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ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
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The Cardinals rallied from five runs down only to lose their season finale to Milwaukee on Sunday. They were swept by the Brewers for the second time in St. Louis this season, a feat that no other team has matched in the four years of new Busch Stadium.
Now it's on to the playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Even though the Cardinals have lost five of their last seven series after not dropping any of 13, manager Tony La Russa said, "We're the champions. We're 20 over (.500). And we'll play well on Wednesday."
The Cardinals probably will have 12 pitchers and 13 position players on their roster. They will not have oft-troubled infielder Khalil Greene, who has battled anxiety issues much of the season. He will be left off the postseason club even though he was eligible to play.
La Russa wouldn't elaborate on any roster scenarios after the game, although, after talking to Greene, he said, "We're all pleased he's gotten to the point where he feels good mentally and physically."
Greene, the opening-day cleanup hitter and shortstop, had a huge spring training but faltered early and then was felled by the increased intensity of anxiety issues he has fought for years. After one of his minor league rehabilitation stints, he homered in three consecutive games in Kansas City in June, and he had a game-tying homer as a pinch hitter to help the Cardinals beat Washington on Aug. 28.
But, after making his final start Sept. 5, Greene was 1-for-10 as a pinch hitter with five strikeouts. He was 5-for-32 (.156) as a pinch hitter for the season, and that probably would have been his role. His final season average was .200.
NOTES, QUOTES:
RHP Chris Carpenter was voted the NL Comeback Player of the Year. The award was voted on by the 30 beat writers for mlb.com.
The Cardinals go into the postseason with nobody on the disabled list or even hurt at all. Trainer Barry Weinberg said, "We have no physical issues. Everybody has no limitations, or nobody has any limitations."
RHP Joel Pineiro's five innings Sunday pushed the Cardinals' starting staff past the 1,000-inning mark for the season. At 1,003 2/3 innings, they led the major leagues.
The Brewers accounted for three of the seven series sweeps (three games or more) of the Cardinals in the last four years at Busch Stadium. 2B Skip Schumaker, after watching the Brewers perform their jersey-untucking ritual after Sunday's game, said, "I don't agree with it. It's not part of my growing up and playing the game right. It used to bother me way more than it does now, because the first time you see it, it kind of gets under your skin. But if that's what they want to do, that's fine. Now, they're going to be untucking them at home -- and we're not."
RHP Joel Pineiro (15-13) allowed four runs (three earned) in five innings Sunday. Pineiro, who will make his first postseason start Saturday night in Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the Dodgers in St. Louis, has given up four or more earned runs in four of his last seven starts. He had allowed four or more earned runs in four of his first 25 starts. But manager Tony La Russa said, "I think he's OK. Like all of us, we're not quite as much on edge, and the focus is a little bit off here and there ... but he'll be fine."
BY THE NUMBERS: 35 -- Sellout crowds at Busch Stadium during the regular season. The Cardinals drew 3,343,252 paid fans.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm still hungry. I've got 10 fingers. There's one that's busy. Now I need nine more." -- 1B Albert Pujols, who has been on one World Series winner. This year is the sixth time in his nine seasons that the Cardinals have made the postseason.
ROSTER REPORT:
Skip Schumaker finished his first season as a second baseman with a .303 average, one point higher than his mark as an outfielder last year before he was converted.
Manager Tony La Russa, whose brainstorm it was last winter to put Schumaker at second, said, "I don't think that in all the years I've managed, there's been anything more impressive. What he has done and how good he's become ... I rank it really high."
1B Albert Pujols, with his 185th assist of the season Sunday, set a major league record for assists by a first baseman. "I'm an aggressive first baseman. I'm not afraid to make errors," Pujols said. Pujols hit 47 homers, giving him his first National League home run title -- even though he hasn't homered since hitting two at Milwaukee on Sept. 9, a span of 79 at-bats. "Obviously, I hit a little bump here the last couple of weeks," he said, "but if you look at my whole year, I was pretty consistent all year long."
3B David Freese finished Sunday's game behind the plate, making his first appearance as a catcher in pro ball. He caught a foul popup, falling backward after making the play.
EX-INDIAN FACTOR: Coach Dave Duncan; 3B-OF Mark DeRosa; RF Ryan Ludwick.
MEDICAL WATCH:
No injured players.
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CHICAGO CUBS
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The Cubs went into this season with high expectations and were the odds-on favorites to win their third straight NL Central title. Instead, they suffered through a season of injury, under-performance and distraction created by Milton Bradley, a free agent acquisition who was supposed to solve an important offensive problem.
