PSR'S 2002 Major League Baseball Preview
By John E. Sacco

While most of the post-season participants will be the same as always - Atlanta, New York Yankees, Arizona and Seattle—expect a little excitement out of the Windy City.

Both the Cubs and White Sox have the potential to make this an interesting season in Chicago.

The New York Mets have certainly made the moves to make strides. In the American League, the Anaheim Angels could be a real surprise and make a strong bid for a post-season berth.

The following is a look at the races in the NL East and West divisions, and the three American League divisions.

NL EAST

(predicted order of finish)

ATLANTA BRAVES

STRENGTHS: Potentially much better offense with addition of Gary Sheffield, OF, and return of speedy shortstop Rafael Furcal; closer John Smoltz.

WEAKNESSES: Question marks in the starting rotation beyond Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine

THE ONE TO WATCH: Sheffield, Furcal and Javy Lopez, C

TOP NEWCOMER: Sheffield

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Outfielder Brian Jordan's leadership qualities

FINAL ANSWER: The addition of Sheffield is exactly what the Braves' lineup needed. He should only help the others, especially Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones, and he's a proven run producer. For all the moves the New York Mets made, acquiring Sheffield trumped it all.

NEW YORK METS

STRENGTHS: Adding Roberto Alomar, 2B, and Mo Vaughn, 1B. Mike Piazza, C, is poised for a big season.

WEAKNESSES: Outfield depth and questionable starting pitching and middle relief.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Edgardo Alfonzo. His return to health and strong play is essential.

TOP NEWCOMERS: Alomar and Vaughn

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Kevin Appier, P

FINAL ANSWER: Give the Mets credit. GM Steve Phillips went out and did something about his dead offense. Adding the likes of Alomar, Vaughn, Roger Cedeno, OF, and Jeromy Burnitz, OF, and Pedro Astacio, P, will definitely help increase the victory total.

FLORIDA MARLINS

STRENGTHS: Solid young pitching staff

WEAKNESSES: Change in ownership, front officer personnel and coaching staff completed just before spring training

THE ONE TO WATCH: Josh Beckett, P

TOP NEWCOMER: Manager Jeff Torborg. Let's see what he can do.

TOUGH TO REPLACE: The Front Office

FINAL ANSWER: Because of its pitching, Florida has a chance for its second winning season in its history. But they'll need some better output throughout the lineup and less reliance on Luis Castillo, 2B, Cliff Floyd, OF, and Preston Wilson, OF, if the improvement is to be dramatic.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

STRENGTHS: Learned how to win again in 2001; infield defense.

WEAKNESSES: Manager Larry Bowa is in line for a meltdown and at any moment he and Scott Rolen, 3b, could re-ignite their troublesome relationship. Starting pitching.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Marlon Byrd, OF, a five-tool prospect without a big-league job.

TOP NEWCOMER: Terry Adams, P

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Richie Hebner, hitting coach

FINAL ANSWER: The Phillies faded badly after such a strong start in 2001. The guess here is that their second-half decline is more indicative of what is bound to happen this season than their fast start.

MONTREAL EXPOS

STRENGTHS: Good young talent

WEAKNESSES: Lame-duck franchise

THE ONE TO WATCH: Fernando Tatis, 3B

TOP NEWCOMER: Manager Frank Robinson

TOUGH TO REPLACE: None

FINAL ANSWER: This is the final season for the Expos as we have known them. That's too bad for guys like Vladimir Guerrero and second baseman Jose Vidro. Au Revior dear friend.

NL WEST

(Predicted order of finish)

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

STRENGTHS: Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling

WEAKNESSES: The lineup has holes and the focus may not be as sharp as it was in the World Series championship season of a year ago. Age might finally catch up. Bullpen depth.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Erubiel Durazo, OF

TOP NEWCOMER: Rick Helling, P

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Byung-Hyun Kim's confidence

FINAL ANSWER: The pitching is so good that it should be enough to carry Arizona back to the post-season. But winning the NL is another thing.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

STRENGTHS: Barry Bonds and a unique ability to challenge seemingly every season.

WEAKNESSES: The pitching always seems to threaten to give in. This year is no different.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Bonds, of course

TOP NEWCOMER: Tsuyoshi Shinjo, OF

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Shawn Estes, P

FINAL ANSWER: The Giants have tremendous resolve and character but not enough to overcome weak pitching. It wouldn't surprise me to see them win the division or plunge into the second division.

SAN DIEGO PADRES

STRENGTHS: Outstanding young talent and Manager Bruce Bochy.

WEAKNESSES: Inexperience and reliance on too many newcomers.

