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All spring training clichés go out the window on Thursday. It will be Opening Day for 12 teams, with the other 18 beginning their seasons the following day. There will be no more talk about pitchers just getting their work in and hitters grooving their swings. Managers will no longer be talking about how the results don't matter.

The games start counting and the excuses for poor performance stop. With that in mind, let's take a look at one player on each major-league team who needs to make no excuses and step up this season for his team. (Statistics are 2011 PECOTA projections.)

Angels: INF Maicer Izturis. The oft-injured infielder could fill two big holes by playing third base and hitting leadoff. However, it has also been five years since he posted a career-best 2.9 WARP. Regardless, he's a better option than Brandon Wood and last year's .151 TAv.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.263

4

41

33

10

.255

0.8

Astros: 1B Brett Wallace. He struggled last season after being acquired from the Phillies in a deadline trade, with a .229 TAv in 159 plate appearances. However, Wallace impressed Astros manager Brad Mills enough this spring to keep his spot in the lineup. If he can carry that over into the regular season, it would be a major help to Houston's anemic offense.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.249

18

68

67

0

.256

-0.9

Athletics: CF Coco Crisp. He is an effective leadoff hitter when healthy, but he always seems to have some kind of injury or ailment. He posted a .296 TAv last season but was limited to just 328 plate appearances. A full season with a .296 TAv would go a long way in helping the Athletics complete in the AL West.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.257

6

50

43

27

.256

1.6

Blue Jays: C J.P. Arencibia. He went 4-for-4 with two home runs in his major-league debut last season but finished with a .183 TAv in 37 plate appearances. Arencibia will begin this season sharing time behind the plate with Jose Molina, as Toronto is concerned about his defense. However, Molina is better suited to be a backup, and for the Blue Jays to be a factor in the AL East they are going to need Arencibia to produce.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.254

19

46

57

0

.264

1.5

Braves: CF Nate McLouth. He was awful last season, with a .240 TAv in 268 plate appearances, and was sent was sent back to Triple-A for a month. Atlanta, though, believes McLouth is back on track, and he will begin the season hitting leadoff for a team with post-season aspirations.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.243

14

59

55

16

.264

1.3

Brewers: CF Carlos Gomez. He has yet to live up to his potential, accumulating just 2.4 WARP through 1,420 career plate appearances. He will get another opportunity to prove himself this season this season, though the Brewers acquired center fielder Nyjer Morgan in a trade with the Nationals last Sunday to add insurance.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.241

6

48

43

25

.226

0.0

Cardinals: CF Colby Rasmus. St. Louis management believes he is poised for a breakthrough season, something along the lines of 30 home runs and a possible Gold Glove. Some scouts and front-office types feel he is ready to break through as the best center fielder in the game.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.254

18

72

68

12

.267

1.4

Cubs: 3B Aramis Ramirez. He seemed disconnected last season until Lou Piniella walked away as manager in August and third base coach Mike Quade took over. Now that Quade is the full-time skipper, it stands to reason Ramirez is happier. He certainly has plenty of motivation, as this is his walk year.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.281

23

73

77

1

.286

2.4

Diamondbacks: RF Justin Upton. He had a disappointing 2010 with 2.1 WARP, after looking like he was ready to become a superstar in 2009 when he was worth 4.3 WARP. Still just 23, Upton still has a lot of upside, and a bounce-back season would help Arizona try to climb out of the NL West cellar.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.272

24

85

87

17

.283

2.6

Dodgers: CF Matt Kemp. Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly says Kemp is focused and ready to have a big year. That would be a change from a tumultuous 2010, when Kemp was publicly criticized by GM Ned Colletti, clashed with members of the coaching staff, and seemed more interest in getting publicity for his now-ended relationship with pop singer Rihanna.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.276

23

87

90

29

.279

2.9

Giants: 3B Pablo Sandoval. The Kung Fu Panda's WARP went from 5.6 in 2009 to just 1.0 last season, and he was a nonfactor in October during San Francisco's unlikely drive to the World Series championship. However, Sandoval lost 37 pounds over the winter, and the Giants hope his WARP gains accordingly.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.299

17

78

79

3

.288

2.9

Indians: 1B Matt LaPorta. He was the centerpiece of the four-prospect package that Cleveland received from the Brewers in the CC Sabathia trade in 2008. This figures to be LaPorta's last chance to prove he is a major-league regular. If he fails, the trade will go down as a terrible one for the Indians.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.247

