2 0 1 5 MLB SEASON PREVIEW

Power rankings KEY BP Bullpen Based on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best ranking SP Starting OFF Offense Teams listed in order of last season’s finish (2014 record) pitching DEF Defense

EAST CENTRAL WEST Orioles Yankees Blue Jays Rays Red Sox Tigers Royals I n d i an s White Sox Twins Angels Athletics Mariners Astros Rangers

(96-66) (84-78) (83-79)(77-85) (71-91) (90-72) (89-73) (85-77) (73-89) (70-92) (98-64) (88-74) (87-75) (70-92) (67-95) SP 4 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 1 4 3 4 2 2 BP 4 3 2 2 3 3 5 3 3 2 2 3 3 2 3 OFF 4 3 4 1 5 5 3 4 3 2 4 2 4 3 3 DEF 5 4 4 4 3 3 5 3 2 2 3 4 3 3 3 TOT 17 1313 1014 15 16 13 11 713 12 14 10 11 (out Showalter Must Need solid In the wake Hoping to fix Lost Max After surprising Lack of a Had a busy Molitor Scioscia, GM Billy Anything Added more Ace Yu of 20) is a master improve on performances of losing Joe weak link of Scherzer run to World bona fide offseason succeeds the majors’ Beane made less than power to a Darvish lost at getting the offense. from their Maddon to last year’s to free Series, power hitter and are Gardenhire longest- nine trades a spot lineup that to Tommy most out of a McCann, young ; the Cubs, last-place agency; still another remains a poised to at helm; the tenured this offseason in the almost John pitching staff Teixeira, if playoff the Rays team– the enough healthy problem, contend in prospect of involving 27 postsea- the most surgery; and juggling Ellsbury and skid hits 22 overhauled offense, they stars on this season could but are the AL success is seems players; have son will homers in they need his lineup, Gardner all seasons, their roster; signed Hanley roster to push them poised to Central after brighter but confident a serious certainly the majors; some essential to are coming front office scoring runs Ramirez and contend for past Tigers, do more back-to-back there is much they can lack of be a beefed up surprises in remain off subpar changes might be in Pablo a champ- Indians and than just losing progress yet play in power in disapoint- bullpen the back of competitive seasons coming short supply Sandoval ionship White Sox contend seasons to be made October again their lineup ment problem the rotation

SeasonAPRIL calendar Key dates JUNE t o mark on t he schedule: AUG. Power outage The lack of power in baseball has become APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. O CT. a steady trend. Last year, sluggers with 40 or more home runs were at the lowest Apr. 5 Apr. 6 Apr. 15 Jun e 8 Jul y 14 Jul y 26 Sept. 1 O ct. 4 total in 25 years. Just 12 players drove O pening night: O pening Amateur 86th All-Star Hall of F ame inductions, Act ive rosters F inal day of in at least 100 runs in 2014, down from Cardinals-Cubs day Day draft G ame, Cincinnati Cooperstown, N.Y. expand t o 40 players regular season a record 59 in 1999.

PLAYERS WITH AT LEAST 40 HRS

20 17 Thinking inside the box 15 Pace-of-play rules force batters to adjust game rituals 10

ajor League Baseball is slowly addressing the lagging pace of 5 M games. MLB and the players’ association have agreed to enforce 1 0 the rule requiring a hitter to keep 1995 2014 at least one foot in the batter’s box. The hope is to eliminate ... AND AT LEAST 100 RBI 59 delays and make it more 60 appealing to TV audiences 50 and those in the stands. 40 MLB will also post stadium clocks timing 30 pitching changes and 20 12 between- breaks, 10 and will no longer 0 1995 2014 require managers to NOTE: 1995 was a strike-shortened season come on the field when (144 games) requesting video reviews by umpires. Cuban talent pipeline After starting as a slow trickle in the mid-’90s, Cuban players have reached the majors at an unprecented rate the (Regular season) 2014 last number of years. 3 hrs. 2 min. 180 MINUTES MAJOR LEAGUERS BORN IN CUBA 2014 25 2013 21 2012 18 170 2011 17 2010 15 2009 13 160 2008 13 1981 2007 8 2 hrs. 33 min. 2006 9 2005 10 150 2004 12 1980s 1990s 2010s 2003 11 2002 14 2001 16 2000 11 Managerial turnovers 1999 11 One-fifth of all the 30 major-league teams changed skippers for the 2015 season. 1998 10 1997 9 1996 7 1995 5

Disarmed The number of pitchers undergoing Tommy John surgery to reconstruct the A.J. Hinch ulnar collateral ligament in their elbow is Ari. Diamondbacks reaching epidemic proportions.