General manager Jim Hendry pointed out that although it might take him four or five months to finalize a roster for the 2010 Cubs, the team is coming off a disappointing season but not a disastrous one.
"There were a lot of positives, and we don't have a poor situation by any stretch of the imagination," Hendry said. "We have a lot of good guys coming back. We don't have an old team."
The Cubs thought they had solved their need for a left-handed bat when they signed Bradley, a switch-hitting right fielder, to a three-year, $30 million contract. That deal blew up in the Cubs' faces. Bradley didn't produce as expected, and Hendry suspended him with two weeks to go in the season after several behavior-related incidents.
Injuries to left fielder Alfonso Soriano and third baseman Aramis Ramirez certainly hurt, but so did poor seasons by Soriano, catcher Geovany Soto and second baseman Mike Fontenot.
The Cubs have good starting pitching. Minor injuries kept all but right-hander Ryan Dempster from reaching 200 innings, but with a staff that includes Dempster, lefty Ted Lilly, nominal ace Carlos Zambrano and Rookie of the Year Candidate Randy Wells, the pitching should be in good hands.
The back of the bullpen was a problem until Carlos Marmol replaced Kevin Gregg as the closer. Promising reliever Angel Guzman pulled up lame with a minor triceps injury at the end of the season, but John Grabow came over from Pittsburgh in July and solidified the 'pen from the left side.
A lack of speed and range on defense remain glaring weaknesses on this team, but the smaller dimensions of Wrigley Field offset that somewhat.
Look for Hendry to acquire a middle-of-the-order hitter after he trades Bradley. A leadoff-type hitter also might be on the radar, but with new ownership coming in this fall, Hendry might be hampered financially.
The Cubs finished with winning records three seasons in a row for the first time since 1967-72, and the nucleus is there to get back to the playoffs in 2010. Hendry is on the clock, and he'll need to make wise decisions now more than ever.
NOTES, QUOTES:
RHP Ryan Dempster became the only Cubs pitcher to reach 200 innings when he pitched five innings in the season finale. The Cubs lost 5-2 to the Diamondbacks, and Dempster's record fell to 11-9 with a 3.64 ERA. "I'd much rather have taken a 'W,'" said Dempster, who won 17 games last year. "It's frustrating because when you get to something you really didn't think you could get to as far as a personal goal of getting to so many innings, winning a game is more important than any personal stat out there."
RHP Randy Wells and LHP Ted Lilly led Cubs pitchers in victories with 12 each. Wells, a Rookie of the Year candidate, led Cubs starters with a 3.05 ERA.
OF Sam Fuld hit his first major league home run in the finale, which also gave him his first big-league RBI. Fuld played in 14 games for the Cubs in 2007 and 65 games this season. "It took so long, I figured something weird would happen like that," he said. "I didn't know it was going to be a home run. I thought maybe it would be a hit-by-pitch or something like that. It's nice to get that out of the way."
1B Derrek Lee finished with a .306 batting average, 35 homers and a career-best 111 RBIs to go along with a .393 on-base percentage and .579 slugging percentage. It's the 20th season in Cubs history in which a player has batted at least .300, hit at least 30 homers and driven in at least 100 runs. "We didn't play anywhere near how we expected to," Lee said, discounting the personal stats. "It's definitely disappointing."
RHP Aaron Heilman worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning in the finale. It was his 70th appearance of the season, marking the fourth straight year he has appeared in 70 games. Heilman is eligible for arbitration, and it's uncertain whether the Cubs will have him back after he went 4-4 with a 4.11 ERA.
SS Ryan Theriot's batting average dropped from .307 last year to .284. His on-base percentage fell from .387 to .343. He did turn in career bests with seven homers and 54 RBIs. "I felt like I had a pretty good year last year," he said. "This year, yeah, there are some things I felt I could have done different, probably a little bit better. We'll address that in the offseason and get after it."
BY THE NUMBERS: 3 -- Times the Cubs put their opening-day lineup on the field this year. The Cubs had 15 players on the disabled list a total of 18 times. They also suspended RF Milton Bradley for the final two weeks of the season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't want to talk beyond next year. I've been very appreciative that I could come to a wonderful city like this, a wonderful franchise like this and get a chance to close out my career. It's been everything I've bargained for and even more. It really has been." -- Manager Lou Piniella, on whether he'd consider managing past 2010, when his contract expires.
