CHICAGO WHITE SOX - Magglio Ordonez 28 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 CHW 157 624 188 34 3 30 100 117 47 64 301 349 510 13 6 2000 CHW 153 588 185 34 3 32 102 126 60 64 315 371 546 18 4 2001 CHW 160 593 181 40 1 31 97 113 70 70 305 382 533 25 7       An outstanding young player who is still improving as a hitter, and who should be entering his prime years. He is a top MVP candidate for the 2002 season, especially if the White Sox win their division, which they should.

SEATTLE - Ichiro Suzuki 28 L/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 2001 SEA 157 692 242 34 8 8 127 69 30 53 350 381 457 56 14       Had his name been something like "Bob Smith", I doubt if he would have won the MVP Award, but no matter; that's the way these things work out sometimes. Suzuki had a terrific rookie year, and I don't mean to insult him by ranking him behind Ordonez, but I just can't see him as an MVP. Over the course of the season, Suzuki was compared to all sorts of great players from the past, but the guy he reminds me of most is Ralph Garr. YEAR GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS Garr 1971 154 639 219 24 6 9 101 44 30 68 343 374 441 30 14 Garr 1974 143 606 214 24 17 11 87 54 28 53 353 384 503 26 16       Suzuki is a better base stealer and probably a better defensive player than Garr. On the other hand, Garr had more power, despite playing in an era in which there weren't a lot of home runs hit. The point is that they are comparable, the best statistical match I've seen for Suzuki, and nobody considered Ralph Garr to be an MVP candidate. He received one vote in 1971, eleven when he won the batting title in 1974.       Admittedly, Suzuki is a lot of fun to watch; as the saying goes, he plays baseball the way it is supposed to be played. And he may be better this year; he strikes me as the kind of intelligent player who will continue to change his game and make improvements, kinda like Paul Molitor.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: OK, so he's much better than Ralph Garr. Perhaps the AL's first half MVP. For real.

TEXAS - Juan Gonzalez 32 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 TEX 144 562 183 36 1 39 114 128 51 105 326 378 601 3 3 2000 DET 115 461 133 30 2 22 69 67 32 84 289 337 505 1 2 2001 CLE 140 532 173 34 1 35 97 140 41 94 325 370 590 1 0       After two years as a nomad, Gonzalez returns to the Texas, where in all honesty he should never have left. He doesn't offer much in the field or on the bases, but he is a scarrry hitter who is always a threat to win the Triple Crown.

OAKLAND - Jermaine Dye 28 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 KC 158 608 179 44 8 27 96 119 58 119 294 354 526 2 3 2000 KC 157 601 193 41 2 33 107 118 69 99 321 390 561 0 1 2001 KC-OAK 158 599 169 31 1 26 91 106 57 112 282 346 467 9 1       Dye had a tough start to the season with the Royals, and a tough end when he broke his leg during the playoffs. The middle was pretty good, especially after he was dealt to Oakland. He will be back in an Athletics' uniform this year, and with the loss of Giambi, will be counted on to be their top hitter.       As I write this, it is early February, and I just read that the Athletics' are still unsure if Dye's leg will be healed in time for spring training. I doubt he will miss much time; playing in the AL, it's not like he has to move very far or very fast. He is capable of having a monster season.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: A rough season. A .241 batting average, and no power.

BOSTON - Trot Nixon 28 L/L

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 BOS 124 381 103 22 5 15 67 52 53 75 270 357 472 3 1 2000 BOS 123 427 118 27 8 12 66 60 63 85 276 368 461 8 1 2001 BOS 148 535 150 31 4 27 100 88 79 113 280 376 505 7 4       The Trotman had a very good year for the Red Sox; I think he has already had his best season, but he should remain a quality player.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Had a slow start, but his numbers are getting back up to his career norms.

CLEVELAND - Matt Lawton 30 L/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 MIN 118 406 105 18 0 7 58 54 57 42 259 353 355 26 4 2000 MIN 156 561 171 44 2 13 84 88 91 63 305 405 460 23 7 2001 MIN-NYM 151 559 155 36 1 13 95 64 85 80 277 382 415 29 8       Lawton was playing great with the Twins, who then inexplicably decided to trade him to the Mets for Rick Reed. The Twins never recovered from the deal, and Lawton struggled with the Mets. He was traded to Cleveland during the winter, and I expect that he will have a good year. He hits for average, does a great job of getting on base, and has both power and speed. He can be an All-Star.

