Team previews are listed in Gordon Edes' predicted order of finish.
* Player is injured and may not be ready for start of season.
LINEUP
HR
RBI
Avg.
CF
Marvin Benard
12
55
.263
SS
Rich Aurilia
20
79
.271
LF
Barry Bonds
49
106
.306
2B
Jeff Kent
33
125
.334
1B
J.T. Snow
19
96
.284
3B
Russ Davis
9
24
.261
RF
Armando Rios
10
50
.266
C
Benito Santiago
8
45
.262
ROTATION
W-L
ERA
RH
Livan Hernandez
17-11
3.75
LH
Shawn Estes
15-6
4.26
RH
Russ Ortiz
14-12
5.01
LH
Kirk Rueter
11-9
3.96
RH
Mark Gardner
11-7
4.05
CLOSER
Svs.
ERA
RH
Robb Nen
41
1.50
1. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS Manager:Dusty Baker (ninth season)
2000 finish: 97-65, first
Schedule | Team directory
The Giants can't compete with the more well-heeled teams in their division in glamour and payroll; all they do is beat them on the field. It may be tougher than ever this season, with the D-Backs, Rockies, and Dodgers all loaded with pitching, but the Giants have a deep rotation and Nen at the back end. They lost Ellis Burks, opening up a job for Rios, and Russ Davis replaces the departed Bill Mueller, which means more pop but more bobbles at third. Giants added character veterans in Eric Davis and Shawon Dunston, Kent has put up Hornsbyesque numbers, and Bonds should come up big in his walk year.
LINEUP
HR
RBI
Avg.
SS
Tony Womack
7
57
.271
RF
Reggie Sanders
11
37
.232
LF
Luis Gonzalez
31
114
.311
3B
Matt Williams
12
47
.275
CF
Steve Finley
35
96
.280
1B
Mark Grace
11
82
.280
2B
Jay Bell
18
68
.267
C
Damian Miller
10
44
.275
ROTATION
W-L
ERA
LH
Randy Johnson
19-7
2.64
RH
Curt Schilling
11-12
3.81
LH
Brian Anderson
11-7
4.05
RH
Armando Reynoso
11-12
5.27
RH
Bobby Witt
0-1
7.63
CLOSER
Svs.
ERA
RH
Matt Mantei
17
4.57
2. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Manager: Bob Brenly (first season)
2000 finish: 85-77, third
Schedule | Team directory
The D-Backs are a team built to win today – all eight starting position players are 30 or over, and the lefty-righty punch at the top of the rotation, Johnson and Schilling, will be 38 and 35, respectively, before the end of the year. Broadcaster-turned-manager Brenly is a low-key alternative to buttoned-down Buck Showalter, but like Showalter, Brenly is at the mercy of Williams's feet. Williams, limited to just 96 games (12 HRs, 47 RBIs) because of foot injuries, has had more setbacks this spring, and at 35, his health remains a major concern. Significant offseason additions include Grace and Sanders, who has won the right field job after bombing in Atlanta (.232, 11, 37) last season. New pitching coach Bob Welch has helped Schilling with a wicked curve; he and the Big Unit could win 35-45 games. RHP Todd Stottlemyre isn't expected back before June.
LINEUP
HR
RBI
Avg.
CF
Juan Pierre
0
20
.310
2B
Todd Walker
9
44
.290
RF
Larry Walker
9
51
.301
1B
Todd Helton
42
147
.372
3B
Jeff Cirillo
11
115
.326
LF
Todd Hollandsworth
19
47
.269
SS
Neifi Perez
10
71
.287
C
Ben Petrick
9
47
.315
ROTATION
W-L
ERA
LH
Mike Hampton
15-10
3.14
LH
Denny Neagle
15-9
4.52
RH
Pedro Astacio
12-9
5.27
LH
Brian Bohanon
12-10
4.68
LH
Ron Villone
10-10
5.43
CLOSER
Svs.
ERA
RH
Jose Jimenez
24
3.18
3. COLORADO ROCKIES Manager: Buddy Bell (second season)
2000 finish: 82-80, fourth
Schedule | Team directory
Flying in the face of the common sense that Coors Field is no place for a pitcher to hang his hat, free agents Hampton and Neagle accepted millions from the Rockies. As a flyball pitcher, Neagle in particular is running the risk of self-immolation (Exhibit A: Darryl Kile). If the experiment works, however, the Rockies could leap into contention, especially with former NL MVP Walker apparently healthy again and hitting back-to-back with Helton, the NL batting and RBI champion eminently capable of making another run at .400. Hollandsworth, who fell short of expectations in LA may have his stats inflated in Coors; former Twin Walker should reap the benefits, too.
LINEUP
HR
RBI
Avg.
CF
Tom Goodwin
6
58
.263
2B
Mark Grudzielanek
7
49
.279
LF
Gary Sheffield
43
109
.325
RF
Shawn Green
24
99
.269
1B
Eric Karros
31
106
.250
C
Paul LuDoca
2
8
.246
3B
Chris Donnels
4
9
.294
SS
Alex Cora
4
32
.238
ROTATION
W-L
ERA
RH
Kevin Brown
13-6
2.58
RH
Chan Ho Park
18-10
3.27
RH
Darren Dreifort
12-9
4.16
RH
Andy Ashby
12-13
4.92
RH
Ramon Martinez
10-8
6.13
CLOSER
Svs.