The 51-year-old At 37, he is the The 50-year-old Managed the Arizona Opted out of the The Hall of Famer, 58, TOMMY JOHN SURGERIES former , youngest manager rookie skipper spent D-backs from May of final year of his who has the 10th- who got a hit in his in MLB. He follows the past two years 2009 until July 2010, contract with the most hits in major MLB players on 40-man rosters only major league the successful as the Oakland A’s when he was fired Tampa Bay Rays to league history, spent at-bat, spent the tenure of the bench under after 31-48 start. He sign a $25 million, 2014 as a coach on 2014 31 past 29 years in the charismatic Joe manager Bob inherits a team that five-year contract ’s 2013 21 Maddon, now the Melvin, and was won 70 games last with the Cubs. He staff. Gardinhire was 2012 37 organization before Chicago Cubs’ also on Melvin’s season to snap a will try to break the fired by the Twins 2011 16 being tapped in manager. First staff with the streak of three Cubbies’ 107-year following the 2014 October to replace managerial job Diamondbacks straight 100-loss title season after a 2010 19 . at any level. in 2006. seasons. drought. 13-year tenure. 2009 19

Listed in order of last season’s finish (2014 record) Teams ranked by AP Baseball Writer Howie Rumberg

EAST CENTRAL WEST Nationals Braves Mets Marlins Phillies Cardinals Pirates Brewers Reds Cubs DodgersGiants Padres Rockies D-backs

(96-66)(79-83) (79-83) (77-85) (73-89) (90-72) (88-74) (82-80) (76-86) (73-89) (94-68)(88-74) (77-85) (66-96) (64-98) SP 5 3 4 4 2 4 3 2 3 3 5 4 4 1 1 BP 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 OFF 4 3 3 3 2 4 3 4 3 3 5 3 3 3 4 DEF 4 3 2 3 2 4 4 3 5 3 4 4 2 3 3 TOT 1612 12 13 9 16 13 11 13 11 17 14 11 9 11 Popular pick to Began a With return Pitching staff Rebuilding With four Proved last Addressed Key is the After five After a couple Coming off Added Banking on If rotation run away with massive of Matt is young, Phillies have straight NLCS season its collapse of rotation. It consecutive of narrow their third offense while bounce-back holds up the NL East; rebuilding Harvey, talented and their eye seasons, breakthrough 2014 with needs to losing misses, can World Series keeping seasons and the added 2013 job under Mets finally deep; have a toward the including a 2013 was no tweaks; hold together seasons, the they finally title in five their strong from Troy bullpen AL Cy Young new GM believe good chance future; have World Series fluke; must reaching in order to Cubs think get to the seasons; will rotation Tulowitzki improves Award winner John Hart; they have to end their the tough title in 2011, take next the post- hang in they are World Series? need to fill intact and and Carlos over last could be enough streak of five task of trying no reason step forward season will there in one ready to Need maturity the power adding a Gonzalez to season, to one of majors’ tough on talent to consecutive to unload they can’t in what could be tough in of the majors contend for and consis- void left by new ace get back on should win best rotations offense to contend for losing players with make another be a crowd- competitive toughest the NL tency from Kung Fu in James track after a few more last season produce runs the playoffs seasons big contracts deep run ed division NL Central divisions Central title Yasiel Puig Panda Shields 96 losses games

SOURCES: ; STATS LLC AP

MLB 2015 SEASON PREVIEW 040115: Graphic looks at MLB team power rankings and Editor’s Note: It is mandatory to include all sources that accompany analysis; season calendar; managerial changes; offensive drought, cuban players in MLB and this graphic when repurposing or editing it for publication major league player who have had Tommy John surgery since 2009; 6c x 21 1/2 inches; with BBO–Baseball 2015; ED; ETA 4 p.m.