TORONTO - Raul Mondesi 31 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 LA 159 601 152 29 5 33 98 99 71 134 253 332 483 36 9 2000 TOR 96 388 105 22 2 24 78 67 32 73 271 329 523 22 6 2001 TOR 149 572 144 26 4 27 88 84 73 128 252 342 453 30 11       Mondesi was great the first half of last season; he was hitting .300 with power, and his throwing arm, after having some bone-chips removed in the off-season, was once again a formidable asset.       He tanked in the second half of the season, doing almost nothing at the plate. Mondesi is a strange player, will show exceptional patience at the plate for a couple of months, then will start swinging at anything and everything. Whether any manager or hitting coach can convince him to stick with a successful program for an entire season remains to be seen.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: The Blue Jays decided that they didn't need a .220 hitter making $14 million a season, so they gave him away to the Yankees, who decided that they did need someone like that. Like all players, he will probably perform better with the Yankees.

ANAHEIM - Tim Salmon 34 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 ANA 98 353 94 24 2 17 60 69 63 82 266 372 490 4 1 2000 ANA 158 568 165 36 2 34 108 97 104 139 290 404 540 0 2 2001 ANA 137 475 108 21 1 17 63 49 96 121 227 365 383 9 3       After the 2000 season, Salmon had surgery on his left shoulder. The operation did not have the desired effect; Salmon couldn't swing a bat properly the whole year, and had by far his worst season.       I think it is safe to assume that he will be better in 2002. He's a terrific hitter, and he's bound to be in better physical shape. He's probably got at least a couple of good years left.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Batting .282 with power; a very good comeback season.

NEW YORK YANKEES - John Vander Wal 36 L/L and Shane Spencer 30 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS VANDER WAL 1999 SD 132 246 67 18 0 6 26 41 37 59 272 368 419 2 1 2000 PIT 134 384 115 29 0 24 74 94 72 92 299 410 563 11 2 2001 PIT-SF 146 452 122 28 4 14 58 70 68 122 270 364 442 8 6 SPENCER 1999 NYY 71 205 48 8 0 8 25 20 18 51 234 301 390 0 4 2000 NYY 73 248 70 11 3 9 33 40 19 45 282 330 460 1 2 2001 NYY 80 283 73 14 2 10 40 46 21 58 258 315 428 4 1       Two guys who can help in a limited number of at bats. No one will be surprised if the Yankees upgrade this position sometime before the end of the season, or sometime before May.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: They got Raul Mondesi in July.

DETROIT - Rob Fick 28 L/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 DET 15 41 9 0 0 3 6 10 7 6 220 327 439 1 0 2000 DET 66 163 41 7 2 3 18 22 22 39 252 340 374 2 1 2001 DET 124 401 109 21 2 19 62 61 39 62 272 339 476 0 3       Fick used to catch, but as part of the Tigers' talent redistribution program he appears to be ticketed for right field. He's not a bad hitter.

MINNESOTA - Brian Buchanan 29 R/R or Mike Cuddyer 23 R/R or Bobby Kielty 25 S/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS BUCHANAN 1999 AAA 107 391 116 24 1 10 67 60 28 85 297 355 440 11 2 2000 AAA 95 364 108 20 1 27 82 103 41 75 297 363 580 5 1 2000 MIN 30 82 19 3 0 1 10 8 8 22 232 301 305 0 2 2001 MIN 69 197 54 12 0 10 28 32 19 58 274 342 487 1 1 CUDDYER 1999 A 130 466 139 24 4 16 87 82 76 91 298 403 470 14 4 2000 AA 138 490 129 30 8 6 72 61 55 93 263 351 394 5 4 2001 AA 141 509 153 36 3 30 95 87 75 106 301 395 560 5 9 KIELTY 1999 A 69 245 72 13 1 13 52 43 43 56 294 401 514 12 3 2000 AA 129 451 118 30 3 14 79 65 98 109 262 396 435 6 4 2001 AAA 94 341 98 25 2 12 58 50 53 76 287 391 478 5 0 2001 MIN 37 104 26 8 0 2 8 14 8 25 250 297 385 3 0       Buchanan is a minor league veteran who got some playing time with the Twins last year, and was okay. He will likely be their starting right fielder in 2002. Kielty had a solid season at Salt Lake City; he is younger than Buchanan, and does a good job of getting on base. At the very least, Kielty should become a formidable fourth outfielder.       The wild card is Cuddyer. After hitting six homers in 2000, Cuddyer muscled up and pounded out 30 last year. He is very young, and will likely start the season in the minors. But the Twins are desperate for home runs; if Cuddyer's power surge continues, he could be wind up playing in the majors in short time.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Buchanan and Kielty have shared playing time with Dustin Mohr. Buchanan has been OK, Kielty and Mohr have been spectacular.