THE ONE TO WATCH: D'Angelo Jiminez, 2B

TOP NEWCOMER: Sean Burroughs, 3B

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Adam Eaton, P, out after having "Tommy John" surgery

FINAL ANSWER: The offense will be good. The pitching won't. Bochy will coax close to 80 wins out of them.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

STRENGTHS: A healthy Adrian Beltre, 3B; and Shawn Greene, OF

WEAKNESSES: The health of the pitching staff and unsettled nature of bullpen.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Odalis Perez, P

TOP NEWCOMER: Kazuhiro Ishii, P

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Gary Sheffield, OF

FINAL ANSWER: The Dodgers will miss Sheffield greatly. There's plenty of talent on hand. But is the pitching staff healthy enough and who is going to close?

COLORADO ROCKIES

STRENGTHS: An offense that features Larry Walker, Of, Todd Helton, 1B, and Juan Pierre, OF, is one worth watching.

WEAKNESSES: Pitching - starting and bullpen.

THE ONE TO WATCH: John Thomson, P

TOP NEWCOMER: Whoever replaces Manager Buddy Bell when he's fired at some point in 2002.

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Jeff Cirillo, 3B

FINAL ANSWER: Any team that believes Todd Zeile is an answer at third base is destined for defeat - many of them. A major disappointment in 2001, Colorado seems to be sinking despite having some explosive offensive talent.

AL EAST

(Predicted order of finish)

NEW YORK YANKEES

STRENGTHS: Cash on hand and the ability to fix, immediately, what might go wrong. Starting pitching.

WEAKNESSES: The addition of some questionable veterans to the lineup and pitching staff.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Jason Giambi, 1B

TOP NEWCOMER: Giambi

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Tino Martinez, 1B

FINAL ANSWER: Overall, the lineup is not as strong and they are relying on questionable veterans to replenish the losses. Giambi will face heavy pressure to produce in a big way. The starting pitching, in this particular point and time in MLB history, is ridiculously good. The Yankees are still really good and motivated over the World Series loss to Arizona.

BOSTON RED SOX

STRENGTHS: Willingness to make changes to get better.

WEAKNESSES: Clubhouse unrest. Until it's definitely fixed, it's a potential problem.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Johnny Damon, OF

TOP NEWCOMER: John Burkett, P

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Manager Jimy Williams. But they already found that out.

FINAL ANSWER: Without Carl Everett around, things are bound to be better. They have enough to challenge the Yankees and for a wild card berth. Beware, however, if Quilvio Veras ends up as the starter at second base. That will be a sure sign of trouble.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

STRENGTHS: A lot of offensive pop.

WEAKNESSES: Pitching and inability to overcome New York and Boston.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Felipe Lopez, SS

TOP NEWCOMER: Luke Prokopec, P

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Paul Quantrill, P

FINAL ANSWER: A fifth consecutive third-place finish is all but a sure thing. The Blue Jays have fallen back in the past few years and don't seem capable of challenging New York or Boston.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

STRENGTHS: Scott Erickson's return to the pitching staff.

WEAKNESSES: Where do you want to start?

THE ONE TO WATCH: Jorge Julio, P, a closer in waiting.

TOP NEWCOMER: Marty Cordova, OF

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Cal Ripken, 3B

FINAL ANSWER: Thank goodness for Tampa Bay.

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS

STRENGTHS: Uh. . . .

WEAKNESSES: There's simply not enough space.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Randy Winn, OF

TOP NEWCOMER: Dewon Brazelton, P, the organization's top prospect.

TOUGH TO REPLACE: None

FINAL ANSWER: Contraction

AL CENTRAL

(Predicted order of finish)

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

STRENGTHS: A balanced offense and an underrated starting rotation. A weak division.

WEAKNESSES: Depth

THE ONES TO WATCH: Kenny Lofton, CF, solidifies a huge question mark in the lineup; Carlos Lee, OF, is an emerging star.

TOP NEWCOMERS: Lofton and Todd Ritchie, P

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Kip Wells, P

FINAL ANSWER: Chicago is poised for a big season. Manager Jerry Manuel will have to keep everyone together, a little bit of winning early on will help that cause greatly. This is a division to be had and the ChiSox will have it.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

STRENGTHS: Remarkably the pitching.

WEAKNESSES: An offense that has been downsized and will feature hitters with much less ability than those they replaced.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Ellis Burks, OF, is another year older and more likely to suffer another injury.

TOP NEWCOMER: Matt Lawton, OF

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Roberto Alomar, 2B

FINAL ANSWER: The Indians have re-tooled, and not necessarily for the better. They'll still hit the ball and score runs but not at the same frequency as in the past. But the pitching staff, as a whole, is better. Watch out for C.C. Sabathia's health. He's pitched a lot all ready and certain for another heavy load this year.

DETROIT TIGERS

STRENGTHS: New president Dave Dombrowski

WEAKNESSES: A lineup that doesn't fit its ballpark that serves line-drive hitters with speed and a lack of quality pitching.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Dmitri Young, 1B-OF. Is he ready to make a breakthrough?

