Cubs Sign David DeJesus

Note #1: Like Chicago Cubs Insider on Facebook!  I really haven't done anything with the page until now, but I plan to post it frequently.

Note #2: Through a special baseball seminar I'm taking, a fellow group of students and I got to Skype with Tampa Bay Rays President Matthew Silverman and Director of Baseball Operations Erik Neander.  They talked about how they've achieved such great success in the scouting and development fields (pun intended) and how they've done all of it with the limitations of a small market, including a questionable fan base.  About a possible move, they agreed the Rays "aren't going anywhere" for now and they will have to make the best of their situation.  I asked them a question; after seeing Jeremy Hellickson and Desmond Jennings have great success as rookies in 2011, is there any rookie in particular you are excited to see make an impact on the 2012 Rays?  They said Matt Moore should be a great pitcher especially after the clutch performance he put on late in the season and in the first game in the playoffs.  Interestingly enough, Silverman and Neander said that Moore was more prepared for the big leagues than David Price was when they brought him up for the stretch run in 2008.

And now onto the major Cubs news of the week, the signing of outfielder David DeJesus.  Don't know much about this 5'11", 190 lb. 31-year-old?  I can't blame you.  DeJesus was a mainstay in the Kansas City outfield from 2005 to 2009 before injury and a disappointing season in Oakland in 2011.  Although he has played 1,007 games in his career, none have been against the Cubs.  In fact, the Cubs are the only team he has never played against.  However, he has 40 career RBI against the White Sox (the fourth-most of any opponent) and a .336 career batting average against the Cardinals.  If we have nothing else to go off, there's a good start.

But I won't leave you hanging there.  I've done my homework on this dude.  DeJesus is not a power hitter or necessarily speedy, yet he remains a quality outfielder worthy of a starting job, a rare breed in today's flashy generation of outfielders.  DeJesus' career highs in homers and steals are 13 and 11, respectively, totals that will not open any eyes (not positively, at least).  But he does possess a career .284 batting average and .356 OBP.  In my eyes, he has a nice swing and is a great contact hitter.  He doesn't strike out much (13% of plate appearances), but he walks a decent amount (8%).

DeJesus is not going to fill up a highlight reel; he's rather a solid baseball player who stays relatively healthy and provides a moderate mix of the five main tools at a relatively low cost.  In this way I think he's a very Theo-like player (see: J.D. Drew, Jed Lowrie, etc.).  And on the 2012 Cubs, he projects to have a big role.  The official Cubs depth chart reads him as the starting right fielder, ahead of Tyler Colvin and Tony Campana.  But the real question is, is it a smart move?

In short, it was a necessary move but not necessarily a smart one.  Theo & Co. were right to add another outfielder; I'm not sure DeJesus was the right guy.  He's an odd fit in this outfield and his role is unclear, especially with Colvin still being viewed as the eventual starter if he can get back on track from an awful season.  DeJesus is a solid baseball player but does not shine anywhere.  I think the Cubs would have been better served to get a specific tool-threat, like the speed and defense of Coco Crisp.

Another thing to explore is whether or not DeJesus will replace a current outfielder.  I've said before that I don't see Marlon Byrd returning in 2012 even though he is under contract; I'm officially broadening the statement to either Byrd or Alfonso Soriano will not return.  I didn't think it was possible to unload Soriano before, but I have a very hard time seeing the new hotshot brain trust (Theo and Jed Hoyer) putting up with his lackadaisical defense and the like.  They could find a way to make it happen.  If one of the two were goners, DeJesus would probably move there, opening right field for Colvin and Campana.  Still, however, Crisp would have been the better move on a team desperate for speed like his.

DeJesus' wife is fired up about the whole Cubs thing.  Not only did they buy a house in Wheaton recently, she grew up a Cubs fan.  According to her Twitter, as a young girl she would tell everyone that someday she would marry Ryne Sandberg.  And 20 years later, here she is married to a Cub.  Let's just hope David brings the same enthusiasm along to the Windy City.    

Road Trip Analysis: St. Louis, San Diego

It's been a tough season for the Cubs, but you won't hear
National League hit king Starlin Castro complaining.