ROSTER REPORT:
The Cubs completed their third consecutive above-.500 season for the first time since they did it six times in a row from 1967 to 1972. But it wasn't good enough to get them into the playoffs, as they missed for the first time since 2006. The Cubs certainly aren't in need of an overhaul. As manager Lou Piniella pointed out, they need better health and bounce-back seasons from a couple of key players in 2010.
BIGGEST NEEDS: GM Jim Hendry first must find a taker for RF Milton Bradley, whom he suspended with two weeks left in the season because of behavior issues. Hendry might have to eat most of the $21 million Bradley has left on his $30 million deal, but at this point, it's time to cut the losses. The Cubs then must find a hitter to bat in the middle of the lineup and produce runs.
FREE AGENTS: RHP Rich Harden, RHP Kevin Gregg, OF Reed Johnson, LHP John Grabow, RHP Chad Fox, OF So Taguchi.
The Cubs got 26 starts out of Harden, who has had a history of shoulder problems. Gregg lost his job as closer to RHP Carlos Marmol. Johnson, unlike Harden and Gregg, has a shot at coming back, but the Cubs have a host of young outfielders who can fill a backup role.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: SS Ryan Theriot, C Koyie Hill, IF Mike Fontenot, RHP Aaron Heilman, LHP Sean Marshall, RHP Carlos Marmol, LHP Tom Gorzelanny, LHP Neal Cotts, RHP Angel Guzman, INF Jeff Baker.
The Cubs have not gone to an arbitration hearing in almost two decades. That could change with either Theriot or Marmol, or both. The Cubs figure to agree to terms with Hill, a dependable backup. They could non-tender Heilman and then offer him a contract at a lower rate than what he could get in arbitration.
IN LIMBO: The Cubs still must find a taker for OF Milton Bradley, who has played for seven teams in nine years and has worn out his welcome almost everywhere.
MEDICAL WATCH:
LF Alfonso Soriano (arthroscopic left knee surgery in September 2009) will rehab back home in the Dominican Republic. The Cubs are counting on Soriano for a strong comeback next year.
3B Aramis Ramirez (dislocated left shoulder) played the second half with the aftereffects of the injury, which occurred in May. Ramirez maintains he does not need surgery, but he must work to strengthen the shoulder.
1B Derrek Lee (neck spasms) will use the winter to rest.
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MILWAUKEE BREWERS
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The Brewers appeared en route to living up to expectations when they made it to July in first place in the NL Central. Then, the starting pitching imploded and the team went into a downward spiral that never stopped.
It didn't help when Dave Bush was lost for two months with an arm injury and Jeff Suppan was sidelined for one month with an oblique strain. A series of fill-in starters did little to hold the fort, and the Brewers found themselves playing from behind far too often.
The endless series of short-inning starts eventually led to the deterioration of an overworked bullpen, prompting general manager Doug Melvin to acquire help such as Claudio Vargas and David Weathers. Closer Trevor Hoffman remained a stalwart, converting 37 of 41 save situations and proving to be one of the best free agent acquisitions of the offseason.
Another tough blow was the mid-May loss of second baseman Rickie Weeks, who was off to a strong start (nine homers, 24 RBIs in 37 games). Weeks underwent wrist surgery and never returned, though his absence was covered somewhat with the midseason trade for second baseman Felipe Lopez.
Left fielder Ryan Braun and first baseman Prince Fielder continued to form one of the most potent 1-2 punches in the majors in the Nos. 3 and 4 spots in the lineup. Braun and Fielder each drove in 100-plus runs and scored 100-plus, putting them in select company in club history.
By tying Philadelphia's Ryan Howard for the league lead with 141 RBIs, Fielder smashed the club record of 126 established by Cecil Cooper back in 1983. Braun (203) became the first Brewer to collect 200 hits in a season since Paul Molitor (216) in 1991.
Together, Fielder and Braun combined to drive in 255 runs, tops among teammates in the majors.
Third baseman Casey McGehee unexpectedly emerged as a Rookie of the Year candidate after spending the first six weeks of the season on the bench. In 116 games, McGehee batted .301 with 16 homers and 66 RBIs.
On the flip side, shortstop J.J. Hardy played his way to the minors in August with his worst season offensively. Shortstop prospect Alcides Escobar was called up to replace him and by all appearances will man the position next season.
Because of the pitching implosion, Melvin did not put the blame on manager Ken Macha, who will be back in 2010 with an option added for the following season. But Melvin is on the lookout for a new pitching coach and said that was his first priority for the offseason.
