Derek Jeter will perform just fine as the leadoff hitter. Some have pointed out that Damon has hit leadoff for most of his career, but that doesn't mean he's ill-suited for the second spot in the lineup. Jeter has a career OBP of .387, while Damon has a mark of .355. Jeter being on base more benefits not only the Yankees in general, but Damon in particular. Damon is a lefty, and I'm sure he'll love coming up to the plate with more space open on the right-side of the infield, thanks to Jeter being on first.
Tim Lincecum will continue to dominate. Many point to his mechanics, which appear to be violent. However, much work has been done on recent years to dispell the orthodox on pitching mechanics. The posterchild for flawless mechanics and bodytype, Mark Prior, can't stay healthy for an entire season. Meanwhile Lincecum, who understands the importance of his legs and hips, will continue to churn out the Ks and dominate the league, while defenders of the old guard continue to predict when he'll have arm surgery.
Huston Street! Really? A 5.23ERA vs. a 1.00ERA by Manny Corpas. Hmmm. Is this just the Rockies trying to show they got something tangible in return for Matt Holliday? It's not like Corpas doesn't have experience closing out games, and he has thoroughly outperformed Street this spring. He should be closing games for the Rockies going into April. However, next winter, most people around the league won't remember the shaky, nail-biting 9th innings. They'll just see 30+ saves and agree that at least the Rockies got some immediate return for Holliday.
Orioles fans should be pissed! Matt Wieters is being held down in the minors to save a few bucks. Meanwhile, fans get to pay full price to watch Gregg Zaun catch. What a joke! If a player is one of the best hitters on the roster, he should crack the opening lineup. This isn't a kid that needs anymore conditioning in the minors. Everything I've read on him says he could realistically be the best hitting catcher in the league this year. I understand wanting to save a few bucks if management is unsure if the guy can contribute right away, but Wieters could be hitting 3rd in the Orioles lineup before this season is over.
The Marlins could win the NL East. We all hate them. Win a championship, reward your fans by blowing up the roster, rebuild with youth. Two World Series victories later, who can argue with the system. The Marlins don't resemble the team that won a World Series back in '03, but they'll certainly be in the mix this year. Hanley Ramirez is argueably the best player in baseball, the young pitching staff is coming together, and Cameron Maybin will give them a dynamic presense at the top of the order.
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