ERA
RH
Jeff Shaw
27
4.24
4. LOS ANGELES DODGERS Manager: Jim Tracy (first season)
2000 finish: 85-76, second
Schedule | Team directory
Not to be outdone by a ``New York minute,'' Hollywood has come up with the ``Sheffield second'' – the amount of time it takes Sheffield to change his mind. A lifetime Dodger? In a Sheffield second, he's ready to go to the Mets, or Braves, or Rays. Then he's standing in the middle of the Dodger clubhouse, apologizing to his teammates. New manager Tracy must feel like he walked onto the set of ``Hannibal,'' because if this keeps up, he'll be eaten alive by fans who expect more from baseball's fattest payroll ($110 million). The starting pitching is terrific, but Dodgers need a rapid recovery from Beltre, sidelined by complications from an emergency appendectomy.
LINEUP
HR
RBI
Avg.
2B
Damian Jackson
6
37
.255
LF
Mark Kotsay
12
57
.298
RF
Tony Gwynn
1
17
.323
3B
Phil Nevin
31
107
.303
1B
Ryan Klesko
26
92
.283
CF
Mike Daar
1
30
.268
C
Ben Davis
3
14
.223
SS
Chris Gomez
0
3
.222
ROTATION
W-L
ERA
RH
Woody Williams
10-8
3.75
RH
Adam Eaton
7-4
4.13
RH
Brian Tollberg
4-5
3.58
RH
Bobby J. Jones
11-6
5.06
RH
Jay Witasick
6-10
5.82
CLOSER
Svs.
ERA
RH
Trevor Hoffman
43
2.99
5. SAN DIEGO PADRES Manager: Bruce Bochy (seventh season)
2000 finish: 76-86, fifth
Schedule | Team directory
For all the errors the Padres made last year – a major league-leading 141 – GM Kevin Towers avoided what many would have considered a grievous misplay, allowing Mr. Padre, Gwynn (41 in May), to finish his career anywhere but San Diego. But then the Padres also signed Rickey Henderson, who also is old enough (42) to be playing in his fourth decade. The Padres are pinning their hopes on a pitching staff that features Eaton, a 23-year-old acquired in the Andy Ashby deal. Closer Hoffman is as formidable as those aircraft carriers parked in Mission Bay.
The Giants can't compete with the more well-heeled teams in their division in glamour and payroll; all they do is beat them on the field. It may be tougher than ever this season, with the D-Backs, Rockies, and Dodgers all loaded with pitching, but the Giants have a deep rotation and Nen at the back end. They lost Ellis Burks, opening up a job for Rios, and Russ Davis replaces the departed Bill Mueller, which means more pop but more bobbles at third. Giants added character veterans in Eric Davis and Shawon Dunston, Kent has put up Hornsbyesque numbers, and Bonds should come up big in his walk year.
The D-Backs are a team built to win today – all eight starting position players are 30 or over, and the lefty-righty punch at the top of the rotation, Johnson and Schilling, will be 38 and 35, respectively, before the end of the year. Broadcaster-turned-manager Brenly is a low-key alternative to buttoned-down Buck Showalter, but like Showalter, Brenly is at the mercy of Williams's feet. Williams, limited to just 96 games (12 HRs, 47 RBIs) because of foot injuries, has had more setbacks this spring, and at 35, his health remains a major concern. Significant offseason additions include Grace and Sanders, who has won the right field job after bombing in Atlanta (.232, 11, 37) last season. New pitching coach Bob Welch has helped Schilling with a wicked curve; he and the Big Unit could win 35-45 games. RHP Todd Stottlemyre isn't expected back before June.
Flying in the face of the common sense that Coors Field is no place for a pitcher to hang his hat, free agents Hampton and Neagle accepted millions from the Rockies. As a flyball pitcher, Neagle in particular is running the risk of self-immolation (Exhibit A: Darryl Kile). If the experiment works, however, the Rockies could leap into contention, especially with former NL MVP Walker apparently healthy again and hitting back-to-back with Helton, the NL batting and RBI champion eminently capable of making another run at .400. Hollandsworth, who fell short of expectations in LA may have his stats inflated in Coors; former Twin Walker should reap the benefits, too.
Not to be outdone by a ``New York minute,'' Hollywood has come up with the ``Sheffield second'' – the amount of time it takes Sheffield to change his mind. A lifetime Dodger? In a Sheffield second, he's ready to go to the Mets, or Braves, or Rays. Then he's standing in the middle of the Dodger clubhouse, apologizing to his teammates. New manager Tracy must feel like he walked onto the set of ``Hannibal,'' because if this keeps up, he'll be eaten alive by fans who expect more from baseball's fattest payroll ($110 million). The starting pitching is terrific, but Dodgers need a rapid recovery from Beltre, sidelined by complications from an emergency appendectomy.
For all the errors the Padres made last year – a major league-leading 141 – GM Kevin Towers avoided what many would have considered a grievous misplay, allowing Mr. Padre, Gwynn (41 in May), to finish his career anywhere but San Diego. But then the Padres also signed Rickey Henderson, who also is old enough (42) to be playing in his fourth decade. The Padres are pinning their hopes on a pitching staff that features Eaton, a 23-year-old acquired in the Andy Ashby deal. Closer Hoffman is as formidable as those aircraft carriers parked in Mission Bay.