NOTES, QUOTES:
RHP Trevor Hoffman agreed to a one-year contract for 2010 the day after the season ended, according to various media outlets. Hoffman converted 37 of 41 save opportunities this season and had a 1.83 ERA and had told reporters over the weekend that he was trying to work out a deal with the team, so the quick agreement was not a surprise.
Manager Ken Macha was told he would be returning for the second year of his two-year deal in 2010, plus a club option was added for 2011. Bench coach Willie Randolph, hitting coach Dale Sveum, first base coach Ed Sedar and third base coach Brad Fischer were invited back, too. Interim pitching coach Chris Bosio and bullpen coach Stan Kyles were not offered contracts.
LF Ryan Braun became the fourth player in club history to collect 200 hits in a season when he socked a two-run homer in the first inning Oct. 3 against St. Louis RHP Kyle Lohse. Braun led the NL with 203 hits, becoming the first Brewer to lead the league since Paul Molitor in 1991.
RHP Braden Looper will have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in the next week or so. Looper pitched the entire season with a torn meniscus in the knee yet recorded a career high in victories. He went 14-7 with a 5.22 ERA, which he said he was disappointed with.
1B Prince Fielder hit two homers and drove in three runs in the Brewers' final game in St. Louis, giving him 46 HRs and 141 RBIs for the season. Fielder tied Philadelphia 1B Ryan Howard for the NL RBI title, the first time a Brewer at least shared it since Cecil Cooper in 1983 (126, tied with Boston's Jim Rice). Fielder, who socked 50 homers in 2007, now has the top two homer seasons in club history.
CF Mike Cameron suffered a mild concussion making a diving catch of a sinking line drive by St. Louis CF Colby Rasmus in the sixth inning of the season finale. Cameron was removed from the game the next inning.
RHP Jeff Suppan started on short rest in the finale and went two innings. The start was the 30th of the season for Suppan, allowing him to extend his string of seasons with at least 30 to 11.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5.37 -- Earned run average of Brewers' starting pitchers, the worst in the National League.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's going to be an interesting offseason. It could be a completely different look next year. The reality in a small market is there's a small window for us to win. We're not the Yankees or the Red Sox, where you can have a $200 million payroll." -- LF Ryan Braun.
ROSTER REPORT:
GM Doug Melvin has not had this many roster decisions to make since taking over the club in September 2002. Beyond the several key free agents such as CF Mike Cameron, C Jason Kendall, 2B Felipe Lopez and RHP Trevor Hoffman, Melvin must try to rebuild a rotation that ranked last in the NL in ERA. In other words, it's going to be a busy offseason.
BIGGEST NEEDS: Beyond figuring out who will play the key positions of center field and catcher, the Brewers must strengthen their starting staff. Whether that means making trades or signing free agents, they cannot come back with the same five starters who collectively ranked last in the NL. Other decisions loom, but it all starts with improving a rotation that took down the team in 2009.
FREE AGENTS: C Jason Kendall, 2B Felipe Lopez, CF Mike Cameron, INF Craig Counsell, RHP Claudio Vargas, OF Frank Catalanotto, The Brewers have tough decisions on Kendall and Cameron because they don't have obvious internal options at those positions yet might not want to spend the money necessary to keep both players. Lopez is a Class A free agent, so the Brewers might offer arbitration merely to keep draft-pick compensation in place.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: OF Jody Gerut, SS J.J. Hardy, RF Corey Hart, C Mike Rivera, 2B Rickie Weeks, RHP Dave Bush, RHP Todd Coffey, RHP Seth McClung.
The Brewers are more likely to trade Hardy than offer him salary arbitration, with rookie Alcides Escobar proving he's ready to take over at shortstop. McClung might be cut loose, as he pitched sparingly after hurting his elbow in late July. The other players are expected to be invited back.
IN LIMBO: RHP Braden Looper's contract has a $6.5 million mutual option. The Brewers probably will exercise their side of the deal, but Looper he can opt to become a free agent if he wishes. RHP David Weathers has a $3.7 million option that probably will not be picked up.
MEDICAL WATCH:
LHP Manny Parra (left shoulder) was scheduled for surgery Oct. 6.
2B Rickie Weeks (left wrist surgery in May 2009) is expected to be fully healed by spring training.
RHP Braden Looper (torn cartilage in right knee) is scheduled for arthroscopic surgery in October.
3B Casey McGehee (loose bodies in right knee) was scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on Oct. 6.
RHP David Riske (Tommy John elbow surgery in June 2009) is not expected back until late next season, at the earliest.
