Welcome to the newest FANdemonium Sports segment. It is called Sunday Debates. Every Sunday, I will think of a hot topic subject in the world of sports. Today’s subject is the most improved MLB team heading into the '09 season. So I will show and analyze some of the top candidates and then give you, what I think is, the most improved team.If you want to view my take on any topic that is suitable for a Sunday Debate, let me know about it. Email me any suggestions (along with anything else you want) at StLDieHard24@gmail.com.
I will make a “Sunday Debates” section on the right side of the page under the “It’s FANdemonium, baby!” section. There you will be able to view all of the Sunday Debates. Let’s get started with the second Sunday Debate.
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With the offseason officially finished, the 2009 MLB season is in full swing. Many teams did some shuffling with free agency, trades, and resigns. Some teams did it more than others, and some did it little at all. The Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series in 2008. I love the phrase, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” That is the exact mindset Philly had going into the layoff. Out of the 25 WS players, 22 of them are suiting up tonight against the Braves.
So let’s talk about the teams that made the most improvement. Surprise, surprise… it is not the Yankees.
Yeah, they picked up the biggest names on the market. They spent half of a billion dollars to improve their club. New York locked in the most dominant pitcher in the MLB last season in CC Sabathia, one of the best pure-sluggers in the league in Mark Teixeira, and another Cy Young capable pitcher in A.J. Burnett.
But, when it was all said and done, did they really make the stride we all think they did? There is no doubt about it; they improved. However, with the people that they signed, they also gave up a ton.
So let’s talk about the teams that made the most improvement. Surprise, surprise… it is not the Yankees.
Yeah, they picked up the biggest names on the market. They spent half of a billion dollars to improve their club. New York locked in the most dominant pitcher in the MLB last season in CC Sabathia, one of the best pure-sluggers in the league in Mark Teixeira, and another Cy Young capable pitcher in A.J. Burnett.
But, when it was all said and done, did they really make the stride we all think they did? There is no doubt about it; they improved. However, with the people that they signed, they also gave up a ton.
Mike Mussina was 20-9 with a 3.37 ERA. Sabathia was 17-10 with a 2.70 ERA, including the second half of the season in the mediocre National League Central.
Andy Pettite, who turned down a one-year, $10 million offer from the Yankees, was 14-14 with a 4.54 ERA. Burnett was 18-10 with a 4.07 ERA.
Bobby Abreu hit .296 with 20 home runs and 100 runs batted in. He also had a .371 on-base percentage. Swisher batted .219 with 24 home runs and 69 runs batted in. He had a .332 OBP.
And at first, Jason Giambi batted .247 with 32 home runs and 96 runs batted in, with a .373 OBP. Teixeira batted .308 with 33 home runs and 121 runs batted in, with a .410 OBP.
Overall, the Yankees replaced 34 wins with 35 wins. They replaced 52 home runs with 57. They replaced 196 RBI with 190. As you can see, they improved. But, in contrast to what everyone thinks, it wasn’t nearly as good as you may think.
Also, let’s not forget that the Yanks will be without their star for AT LEAST a month. Some think it could be a few months. I would think he would be back in uniform by mid-May, but still, that is a hit nonetheless.
Meanwhile, there are some other teams that are seriously going under the radar as the most improved. The team that has caught my attention more than any other (maybe for obvious reasons), is my own St. Louis Cardinals.
There have been questions surrounding the Cards from Day 1 of the offseason, but they have taken care of every single one in the past couple months. The closer? A hard-throwing, confident, BIG, rough-looking, long-haired, bearded, 26 year old righty that has been looming in the minors for years. He killed everybody in the Majors last season with and ERA under one. He has some serious potential, and has the swagger all closers need to succeed.
Carpenter? He is healthy, and throwing like he was in ’05. In three starts at the back end of 2008, he accumulated an ERA under two. The most comforting news is that nobody could touch him in the Spring. In multiple – healthy – starts, he brought them up and put him down like the Carpenter of old. A 0.81 Spring ERA helped all Cardinal fans sleep at night.
When the Cards take the field tomorrow afternoon, not only are the going to have all of their young hitters a year older (Schumaker, Ludwick, Ankiel, Rasmus, Freese, etc)… They have a more complete rotation with a healthy Chris Carpenter. When you add a good rotation with a near-dominant offensive lineup, you get good things.
To conclude this Sunday’s debate, here is my most improved team heading into the ’09 season.
The, don’t be surprised, Cleveland Indians. You got it; the less heralded (and more appropriately thrifty) Indians have made more significant changes in a weaker division.
They replace the troubled Borowski with Kerry Wood as the full-time closer. The rotation has improved as well with the addition of Carl Pavano, not to mention having a healthy Fausto Carmona after an injury-plagued 2008 season. The Tribe polishes the hot corner with an acquisition of an extremely underrated Mark DeRosa. The outfield will always be above par with Grady Sizemore out in Center.
Last year, the Indians finished in third place, just like the Yankees. They have traded away a handful of prospects and given only Wood a significant free agent contract. The difference of a solid closer and the leadership and versatility of Wood might be enough to overcome the White Sox 7.5 game advantage in the division last year.
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Justin Hulsey
FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com
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