Some 2014 playoff teams have glaring weaknesses
There's still a lot of offseason left, but these teams who made the postseason in 2014 still have serious concerns.
By
Dayn Perry
•
5 min read
With the Winter Meetings still on the docket, one might fairly declare that we're but shin-deep into the offseason. However, as recent headlines suggest, the prominent names are falling off the board. It so happens that any number of teams that made the playoffs last season still have glaring weaknesses on the roster -- weaknesses that may make a return trip to the postseason quite difficult, absent any remedy. Let's have a look at some of those, in no particular order ...
Giants' 3B
Obviously, Pablo Sandoval's signing with the Red Sox leaves a void in San Francisco. If the 2015 season were to start today, then the Giants would likely trot out Marco Scutaro or Joaquin Arias to man the hot corner. That's ... not an optimal state of affairs, particularly for a team, belt and title notwithstanding, that's working from a 2014 base-line of 88 wins.
Best solution: Signing Chase Headley.
Tigers' LF
This one figures to go un-remedied, as Detroit seems content to open the season with Rajai Davis as the every-day left fielder. Davis has his merits, but he's a 34-year-old who's projected by Steamer to hit .365/.311/.377 in 2015. By comparison, the average MLB left fielder last season hit .257/.322/.402. This is also a team that's banking on Anthony Gose in center, so even if J.D. Martinez is able to replicate his breakout numbers, the outfield doesn't figure to be a strength for the four-time defending AL Central champs.
Best solution: Signing Melky Cabrera (not that the Tigers have much room in the budget left) or maybe even Colby Rasmus.
Athletics' SS
While Billy Beane's post-Josh Donaldson comments are duly noted, we're assuming that the A's are still angling to contend in 2015. Doing so likely means addressing the shortstop void. In an alternate universe, Addison Russell might be poised to take the job, but as we know he was sent to the Cubs last season as the centerpiece of the Jeff Samardzija-Jason Hammel swap. Incumbent Jed Lowrie is a free agent and may be bound elsewhere. Right now, the job would likely fall to ... Andy Parrino? The problem for Oakland is that big-league shortstops are exceptionally hard to come by.
Best solution: Re-sign Lowrie or sign Stephen Drew.
Dodgers' SS
Hanley Ramirez, like Sandoval above, was a casualty to Boston's poaching of NL West infielders, and the Dodgers are left with glove-only Erisbel Arruebarrena presently atop the depth chart. Maybe his fielding is such that the Dodgers can afford to carry his bat, but there's risk in that approach. The front office makeover likely means that the Dodgers are disinclined to continue throwing money at their problems (after all, they have more than $100 million on the books ... for 2018), so the options for improvement are quite limited.
Best solution: Let Arruebuena play himself out of the job; reassess trade market during season.
Royals' rotation
Right now, the defending AL champs are poised to open the season with a rotation of Yordano Ventura, Jeremy Guthrie, Jason Vargas, Danny Duffy and ... John Lamb? Brian Flynn? There's uncertainty at the back end and a general lack of depth (almost no team makes it through the season using just five or six starters on a regular basis). The Royals are probably wise to pass on James Shields at what figure to be the going rates, but investment in the present is called for. Baseball is ascendant in Kansas City, and pumping some of those new revenues back into the payroll -- something owner David Glass is too often loath to do -- is necessary.
Best solution: Mid-line free agents like Brandon McCarthy or Ervin Santana.
Pirates' rotation
The signing of 37-year-old A.J. Burnett is noted, but that won't make up for the potential free agent losses of Francisco Liriano and Edinson Volquez. Maybe Nick Kingham will be ready soon into the 2015 season, and maybe Jameson Taillon recovers from Tommy John surgery in time to contribute in the second half. However, additional depth is needed, and that's the case even if Gerrit Cole takes the next step toward ace-dom.
Best solution: Re-sign Liriano but pass on regression candidate Volquez.
Orioles' DH
Last season, the O's of course enjoyed the outputs of home run champ Nelson Cruz at the DH spot, and a reunion with the free agent remains very much on the organizational radar. However, Cruz, while he still figures to be productive, is ripe for regression at age 34. He's a reasonable solution for 2015 but only if the market doesn't pay him as though his 2014 performance is somehow sustainable going forward. Given the uncertainty surrounding first baseman Chris Davis, the O's need a known quantity at such a bat-first position.
Best solution: Re-signing Cruz provided cost is nominal or turning to a lower-cost option like Michael Morse.
Nationals' 2B
Danny Espinosa is the go-to now that Ryan Zimmerman has shifted across the diamond and Anthony Rendon has been installed at third. This leaves Espinosa as the weak link on what may be the best top-to-bottom roster in baseball. He's a useful defender at the keystone, but the bat is woefully lacking.
Best solution: Outgoing free agent Asdrubal Cabrera is a possibility, or maybe the Nats bring in Rickie Weeks and form an "offense/defense" platoon with Espinosa.
Cardinals' rotation
You can certainly argue that the Cardinals have enough organizational pitching depth to get by on this front. However, the window for contention may be closing as several core contributors get deeper into their 30s. Shelby Miller's been traded away, Adam Wainwright is 33 and has a balky elbow, and Michael Wacha's ability to handle full-season workloads is left to question. It's win-now time, and boldness is in order.
Best solution: Raid the coffers for St. Louis native Max Scherzer.
Angels' rotation
The Halos remain buoyed by a powerhouse offense, and GM Jerry DiPoto made a nice play for depth when he landed Nick Tropeano in a trade with Houston. However, Garrett Richards' devastating knee injury creates a bit of uncertainty in the rotation. It's a solid corps, but this roster could use a swing-man type to serve as a hedge.
Best solution: Justin Masterson, Brett Anderson or even Chris Capuano.
Note: This has been a non-exhaustive list!
In conclusion, it bears mentioning that, on a team level, runs are runs are runs -- i.e., you can deal with a soft underbelly at one spot so long as you make up ground elsewhere. Even the very best teams have a sinkhole or two in the lineup or the rotation. As well -- and as noted -- there's still plenty of time for the teams above to address these soft underbellies.
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