Record: 2-4
Final Record: 71-91

Starlin Castro just narrowly missed his 200th hit of the season at home, but he didn't waste any time in St. Louis as he singled to center to lead off Friday's game, making him the youngest Cub ever to get 200 hits and only the second Cub to do it since Ryne Sandberg in '84 (Juan Pierre also did it in '06).  Castro finished this season with 207 hits, tying him for the 9th-most hits in a single-season by a Cub.  He is the third Cub in seven seasons to be the NL hit king after Derrek Lee in '05 and Pierre in '06.

Ryan Dempster kept the Cubs in that game which was a 1-1 tie in the 8th when Alfonso Soriano blasted a three-run homer into the left-center bullpen off Kyle McClelland.  Castro, not to be overshadowed on his special night, hit an RBI single in the 9th.  The Cubs won 5-1, putting a big dent in the Cardinals' wild card hopes, but as we found out later, it wouldn't matter.

The win did matter for the Brewers, however, who watched the end of the game with their fans on the scoreboard at Miller Park.  With Carlos Marmol closing out the game, the Brewers won the NL Central.  The Brewers don't often root for the Cubs, but this was a worthy exception.  I thought it was pretty cool that we were the team to down the Cards and basically give the Brewers their division championship.  I guess that's our one gift to them in exchange for our fans invading their ballpark to watch the Cubs crush the Brewers on their home turf for most of the last decade.

On Saturday, the Cardinals were down to their final strike multiple times in the bottom of the 9th against Marmol and down 1-0.  Marmol walked three, walking in the tying run and allowing the winning run to score on a wild pitch.  A loss for the Cardinals would have meant the end of their season in all likeliness, and looking at the way things played out, if Marmol had just thrown strikes and gotten the save, the Braves would have been won the Wild Card.  So in a way, the Brewers and Cardinals are both indebted to the Cubs for helping them out with their postseason aspirations.  I just wish they could've slammed the door on the charging Cardinals to get some pride back, because they have basically walked all over the Cubs this season, winning the season series 10-5.

Two clutch homers late off Randy Wells helped
the Cardinals get into the postseason.

Albert Pujols still hasn't said anything significant on whether or not he will resign with the Cardinals this offseason.  Just in case he leaves, the Busch Stadium fans gave him a standing ovation before his first at-bat Sunday, which could have been the final Cardinals home game of the season.  It wasn't, however, so more standing ovations will come in the playoffs.

For the second straight day, the Cubs blew a late lead.  This time it was on the starter, Randy Wells, who gave up a game-tying homer to Yadier Molina in the 7th and a go-ahead shot to Rafael Furcal in the 8th.  These inexplicable meltdowns on two consecutive days the Cardinals need to win provided all the evidence I require: I can now undoubtedly say that the baseball gods are frowning upon Cubdom, and are punishing its players and fans with the humiliation of letting the Cardinals into the playoffs.  I'm not a very religious guy, but in baseball, I might as well be evangelical.  Play the game right, and the baseball gods shall reward.

The Cubs were shut out by Mat Latos on Monday night in for the 10th and final time on the season, down from 15 times in 2010.  Mike Quade played "the kids" in the lineup, featuring Tony Campana, Bryan LaHair, Steve Clevenger, D.J. LeMahieu, and Tyler Colvin namely.  Seeing as the Padres allowed two hits all night long, the results speak for themselves.

Alfonso Soriano flips the bat watching
his 26th and last homer of the season
Tuesday night in San Diego.

On Tuesday night the Cubs got their 71st and final win of the season.  Matt Garza got back to .500 at 10-10 and Soriano and Aramis Ramirez both hit their 26th homers of the season in the 6-2 win.  Although Garza deserved better, 10-10 is a solid record off which he can build next season.  It was nice to see one final, complete win where the Cubs thoroughly beat the opponent with clean baseball (they committed no errors).

The last game of the season is always an emotional affair for me.  No matter how bad the Cubs are in a season, I have to watch most, if not all, of the season finale.  There's a certain sense of finality in baseball that I don't see in other sports - not a bad thing, but interesting.  Baseball's 162-game season is such a long grind, it's really incredible to sit there on my couch and think about how this team right in front of me has played 161 games already this season.  Even though this season finale was a blowout loss (a season-ending loss for the Cubs for the fifth year in a row) and I was distracted by the historic Wild Card Wednesday, that doesn't mean I enjoyed it any less.  On the last day of the season, I focus on the nuances of the Cubs players and I just listen to Len and Bob, taking in all in the sights and sounds of my team to last me a long and cold Chicago winter.

Smiling in the dugout always means something good
but there wasn't enough of it in 2011.

