February 8, 200521 yr Here is the projected line up from Joe Frisaro: Projected batting order 1. CF Juan Pierre, .326 BA, 3 HR, 49 RBI in 2004 2. 2B Luis Castillo, .291 BA, 2 HR, 47 RBI in 2004 3. LF Miguel Cabrera, .294, 33 HR, 112 RBI in 2004 4. 1B Carlos Delgado, .269 BA, 32 HR, 99 RBI in 2004 5. 3B Mike Lowell, .293 BA, 27 HR, 85 RBI in 2004 6. C Paul Lo Duca, .286 BA, 13 HR, 80 RBI in 2004 7. RF Juan Encarnacion, .236 BA, 16 HR, 62 RBI in 2004 8. SS Alex Gonzalez, .232 BA, 23 HR, 79 RBI in 2004 Projected rotation 1. Josh Beckett, 9-9, 3.79 ERA in 2004 2. A.J. Burnett, 7-6, 3.68 ERA in 2004 3. Dontrelle Willis, 10-11, 4.02 ERA in 2004 4. Al Leiter, 10-8, 3.21 ERA in 2004 5. Ismael Valdez, 14-9, 5.19 ERA in 2004 Projected bullpen Closer: Guillermo Mota, 9-8, 3.07 ERA, 4 saves, in 2004 RH setup man: Antonio Alfonseca, 6-4, 2.57 ERA in 2004 LH setup man: Matt Perisho, 5-3, 4.40 ERA in 2004 According to Joe, Conine is going to ride the pine. Interesting. I'd rather see AJ get the nod on opening day.
February 8, 200521 yr Methinks Willingham takes the RF job sometime during the first month. 679731[/snapback] What do you know about his OF defense and his arm strength?
February 8, 200521 yr Methinks Willingham takes the RF job sometime during the first month. 679731[/snapback] I don't know where he'll be, but I agree they are going to find a spot for him.
February 8, 200521 yr Methinks Willingham takes the RF job sometime during the first month. 679731[/snapback] Hopefully he tears it up during spring training. That's the only way I could see that happening, unfortunately.
February 8, 200521 yr Methinks Willingham takes the RF job sometime during the first month. 679731[/snapback] What do you know about his OF defense and his arm strength? 679735[/snapback] As of the last report he has a strong arm, but his defense is questionable. I see him overcoming that limitation.
February 8, 200521 yr Methinks Willingham takes the RF job sometime during the first month. 679731[/snapback] What do you know about his OF defense and his arm strength? 679735[/snapback] As of the last report he has a strong arm, but his defense is questionable. I see him overcoming that limitation. 679751[/snapback] Cabrera should be playing right field. There is no player in the history of baseball who was an average to above average left fielder, but put him in right field and he simply can't catch the ball. Cabs just was not used to reading the ball off the bat from the right side of the field, and that just comes with time. With that kind of arm he is the prototypical right fielder.
February 8, 200521 yr I'd agree in theory, ff, but he looked awful there. Maybe he can get comfortable enough there during ST and winter leagues to allow Willy a chance in the easier LF.
February 8, 200521 yr Author Methinks Willingham takes the RF job sometime during the first month. 679731[/snapback] What do you know about his OF defense and his arm strength? 679735[/snapback] As of the last report he has a strong arm, but his defense is questionable. I see him overcoming that limitation. 679751[/snapback] Could his defense in RF be any worse than Cabrera's?
February 8, 200521 yr Author I'd agree in theory, ff, but he looked awful there. Maybe he can get comfortable enough there during ST and winter leagues to allow Willy a chance in the easier LF. 679770[/snapback] It will be interesting to see if they play him in RF in ST. Winter leagues are over, and from what I saw he mostly played 3B.
February 8, 200521 yr As long as Encarnacion is on the team and able to play the closest Cabrera will get to right field is when he rounds first doing his homerun trot.
February 8, 200521 yr yeah I think he's only penciling in Enc for RF because they may take it slow with Niner until they're sure he's 100%.
February 8, 200521 yr Joe is some guy MLB.com plucked out to put his journalism degree to some use. Kinda harsh to put it like that, but he has no more access to Loria, Samson, McKeon or anyone in the organization than LeBatard, Berardino, Collazo or any of the beat reporters. I'd take his projections with the same grain of salt reserved for the independent writers that are allowed to criticize the franchise.
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