AL East Preview (incomplete)

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[i:c3947e54a5]originally printed: The Sporting News, March 3, 1986[/i:c3947e54a5]

[size=18:c3947e54a5][b:c3947e54a5][u:c3947e54a5]BLUE JAYS[/u:c3947e54a5][/b:c3947e54a5][/size:c3947e54a5]

[b:c3947e54a5]STRENGTHS:[/b:c3947e54a5] The Blue Jays are young. Except for third base and catcher - the platoon positions - the six regulars average 25.5 years and are still improving. They have the defensive quickness required on artificial surfaces. Their speed is well distributed; second baseman Damaso Garcia and outfielders Lloyd Moseby, Jesse Barfield and George Bell each stole more than 20 bases last year. Shortstop Tony Fernandez is capable of more than the 13 steals he had. The power is balanced with Bell, Barfield, Cliff Johnson, Cecil Fielder and rookie Kelly Gruber from the right side; Willie Upshaw, Moseby, Ernie Whitt and Rance Mulliniks from the left.

There is depth and quality in the pitching, which led the league in earned-run average despite playing in a hitters' park. There are four solid starters in Dave Stieb, Jimmy Key, Doyle Alexander and Jim Clancy. Tom Henke is the short man in the bullpen, backed by Bill Caudill and Gary Lavelle, with Dennis Lamp as the long man.

[b:c3947e54a5]SHORTCOMINGS:[/b:c3947e54a5] Johnson and Fielder were the least productive designated hitter platoon in the league last season. Johnson, coming off a knee injury, had only one extra-base hit in the final five weeks. The Jays are looking for a fourth outfielder, capable of playing center and serving as a part-time DH.

[b:c3947e54a5]QUESTION MARKS:[/b:c3947e54a5] Can catcher Buck Martinez, at age 37, rebound from his serious leg injury of last July? Both Fielder and Lavelle finished '85 with tender elbows. After six seasons as third base coach, Jimy Williams replaces Bobby Cox as manager. He has six seasons of minor league managing experience and a couple more in winter ball.

[b:c3947e54a5]OVERALL:[/b:c3947e54a5] If they can deal for a fourth outfielder and a righthanded-hitting catcher - depending on Martinez - the Blue Jays are capable of successfully defending their A.L. East crown. They have a surplus of pitching to deal for the spare parts. Bell didn't play winter ball and the outfielder trio should benefit from occasional rest. Fernandez led the Dominican League in hitting and might provude more offensive spark if moved to the leadoff spot in the batting order. The Jays are anxious to repeat and redeem themselves in the playoffs.


[size=18:c3947e54a5][b:c3947e54a5][u:c3947e54a5]YANKEES[/u:c3947e54a5][/b:c3947e54a5][/size:c3947e54a5]

[b:c3947e54a5]STRENGTHS:[/b:c3947e54a5] Multi-dimensional offense, powered by first baseman Don Mattingly, centerfielder Rickey Henderson and rightfielder Dave Winfield. Mattingly batted .324 with 35 homers and led the majors with 145 RBIs. Henderson hit .314, led the majors with 146 runs, stole 80 bases, hit 24 homers and drove in 72 runs. Winfield batted .275 with 26 homers and 114 RBIs... Deep bullpen headed by lefthander Dave Righetti and righthander Brian Fisher, who combined for 16 victories and 43 saves and notched 177 strikeouts in 205 innings... Solid defense, particularly from second baseman Willie Randolph and Gold Glove winners Winfield and Mattingly. Henderson's range atones for mediocre throwing arm.

[b:c3947e54a5]SHORTCOMINGS:[/b:c3947e54a5] Starting pitching is potential problem. Ron Guidry (22-6 last year) will turn 36 this summer. Lefthander Britt Burns, acquired from the Wihte Sox, was 18011 last season but chronic hip condition always a concern. Behind them is a collection of pitchers trying to fight off age or injuries. Brothers Phil and Joe Niekro combined have 504 victories but 88 years. Ed Whitson wanted to be traded following season that was lowlighted by bar-room battle with ex-manager Billy Martin.