The game itself was a nice sendoff for the Padres, who decided to break out the bats despite scoring the second-least runs in the National League in 2011.  Nick Hundley's three-run homer and Wil Venable's grand slam were more than enough to finish the Padres season on a winning note.  Interesting enough, the Padres win totaled their season record at 71-91.  What was the Cubs' record?  Guess.

Now that the regular season is over, my coverage of the postseason will dominate blog entries this month.  Not to be overlooked, however, will be my 2011 Cubs: Season In Review and the 2011 Cubs Awards posts coming up in the next few weeks.  For all of those who have been reading my rants and babbles and complaints and thoughts and whatever other noun you can come up with to summarize my posts on the Cubs this season, I thank you all!  Record readership is a signal to me that I must've done something right.  While you have the spare time, check out my latest creation on Sporcle!

The Ricketts Report

It's been more than a full year since Tom Ricketts and family took over as owners of the Chicago Cubs.  In the first year, the Ricketts have made noticeable changes.  They have made numerous changes to make the Cubs and Wrigley Field better, all while maximizing revenue.  They have received credit for the improvements, coming from a fan base tired of general statements from Chicago Tribune spokespeople and press secretaries.  There have also been criticisms of the Ricketts, especially due to the unusual and unique situation of owning the Cubs, certainly a franchise different than any other.

In the opening press conference on the day the sale of the Cubs was completed, in fall 2009 shortly after the end of the regular season, Tom Ricketts stated that if anyone in the Cubs organization believed that the franchise was cursed, he would move them to a 'lesser-cursed' team.  Among many philosophies, the Ricketts instilled from Day 1 that there is no curse surrounding the team.  This highlighted a politically correct press conference, playing conservative and saying nothing unexpected, and would set the tone for the offseason.  A new marketing campaign was launched upon, dubbing the new slogan, 'Year One'.

The 2009-10 offseason was not an aggressive one for the Cubs, who were just glad to be rid of the cancer known as Milton Bradley.  Marlon Byrd was the only positional starter signed, while the other veteran bats in Xavier Nady, Chad Tracy and Kevin Millar were intended for the bench.  A solid pickup in Byrd, but not one that could turn the Cubs into a playoff team.  The Ricketts announced change would be coming to Wrigley Field in 2010, and this could be found in the ballpark.  While not immediately noticeable, the changes include a better variety of food options including popular new nachos served in a replica helmet for $15.  Some bathrooms were remodeled (womens only; no wonder neither you nor I noticed).  Ticket prices were raised to add more revenue, improvements were made to the Captain Morgan Club outside the stadium, a new exclusive club called the PNC Club, created in the space of six former skyboxes, opened in midseason with a full bar, lounge area, seats outside, and a hefty admission tag.  Most importantly, the Cubs hired 'fan relations' staff whose job it was to learn what fans thought of the changes, and what could be done to improve further.  I was quite surprised when a fan relations staff member approached and asked me many thorough questions about the changes at the ballpark.  Of course, all of the efforts made by the Ricketts in this paragraph were all to help accomplish one goal; increase revenue.

While the Ricketts have attempted to get in touch with the fan base, many aren't sure they're listening.  It has been just one calendar year since the completed sale of the team, so withheld judgment may be necessary, but some attempts to increase revenue have not sat well with the fan base.  For example, raising ticket prices before the 2010 season was not a great idea, considering how prices have raised faster than dollar inflation in recent years.  The Cubs overtook the Red Sox in 2010 with the highest average ticket price of any MLB team at $52.56.  That figure was 10.1% increase over 2009 and a drastic comparison to the Arizona Diamondbacks' league lowest rate of $14.31.  In this current offseason of 2010-11, the Ricketts announced a proposal to the government of Illinois, a publicly-funded renovation plan of Wrigley Field.  Under the plan, fans would pay a majority of funds for the renovation through extra taxes at the ballpark and on tickets, merchandise, and the like.  Somehow, the White Sox were able to command government money to build a new stadium in the early 90s after they nearly moved to Tampa.  But now, when the Cubs decide to renovate Wrigley Field, which should be the equivalent of building a new stadium but with the same structure, we, the public, have to pay for it.  Despite the economy, the government needs to understand the vitality of this project due to the projected economic growth to the area (read on).  The renovations include the construction of the infamous Triangle Building to the immediate west of Wrigley.  The building will connect to Wrigley and have shops, restaurants, fan entertainment, a Cubs Hall of Fame, underground batting cages for the players, administrative offices, and more.  While the renovations look to create jobs and economic growth for the area (a projected $3 billion over the next 35 years), it will cost the fans plenty of money in the new taxes.  Execution of the plan is still in jeopardy, because if the Cubs continue to lose and attendance continues to drop, the revenue stream for the plan could fail.

