Cleveland Indians (100-44, 1st)
Manager: Mike Hargrove.
Outlook: The rich get richer with the arrival of Jack McDowell and Julio Franco. Hard to imagine a scenario in which the Indians don’t win another AL pennant. Ebola-virus outbreak springs to mind.
Recipe for disaster: Members of veteran rotation suffer arm injuries at the same time and entire lineup has career-worst seasons.
Projected Opening Day lineup: Kenny Lofton, CF; Julio Franco, 1B; Carlos Baerga, 2B; Albert Belle, LF; Eddie Murray DH; Manny Ramirez, RF; Jim Thome, 3B; Sandy Alomar, C; Omar Vizquel, SS; Dennis Martinez, SP.
Kansas City Royals (70-74, 2nd)
Manager: Bob Boone.
Outlook: No pressure on Royals because no one knows who any of the players are. But Johnny Damon and Tom Goodwin could be future stars, and the Royals are at least headed in the right direction.
Recipe for disaster: Bob Hamelin continues to be a bust. Kevin Appier’s arm wears out after pitching on three days’ rest for much of last year.
Projected lineup: Bip Roberts, 2B; Tom Goodwin, CF; Johnny Damon, RF; Joe Vitiello, DH; Michael Tucker, LF; Bob Hamelin 1B; Mike Macfarlane, C; Keith Lockhart, 3B; Jose Offerman, SS; Kevin Appier, SP.
White Sox (68-76, 3rd)
Manager: Terry Bevington.
Outlook: They talk like contenders and walk like contenders. But is the starting pitching deep enough to keep the Sox in the hunt all season long? Will a fifth starter ever emerge?
Recipe for disaster: Roberto Hernandez blows 10 saves again. Jason Bere continues his walk-a-thons.
Projected lineup: Tony Phillips, LF; Ray Durham, 2B; Frank Thomas, 1B; Danny Tartbull, RF; Harold Baines, DH; Robin Ventura, 3B; Ron Karkovice, C; Darren Lewis, CF; Ozzie Guillen, SS; Alex Fernandez, SP.
Milwaukee Brewers (65-79, 4th)
Manager: Phil Garner.
Outlook: No soup for you, Mr. Garner. Ben McDonald’s shoulder tendinitis could be a recurring theme, and there are no stars in the everyday lineup.
Recipe for disaster: Greg Vaughn doesn’t make a comeback and McDonald is a free-agent flop. Revenue-sharing plan falls through.
Projected lineup: Chuck Carr, CF; Kevin Seitzer, 3B; Dave Nilsson, 1B; Greg Vaughn, LF; John Jaha, DH; Matt Mieske, RF; Mike Matheny, C; Jose Valentin, SS; Fernando Vina, 2B; Ben McDonald, SP.
Minnesota Twins (56-88, 5th)
Manager: Tom Kelly.
Outlook: Slowly but surely, the Twins are gaining experience. The addition of Paul Molitor should help the process. A .500 season would be a dream come true, considering the Twins’ young and leaky staff.
Recipe for disaster: Rick Aguilera’s re-conversion back to starter fails to net results. The kids don’t develop as quickly as anticipated.
Projected lineup: Chuck Knoblauch, 2B; Paul Molitor, DH; Kirby Puckett, RF; Dave Hollins, 3B; Marty Cordova, LF; Greg Myers, C; Scott Stahoviak, 1B; Pat Meares, SS; Matt Lawton, CF; Rick Aguilera, SP.
AL EAST
Boston Red Sox (86-58, 1st)
Manager: Kevin Kennedy.
Outlook: More DHs than you can count, but can anyone catch the ball? Doubtful. And if Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball goes sour again, the rotation is shakier than it already looks. He lost seven of his last nine decisions in ’95.
Recipe for disaster: Closer Heathcliff Slocumb’s success in Philadelphia doesn’t translate over to the American League.
Projected lineup: Dwayne Hosey, CF; John Valentin, SS; Mo Vaughn 1B; Jose Canseco, DH; Mike Stanley, C; Troy O’Leary, RF; Wil Cordero, 2B; Mike Greenwell, LF; Tim Naehring, 3B, Roger Clemens, SP.
New York Yankees (79-65, 2nd)
Manager: Joe Torre.
Outlook: Stronger than ’95 with additions of Tino Martinez and Kenny Rogers, and should be a playoff team. Whether Doc Gooden (drug suspension) and Jimmy Key (arthroscopic shoulder surgery) can revert to old form will determine whether they’re championship caliber.
Recipe for disaster: Gooden relapses. Key collapses. Melido Perez looks as lost as Pascual Perez.
Projected lineup: Gerald Williams, LF; Wade Boggs, 3B; Tino Martinez, 1B; Ruben Sierra, DH; Paul O’Neill, RF; Bernie Williams, CF; Pat Kelly, 2B; Joe Girardi, C; Derek Jeter, SS; David Cone, SP.
Baltimore Orioles (71-73, 3rd)
Manager: Davey Johnson.