[b:c3947e54a5]QUESTION MARKS:[/b:c3947e54a5] Can either - or both - of the Niekros continue to laugh at the calendar? Can catcher Butch Wynegar avoid nearly-annual injury problems? Will third baseman Mike Pagliarulo adjust to being everyday player? Can a righthanded middle-innings reliever be found? Can Manager Lou Piniella handle most difficult job in the majors under the watchful glare of Owner George Steinbrenner?

[b:c3947e54a5]OVERALL OUTLOOK:[/b:c3947e54a5] Overwhelming offensive talent, aided by strong bullpen and at least a couple of solid starters, should keep team in contention all the way. Once the Yankees got going last year, they won 41 of their last 58 games.


[size=18:c3947e54a5][b:c3947e54a5][u:c3947e54a5]TIGERS[/u:c3947e54a5][/b:c3947e54a5][/size:c3947e54a5]

[b:c3947e54a5]STRENGTHS:[/b:c3947e54a5] The Tigers' main asset is pitching, which is five-deep in the starting rotation. Jack Morris, Dan Petry and Walt Terrell combined for 46 victories last year. Frank Tanana and Dave LaPoint will provide the luxury of two-veteran lefthanded starters for the first time since Manager Sparky Anderson has been in Detroit. Tanana won 10 games after being acquired from Texas last year. LaPoint was 7-17 with San Francisco in 1985, but lost 30 pounds over the winter and said most of his problems last year stemmed from not being happy in San Francisco. The bullpen is anchored by Willie Hernandez (63 saves the last two seasons) Free agent Bill Campbell was signed for middle relief... Power is another Detroit strong suit. It starts with Darrell Evans, who led the A.L. with 40 home runs last year. Three other players hit more than 20 homers - rightfielder Kirk Gibson (29), catcher Lance Parrish (28) and Lou Whitaker (21), who set a club record for homeruns by a second baseman.

[b:c3947e54a5]SHORTCOMINGS:[/b:c3947e54a5] The biggest source of perplexity during the Tigers' fall from the '84 world championship was defense. Parrish and Whitaker won Gold Gloves, but the defense was deficient elsewhere, including the outfield, where 30 errors were committed. "And if we don't start catching the ball better this year, we won't go anywhere again," said Anderson. "We can't play the same kind of bad defense as last season and expect to win." ... Pinch-hitting also was a problem. In 1984, Tiger pinch-hitters batted .312 with five game-winning hits. Last year, they dropped to .226 with no game-winners.

[b:c3947e54a5]QUESTION MARKS:[/b:c3947e54a5] Can the Tigers stop making the sloppy mistakes which hurt so much in '85? To what extent has their speed improved? Newcomer Dave Collins stole 29 bases for Oakland last year, but Anderson believes he can steal 50. If he does, Collins will be only the third Detroit player since 1918 to steal more than 30 bases in a season. "Too high a percentage of our runs were the result of homeruns," said Anderson. "If we didn't hit the ball out of the park, we didn't score. We have to find other ways."

[b:c3947e54a5]OVERALL OUTLOOK:[/b:c3947e54a5] The Tigers dropped 30 games in the standings last year after winning it all in '84, but they are treating the plunge as ancient history. They went into spring training with a fresh outlook and positive thoughts. How positive? "I expect to win," said Anderson.


[size=18:c3947e54a5][b:c3947e54a5][u:c3947e54a5]ORIOLES[/u:c3947e54a5][/b:c3947e54a5][/size:c3947e54a5]

[b:c3947e54a5]STRENGTHS:[/b:c3947e54a5] The Orioles hit more homeruns (214) than any other team last year and their 818 runs were topped only by the Yankees. First baseman Eddie Murray and shortstop Cal Ripken are, arguably, as good a tandem as there is in baseball. The switch-hitting Murray, going into his 10th major league season, has yet to have a mediocre year. Add outfielders Fred Lynn and Mike Young and there are four legitimate homerun hitters in the middle of a lineup which should be further enhanced by the presence of second baseman Alan Wiggins and outfielder Lee Lacy for the entire season. Wiggins stole 30 bases in 76 games after being obtained in midseason and Lacy hit a solid .293 after missing the first five weeks and struggling for two more.