This brings up another topic of conflict with the Ricketts ownership: winning.  The Cubs didn't do it much in 2010 and Cub fans were disappointed in the Ricketts' attempts to fix the team.  While they may be concerned about revenue first now, the team needs to win to keep fans happy.  At the moment the Cubs are being held down by bad contracts (Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome) and are short on financial flexibility.  The problem, though, is that the Ricketts are afraid to take an aggressive move this early in the ownership to win.  For example, the hiring of Mike Quade over Ryne Sandberg was the politically correct move.  Actually, both would have been politically correct, but the hiring of Quade and letting go of Sandberg is more justifiable than the vice versa option.  Quade went 24-13 at the end of the season, was supported by virtually every player on the roster, and was backed strongly by Lou Piniella.  Sandberg had paid his dues in the minors and had done everything he could to win the job, but didn't win out because his hiring would have meant a smack in the face to the entire organization that had come to like Quade.  I'd expect more aggressive moves this season, but it may not be enough.  The players and staff need to understand that the Cubs will not put up with a lack of effort or failure.

In conclusion, the Ricketts shouldn't have started their ownership of the franchise with passive action.  Renovations and improvements to the fan experience hold promise to make the Wrigley Field environment a more enjoyable one, but the methods of achieving this goals continue to raise eyebrows and uncertainty.  This team has missed the playoffs in two straight seasons, by a relatively wide margin, while failing expectations both seasons.  Neither have been good for the franchise, and winning is the crucial fix to many problems.  Winning can set up a chain reaction through a revitalization of the team meaning more revenue, that same original goal.  The Ricketts showed a disinterest in winning compared to revenue growth in 2010, a pattern that needs to change going forward.          

Cubs Hire Mike Quade As Manager

Apparently, there's enough room in Chicago for two 'Coach Q's.  The second, Mike Quade, was hired by the Cubs as manager on Tuesday.  Quade went 24-13 as the interim manager of the Cubs in 2010, one of the leading factors for the Cubs to choose him over Ryne Sandberg in a tight battle.  Quade was definitely the favorite among the players although many, especially those who had come through the minor league system, had good to say about Sandberg, too.  Quade earned a two-year deal after 17 years coaching in the minor leagues and the last four seasons spent as the Cubs third base coach.  This means he is very familiar with the Cubs organization and the players that play for it.  He also did not rule out bringing on Sandberg to the major league level to be a coach.

This decision could be a mistake.  Had the Cubs gone .500 under Mike Quade's interim trial, I would bet we would be sitting here talking about the hiring of Sandberg.  The main reason I have come up with for the team's vastly improved play in September is because the players were excited for a change.  Not that Lou Piniella wasn't doing the job, but just that the players woke up a little.  2010 was a dull season until Piniella retired and that was the first sign of change for after the season.  Players realized that now was the time to make their impression for 2011 because the fact that change would take place next year just got a lot more realistic.

I like Quade's attitude and baseball smarts; Cub fans now get a manager who completes his sentences and thoughts without seeming like he's daydreaming all the time.  The Cubs will be more open to change under Quade, this has already been brought up from what I've heard about the Cubs going for the low profile, in house replacement rather than going out and getting a guy like they did with Dusty Baker and Lou Piniella.  There will be no adjustment time on or off the field; the players already know Quade and most hold a high respect for him. This was the case for Baker and Piniella, as both said at one time that they 'didn't know what they were getting into' when they took the job.  Chicago is a lot to handle, but only if you aren't used to it.

Sandberg also knows almost all the players because at one point they have probably played in one of his four minor league teams, most recent Iowa (AAA) in 2010.  Sandberg also is a changed man since his playing days, as his understudies could tell you.  As a player, Sandberg is a Hall of Famer but was never a vocal leader, and kind of just settled into his role and did a fantastic job every year.  He always gave it everything, but didn't hold many negative opinions or criticisms about anything in general.  Now he criticizes what he doesn't like, a good trait of a manager.  You need somebody to be brutally honest if they are going to be a manager.  This sounds mean, but you can't let personal affection (player as a friend) get in the way of organizational decisions.  Sandberg had the traits to do it, but didn't get his name called.  Tough luck.  Sandberg will be managing in the majors within three years, I can absolutely guarantee that.  Mike Quade has a team to toy with, so Cub fans, we'll see what happens.

