So, you might be wondering, what did I learn and what did I say at the First Pitch Forums this weekend?
I seem to have jumped all over Brent Butler and Carlos Lee as my sleeper picks this year. Actually I listed a lot of guys last week in the mlb.com column, hitters who I thought would improve. This week we’ll do the same thing for pitchers. Butler didn’t make the list last week, mostly because he’s a true sleeper. He could win the full time job, or end up with 175 AB. He swings at everything but usually makes contact, which isn’t a bad thing in Coors. And he has some power. I don’t think he’s going to grow into a star but I know where I’m going for a $5 middle infielder in my NL auction.
I have to give total props to Ron Shandler and Rick Wilton, who writes as Dr. HQ on Ron’s web site and for the Hot Sheet, which doesn’t seem to have a connection to Baseballl Weekly any longer so I’m not sure what the address is.
My favorite bits from those guys: Adam Dunn had a partying problem last year. He’ll be better prepared this year. Trot Nixon gave up the snufff and the 25 pounds of muscle he added in the off season is a lot of compensatory donuts.
There was lots of talk about various situations. Almost everyone thinks that the Boston bullpen is going to be a disaster. Or at least a mess. I think it’s going to be a lot more orderly than most expect, with each guy quickly assuming a role for which he is able to prepare. Mike Timlin, I think will get many of the saves, but they will be more equally distributed than usual because every situation from the 7th on will be treated as a save situation.
Nobody talked about who would close in Kansas City.