[b:c3947e54a5]SHORTCOMINGS:[/b:c3947e54a5] Catcher and third base are the glaring deficiencies in the everyday lineup. Rick Dempsey, coming off the best offensive year of his career, will be the catcher if he has recovered from shoulder problems that have hindered him ever since he won the 1983 World Series most valuable player award. If Dempsey can't handle the catching on a regular basis, Floyd Rayford will probably move to that position with newcomer Jackie Gutierrez getting first shot at third base.

[b:c3947e54a5]QUESTION MARKS:[/b:c3947e54a5] In addition to the unsettled situations at catcher and third base, it's pitching. The Orioles are convinced five or six good arms couldn't quit permanently in one year. Other than rookie Ken Dixon (8-4), there wasn't a successful starter last year. Mike Boddicker, Storm Davis, Scott McGregor and, to a lesser degree, Mike Flanagan all fell off considerably. Can Flanagan return to form after missing more than half of '85 with a ruptured Achilles tendon? How much can reliever Tippy Martinez be counted on after being ineffective and injured for the second year in a row?

[b:c3947e54a5]OVERALL OUTLOOK:[/b:c3947e54a5] The Orioles head into 1986 convinced the pitching collapse that contributed to last year's fourth-place finish was a fluke. Manager Earl Weaver figures to benefit from being around right from the start. If the pitching returns to its average level, Baltimore figures to be a strong contender. If it doesn't, it could be another year of groping for explanations.


[size=18:c3947e54a5][b:c3947e54a5][u:c3947e54a5]RED SOX[/u:c3947e54a5][/b:c3947e54a5][/size:c3947e54a5]

[b:c3947e54a5]STRENGTHS:[/b:c3947e54a5] As usual, the Red Sox should have plenty of offense - especially from the left side. Third baseman Wade Boggs led the majors in hitting (.368) for the second time in three years, first baseman Bill Buckner had a career-high 201 hits and led the team with 110 RBIs and catcher Rich Gedman set personal highs in several categories, including average (.295) and RBIs (80), while developing into one of the better receivers in the league. The righthanded-hitting outfield of Jim Rice, Tony Armas and Dwight Evans should bounce back after sub-par seasons that could be attributed to a litany of knee and leg injuries. The pitching of Dennis (Oil Can) Boyd (a staff-leading 15 victories) and Steve Crawford (12 saves) also lends hope for '86.

[b:c3947e54a5]SHORTCOMINGS:[/b:c3947e54a5] Manager John McNamara would like to get away from the "beat-them-into-submission" mentality that's been prevalent for years around Fenway Park, but... The Red Sox stole a major league-low 66 bases in '85 and, at 36, Buckner won't be expected to steal 18 again. The bench consisted mainly of Rick Miller (a free agent who didn't catch on with another club), Dave Sax, Marc Sullivan, Eddie Jurak, Steve Lyons and Jackie Gutierrez (traded), who among them produced just nine homers and 67 RBIs. The infield doesn't have much range and there isn't enough speed in the outfield to run down balls in the bigger parks.

[b:c3947e54a5]QUESTION MARKS:[/b:c3947e54a5] Biggest of all is the pitching - in particular starter Roger Clemens, who made only five appearances after May 27 and had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder last August. Reliever Bob Stanley underwent surgery for removal of a growth at the base of his right index finger after losing a lead or tie 15 times in 33 appearances and failing in eight of 18 save situations. Al Nipper (9-12) is another pitcher who will attempt to come back from an injury-filled season. Can lefthander Bruce Hurst be more than a .500 pitcher? Will Rice be OK after a off-season arthroscopic knee surgery? Can Glenn Hoffman's knee stand up under the strain of a full season as the regular shortstop?

[b:c3947e54a5]OVERALL OUTLOOK:[/b:c3947e54a5] Despite the deficiencies and several "ifs", McNamara likens the Red Sox to their football brethren, the New England Patriots, who defied the odds and wound up in the Super Bowl. "Like the Patriots, we have talent on this ball club," said McNamara, "and if we can fill in some key areas the way they did, this might be the year it all comes together for us."