Update on Cubs Managerial Search

The front runners remain Mike Quade and Ryne Sandberg, reports Paul Sullivan of the Tribune (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-10-12/sports/ct-spt-1013-cubs-manager-chicago--20101012_1_mike-quade-chairman-tom-ricketts-manager-search).  That is a no doubter, but it will be interesting to see which one they choose because whichever they do choose will be negative effects on a greater group of people.  As a new ownership group, Tom Ricketts and family have to be conservative.  Especially, especially in a big market like Chicago with our tradition.  If they came out aggressive changing traditions and such at Wrigley, the people would react negatively because the public just isn't that used to change that quick.  However, if Quade is hired as manager then the question becomes what to do about Ryne Sandberg.  He could become the bench coach, but it makes for sense for him to continue managing.  Sandberg has done a great job in four minor league seasons with the Cubs, and other teams are interested.  The absolute worst case scenario for the Cubs is him being hired by someone else and catching on there, turning the team into a winner.  So if the Cubs hire Quade, they will really want Sandberg to be the bench coach.  If the Cubs hire Sandberg, then there might be some unrest within the team.  The players have spoken out unanimously saying they want Quade, which is surprising because he only was an interim manager for a month and a half and the Cubs are looking at some more high profile candidates.  I think they will go with Sandberg, but I don't know what this means for Quade.  The other candidates are long shots.  Bob Brenly ruled himself out for reasons he doesn't want to admit, and Eric Wedge was given a courtesy interview but doesn't have any experience in the Cubs system.  I see no reason for Joe Girardi to leave the Yankees, and just because he played catcher for the Cubs in the early 2000s doesn't mean he would want to come back here.  Cubs officials have been watching Girardi for any signs determining his desire or not to leave New York.  Basically, they've been watching him advance in the postseason once again and manage his bullpen over a chalupa (see video).  Not much to suggest he wants to leave.

Why Bob Brenly Should Be the Next Cubs Manager

Bob Brenly was hired as the Cubs TV Color Commentator prior to the 2005 season and the most impressive spot on his resume that included stints as a player and manager was his 2001 World Series Champioship with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  He was a lifetime .247 hitter as a catcher in a nine year Major League career.  In his prime years, between 1984 and 1987, he hit .257 with 73 HR, 249 RBI, and 27 SB.  He was hired as a baseball analyst for Fox between 1996 and 2000, when he replaced Buck Showalter as Diamondbacks manager.  He went 303-262 as manager with two postseason appearances in three and a half years (he was fired after a 29-50 start to 2004).  After being replaced by Al Pedrique, he was hired the next season as Cubs TV color commentator to work with Len Kasper who had also just been hired.  Since then, Brenly has done a fantastic job in the broadcast booth speaking like a true baseball person.

There is lots of competition for this job, and yes I will get around all of them.  The list includes: Joe Girardi, Ryne Sandberg, Fredi Gonzalez, Joe Torre, and Brenly.  Girardi won NL Manager of the Year honors with the 2006 Marlins only to be fired the offseason following.  He became Yankees manager in 2008 and won the World Series his second year, leading those Yankees to yet another title.  Sandberg, a Hall of Famer for his amazing play at Wrigley in the 1980s and 90s, is currently managing the AAA Iowa Cubs after managing the Peoria Chiefs.  Just like the minor leaguers on his team, he is hoping for the call up to the show once again.  Gonzalez, highly respected in the baseball world for his admirable job managing the perennially underrated Marlins squad, has gone somewhat under the radar in this search.  While Lou Piniella retires likely to remain at 14th on the all-time wins leaderboard among managers, Torre ranks 4th all-time with 2,299 including 1,173 with the Yankees where he won six AL pennants and four World Series titles.  Currently managing the Dodgers, he has decided not to return to LA for 2011.

