Drive-By Analysis: NL Style

Dave Paisley

After last week’s review of the AL, it appeared that NL GMs seem bent on getting a few deals done so they could get a better grade from me for their off-season performance. Ah, if only I were really that powerful. Still, I appear to have struck fear into the hearts of Steve Phillips, Dan O’Dowd and whatever lackey is running the Brewers right now (and I mean, who really cares anyway?)

NL East

Braves
Big pick-ups: Vinny Castilla, Albie Lopez, Gary Sheffield
Big losses: Steve Karsay, John Burkett, Kurt Abbott, Brian Jordan, Odalis Perez

After a decade of living life at the top, and then a couple of lucky seasons, the Braves appear to be ready to slip quietly into oblivion. Sure, on the surface, the Sheffield deal looks good, but everything else pretty much stinks. Putting Vinny Castilla at third so Chipper Jones can move to left field? Yuck! Albie Lopez in the rotation? Likewise. The Braves are one bad injury away from finishing third in the division. Grade: F (for the dynasty is Finally over...)

Phillies
Big pick-ups: Terry Adams
Big losses: Brian L. Hunter, Dennis Cook, Omar Daal

Quiet off-season for the Phils, who have mainly been trying to keep Scott Rolen from defecting. Terry Adams for Omar Daal is probably a wash, but losing Brian Hunter is like winning the lottery. It may take another miracle season, but I think they could pass the Braves for second place if everything works out just right. Grade: E (for taking it Easy — which ain’t easy in Philly.)

Mets
Big pick-ups: Roger Cedeno, David Weathers, Roberto Alomar, Mark Guthrie, Shawn Estes, Mo Vaughn, Pedro Astacio, Jeromy Burnitz, Jeff D’Amico, Mark Sweeney
Big losses: Robin Ventura, Kevin Appier, Matt Lawton, Tsuyoshi Shinjo, Desi Relaford, Rick White, C. J. Nitkowski, Glendon Rusch, Todd Zeile, Benny Agbayani

A week ago I’d have castigated Phillips for generating a lot of heat, but not much light. But after dumping Todd Zeile, Benny Agbayani and Glendon Rusch for Jeromy Burnitz and Jeff D’Amico, I’m ready to let bygones be bygones. With Vaughn (still a real question mark), Burnitz and Alomar, added to Piazza and Alfonzo, the Mets now have an offense. And overall, the pitching may have improved a bit. Grade: A (for Aggressive, plus a pretty decent job.)

Expos
Big pickups: none
Big losses: none (or, like the Twins, maybe the franchise)

Yeah, right, like anyone needs to worry about what the Expos might do in the hands of Bud Selig. Grade: R (for who gives a Rat’s...)

Marlins
Big pickups: none
Big losses: Alex Fernandez

Hmmm, another team for Jeff Loria to run into the ground. Maybe Jeff can get Bud to agree that the Expos will throw every game against the Marlins. Oh, wait, Bud has probably sold that deal to every NL team there is... Grade: C (for Cronies of Bud always do well in this business.)

NL Central

Astros
Big pickups: Brian L. Hunter, Greg Zaun, T. J. Mathews, C. J. Nitkowski
Big losses: Pedro Astacio, Moises Alou, Vinny Castilla

OK, I’m seeing Brian L. Hunter at the front of that list of acquisitions. Maybe it disproves the notion that you can’t go home again, but I’m not sensing that the Astros are doing anything positive here. Greg Zaun and Brian Hunter? Firing Larry Dierker? Looks like the Astros are stuck in reverse and damn the torpedoes. Grade: T (for the torpedo that sinks them to be one of the also-rans in the NL Central.

Cardinals
Big pickups: Jason Isringhausen, Tino Martinez, Mike DeFelice
Big losses: Mark McGwire, Craig Paquette, Alan Benes, T. J. Mathews, Dustin Hermanson

Lose Mark McGwire and gain Tino Martinez. Not good. On the other hand, McGwire barely played in 2001, whereas Tino can be relied upon day after day, and will no doubt be an improvement over the non-McGwire first base options. Overall, not a lot to get excited about. Grade: B (for Boring.)

Cubs
Big pickups: Moises Alou, Chris Stynes, Darren Lewis, Alex Gonzalez, Alan Benes
Big losses: Todd Van Poppel, Felix Heredia, Michael Tucker, Eric Young

Moises Alou good. Alex Gonzalez bad. Darren Lewis bad. Overall, a kind of, eh, whatever. The Cubs aren’t going to frighten anyone this year, but they should be OK. What with the Astros and Cardinals abdicating maybe it can be their year. Grade C (for Consistent.)