21

72

71

1

.271

minus-0.7

Mariners: 1B Justin Smoak. Seattle needs all the offense it can get after scoring the fewest runs in the major leagues last season. Furthermore, Smoak needs to prove he was worthy of being the centerpiece of the trade that sent Cliff Lee to Texas last July, particularly after the Mariners turned down an offer from the Yankees that included top catching prospect Jesus Montero.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.236

15

66

54

1

.266

0.1

Marlins: RHP Ricky Nolasco. He has the stuff to be one of the league's best pitchers, fills up the strike zone, and always has good peripherals. Still, he has yet to emerge as a strong No. 2 in the rotation behind Josh Johnson. Florida is betting Nolasco will become that type of pitcher this year, having signed him to a three-year, $26 million contract in the offseason.

IP

ERA

WHIP

SO

W

L

SV

WARP

193

3.95

1.28

185

12

13

0

2.3

Mets: LF Jason Bay. He had a miserable first season in New York last year after signing a four-year, $66 million contract as a free agent, and now appears likely to begin the season on the disabled list with a strained muscle in his side. While his .280 TAv wasn't terrible last year, he contributed just 0.7 WARP, then missed most of the second half after suffering a concussion. The Mets need more bang for their buck than that.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.254

21

77

71

10

.287

3.0

Nationals: RHP Jordan Zimmermann. He is the best hope to give Washington a frontline starter this season while Stephen Strasburg recovers from Tommy John surgery. Zimmermann sat out most of last season while recovering from his own Tommy John operation, but has looked sharp this spring.

IP

ERA

WHIP

SO

W

L

SV

WARP

172

4.24

1.35

150

11

13

0

1.2

Orioles: C Matt Wieters. The expectations, which PECOTA helped fuel, have been high ever since he made his major-league debut in 2009. While Wieters has won high marks for his improvement in working with a pitching staff, his offensive production has still lagged. While it's unfair to call him a bust at this point, he certainly hasn't hit like a young Johnny Bench.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.268

16

67

62

0

.267

2.7

Padres: RF Ryan Ludwick. He was a major disappointment after being acquired from the Cardinals at the trading deadline last season, posting a .234 TAv and 0.1 WARP in 239 plate appearances. The Padres brought him back for $7 million this season and are counting on him to make up for some of the production lost when Adrian Gonzalez was traded to the Red Sox in December.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.251

20

66

67

4

.275

2.8

Phillies: SS Jimmy Rollins. The Phillies look like they are going to be without second baseman Chase Utley (knee) for an extended period, and rookie Domonic Brown (broken hand)—charged with filling the void left when right fielder Jayson Werth exited as a free agent—will also start the season on the disabled list. Philadelphia needs someone to step up, and it would certainly help if Rollins could regain his old All-Star form after posting .247 and .263 TAvs the past two seasons, contributing 2.0 WARP in that span.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.257

15

70

70

29

.259

1.9

Pirates: RHP Kevin Correia. Pittsburgh has a rotation full of number four and five starters and needs someone to at least eat up some innings to avoid asking the bullpen to work four or five innings a night. Correia, who has been tabbed as the Opening Day starter, did pitch 198 innings for the Padres in 2009, though they removed him from the rotation in the middle of a pennant race last September.

IP

ERA

WHIP

SO

W

L

SV

WARP

150

4.48

1.45

103

8

12

0

0.8

Rangers: 3B Adrian Beltre. Given a five-year, $80 million contract as a free agent over the winter, he will be counted on to make up for the production lost when Vladimir Guerrero left for the Orioles as a free agent. Guerrero had 29 home runs and 115 RBIs last season, levels Beltre hasn't reached since 2004, his walk year with the Dodgers.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.277

22

80

85

9

.268

3.4

Rays: SS Reid Brignac. While free agent additions Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon have garnered the most attention this spring, the Rays are counting on the 25-year-old Brignac to take over at a key position. It's a calculated risk, as Brignac has started just 61 major-league games.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.238

9

51

50

6

.233

0.7

Red Sox: RHP Josh Beckett. Boston has a strong starting rotation with Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz at the top, but it would be even better if Beckett could return to form following a dismal 2010. Beckett was sub-replacement level last season with -0.6 WARP, though his 3.84 SIERA gives hope for a strong comeback this year.

