NL Prospects to watch in 06

There are many prospects that will play in the NL in 2006 but these guys seem to have the most upside and potential IMO.

Catcher - Josh Willingham - FLA - he's a guy that might be a C in your league or a 1B or even an OF. His value is mainly if you can get him with at C. He's a little older and might be nothing more than a journeyman but he's got some pop. D.Navarro in LA is another option but his bat might be no better than a Ausmus or Matheny.

1B - Prince Fielder - MIL & Conor Jackson - AZ - Prince is Cecil's son and looks and hits just like Dad. The kid has some power and could easily put up Ryan Howard-type numbers this year in MIL. With Overbay gone, the team should commit to him 100%. Jackson is harder to figure. He was awesome at college and in the minors but stunk it up in the pros last year. PLUS AZ has Tony Clark to steal away some ABs.

2B - Josh Barfield - SD - Another son of a former big leaguer, Jesse Barfield. Josh has raked at every level and the idiot Friars gave away Loretta for a bucket of seeds, opening the job for him. Bellhorn is also there in SD but he's not a long term option anywhere he's been. Josh should hit for solid average and a bunch of doubles in Petco.

3B - Ryan Zimmerman - DC - 2005 Draft pick that already made the majors last year. Pure hitter, nice fielder, can play SS too. The DC park is tough on hitters but he should produce.

SS - Hanley Ramirez - FLA - the prized booty from the Beckett trade. He's got the look of a stud athlete with all the tools and should get some P.T. soon.

OF - Jeremy Hermida - FLA, Matt Murton - CHC, Lastings Milledge - NYM - Hermida is compared to a mix of Franocouer meets Dunn with the power, average, and ability to take walks. He's already penciled in to be the RF and bat near Cabrera in the lineup. Murton is a pure hitter with like a career BA of well over .300 even in the majors. His only roadblock is his idiot manager Dusty "the wristband told me to do it" Baker who loves players 35 and up. Milledge is more long term but far and away the Mets best prospect. 5 tool player that could play CF but will probably move to RF.

SP - Matt Cain - SF - nasty, nasty stuff. Had a few starts last year and almost got the Giants back into the division race. He could form a deadly trio with Schmidt and Lowry in SF if they get any kind of offensive support.

CL - Joey Devine - ATL -Devine was very divine to HOU fans last year. I think Burke's HR off him in the 144th inning is still traveling. ATL has no closer, Devine was a top college closer last year so the fit is there. He could be a H.Street or a C.Cordero. Maybe not this year but by next year it wouldn't be a shock.

AL prospects later.

My bucket boy

I had such high hopes for this when I started last year and then it ends up being a year in between my posts. Oh well, life gets in the way sometimes. I have more time now so here we go again.

Molina bashes Halos!
Tell me that wasn't deserved? Bengie has been the catcher for the Angels for as long as anyone in the OC can remember and they just show him the door like that? He may be fat and slow but Bengie had some big hits, a few gold gloves and a brother on the team. He deserved a little more than sorry, no arbitration for you. I guess Arte was too busy in court trying to get the right to call them the Los Angeles Francisco Diego Angels of Anaheim and Mexico instead of worrying about the roster. Has any contender had a worse winter? They lose Washburn, Molina and Byrd, add nobody and expect to hold off OAK and TEX? Dream on.

Is the Rocket grounded?
Will and where the Rocket will play this year is a big question. Red Sox fans might embrace the big traitor and ask him to comeback? The Yanks will offer him enough $$$ for his grandkids to live off of to rejoin them. You also have HOU and TEX battling to keep him in state and on his cushy schedule of doing things on "Roger-time." If he plays, it should be with HOU or he really is one of the WORST examples of free agency and the money grubbing players of now.

M-E-T-S !!!!
Can we outspend the Yanks, I think we can, I think we can! Add Delgado, add LoDuca, add Wagner, lose Anna Benson. Will it be enough? Nah. When does a team like this ever win it all? The Yanks haven't since they started doing this crap in 2001. Money doesn't buy titles. It might get you to the dance but then the more well rounded, better chemistry team will prevail (ie. Red Sox, Angels, White Sox, etc). Heck, the METS can't even be assured of winning their division. I'm sorry but until the Braves lose, the Braves are the favorites. 137 division titles in a row does that to you.

Want some maple syrup, eh?
Can we also outspend the Yanks? Not quite but close. The Jays added Overbay (I love this for fantasy baseball), Glaus, Molina, Burnett and BJ Ryan. Not a bad haul. Glaus can mash in that dome like BigMac used to. Put Burnett with Halladay and that's not a bad pair of aces. Of course they have to stay healthy and that is a HUGE IF. I still think they need more pitching and that will be their downfall unless they add someone else.

Dodgers trade for Tejada and make him a Catcher!
Just kidding. It seems like my Dodgers feel signing a SS to play every offensive position is a good idea. They had Izturis but signed Furcal. When healthy this will shift Izturis to 2B most likely. Then they sign Nomar to play 1B., another great ex-SS and even Mueller the new 3B played some SS in his career. Well, the NL West sucks so this might pay off for LA. Drew could walk after this season so look for him to go 40-120 w/20 SBs and play in 161 games. Same for Nomar since he's on a 1 year and Kent is in his final year. You know these guys will want raises next season so ROID UP and lets mash! SD sucks, oh do they suck. Bad team, bad moves. They have like 13 ex-Dodgers, all past their prime. AZ and COL are just bad and young. That leaves SF and Barry McRoidhead as the only competition. They will be tuff but if Barry can't stay healthy, they have no chance. Look for LA to take it this year.

Welcome back Theo!
The Sox nation missed you like Heath missed Jake in Bareback Mountain. The Sox did Damon like the Halos did Bengie. Would it really hurt for professional teams that decide to pass on one of their own to come out and THANK the guy for his service at least? I can understand not wanting to deal with Boras and bid against yourself but show some love. CF Jesus did help bring a title. He's not worth what the Yanks are paying and I love the Coco pickup but have some class. Beckett was nice too and you stole Loretta for nothing. Look for Loretta to rip up Fenway and be a top 5 2B this year. The Sox need pitching though and Beckett isn't enough. Is Schilling back? How about Foulke? Wells wants out, send him to the Dodgers or something.

If the season started today, here are my picks.
NL West - LA
NL Cent - HOU
NL East - ATL
Wild - CHC

NLCS - LA/HOU with HOU back in the WS.

AL West - OAK
AL Cent - CLE
AL East - NYY
Wild - TOR

ALCS - CLE/OAK with CLE going on. HOU and the Rocket win it all this time.

(I reserve the right to change these completely in a month)