First, before I knock everyone else out, I need to sneak in a note about Ryne Sandberg.  Sandberg would be a fantastic Cubs manager.  His managing down on the farm is reportedly very good and not just a courtesy to a former great who wanted a shot at managing.  He is a hard-nosed baseball dude, and he played here and understands what that means as a member of the organization.  This is no small market club, and he truly believes he is capable of handling and succeeding at this job (http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=5398569), and Cub fans should believe in him.  If Bob Brenly isn't the Cubs manager for 2011, Ryne Sandberg is.  At least in my mind.

Brenly is my choice.  And here is why.  To become a great manager right away, instead of getting yourself settled for an entire year and figuring out everything on the job, you need to be familiar with everyone involved.  Brenly has been a part of this organization intensely since 2005, and knows everyone within it.  As a commentator, he is the guy who knows all of the stats about the Cubs strengths and weaknesses.  He knows what the fans are like.  He knows the players.  He knows the staff.  He knows how to manage.  He wears a World Series ring around.  He could make an immediate impact because he knows this club inside and out.  No other candidate can say that.

First Basemen Front and Central

The first basemen of the central divisions of baseball may be as stacked as they ever have been in the history of baseball.  Ferocious power hitters and tenacious defenders, these guys have their names all over the offensive leaderboards.  All eleven of the eleven central teams have a great first baseman.

National League
The first basemen of the NL Central have combined for 69 homers this season, including 15 by Albert Pujols and Joey Votto each, 10 by Garrett Jones and Derrek Lee each, 6 by Lance Berkman and 13 by Prince Fielder.  St. Louis' Pujols, a three-time MVP of the NL, can be counted on for consistent power production like this for years to come.  Votto is one of the NL's top young stars, leading the Reds in their push for first at age 26.  Fielder, also only 26, has had great power for years now and became one of few Milwaukee Brewers to hit 50 home runs in a season back in 2007.  Derrek Lee, who mashed 46 HR in 2005 and 35 HR in 2009 on the Cubs, really hasn't hit as well as anyone would've liked him to in 2010 but he got hot this last weekend and looks to keep his roll going.  Lance Berkman is on the downside of his career at 34 but still is the main run producer for a failing Houston Astros offense.  Jones took Pittsburgh by storm in 2009 after his summer call-up, a thrilling young talent who, with Andrew McCutchen, has given something for Pirates fans to root for.

American League
The first basemen of the AL have combined for 65 home runs, including 7 by Billy Butler, 17 by Paul Konerko, 8 by Travis Hafner, 19 by Miguel Cabrera, and 14 by Justin Morneau.  Butler is the offensive face of the Kansas City franchise, a young slugger with dominant power still in developing stages.  Paul Konerko is having a big comeback year, flashing back to his 40 HR days of old.  Morneau is leading the AL in walks and has become a perennial fixture for the Twins.  Hafner's career has been damaged much by injury, and he hasn't played a full season since 2007 but could be getting back to his old productive self.  Cabrera has been the best offensive player in the American League in 2010.  If the Tigers make the playoffs, he is my surefire MVP.  His 19 HR and 60 RBI lead the AL, and the .328 AVG ain't too bad either.

Significance?  69 HR by NL 1B, 65 HR by AL 1B.  What's the big deal?
Well, many scouts and baseball personnel like Ryne Sandberg agree, power at the corners is crucial.  Ryno's theory is simple: power in the corners (1B, 3B, RF, LF) and speed and defense up the middle (C, 2B, SS, CF).  There is more power in the Central than any other division in both leagues, where there are 59 HR from the NL East (Ryan Howard, Ike Davis, Adam Dunn, Gaby Sanchez, and Troy Glaus) and 44 HR from the NL West (James Loney, Aubrey Huff, Todd Helton, Adam LaRoche, Adrian Gonzalez).  In the AL, there are 49 HR from the AL East (Kevin Youkilis, Mark Teixeira, Carlos Pena, Lyle Overbay, and Garrett Atkins) and 26 HR from the AL West (Daric Barton, Mike Napoli filling in for Kendry Morales, Justin Smoak, and Casey Kotchman).  While steals are on the rise in today's game, the home run ball is becoming underrated as the home run in critical in the winning formula.  With no power, there are no wins.  With no power, you get the 2010 Seattle Mariners who are last in the league in home runs and their home run leaders are Milton Bradley and Mike Sweeney with a whopping six.

The Final Home Run Stats
AL East: 49
AL Central: 65
AL West: 26

NL East: 59
NL Central: 69
NL West: 44

Want more on home runs?
Check out hittrackeronline.com and tatertrottracker.com for all the stats you want.