TOP NEWCOMERS: Young

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Roger Cedeno's speed

FINAL ANSWER: It's not a good division. Therefore, Dombrowski's magic may factor in. It will have to. A good start will help solidify Manager Phil Garner's job. A bad one. . . well, you know.

MINNESOTA TWINS

STRENGTHS: They know how to win again.

WEAKNESSES: Constricted by contraction talk, the offseason dealings were minimal.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Joe Mays, P

TOP NEWCOMER: None

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Todd Jones, P

FINAL ANSWER: This promises to be a challenging season given that contraction remains possible. The Twins face a huge challenge in terms of motivation. But pitching can overcome a lot.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

STRENGTHS: A new season brings a new chance.

WEAKNESSES: Lack of pitching and ability to make improvements in the offseason.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Jose Rosado, P

TOP NEWCOMER: Chuck Knoblauch, OF

TOUGH TO REPLACE: None

FINAL ANSWER: The starting rotation does have some talent but not enough to overcome a lack of offensive firepower. An eighth straight losing season is a given.

AL WEST

(Predicted order of finish)

SEATTLE MARINERS

STRENGTHS: Ichiro and so much more - a strong offense, stellar closer in Kazuhiro Sasaki and a dominant force within the division.

WEAKNESSES: Depth in starting rotation; overcoming last season's ALCS loss to the Yankees.

THE ONES TO WATCH: Joel Pineiro, P; and Ben Davis, C, acquired from San Diego

TOP NEWCOMERS: Jeff Cirillo, 3B, and Shigetoshi Hasewaga, P

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Aaron Sele, P

FINAL ANSWER: Manager Lou Piniella has now taken two teams wire-to-wire during the regular season. Seattle won't win as many games this year but if it can add another power pitching arm, the Mariners will be better suited for success in the playoffs. Ichiro leads Seattle to another division title and ultimate post-season success.

ANAHEIM ANGELS

STRENGTHS: Premier closer in Troy Percival, a solid starting staff and underrated Garrett Anderson, OF, Troy Glaus, 3B.

WEAKNESSES: Offensive firepower beyond Anderson and Glaus; tough competition within baseball's best division.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Darin Erstad, CF, has been subpar in two of the last three seasons. If he plays like he can, the Angels become quite dangerous.

TOP NEWCOMER: Aaron Sele, P

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Shigetoshi Hasegawa, P

FINAL ANSWER: A change in uniforms has placed the halo back into prominence. Anaheim was a surprised two years ago and slipped a bit last year. But all the ingredients - strong closer and good starting pitching - are in place for a surprising season. How do you not feel good about a team that will have a halo over its collective heads in 2002?

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

STRENGTHS: Solid starting rotation and hard-throwing closer in Billy Koch, acquired from Toronto.

WEAKNESSES: Took many hits, none bigger than losing Jason Giambi, 1B, to free agency, during the off-season. The starting lineup has holes.

THE ONE TO WATCH: Eric Chavez, 3B, is on the verge of super stardom.

TOP NEWCOMER: Koch

TOUGH TO REPLACE: Giambi

FINAL ANSWER: The Athletics had the Yankees beat in the AL Divisional playoffs for the second time in two playoff seasons and let it slip away. Oakland has that disappointment to overcome in the face of losing some quality players and potential contraction at the end of the season. It's not going to be easy. For all the good Manager Art Howe has done, the losses to the Yankees have diminished his efforts some. He's not secure. And GM Billy Beane is much sought after. The potential for a significant drop off is in place but the starting pitching won't allow it.

TEXAS RANGERS

STRENGTHS: An unthinkable offense led by A-Rod, I-Rod, Juan Gone, Rafael Palmiero and the talented but unbalanced Carl Everett.

WEAKNESSES: Starting pitching while improved isn't good as a whole. Unproven Manager in Jerry Narron, who must mesh some incredibly diverse and erratic personalities to reach maximum performance.

THE ONE TO WATCH: John Rocker, P, said to be in great condition and ready to be a dominant closer.

TOP NEWCOMER: Juan Gonzalez, DH

TOUGH TO REPLACE: None

FINAL ANSWER: Texas should be better than the 73-89 team that struggled through 2001. The Rangers will score runs in bunches and give them up in bunches. The division's strength won't allow them to make a huge jump but a jump they will make.

Post-Season Predictions

NL Division Series

St. Louis Cardinals over Arizona Diamondbacks

Chicago Cubs over Atlanta Braves

NLCS

St. Louis Cardinals over Chicago Cubs

AL Division Series

Seattle Mariners over Chicago White Sox

New York Yankees over Anaheim Angels

ALCS

Seattle Mariners over New York Yankees

World Series

St. Louis Cardinals over Seattle Mariners