RF Corey Hart (sprained fingers on right hand) is expected to be fully recovered in October.
RHP Mark DiFelice (strained right shoulder) will continue his physical therapy until he's ready for a throwing program.
RHP Mike Burns (damage to labrum in right shoulder) was shut down for the season in late September. He might need surgery.
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CINCINNATI REDS
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Manager Dusty Baker was able to take a look at a lot of players this season because of injuries that forced the Reds to use the disabled list 21 times and send seven players to the operating table.
Perhaps the biggest find came after David Weathers, a setup reliever, was traded in late July 7. Right-hander Nick Masset was moved into that role, and he was nearly perfect the rest of the season.
After three years of trial and error, right-hander Homer Bailey was called up from the minors at midseason and finally asserted himself when he moved into the rotation.
Baker also cited the emergence of outfielders Jonny Gomes and Laynce Nix, two guys nearly on the scrap heap who stepped into important roles. "We were able to help them resurrect their careers," he said.
The rotation figures to be in good hands with veteran right-handers Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo coupled with a maturing Bailey and right-hander Johnny Cueto. The team will need a fifth starter until right-hander Edinson Volquez returns next year from Tommy John surgery.
Drew Stubbs, a first-round draft pick in 2007, was called up in August and was the team's best offensive weapon in the final two months, showing power and speed to go with his excellent defensive ability. But he might not be the leadoff hitter the team needs -- his on-base percentage was only .323.
Shortstop Paul Janish displayed Gold Glove defensive ability after Alex Gonzalez was traded, but his average was only .211 -- especially bad considering he hit in the No. 2 spot. He'll be the No. 1 shortstop candidate next year, but the team wants him to push his average to at least .250.
With Janish, third baseman Scott Rolen, second baseman Brandon Phillips and first baseman Joey Votto, the infield is fairly solid and steady, but decisions must be made in the outfield. The candidates figure to be Gomes, Nix, Stubbs, Jay Bruce, Willy Taveras and Wladimir Balentien.
NOTES, QUOTES:
RHP Bronson Arroyo, long bothered by carpal tunnel syndrome, said he would not have right wrist surgery in the offseason. He cited his effective performance this year despite the ailment: a team-high 15 victories with a rotation-best 3.84 ERA. Arroyo, an avid musician, said he would play his guitar in the offseason. He had given up strumming during the season to lessen the stress on his wrist.
RHP Johnny Cueto said he wants to pitch winter ball, but the Reds might invoke the "Extreme Fatigue Rule," which a team can do with its major league players if they've pitched more than 170 innings. Cueto pitched 171 1/3 innings this year.
RF Jay Bruce had planned to play a month of winter ball in the Dominican Republic to get some at-bats after missing nearly two months because of a broken right wrist. But after playing most of the last three weeks of the season, he changed his mind and said he had enough at-bats to find his stroke.
OF Laynce Nix led the club in left field starts with 59, and the Reds went 31-28 in those games. The club used seven starters in left field -- Nix, Jonny Gomes, Chris Dickerson, Wladimir Balentien, Darnell McDonald, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Drew Sutton.
2B Brandon Phillips (30 doubles, 20 homers, 25 stolen bases) is the only player in club history to go 20/20/20 three straight years. Phillips and the Marlins' Hanley Ramirez are the only major league players to do it in each of the past three seasons.
3B Scott Rolen's arrival from Toronto on Aug. 1 was a huge turnaround for the team. The Reds, who were 46-58 when he arrived, went 26-11 in games he started at third. He missed 17 games because of a concussion and back spasms.
BY THE NUMBERS: 115 -- Runs allowed by the Reds in the first inning this season, tops in the majors. They were outscored in the first inning 115-81 while allowing first-inning runs in 58 of their 162 games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't want pitchers who go five and fly, looking to leave quickly if they have a lead so they can get the win." -- Manager Dusty Baker, talking about his team's 78 quality starts this season.
ROSTER REPORT:
The Reds go into the offseason wondering if they need to fill left field with a right-handed power hitter and whether to keep closer Francisco Cordero or try to trade his $12 million contract.
BIGGEST NEEDS: A leadoff hitter and a No. 2 hitter who can get on base. The players the Reds used in those two spots struggled to have a .300 on-base percentage, which is way too low for the top of the order.
FREE AGENTS: RHP Kip Wells.
Wells isn't essential to the Reds' plans.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: OF Jonny Gomes, C Corky Miller, OF Laynce Nix.
