THIS was an offseason about what you didn’t see coming. Those best of enemies, Brian Cashman and Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, came together in harmony at separate functions on each other’s home turf while the seemingly impenetrable bonds that united Roger Clemens to Andy Pettitte and Scott Boras to Alex Rodriguez fell apart.
The Yankees and Red Sox, who get whatever they want, were the frontrunners for Johan Santana, and he ended up a Met. The type of prime-age aces who are never traded, were: Santana to Flushing, Dan Haren to Arizona and Erik Bedard to Seattle. And a bunch of graying, one-time kings – Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa and Curt Schilling – may not play again because of indifference, infamy or injury. So you can expect one fascinating Hall of Fame ballot in 2013.
Tampa lost the Devil from its nickname, yet gained a Ray of hope by approving a 70-percent payroll hike and proposing a $450 million waterfront park in St. Petersburg.
One Torre (Joe) ended up a Los Angeles Dodger and another Torii (Hunter) ended up a Los Angeles Angel. You can say Southern California now has a difference of Tori Spelling.
What you can’t say is this was a staid offseason. Mitchell reported and Congress retorted, Bowie Kuhn got into the Hall of Fame and Marvin Miller didn’t, which is akin to waking up on Oscar night to see Meryl Streep hand an Oscar to Jessica Simpson. A Steinbrenner roared and his name was Hank, by George, and bye, George.
And so long to another offseason. Camps open this week. Pitchers and catchers arrive. Here is a spring-training primer to prepare for six weeks of hope and hype:
KEY POSITION CHANGES
1. Ryan Braun, Brewers: Though he did not play his first game until May 25, the NL Rookie of the Year tied for the MLB lead with 26 errors. So he will be moved from third to left and Bill Hall will have a third primary position in the past three years: shortstop (2006), center (2007), third (2008).
2. Brett Myers, Phillies: Myers returns from a stint closing to the rotation as the Phils hope their offseason acquisition of Brad Lidge solves the ninth inning. Myers is not alone in the transition. Others who will try to make the pen-to-rotation jump include Toronto’s Casey Janssen, Oakland’s Justin Duchscherer, the Cubs’ Ryan Dempster, Milwaukee’s Carlos Villanueva, Cincinnati’s Jeremy Affeldt, Dodgers’ Jon Meloan and Seattle’s Brandon Morrow. Meanwhile, the Cubs’ Kerry Wood and Arizona’s Brandon Lyon are frontrunners to ascend from setup men to closers.
3. Akinori Iwamura, Rays: He is moving from third to second as a prelude to super prospect Evan Longoria’s hot-corner ascension, probably some time after May 1. With Garrett Atkins in his way in Colorado, touted prospect Ian Stewart also will try to make the third-to-second switch, though rookie Jayson Nix or junk-pile pickup Marcus Giles are the keystone favorites.
4. Carlos Guillen, Tigers: Guillen started 15 games at first last year, acknowledgment of his decreasing range, and now the transition is assured with the acquisition of Edgar Renteria. In addition, with Detroit obtaining Miguel Cabrera, Brandon Inge lost his third-base job and will arrive early with pitchers and catchers, though he does not want to catch and hasn’t in an MLB game since 2004.
5. Juan Pierre, Dodgers, and Gary Matthews Jr., Angels: Big free-agent signs and busts a year ago, Pierre and Matthews will be moved off of center field by Southern California’s new free-agent signs: Andruw Jones for the Dodgers and Torii Hunter for the Angels. And both clubs are so deep in outfield possibilities that Pierre and Matthews might just have to win left-field jobs or find themselves on the bench.
New York Edition: Wanting to keep the deficient Jason Giambi off of first base, the Yanks are going to throw at least the quartet of Wilson Betemit, Shelley Duncan, Morgan Ensberg and Jason Lane into a competition for playing time, though the four have combined for just 13 career MLB starts at first.
KEY INJURY RETURNS (POSITION PLAYERS)
1. Vernon Wells, Blue Jays: Can Toronto contend with the Red Sox and Yankees? The answer lies with a bunch of players coming back from injury, notably B.J. Ryan, Lyle Overbay, Scott Rolen and Reed Johnson. But the essential player is Wells, whose OPS fell from .899 to .706 last year before he needed left shoulder surgery. The Jays will not have enough offense if Wells is not a star again.
2. David Ortiz, Red Sox: He finished fourth in the AL MVP voting despite an achy right knee that forced offseason surgery.
3. Rocco Baldelli, Rays: He’s been limited to 127 games the past three years mainly because of hamstring issues that may never be fully resolved. He’s still only 26, but clearly at a crossroads. The Rays would love to see him play 120 games between the outfield and DH.
4. Eric Chavez, A’s: He was symbolic of an Oakland team that just broke down physically last year, a condition that strongly motivated GM Billy Beane’s complete rebuilding that has so far led to the dealing of Dan Haren, Nick Swisher and Mark Kotsay. Chavez has needed three offseason surgeries (both shoulders, lower back) and if he can prove healthy, he could be next on the trade market.
5. Nick Johnson, Nationals: Didn’t play at all last year after breaking his leg late in the season at Shea in 2006. Washington gave Dmitri Young a two-year contract late last season to play first, so Johnson will be showcased in spring and no one should be surprised to see him reunited with the Yankees.
