Printer-friendly

Contact Author

February 1, 2009

Every Given Sunday

So Many Questions, So Little Time

by John Perrotto

It's Super Bowl Sunday, and besides telling us that there's a game to be played today between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals for supremacy in professional football, it also signals that spring training is just around the corner. Pitchers and catchers will begin reporting to camps in Arizona and Florida on February 13 this year, a week earlier than usual because of the impending World Baseball Classic.

With spring training so close, let's take a look at the key questions for each of the 14 American League teams. We'll take a look at the National League next Sunday.

• Angels: Will Kendry Morales and Brandon Wood be able to fill the voids in this lineup? Morales, who posted a .225 EqA last season, will take over at first base for Mark Teixeira. Wood (.196) is likely to get a fair share of at-bats at designated hitter now that Garret Anderson is gone.

• Athletics: Will Daric Barton retain his first baseman's job? Barton, whose EqA was just .250 last year, could easily lose playing time with the off-season addition of free agent Jason Giambi. Giambi (.301) can play first or serve as the designated hitter, Jack Cust (.303) can play first base or an outfield corner, and Aaron Cunningham (.258) and Travis Buck (.257) will also be in the mix for left.

• Blue Jays: Who will be in the starting rotation? Roy Halladay (7.6 SNLVAR last season), Jesse Litsch (4.7), and David Purcey (0.9) are the top three starters, while Scott Richmond (0.6), Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil, Matt Clement, and Mike Maroth will battle it out for the final two spots. Romero and Cecil have yet to pitch in the major leagues, while Clement and Maroth both spent last season in the minors.

• The rest of this article is restricted to Baseball Prospectus Subscribers. Not a subscriber? Click here for more information on Baseball Prospectus subscriptions or use the buttons to the right to subscribe and get access to the best baseball content on the web.

  Cancel anytime. That's a 33% savings over the monthly price! That's a 33% savings over the monthly price! Already a subscriber? Click here and use the blue login bar to log in.