The club is likely to offer arbitration to both Gomes and Nix, who shared a lot of duty in left field and could do so again if the team doesn't find a right-handed power hitter who can play there.
IN LIMBO: C Ramon Hernandez could become a free agent, but the team has an $8.5 million option on him and must decide whether to exercise it, try to sign him at a lower figure, trade him or let him test free agency.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Edinson Volquez (Tommy John elbow surgery in August 2009) is way ahead of schedule. He is hoping to return by July 2010.
RHP Mike Lincoln (neck surgery in July 2009) has been throwing bullpen sessions now that the bulging disk in his neck has been repaired. He is expected to return for spring training.
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HOUSTON ASTROS
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The Astros learned this season just how much pitching wins in baseball. They also found that their weak farm system, which club officials acknowledge has its top prospect at Class A, isn't going to offer much hope for the immediate future.
The Astros' strength, by far, is their outfield, although nobody would say left fielder Carlos Lee and right fielder Hunter Pence are candidates for Gold Gloves. But Lee was the club's RBI and home run leader, while center fielder Michael Bourn was the team's MVP and the stolen base leader in the NL. Pence was an All-Star and second on the team in home runs, tying with Lance Berkman, who had a major downturn this season.
Another major question, especially in the immediate future, is who will become the club's manager to replace Cecil Cooper, who was fired on Sept. 21.
The Astros also learned that rookie right-hander Bud Norris, who finished 6-3 overall and on a three-game winning streak before he was shut down in mid-September, might have a future in this league. The rotation needs him -- the only established, quality starting pitchers returning are left-hander Wandy Rodriguez and right-hander Roy Oswalt.
The Astros need to figure out if they can afford to re-sign closer Jose Valverde, who will test the free agent market and could cash in.
Besides pitching, the Astros also are weak on defense. Bourn, a Gold Glove candidate, and second baseman Kaz Matsui are the only quality defenders on the club.
The Astros finished fifth in the National League Central with the fifth-worst record in the NL. Only seven teams in the majors won fewer games this season.
"It certainly would be much more enjoyable if our last day was a celebration in the postseason followed by a parade," general manager Ed Wade said. "We're not there, so it's a disappointment. We had some opportunities to get on a roll, but we couldn't do it for a variety of reasons. So I don't think anybody is coming out of this season with any measure of satisfaction."
On the positive side, Bourn, Rodriguez, setup man Jeff Fulchino and reliever Alberto Arias had breakout years.
Tejada also provided highlights with his leadership in the clubhouse and on the field in a year Pence earned his first All-Star bid before tailing off in the second half.
"I managed 13 games with guys who really wanted to play, who played hard and went about it the right way," said interim manager Dave Clark, a former Indians outfielder. "And I couldn't have asked for anything more. When I first got the job, that was one of the things that I stressed: Let's just go play the game right, play the game hard and see where it leads us. You just never know. This game is crazy at times. And they did what I asked them to do, and I really appreciate them for that."
NOTES, QUOTES:
CF Michael Bourn was voted the Astros' Most Valuable Player. LHP Wandy Rodriguez was the team's Pitcher of the Year, RHP Jeff Fulchino was the Rookie of the Year and RHP Brian Moehler was the Darryl Kile Good Guy Award recipient.
"It's a great honor just to be able to do that in every aspect," Bourn said. "It's an honor just because of the players we have on this team, from Lance (Berkman) to Carlos Lee, Hunter (Pence), Miggy (Miguel Tejada) and Wandy. I'm thankful for that."
Bourn, the NL leader in stolen bases, edged out team RBI and home run leader Lee for the award. Going into the season, many critics wondered whether Bourn could keep his job.
Although his list of candidates is somewhat set, GM Ed Wade will check with the Astros' leadership in October before he starts asking other clubs for permission to interview managerial candidates.
"We're probably going to get together internally ... to begin to sort of formalize the process, lock down our initial candidate list and try to determine when we're all going to be in the same place at the same time to be able to bring in candidates and talk to them," Wade said. "We're not there. We're pretty comfortable with the initial list that we've got, but I want to have the opportunity to sit down with several of us at the same time just to go over it and confirm that we're in the right place."
RHP Wilton Lopez took the loss in the season finale after giving up six hits and four runs (three earned) with two walks and one strikeout over five innings. "I'm still learning," said Lopez, who will pitch in the Arizona Fall League.
