Boston Red Sox
2012 record: 69-93
Player to watch: OF Jackie Bradley Jr.
With David Ortiz on the shelf to start the 2013 season, The Red Sox are going with Jonny Gomes at DH, leaving rookie Jackie Bradley Jr. to patrol left field at least until Ortiz' expected return in mid-April. Bradley is a good defender and a patient hitter at the plate with a career BB% of nearly 15% in 615 minor league plate appearances. He will steal you some bases and has a likely ceiling of about a .280 average with 10+ homers given a full season. If Bradley can play well enough in the first few weeks of the season before Ortiz returns he may find himself in an increased role as the year goes on. Bradley Jr. has received some pre-season prediction support as a AL Rookie of the Year candidate for 2013, which is a realistic possibility if he is able to show the same sort of patience that he has in the minors and stick with the Big Club.
DC Projection: 350 PA, .269/.340/.397, 8 HR, 41 RBI, 10.6 BB%, 18.0 K%
Toronto Blue Jays
2012 record: 73-89
Player to watch: OF Melky Cabrera
The Jays were among the most active teams in the offseason and brought in many talented players, and are set to field their most exciting squad in 20 years. Melky Cabrera was one of these players and was given a 2 year flier contract of sorts coming off a 50-game PED related suspension. Many people look for Cabrera's numbers to regress because of this but I am not so pessimistic. Melky has been consistently healthy throughout his career, never playing in fewer than 129 games in a Major League season, save for last year with the suspension. He is going to give you an average around .300, ~15 homers, ~15 stolen bases, a good walk rate and he doesn't strike out a whole lot. He'll be hitting behind Jose Reyes and ahead of Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, 3 very talented hitters, so he should see many pitches to hit. I don't expect another .346 average like he hit last year, but Melky should give the Jays good production this year.
DC Projection: .307/.352/.448, 15 HR, 76 RBI, 7.8 BB%, 12.4 K%
Tampa Bay Rays
2012 record: 90-72
Player to watch: CF Desmond Jennings
Desmond Jennings is a great player and I am a big fan. Last year in his first full season he turned in a .246 average with 13 homers and 31 stolen bases. This year he will be batting in the leadoff spot and should improve his peripheral stats with a year of experience under his belt. His average should improve, as his power and speed combination should raise his BABIP, which somewhat inexplicably has been around league average throughout his short career. With his excellent defense and baserunning he could be a 5 WAR player. His upside is probably a 20/40 player with great D in center field and the Rays will be counting on him to provide some of the offense lost in BJ Upton's departure.
DC Projection: .277/.346/.439, 19 HR, 63 RBI, 44 SB, 9.6 BB%, 19.0 K%
Baltimore Orioles
2012 record: 93-69
Player to watch: 3B Manny Machado
Manny Machado will be given the everyday job at third this year and the O's are going to run with him through the ups and downs. The 20 year old showed good pop in his brief debut last season hitting 7 homers and slugging .445 in just 202 plate appearances. He brings a little bit of everything with decent contact, power, speed and defense. The O's are hoping that Machado brings a more patient approach to the plate this year as he only walked 4.5% of the time in the Majors last year after posting a career minor league mark of around 11%. Machado is not going to be a fantasy juggernaut but his numbers are well-rounded and he will be a staple in the Orioles lineup for years to come.
DC Projection: .265/.319/.432, 17 HR, 68 RBI, 13 SB, 7.4 BB%, 17.5 K%
New York Yankees
2012 record: 95-67
Player to watch: CF Brett Gardner
The Yankees start the year in pretty deep injury trouble. They have no Mark Teixera, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter or Curtis Granderson. Really the only thing they do have right now is Robinson Cano, and Brett Gardner. Gardner strikes me as an underrated/forgotten player as he only played 16 games last year due to injury. It is important to remember though that he posted WAR totals of 6.0 and 4.9 in 2010 and 2011 respectively and the Yankees badly need him to match these production levels while their star players are out. He can take a walk, doesn't strike out a lot, plays great D, and steals a whole lot of bases at a good rate. He won't hit for power but his speed will be an asset at the top of the order for a Yankees club that will desperately need runners in scoring position. Gardner will not have a lot of lineup protection early in the year but he will have to play well for the Yankees to have any hope at the playoffs.
DC Projection: .276/.361/.373, 6 HR, 49 RBI, 42 SB, 11.8 BB%, 16.2 K%
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