Reds
Big pickups: Jimmy Haynes, Brian Bohanon, Juan Encarnacion, Gabe White
Big losses: Ruben Rivera, Dmitri Young, Pokey Reese, Dennys Reyes

Where on earth did Ken Griffey Jr. go? Two years ago he was a sought after free agent to be who could name his own price and controlled his own destiny. Man, he even had his own Pizza Hut commercial. Now he’d have a hard time getting a walk-on part as the boyfriend in a Kotex commercial airing exclusively on the Oxygen channel. Do you see any of these moves changing that? Thought not. Grade Z (for, like, Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....)

Brewers
Big pickups: Eric Young, Glendon Rusch, Lenny Harris, Alex Ochoa
Big losses: Devon White, Jimmy Haynes, Jeromy Burnitz, Jeff D’Amico, Mark Sweeney

You know you’re in trouble when... Eric Young is your big free agent signing. Oh, and you give away Jeromy Burnitz and Jeff D’Amico. I couldn’t be happier that Bud’s team is going to be even more horrible than I could have ever hoped. Grade G (for how Gleefully we’ll all celebrate the Brewers demise this year.)

Pirates
Big pickups: Mike Williams, Kip Wells
Big losses: Todd Ritchie, Gary Matthews Jr.

Uh, yeah, whatever.... How ‘bout them Steelers? Grade W (for Who gives a...)

NL West

Diamondbacks
Big pickups: Jose Guillen, Mike Myers, Rick Helling
Big losses: Albie Lopez, Reggie Sanders, Jack Cust

With Johnson and Schilling, the snakes will always challenge. However, adding Rick Helling isn’t going to fix the offense. Grade H (for Hamstrung by financial woes...)

Giants
Big pickups: Reggie Sanders, Jay Witasick, Tsuyoshi Shinjo, Desi Relaford, Ruben Rivera, Barry Bonds
Big losses: Andres Galarraga, Mark Gardner, Brian Boehringer, John Vander Wal, Shawn Estes

I’ve broken my own rule of thumb here by including a player who re-signed with his own team — i.e. Barry Bonds. On the other hand, there isn’t a player of Bonds class who was so important to the team that it meant a great deal for him to stay put. Adding Reggie Sanders is a plus, the rest is a wash. Losing Estes is a downgrade, but not a huge one. Grade S (for the huge Sigh of relief heard around the bay when Bonds re-upped with the Giants.)

Dodgers
Big pickups: Hideo Nomo, Omar Daal, Paul Quantrill, Brian Jordan, Odalis Perez
Big losses: Jeff Shaw, Chan Ho Park, Terry Adams, Luke Prokopec, Gary Sheffield

Overall, probably a wash for the Dodgers. Maybe a slight improvement in the pitching, but a slight drop in offense. On the other hand, Sheffield has never been a stabilizing influence, so it will be interesting to see whether his departure has some positive effects. Grade M (for continuing Mediocrity in Dodgerland.)

Rockies
Big pickups: Todd Jones, Rick White, Tony Eusebio, Carlos Hernandez, Jose Paniagua, Dennys Reyes, Jack Cust, Todd Zeile, Benny Agbayani
Big losses: Jay Powell, Brian Bohanon, Jeff Cirillo, Gabe White, Mike Myers, Alex Ochoa

Busy, busy, busy. Bunch of guys go out, bunch of guys come in. Nobody special on either list, so that’s a big grade H (for Ho-hum) for the Rockies.

Padres
Big pickups: Rob Ramsay, Alan Embree, Brett Tomko
Big losses: Tony Gwynn, Ben Davis

Well, the first name in the pick-up list is having a brain tumor removed almost as I write this, so it’s unlikely we’ll know this season how good Ramsay would have been in an extended look in the majors. None of the rest matters too much. Grade Y (for Yawn, I’m done...)

So the big gainers appear to be the Mets. Other likely division winners? Maybe the Cubs in the Central and the Giants in the West, although all three divisions appear to be up for grabs.

about the author

Can you feel that Spring training sun? Can you feel the love between Don Fehr and Bud Selig? Get away, you freak! No, seriously, why not ask Dave Paisley whether SPF 15 will be adequate in Florida and Arizona in March, at drdjp@strikethree.com.