SS Miguel Tejada finished with 199 hits. He was trying to join Craig Biggio as the only players in franchise history to collect 200 hits in a season, but he finished one shy of his fourth career 200-hit season. "I'm really happy," he said after finishing with a 21-game hitting streak and the second-most hits for a season in franchise history, 11 shy of the 210 Biggio had in 1998. "I thank God a million times already for the year that I had. I talked to my family already and said if I don't get to 200, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to get to 199. I was glad to do it. I'm happy to have my family see what I did."
BY THE NUMBERS: 7 -- Major league teams that had worse records than the Astros this year.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I guess it's turned into par for the course. This has definitely been one of the most disappointing seasons that I can remember having here. It's one of the few times where we've come into the last weekend of the season with no chance of making the postseason. It's foreign territory for this organization." -- 1B Lance Berkman, after the Astros were shut out on the final day of a miserable season.
ROSTER REPORT:
The Astros are in flux as they try to find a manager who will be willing to manage a team GM Ed Wade has admitted must get younger next year, partly for economic reasons.
BIGGEST NEEDS: The Astros desperately need to improve their pitching. LHP Wandy Rodriguez and RHP Roy Oswalt are a quality 1-2 punch, but Oswalt is recovering from a bulging back disk that forced the club to shut him down in mid-September. There's no guarantee he will be as dominant as he has been in the past. After the top two starters, however, the Astros have rookie RHP Bud Norris and RHP Brian Moehler, who didn't win after Aug. 22. There's no way the club can compete with that rotation. And their bullpen could be rudderless if closer Jose Valverde leaves via free agency.
FREE AGENTS: RHP Jose Valverde, RHP LaTroy Hawkins, LHP Mike Hampton, SS Miguel Tejada, OF Darin Erstad, INF Geoff Blum, INF Aaron Boone, OF Jason Michaels, RHP Doug Brocail.
The Astros are looking to slash payroll, which means several players on this list -- including the big names like Valverde and Tejada -- could be gone. Valverde probably will get big money elsewhere, and Tejada figures to draw some interest from other teams, too.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: LHP Wandy Rodriguez, CF Michael Bourn, LHP Tim Byrdak, C Chris Coste, RF Hunter Pence, RHP Chad Paronto, C Humberto Quintero, RHP Chris Sampson, 3B Jeff Keppinger.
Rodriguez is the only arbitration-eligible Astro who might get a long-term contract.
IN LIMBO: C Chris Coste could be non-tendered. Expect many teams to come calling about RF Hunter Pence, a first-time All-Star.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Roy Oswalt (degenerative back disk) will try to strengthen his back this winter with trunk exercises. The ailment affected him the final month of the season and prompted the club to shut him down on Sept. 16.
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PITTSBURGH PIRATES
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Few clubs have ever gone through a more complete makeover during a season than the Pirates in 2009.
General manager Neal Huntington made seven trades from June 3 to July 30, purging the roster of most of the veterans and replacing them with young major-leaguers and prospects. By the time the season was over, just 12 players remained from the opening-day roster, and the Pirates had a record 17th consecutive losing season with a 62-99 record.
The Pirates had been tied with the 1933-48 Philadelphia Phillies for the losing-season record but left no doubt about their chances of finishing under .500 by losing 23 games in a 26-game stretch from Aug. 28-Sept. 24.
"Nobody is happy with how this season turned out," Huntington said. "A 99-loss season is unacceptable on any level."
However, the Pirates believe that have laid the groundwork for future success and have built up a deeper inventory of young players with the moves. When Huntington replaced Dave Littlefield as GM late in the 2007 season, he inherited a farm system that was considered among the worst in baseball.
"We could have loaded up this year, got our record over .500 and not had to hear any more talk about the record," Huntington said. "However, we would have paid for it future years. We're trying to build a sustainable championship organization, and you have to go through growing pains and tough times to reach that level."
The Pirates still have plenty of question marks as they look ahead to 2010, but they do have the makings of a decent rotation. The starting staff is fronted by left-handers Zach Duke (11-16, 4.06 ERA) and Paul Maholm (8-9, 4.44) and includes promising right-handers Ross Ohlendorf (11-10, 3.92) and Charlie Morton (5-9, 4.55).
The bullpen is not as solid. Closer Matt Capps converted 27 of 32 save opportunities but had a 5.80 ERA, and Huntington possibly will look to trade him in the winter rather than go to a potential salary arbitration hearing. The Pirates do have some promising young short-relief arms in right-handers Jesse Chavez, Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek, though they are far from proven commodities. The Pirates also finished the season without a reliable left-handed reliever.
