one starter left from last year's Final Four team and won't replicate that success. If you pick them you're just kidding yourself.

Winner: Baylor. Despite the team's offensive uniforms during the Big 12 tournament, the Bears offer a solid pick as a 3 seed. Baylor's great percentage from the floor (47%, 30th in the nation) and a tough conference schedule that's left them battle tested, the Bears have the ability to knock off the regions top 2 seeds Duke and Kentucky.


West Region


Top Dog: Michigan State. The Spartans look primed for another Final Four run after winning a share of the Big Ten regular season title and then winning the conference tournament. Plus head coach Tom Izzo knows how to win in March. One would be very foolish to bet against the Spartans.

Underdogs To Consider: UVA and Murray State. Two teams that both had an argument for better seeding and two teams that have the tools to pull off upsets. UVA is led by senior Mike Scott who can take over a game (18.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg) and the Cavs also play a suffocating zone defense that can shut down nearly any offense in the country. On the flip side; Murray State is the mid-major darling of the season, finishing with the  best record in Division I (30-1) and have the ability to run by teams behind guard Isiah Canaan (19.2 ppg, 3.7 apg). The Racers have a winnable path to the Sweet Sixteen and if they match their highest level from the regular season, perhaps even further.

Team To Avoid: Louisville. Coming in a bit over seeded after a run to the Big East Tournament Championship, the Cardinals are not the team they appear to be. Perpetual underachievers, (remember Morehead State?) and after a mere 10-8 in conference, color me unimpressed. They'll beat Davidson (who no longer has Steph Curry, which I imagine some people will forget) but beyond that I wouldn't put too much stock into them.

Winner: Michigan State.  Like I said, one would be very foolish to bet against the Spartans, especially as a #1 seed. The Spartans also don't face a team that will give them any issues until the Elite 8. Take the Spartans.




East Region


Top Dog: Syracuse. The Orange won the toughest conference in college basketball and are the #2 team in the nation. They are led by a balanced attack, with 6 players averaging at least 8 points per game and have the numerous players who have the potential to take over a game.

Underdog to Consider: Gonzaga. The Bulldogs are another team that always seems to perform well in March, and that is a credit to head coach Mark Few, who has taken the Bulldogs to the Big Dance in each of his 13 years at the helm and he has reached the Sweet Sixteen in three of those seasons. Gonzaga starts off with a very winnable game against WVU and Ohio State has been exposed before.

Team to Avoid: Wisconsin. The Badgers finished fourth in the highly competitive Big Ten, the Badgers garnered a 4 seed. The road is not very east however, as likely second round opponent will be Vanderbilt who is very talented and could easily knock off the Badgers. The Badgers also lost both games to Iowa (who went 17-16 this season), a team that utilized a more up tempo style, a fact that can come back to haunt the Badgers come Round Two.

Winner: Syracuse The Orange are just too talented and too well coached to not win this region. Look for them to also challenge for the national title.






Midwest Region

Top Dog: North Carolina. The Tar Heels are one of the best teams in the country, and every player on the team is exceptionally talented. The Heels must be careful not to get too overconfident, or they will find themselves sitting at home early in the tournament. If they can keep their focus they will be tough to stop.


Underdog To Consider: San Diego State. The Aztecs won both the regular season and post season WAC tournament and are led by sophomore guard Jamaal Franklin (17.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg) who has the capability to dominate a game by himself. First round opponent NC State is certainly susceptible to this style of play, as is potential second round opponent Georgetown.

Team to Avoid: Georgetown. The Hoyas were playing their best basketball in November as they almost knocked off Kansas, but as of late the Hoyas have been stumbling, including a loss to Pittsburgh and a blowout loss to Seton Hall. Georgetown also never seems to get up enough to consistently win tournament games and they seem to lose focus come the Big Dance.

Winner: Kansas. The Jayhawks are hitting their stride at the right time. They have risen from a top 15 team to a legitimate title contender. Led by Thomas Robinson (17.9 ppg, 11.8 rpg) and Tyshawn Taylor (17.3 ppg, 4.8 apg), Kansas is built for a long tournament run and so are there potential matchups.


Final Four
Baylor vs. Michigan State: I give the edge to the Spartans, who will reap the benefits of an easier run to the Final Four

Syracuse vs. Kansas: The Jayhawks' balanced attack and ability to win on the road (yes, I know New Orleans is a neutral site, you get what I'm saying) and Syracuse's overemphasis on youth, give the edge to Kansas.

Championship:


Kansas vs. Michigan State: In a battle of traditional powerhouses that will offer an outstanding game, I give the edge to the Jayhawks. Robinson can dominate the low block and Thomas is one of the best passer's in the nation. Michigan State won't be able to keep up and Lawrence will be celebrating yet another Jayhawk title.