IP

ERA

WHIP

SO

W

L

SV

WARP

188

3.93

1.28

171

13

11

0

2.4

Reds: CF Drew Stubbs. Many scouts believe Stubbs is a 30-30 player waiting to happen and that he could reach those marks as soon as this season. However, he will be asked to man the leadoff spot, something he isn't particularly suited for because of his severe lack of plate discipline.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.244

15

70

64

33

.250

1.1

Rockies: 3B Ian Stewart. Though he might begin the season on the DL with a sprained ankle, Colorado believes he has the raw power and bat speed to be a game changer. His inability to translate that potential into production is one of the reasons Don Baylor was fired as hitting coach at the end of last season. The Rockies hope new hitting coach Carney Lansford can get Stewart on track.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.263

24

72

76

7

.276

2.7

Royals: LF Alex Gordon. Kansas City has been waiting a long time for Gordon to live up to his potential. However, scouts have raved about Gordon all spring, prompting one to say, "He's going to be the surprise player of the year in the American League."

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.248

17

73

65

9

.269

2.2

Tigers: RHP Rick Porcello. He had a fine rookie season in 2009 with 2.5 WARP, but slipped to 0.3 last year and even needed a tune-up back in Triple-A. Detroit believes Porcello can team with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer to provide a strong top of the rotation. Though his velocity in spring training sent up a red flag, Porcello will get the chance to prove the Tigers right this season.

IP

ERA

WHIP

SO

W

L

SV

WARP

185

4.36

1.40

92

11

13

0

1.2

Twins: CF Denard Span. His on-base percentage cratered from .392 in 2009 to .331 last season, as he went back to his old habit of chasing breaking balls outside the strike zone. Minnesota needs more than that from its leadoff hitter if it is going to win a third straight AL Central title.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.280

4

77

60

25

.263

2.3

White Sox: 2B Gordon Beckham. He needed a late surge just to finish last season with 0.8 WARP and a .255 TAv after posting 2.8 and .281 marks as a rookie in 2009. Chicago is confident Beckham will return to his rookie production and has only 44-year-old Omar Vizquel as a backup plan at second.

AVG

HR

R

RBI

SB

TAv

WARP

.264

16

74

72

8

.260

1.4

Yankees: RHP A.J. Burnett. With rookie Ivan Nova and retread Freddy Garcia at the back of the rotation, the Yankees need Burnett to join forces with CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes to form a top-notch 1-2-3 starting punch. Burnett was barely better than replacement level last season, with 0.7 WARP in the second year of his five-year, $82.5 million contract. However, he says he has worked out some mechanical issues this spring with the help of new pitching coach Larry Rothschild, and did not walk a batter in 11 Grapefruit League innings.

IP

ERA

WHIP

SO

W

L

SV

WARP

185

4.55

1.42

169

12

12

0

1.3

Rumors and Rumblings: Jose Contreras will begin the season as the Phillies' closer as Brad Lidge (shoulder) will be out for up to six weeks. That comes as quite a surprise, because the Phillies have been grooming Ryan Madson to replace Lidge, probably as soon as next year since Lidge can become a free agent at the end of this season. … The reason the Blue Jays have decided to go with Edwin "E5" Encarnacion at third base and Jose Bautista in right field to start the season is because of Juan Rivera's complete lack of range in right, not magical improvement by Encarnacion at third. … Right-hander Alexi Ogando will only be a short-timer in the Rangers' rotation, returning to the bullpen once right-handers Tommy Hunter or Brandon Webb are ready to be activated from the disabled list. … The Cubs plan to watch right-hander Andrew Cashner's work load closely, as he has never pitched more than 111 2/3 innings in a professional season. … Matt Treanor will be the Royals' No. 1 catcher to begin the season, but the job will be Jason Kendall's once he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery and is activated from the DL, likely in late April.

Scouts' takes on various players:

Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury: "He really looked good this spring. That lineup is so dangerous to begin with, and it's even going to be better because Ellsbury is ready to have a breakout season at the top of it."

