A walk through the 2014 American League East
By Willy
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
I am among the people that believe the Boston Red Sox have not done enough to improve their team this winter.
Though I still believe Ben Cherington will make a move or two before the end of Spring Training. Regardless I wanted to dissect the team vs the remainder of the A.L. East, using the stat’s from the 2013 season. Then you tell me if the Sox have enough.
1. Starting Pitching
Baltimore- Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Tillman, Bud Norris, Wei-Yin Chen. Total WAR: 10.2
Boston- Jon Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz, Jake Peavy, Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubront. Total WAR: 12.2
New York- CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Masahiro Tanaka, Ivan Nova, David Phelps, Michael Pineda, Adam Warren, Vidal Nuno . Total WAR: 9.7 (Minus Tanaka).
Tampa Bay- David Price, Alex Cobb, Matt Moore, Jeremy Hellickson, Chris Archer. Total WAR: 10.8
Toronto- R.A. Dickey, Brandon Morrow, Mark Buehrle, J.A. Happ, Drew Hutchison, Esmil Rogers, Todd Redmond. Total WAR: 4.6
*Notice how the order of WAR is vs how the team’s finished last season, exactly the same. 1. Boston, 2. Tampa, 3. Baltimore, 4. N.Y., 5. Toronto.
2. Catcher
Baltimore- Matt Wieters, Steve Clevenger. Total WAR: .5
Boston- A.J. Pierzynski, David Ross. Total WAR: 2.3
New York- Brian McCann, Francisco Cervelli, Austin Romine. Total WAR: 2.3
Tampa Bay- Ryan Hanigan, Jose Lobaton, Jose Molina. Total WAR: 1.2
Toronto- Dioner Navarro, Josh Thole, Erik Kratz. Total WAR: 1.0
3. 1st Base
Baltimore- Chris Davis, Steve Pearce. Total WAR: 6.9
Boston- Mike Napoli, Daniel Nava, Mike Carp. Total WAR: 8.3
New York- Mark Teixeira, Kelly Johnson. Total WAR: 1.0
Tampa Bay- James Loney, Sean Rodriguez. Total WAR: 3.2
Toronto- Edwin Encarnacion, Adam Lind. Total WAR: 5.9
4. 2nd Base
Baltimore- Ryan Flaherty, Jonathan Schoop, Alexi Casilla . Total WAR: .5
Boston- Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Herrera. Total WAR: 6.8
New York- Brendan Ryan, Brian Roberts, Eduardo Nunez. Total WAR: -0.4
Tampa Bay- Ben Zobrist, Sean Rodriguez, Logan Forsythe. Total WAR: 5.5
Toronto- Ryan Goins, Maicer Izturis. Total WAR: -1.0
5. 3rd Base
Baltimore- Manny Machado, Ryan Flaherty. Total WAR: 7.5
Boston- Will Middlebrooks, Xander Bogaerts, Jonathan Herrera. Total WAR: .5
New York- Kelly Johnson, Brendan Ryan. Total WAR: .4
Tampa Bay- Evan Longoria, Sean Rodriguez, Logan Forsythe. Total WAR: 6.7
Toronto- Brett Lawrie, Maicer Izturis. Total WAR: 1.3
6. ShortStop
Baltimore- J.J. Hardy, Ryan Flaherty. Total WAR: 4.7
Boston- Xander Bogaerts, Jonathan Herrera. Total WAR: .6
New York- Derek Jeter, Brendan Ryan, Eduardo Nunez. Total WAR: -1.8
Tampa Bay- Yunel Escobar, Ben Zobrist, Logan Forsythe. Total WAR: 8.3
Toronto- Jose Reyes, Maicer Izturis, Ryan Goins. Total WAR: 3.0
7-9. Outfield
Baltimore- Nolan Reimold, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, David Lough, Henry Urrutia, Francisco Peguero, Steve Pearce. Total WAR: 4.5
Boston- Daniel Nava, Jackie Bradley Jr., Shane Victorino, Jonny Gomes, Mike Carp, Grady Sizemore. Total WAR: 11.2 (Minus Sizemore).
New York- Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Alfonso Soriano, Ichiro Suzuki, Kelly Johnson, Slade Heathcott, Zoilo Almonte. Total WAR: 17.1
Tampa Bay- David DeJesus, Desmond Jennings, Wil Myers, Matt Joyce, Sean Rodriguez, Ben Zobrist, Logan Forsythe. Total WAR: 13.2
Toronto- Melky Cabrera, Colby Rasmus, Jose Bautista, Anthony Gose, Kevin Pillar, Moises Sierra. Total WAR: 9.4
DH
Baltimore- Nolan Reimold, Steve Pearce, Henry Urrutia. Total WAR: -.6
Boston- David Ortiz, Mike Napoli, Jonny Gomes, Daniel Nava. Total WAR: 12.6
New York- Alfonso Soriano. Total WAR: 2.4
Tampa Bay- Matt Joyce, David DeJesus, Sean Rodriguez. Total WAR: 3.2
Toronto- Adam Lind, Edwin Encarnacion, Moises Sierra. Total WAR: 6.6
With all the math, assuming what Tanaka would bring the Yankees, the order of finish can expected to be:
- Boston, 2. T.B., 3. N.Y./Balt. (could go either way), Last. Toronto.
*It’s a lot tighter with Tampa then I’d like. Hopefully Ben does something to improve upon this. My choice would be to improve the left side of the infield, IE either re-sign Stephen Drew (3.1 WAR) or trade for a 3rd Basemen (Chase Headley, SD, 3.4 WAR). I’d also like to see some Right handed protection for Jackie Bradley Jr. in CF. (Chris Denorfia, SD, 4.3 WAR).
Go Sox!