New York Edition: Hideki Matsui had arthroscopic right knee surgery. His play in left field regressed tremendously last year. Johnny Damon will be the regular left fielder with Matsui slated at DH. But if his running or play are still impaired, he could lose even DH time to Jason Giambi.
KEY INJURY RETURNS (PITCHERS)
1. Francisco Liriano, Twins: He had Tommy John surgery in November 2006 and probably could have pitched at the end of last year. But Minnesota was hyper-cautious with this gem. If his shoulder can withstand the strain of his delivery, Liriano could be the ace replacement for Johan Santana.
2. Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks: Mr. Sunshine underwent back surgery for the second consecutive offseason. He is 44 and no longer even the No. 1 or 2 starter (that is Brandon Webb and Dan Haren). But he should be motivated with so many doubters and being 16 wins from 300. The NL West is filled with pitching and so the comebacks by Johnson, the Dodgers Jason Schmidt (shoulder), Colorado’s Jason Hirsh (leg), and San Diego’s Chris Young, Randy Wolf and Mark Prior (all shoulder) could decide a competitive division.
3. Joel Zumaya, Tigers: He hurt his right shoulder moving boxes during the San Diego wildfires, needed major surgery and, though he may begin throwing in camp, his days as perhaps the most feared set-up man in the majors might be done.
4. Rich Harden, A’s: He is the pitching Rocco Baldelli. Still young (26) and full of promise, but constantly injured and limited to 13 starts the past two years.
5. Mark Mulder, Cardinals: Mulder is recovering from a second shoulder surgery and ace Chris Carpenter is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Mulder could make it back as early as May, Carpenter at the All-Star break. The return of either could influence the NL Central race.
New York Edition: Duaner Sanchez has needed two shoulder surgeries since his fateful cab ride in late July 2006. He briefly was banished from spring training last year by Willie Randolph for uninspiring work habits. But the Mets are encouraged that he is healthy, and if the Mets can get the efficient/effective guy from the first half of 2006, their pen rises significantly in stature.
PLAYERS BEING SHOW CASED
1. Joe Crede, White Sox: Chicago would rather go with 26-year-old Josh Fields, who is under control for five more years, to play third than Crede, who turns 30 in April and can be a free agent after the season. He must show he is healed after back surgery cost him most of last year. This is a spring market in which you can find a third baseman with Oakland’s Eric Chavez and Detroit’s Brandon Inge possibilities.
2. Coco Crisp, Red Sox: The scintillating September and postseason by Jacoby Ellsbury makes him the Red Sox center fielder of the present. Crisp is an elite defender, but a below-average offensive player who is owed $11 million over the next two years. So Boston may have to eat some dough to make him go.
3. Brian Roberts, Orioles: With Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard traded, Roberts is now next in Baltimore’s long-needed rebuilding program. The Roberts-to-the-Cubs rumors are likely to persist throughout the spring.
4. Joe Blanton, A’s: Like Baltimore, Oakland is completely revamping and Blanton appears on the launch pad. Johan Santana’s trade to the Mets eliminated a suitor, but the Reds are still desirous of the righty. Besides Blanton, other starters who could move in spring include Cleveland’s Cliff Lee and someone from the Brewers’ surplus that includes David Bush and Chris Capuano. As for relief, the market is always more intense in July than March, but Minnesota’s Joe Nathan will be eyeballed as will the Tampa duo of Al Reyes and Dan Wheeler.
5. Scott Hatteberg , Reds: Cincy wants to go with Joey Votto at first so the Reds definitely could move this veteran lefty swinger.
New York Edition: The Yanks are going to try to throw numbers at uncertainties at first base, in their rotation and in their pen. Before the end of spring one of those issues could be sizeable enough that the Yanks move some surplus young arms (think Ross Ohlendorf/Alan Horne) to solve a shortcoming.
DIDN’T YOU USED TO BE
1. Javy Lopez, Braves: He hit an MLB catching record 42 HRs in 2003 in his final season with Atlanta, and his career has plummeted since. He was out of the majors totally last year. He says his body is feeling better and that he is ready to be a capable backup to Brian McCann.
2. Juan Gonzalez, Cardinals: The two-time MVP has not played since a single at-bat with the Indians in 2005. How fascinating would a corner outfield tandem of Gonzalez and Rick Ankiel be?
3. Edgardo Alfonzo, Rangers: After hitting .126 in 30 games between two teams in 2006, Alfonzo played for the Long Island Ducks last year, including a bunch of shortstop. Another player with Mets ties, Alex Escobar, will be in Nationals’ camp on a minor-league contract.
4. Hideo Nomo, Royals: After going 9-19 with a 7.70 ERA between 2004-05, Nomo has not been in the majors at all the last two seasons. This is probably his last chance. Brian Anderson, the third-overall pick in 1993 and out of the majors since 2005, will be in Tampa’s camp.
5. Matt Mantei, Tigers: With Joel Zumaya down, Detroit sure could use another power arm. But Mantei, who saved 29 games for Arizona in 2003, has not appeared in the majors since 2005.
New York Edition: Aside from 56 at-bats for Baltimore in 2006, Fernando Tatis has not played in the majors since 2003. Nevertheless, the Mets have invited him to spring training and would love to have a righty bat to potentially serve the role Julio Franco once filled – pinch-hitter/caddy to Carlos Delgado.