KANSAS CITY - Mark Quinn 28 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 KC 17 60 20 4 1 6 11 18 4 11 333 385 733 1 0 2000 KC 135 500 147 33 2 20 76 78 35 91 294 342 488 5 2 2001 KC 118 453 122 31 2 17 57 60 12 69 269 298 459 9 5       The Not-So-Mighty Quinn had a miserable season, both at bat and in the field. He is frustrating, because he can hit, but he hasn't produced so far for the Royals.       It now appears that Quinn will start the season on the disabled list. He cracked a rib this spring while kung fu fighting in his condo with his brother. Methinks that the commitment to the game is not quite there.

BALTIMORE - Chris Richard 28 L/L and Melvin Mora 30 R/R

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS MORA 1999 NYM 66 31 5 0 0 0 5 1 4 7 161 278 161 2 1 2000 NYM-BAL 132 414 114 22 5 8 60 47 35 80 275 337 411 12 11 2001 BAL 128 436 109 28 0 7 49 48 41 91 250 329 362 11 4 RICHARD 1999 AA 133 442 130 26 3 29 78 94 43 75 294 363 563 7 7 2000 AAA 95 375 104 24 0 16 64 75 50 70 277 366 469 9 3 2000 STL-BAL 62 215 57 14 2 14 39 37 17 40 265 326 544 7 5 2001 BAL 136 483 128 31 3 15 74 61 45 100 265 335 435 11 9       Richard was one of the lucky ones, a guy who got a couple of lucky breaks and managed to become a regular in the big leagues. Unfortunately, his luck has turned south; he had shoulder surgery in the fall and isn't expected back until midseason. He's an OK player, wouldn't be a regular on a good team.       Mora doesn't do anything very well. He is not someone you would expect to play on a regular basis, except that he has batted over 800 times the past two seasons. Guys with jobs tend to keep them, and it's not as if the Orioles have many other options.       MID-SEASON UPDATE: Another surprising strength for the Orioles. Gary Matthews Jr. and Jay Gibbons have shared playing time, and both have been good.

TAMPA BAY - Randy Winn

YEAR TM GM AB HT DB TP HR RUN RBI BB SO AVG OBA SLU SB CS 1999 TAM 79 303 81 16 4 2 44 24 17 63 267 307 366 9 9 2000 TAM 51 159 40 5 0 1 28 16 26 25 252 362 302 6 7 2001 TAM 128 429 117 25 6 6 54 50 38 81 273 339 401 12 10       Winn managed to work his way back into the Devil Rays' lineup, which says less about his own skill and more about Tampa Bay's deplorable lack of talent. Winn is very, very fast, but he doesn't steal bases and he doesn't do anything else very well, so...

RIGHT FIELDERS - BOTH LEAGUES
1 Sammy Sosa	11 JD Drew	21 Danny Bautista
2 Vladimir Guerrero	12 Jermaine Dye	22 John Vander Wal
3 Lance Berkman	13 Ryan Klesko	23 Rob Fick
4 Bobby Abreu	14 Trot Nixon	24 Alex Ochoa
5 Shawn Green	15 Reggie Sanders	25 Mark Quinn
6 Magglio Ordonez	16 Matt Lawton	26 Brian Buchanan
7 Ichiro Suzuki	17 Raul Mondesi	27 Melvin Mora
8 Gary Sheffield	18 Kevin Millar	28 Randy Winn
9 Larry Walker	19 Tim Salmon	29 Juan Encarnacion
10 Juan Gonzalez	20 Jeromy Burnitz	30 Armando Rios