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Looks like Georgy Porgy was getting sick of Arte Moreno stealing all the headlines. The Yankee payroll will be nearly $200 million next season. Revenue sharing and the luxury tax was supposed to curb spending by marquee franchises? Imagine how the Red Sox must feel right now, again shown up in one of their most active and successful offseason. Those three teams have improved a great deal, and it's now a three way race for the AL pennant, and probably the world series. Look at the acquisitions.
Red Sox:
Curt Schilling - When healthy, he is one of the three best right-handed pitchers in the majors, and he gives them the best number two guy out there. They have a proven playoff performer as well, which would have won them the pennant last year.
Keith Foulk - The AL's best closer. Blew some saves but never lost a game. Again, if they had him last year, they win the pennant, and maybe 110 games.
Angels:
Bartolo Colon - Nine complete games will give the AL's best bullpen more rest than its had in years, making it that much better. The guy could be a twenty-game winner for a team that doesn't underachieve.
Kelvim Escobar - He's young, durable, and throws very hard. The Angels had a lot of problems with guys not going deep into games and going to the IL last year. Now they have two quality starters who go deep into games and never get injured. They also have the deepest rotation in the majors.
Jose Guillen - He'll likely hit 300 and drive in 100 runs. He's got a lot of speed and makes the Angels that much more aggressive.
Vladimir Guerrero - Another perfect fit for this team. Aggressive base runner, doesn't strike out a lot, hits for average and power, and has one of the best arms in the game.
This is a lineup now with no holes in it, a starting rotation with no holes in it, and a bullpen with no holes in it. They should run away with the AL west.
Yankees:
Javier Vasquez - He isn't Roger Clemens, or even Andy Pettite, but he's one of the best young pitchers out there, and he carried the Expos last year.
Kevin Brown - When healthy, is capable of being the most dominant pitcher in the game. He will more than compensate for the loss of Clemens, if he can stay healthy.
Paul Quantrill - Fills a big hole they had last year as a setup man. They now have a proven competitor to get the ball to Mo Rivera, which they didn't have last year.
Gary Sheffield - He gets on base, he hits for average, he drives in runs and he hits for power. This team is going to hit a ton of home runs this year.
Alex Rodriguez - The best player in baseball. They have the two best shortstops in the game now, on the same team.
Another very imposing lineup, but their rotation will be weaker this year, though they do have three guys capable of dominating a game. They just don't have much beyond that. Quantrill will be a huge addition, and if Rivera can stay healthy, they make a great one-two punch. Their bullpen still isn't nearly as deep as the Angels, but it has gotten better.
The Angels should finish with the best record in the AL, with the Sox and Yanks battling it out in the east. The AL west will be a weaker division. The Rangers, A's, and Mariners all got worse in the off-season and the Angels should win a lot of games. Come playoff time, it's hard to make a call here. If they do have the best record, they will either play the Sox or Yanks, as one of those teams will be the wild card and two teams from the same division can't play each other in the ALDS. This is good for the winner of the AL east, as they should blow the snot out of whoever emerges from the central. Two of these teams will be in the ALCS, and whoever wins should take the world series, as no team in the NL looks nearly as good. Then again, the Marlins didn't look as good last year. You never can tell.
Red Sox:
Curt Schilling - When healthy, he is one of the three best right-handed pitchers in the majors, and he gives them the best number two guy out there. They have a proven playoff performer as well, which would have won them the pennant last year.
Keith Foulk - The AL's best closer. Blew some saves but never lost a game. Again, if they had him last year, they win the pennant, and maybe 110 games.
Angels:
Bartolo Colon - Nine complete games will give the AL's best bullpen more rest than its had in years, making it that much better. The guy could be a twenty-game winner for a team that doesn't underachieve.
Kelvim Escobar - He's young, durable, and throws very hard. The Angels had a lot of problems with guys not going deep into games and going to the IL last year. Now they have two quality starters who go deep into games and never get injured. They also have the deepest rotation in the majors.
Jose Guillen - He'll likely hit 300 and drive in 100 runs. He's got a lot of speed and makes the Angels that much more aggressive.
Vladimir Guerrero - Another perfect fit for this team. Aggressive base runner, doesn't strike out a lot, hits for average and power, and has one of the best arms in the game.
This is a lineup now with no holes in it, a starting rotation with no holes in it, and a bullpen with no holes in it. They should run away with the AL west.
Yankees:
Javier Vasquez - He isn't Roger Clemens, or even Andy Pettite, but he's one of the best young pitchers out there, and he carried the Expos last year.
Kevin Brown - When healthy, is capable of being the most dominant pitcher in the game. He will more than compensate for the loss of Clemens, if he can stay healthy.
Paul Quantrill - Fills a big hole they had last year as a setup man. They now have a proven competitor to get the ball to Mo Rivera, which they didn't have last year.
Gary Sheffield - He gets on base, he hits for average, he drives in runs and he hits for power. This team is going to hit a ton of home runs this year.
Alex Rodriguez - The best player in baseball. They have the two best shortstops in the game now, on the same team.
Another very imposing lineup, but their rotation will be weaker this year, though they do have three guys capable of dominating a game. They just don't have much beyond that. Quantrill will be a huge addition, and if Rivera can stay healthy, they make a great one-two punch. Their bullpen still isn't nearly as deep as the Angels, but it has gotten better.
The Angels should finish with the best record in the AL, with the Sox and Yanks battling it out in the east. The AL west will be a weaker division. The Rangers, A's, and Mariners all got worse in the off-season and the Angels should win a lot of games. Come playoff time, it's hard to make a call here. If they do have the best record, they will either play the Sox or Yanks, as one of those teams will be the wild card and two teams from the same division can't play each other in the ALDS. This is good for the winner of the AL east, as they should blow the snot out of whoever emerges from the central. Two of these teams will be in the ALCS, and whoever wins should take the world series, as no team in the NL looks nearly as good. Then again, the Marlins didn't look as good last year. You never can tell.
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