2010 Molitor Division Preview

With the draft in it's final stages now, it's time to take a quick look and preview the divisions this season. We'll start with the defending champions division, the Molitor Division in the Edgar Martinez League.

BARTONVILLE BOMBERS

The defending TBA Champions will once again battle it out and look to repeat this season. Top player Ichiro Suzuki is without a doubt the best RF in baseball and slugging firstbasemen Adrian Gonzalez and Todd Helton are both near the top at their position. This team will once again win by scoring, scoring, and scoring. Rookies Chris Coghlan and Garrett Jones are big hitters that can play platoon between LF/DH and play some infield.


What makes this team so dangerous, and a favorite to repeat, is they can prevent runs also. Matt Cain is a candidate to win 20 games this season. Ubaldo Jimenez could be an ace on most teams but he's number two to Cain here while Edwin Jackson is as solid a #3 as they come. Rounding out the rotation are Chad Billingsley and Nick Blackburn. Billingsley just happened to lead this team in ERA and Wins last season. Defensively Adrian Gonzalez, Mark Ellis, Chone Figgins, and Marco Scutaro are all Gold Glove candidates.


Projected Starters

C: Miguel Olivo
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
2B: Mark Ellis/Chris Coghlan
3B: Chone Figgins
SS: Marco Scutaro
LF: Garrett Jones/Matt Diaz
CF: Nyjer Morgan
RF: Ichiro
DH: Todd Helton

Projected Rotation/Closer:
Matt Cain
Ubaldo Jimenez
Edwin Jackson
Chad Billingsley
Nick Blackburn
CL: Brian Wilson

Division Finish: 1st Place

NAPA WINERS

The Winers may be a first year team but owner Eamonn Dymer has already built a contender. Their first pick of the dispersal draft Tim Lincecum gave Napa an ace for the next decade and when the opportunity to trade up to grab Chris Carpenter opened, Dymer jumped on it. Lincecum and Carpenter combine for arguably the best one-two punch in baseball. The acquistion of Ryan Howard gives Napa a legitmate 50 homerun threat and teamed up with Miguel Cabrera and Ben Zobrist in the middle of the order these three should provide enough offense for the Winers to challenge Bartonville for first in the division.


Projected Starters

C: Jason Varitek
1B: Ryan Howard
2B: Placido Polanco
3B: Juan Uribe
SS: Cliff Pennington/Clint Barmes
LF: Carl Crawford
CF: Scott Hairston/Rick Ankiel
RF: Ben Zobrist
DH: Miguel Cabrera

Projected Rotation/Closer:
Tim Lincecum
Chris Carpenter
Jorge de la Rosa
AJ Burnett
Jeremy Sowers/Brandon McCarthy
CL: Jonathan Papelbon

Division Finish: 2nd Place

COLORADO SPRINGS

Young manager Eric Posch has done an excellent job building this team. Last season's poor performance was expected with so many young but talented athletes. Now with another year under their belts, a new stadium, and the addition of number one pick Matt Wieters, this team already has enough to contend. Third sacker Evan Longoria is a potential MVP candidate, the aforementioned Wieters a Rookie of the Year candidate, and ace Felix Hernandez is a Cy Young candidate. Matt Kemp, Joey Votto, Justin Upton are also all rising young stars.

With young talent at every position on the diamond this team will be a force to reckon with when these stars mature. Even now though they can and will contend in the Molitor division. The battle between Napa and Colorado Springs expects to be highly contested, especially with a potential wild card berth on the line.


Projected Starters

C: Matt Wieters/Carlos Ruiz
1B: Joey Votto
2B: Dan Uggla/Howie Kendrick
3B: Evan Longoria
SS: Erick Aybar
LF: Justin Upton
CF: Matt Kemp
RF: Nick Markakis
DH: Hideki Matsui

Projected Rotation/Closer:
Felix Hernandez
Cliff Lee
Johnny Cueto
Aaron Harang
Joba Chamberlain/Homer Bailey
CL: Jonathan Broxton

Division Finish: 3rd Place

BOWLING GREEN BOWLERS

Bowling Green finished just above .500 last season and this year more of the same is expected. However, this team could get hot and make a playoff push if Bartonville and Colorado Springs stumble a little this season. Injuries to last season's top player Xavier Nady and the decline of Ryan Ludwick have left shortstop Derek Jeter in charge to run the offense this year. However Jorge Posada will be healthy this season, Scott Podsednik looks good so far in spring training, and the addition of 1B/DH Randy Ruiz and Kyle Blanks should help spark this offense a bit.

CC Sabathia is back as the ace of the staff after winning 19 games last year. Bronson Arroyo and Scott Feldman need to improve on last season's performance to give the Bowlers a shot this season. Regardless of whether this team will be in contention or not, be sure to keep an eye on rookie righthander Neftali Feliz. This kid has sparkled in spring and should see some time as a reliever with the big club this season. The question for him will be whether he stays in the bullpen or will make the leap to the rotation in 2011.


Projected Starters

C: Jorge Posada
1B: Jorge Cantu
2B: Jayson Nix/Jamey Carroll
3B: Brandon Inge
SS: Derek Jeter
LF: Scott Podsednik
CF: Nate McLouth
RF: Ryan Ludwick
DH: Jim Thome/Randy Ruiz/Kyle Blanks/Carlos Delgado

Projected Rotation/Closer:
CC Sabathia
Gavin Floyd
Bronson Arroyo
Scott Feldman
Brian Duensing/Nelson Figueroa/Tommy Hunter
CL: Trevor Hoffman

Division Finish: 4th Place

ABERDEEN IRON BIRDS

Owner Jeremy Byrd took this team over mid-season last year and has quickly made changes to the team. Upon the end of the season, Byrd moved the team to Maryland and monopolized the first round of the draft. Aberdeen ended up with three of the top five picks in the draft and loaded this team with tons of offensive potential, adding Elvis Andrus, Andrew McCuthcen, and Gordon Beckham. By the time they got back into the draft, it was round 7 and Kyle Davies ended up in an Iron Bird uniform.

Those three picks add to what looks to be a strong nucleus. Proven stars in Alex Rodriguez, Adam LaRoche, and Shin-Soo Choo are already on board and if the three picks progress quickly this team may find themselves in contention much sooner than some people think.


Projected Starters

C: Dioner Navarro
1B: Adam LaRoche
2B: Martin Prado
3B: Alex Rodriguez
SS: Elvis Andrus
LF: Curtis Granderson
CF: Andrew McCutchen
RF: Shin-Soo Choo
DH: Gordon Beckham

Projected Rotation/Closer:
Randy Wolf
Brian Tallet
Kyle Davies
Justin Masterson
David Bush
CL: Jason Frasor

Division Finish: 5th Place