Outlook: Owner Peter Angelos spent $45 million on free agents in the off-season, so the finger-pointing Orioles have no excuses this year. Roberto Alomar should do his part, but new starters Kent Mercker and David Wells are the keys to the O’s title hopes.
Recipe for disaster: Closer Randy Myers is cooked, as the Cubs’ brass suspects. His ERA after the All-Star break was 5.61, and he looked like a better bouncer than a closer.
Projected lineup: Brady Anderson, CF; Roberto Alomar, 2B; Rafael Palmeiro, 1B; Bobby Bonilla, RF; B.J. Surhoff, 3B; Cal Ripken, SS; Chris Hoiles, C; Mike Devereaux, DH; Jeffery Hammonds, LF; Mike Mussina, SP.
Detroit Tigers (60-84, 4th)
Manager: Buddy Bell.
Outlook: Trying to rebuild in time for a new stadium to open in ’98 or ’99. Pitching, as usual, is the pits.
Recipe for disaster: No doubt about it, the Tigers will have trouble winning all season long–and next year too.
Projected lineup: Chad Curtis, CF; Mark Lewis, 2B; Travis Fryman, 3B; Cecil Fielder, DH; Melvin Nieves, LF; Bob Higginson, RF; Eddie Williams, 1B; John Flaherty, C; Chris Gomez, SS; Sean Bergman, SP.
Toronto Blue Jays (56-88, 5th)
Manager: Cito Gaston.
Outlook: Back-to-back world titles seem like eons ago to Blue Jays fans. The heart and soul of the champs has been torn out and only Joe Carter remains from Toronto’s slew of stars.
Recipe for disaster: Juan Guzman’s arm continues to be useless. Carter gets injured. SkyDome roof gets stuck during sudden rain.
Projected lineup: Otis Nixon, CF; Alex Gonzalez, SS; Joe Carter, LF; John Olerud, 1B; Ed Sprague, 3B; Shawn Green, RF; Carlos Delgado, DH; Domingo Cedeno, 2B; Sandy Martinez, C; Erik Hanson, SP.
AL WEST
Seattle Mariners (79-66, 1st)
Manager: Lou Piniella.
Outlook: Heavy off-season losses may take a toll on Mariners, but solid hitters like Ken Griffey Jr., Jay Buhner and Edgar Martinez, plus the wizardry of Randy Johnson, should keep them at or near the top of the West.
Recipe for disaster: Chris Bosio is unreliable as starter due to injuries. Sterling Hitchcock is all promise, no production.
Projected lineup: Darren Bragg, LF; Joey Cora, 2B; Ken Griffey Jr., CF; Edgar Martinez, DH; Jay Buhner, RF; Paul Sorrento, 1B; Russ Davis, 3B; Dan Wilson, C: Alex Rodriguez, SS; Randy Johnson, SP.
California Angels (78-67, 2nd)
Manager: Marcel Lachemann.
Outlook: After falling off the face of the earth last summer, blowing the AL West title with elan, the Angels should be primed to bounce back in ’96. Veteran pitching in Chuck Finley, Jim Abbott and Mark Langston should lead to a full recovery, and Troy Percival is the closer of the future.
Recipe for disaster: The departed Tony Phillips was more valuable in the clubhouse than the Angels’ front office ever realized. Another late-season slump brings back nightmares of ’95.
Projected lineup: Randy Velarde, 2B; Jim Edmonds, CF; Tim Salmon, RF; Chili Davis, DH; J.T. Snow, 1B; Garret Anderson, LF; Tim Wallach, 3B; Jorge Fabregas, C; Gary DiSarcina, SS; Mark Langston, SP.
Texas Rangers (74-70, 3rd)
Manager: Johnny Oates.
Outlook: Rangers have a lineup that most teams would die for but never seem to put it all together. Letting ace Kenny Rogers get away could be the death knell for ’96. A cursed franchise since its days as the Washington Senators.
Recipe for disaster: Pitching is as bad as usual and Texas heat is as withering as usual. Good odds on both happening.
Projected lineup: Darryl Hamilton, CF; Mark McLemore, 2B; Will Clark, 1B; Juan Gonzalez, DH; Dean Palmer, 3B; Mickey Tettleton, RF; Ivan Rodriguez, C; Rusty Greer, LF; Kevin Elster, SS: Ken Hill, SP.
Oakland Athletics (67-77, 4th)
Manager: Art Howe.
Outlook: With Mark McGwire out until at least June, the A’s have no true cleanup hitter. No-name pitching staff will remain that way when the season is done.
Recipe for disaster: Renovations on the Oakland Coliseum aren’t completed and the A’s play their entire season in a minor-league park in Las Vegas. Might be more appropriate, in fact.
Projected lineup: Scott Brosius, CF; Brent Gates, 2B; Geronimo Berroa, DH; Jason Giambi, 1B; Phil Plantier, LF; Pedro Munoz, RF; Tory Lovullo, 3B; Terry Steinbach, C; Mike Bordick, SS; Todd Van Poppel, SP.