Brewers infielder Erick Almonte: "He might have been the best story in Arizona this spring. He's 33 and a Triple-A lifer, but he just hit, hit, hit until he forced his way onto their roster. I doubt he'll make much of a difference when the regular season starts, but it's nice to see a guy who has paid his kind of dues get a reward."

Mariners infielder Adam Kennedy: "Every time I think he's finished, he resurrects himself, and he did it again this spring. He's like a cat with nine lives."

Tigers outfielder Casper Wells: "He's an interesting guy because he's got some pop and he's got some speed. The key at the major-league level, though, is going to be not to overexpose him. The pitchers will exploit him because he's a free swinger."

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BillJohnson
3/30
A tad unfair to Colby Rasmus, methinks. A 2010 line of .276/.361/.498 doesn't suggest to me that he's ready to step up and have a breakthrough; it suggests he already has had one. The Cardinal who needs to "step up" must surely be Ryan Theriot. Unfortunately, it's unlikely.

And for the Mets, wouldn't it be fairer not to pick on Bay, and just say "everybody"?
ultimatedub
3/30
Its unfair to call Wieters a bust at this point.

Interesting. Did you give Goldman that memo?
eas9898
3/30
Another great OTB! One of my favorite columns here at BP.
jedjethro
3/30
A nice piece that makes these final hours until opening day seem like they're ticking away in slow motion.
mattymatty2000
3/30
Thanks for the piece, John, but the scout's take on Jacoby Ellsbury is kind of worthless. I mean, he's hit .333/.367/.544 with three homers. It doesn't take any kind of specialization to see he's crushing the ball. I don't know if you spoke to the scout or if you compiled the quotes from other sources, but I wish whomever spoke to the scout would have asked the follow-up question, "Why?" and then printed the answer above.

I did enjoy the article though so thanks for that.
padresprof
3/31
*Scouts' comments are for entertainment purposes only.
TheRedsMan
3/30
Re; Stubbs, let's not confuse an inability to make contact with a lack of plate discipline. They are very different skills. You don't put up a 9.4% walk rate with a "severe lack of plate discipline". His problem is not swinging at bad pitches or taking too many good ones. Stubbs actually swung a fewer pitches out of the strike zone than major league average and was right at average for swinging at pinches in the zone.

By contrast, he was the 7th worst qualified hitter (of 149) in making contact when he did swing, better only than Reynolds, Dunn, Howard, Pena, Napoli and Kemp.

Now, if the critique of him being a leadoff hitter is his relatively mediocre OBP, I'd agree completely. A player with his skill set is built to hit 6th/7th where he can leverage both his power and speed while minimizing the impact of his low OBP. But with Dusty Baker filling out the lineup card, considerations 1, 2, and 3 for a leadoff hitter are "Does he run fast?", "Does he play CF?", and "Dan he run fast?".

That all said, I'm not sure why Stubbs has to "step up". He's not going to suddenly become Juan Pierre and make contact 90% of the time and bunt for hits 30 times to push his OBP above .380. He is who he is, and that's a very productive player. If we want to talk about stepping up, how about Homer Bailey finally taking that step forward?
irussma
3/30
"Guerrero had 29 home runs and 115 RBIs last season, levels Beltre hasn't reached since 2004, his walk year with the Dodgers."

Uh, wait. Did I just see a BP article use home runs and RBI as a measure of a hitter's worth? As the only measure, even?

First of all, as long as we're going to look at flawed stats, I can point out that while Guerrerro had 29 homers and 115 RBI, Beltre had a mere 28 homers and 102 RBI. Beltre, meanwhile, led the league in doubles (49 to Guerrerro's 27) and beat out Vlad in terms of batting average ( OBP (.365 to .345) SLG (.553 to .496) OPS (obviously) and OPS+ (141 to 122).

Granted, that was the second-best offensive season of Beltre's career, so it's fair to expect some regression, especially given that he'll turn 32 in a week. Still, the man looks out of place on this list, given that he's the only player coming off a really good year.
mhmosher
3/30
Totally agree on Jason Bay. He's on track to be a colossal bust for the Amazins. No power and can't stay healthy.
clachan
3/31
Brett Wallace went to the Astros from the Blue Jays in exchange for Anthony Gose.
pobothecat
3/31
Nice job here, John. Fun article --- and thought provoking. I'm betting on Bekcham, Span and Nolasco, against Rollins, Beckett and Porcello.