Catcher Ryan Doumit is the only regular remaining from July 2008. The switch hitter is in over his head as the cleanup hitter, but he is the most proven bat in the lineup, and the Pirates are hopeful he will provide more power in 2010 after missing 76 games in the first half of 2009 with a broken bone in his right wrist. He hit .250 with 10 home runs and 38 RBIs in 75 games.
First baseman Garrett Jones (.293-21-44) and center fielder Andrew McCutchen (.286-12-54) both had fine rookie years despite not being called up from Class AAA Indianapolis until June. McCutchen's performance was expected, as he has been a highly touted prospect since the Pirates chose him in the first round of the 2005 draft. Jones, 28, was a complete surprise, as he had spent 11 seasons in the minor leagues, including five at Class AAA, when promoted on June 30.
The only other positions players who figure to have a leg up on starting jobs when spring training begins next February are left fielder Lastings Milledge (.290-4-20 for the Pirates) and shortstop Ronny Cedeno (.258-5-21 for Pittsburgh). Milledge came from Washington in a trade with the reputation of having attitude problems, but he worked extremely hard after joining the Pirates on July 31 and showed great improvement down the stretch. Cedeno played solid defense during the final two months of the season after being acquired from Seattle in a trade, but his bat is a question mark.
Second baseman Delwyn Young (.266-7-43), third baseman Andy LaRoche (.258-12-64) and right fielder Brandon Moss (.236-7-41) all had their moments. However, they will have to fight to retain their starting jobs in spring training. The Pirates are giving serious thought to trying LaRoche at second base next spring and signing a free agent this winter to challenge or supplant Moss in right field.
"This was sort of a unique season in that it was almost like we had two different teams, one before the trades and one after," manager John Russell said. "It was tough from the fact you were bringing a lot of players from a lot of different organizations and putting them together in the middle of the season.
"Things will be different next year. We'll go through a full spring training together. Everyone will know everyone else better. Everyone will have a better understanding of the Pirates' way of doing everything. I'm really looking forward to it."
NOTES, QUOTES:
3B Andy LaRoche has been approached by the Pirates about working out at second base in spring training. The Pirates' top prospect, Pedro Alvarez, is a third baseman, and moving LaRoche would clear a path to the major leagues for him. Furthermore, the Pirates are not convinced 2B Delwyn Young can be an everyday player after he struggled during the final month of the season.
The Pirates were, fittingly, shut out in their season finale, losing 6-0 to Cincinnati. It marked the big-league-worst 17th time they were blanked this season. The Pirates had 10 hits but left 13 runners on base. RHP Jeff Karstens (4-6) was the starter and loser, giving up two runs and four hits in 2 1/3 innings. Rookie LHP Donnie Veal was rocked for four runs in one inning.
LHP Paul Maholm finally admitted that he pitched all season with soreness in his left knee. Maholm strained the knee while pitching on opening day in St. Louis, and he had it wrapped in ice after every start. While he was able to get through the season without a missing a turn in the rotation, he finished just 8-9 with a 4.44 ERA in 31 starts. Maholm is optimistic that he won't need offseason surgery on a knee that has already been surgically repaired four times.
RF Brandon Moss was told by GM Neal Huntington and manager John Russell during a meeting over the weekend that will have to win his starting job back in spring training next season. Moss received his first chance to play regularly in the major leagues this season, getting 385 at-bats but hitting .236 with seven home runs and 41 RBIs.
C Ryan Doumit sat out the last two games of the season because of a mild concussion. Doumit was injured when struck on the head by a foul tip.
RHP Jose Ascanio's target date to return to game action next season in June 1. He underwent arthroscopic surgery Oct. 2 to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder.
BY THE NUMBERS: 49 -- Players used by the Pirates this season, which ties the franchise record that was set in 1987 and matched in 2001.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I know we look bad right now with the record, but I really believe we're building something special here. It might not happen overnight because we've got a young team, but we're heading in the right direction. Things are going to change for the better." -- RHP Jeff Karstens, on the Pirates, who were 62-99 for their 17th consecutive losing season, setting a major North American professional sports record.
ROSTER REPORT:
The results looked as bad as ever this year, as the Pirates stumbled through their 17th losing season in a row. However, the future appears brighter thanks to a series of trades that rid the team of veteran players and brought back a stable of prospects. The record string of losing years figures to reach 18 in 2010, though.
BIGGEST NEEDS: The Pirates, who finished last in the National League in runs scored, need a power hitter for the middle of the lineup, preferably a left-handed hitting right fielder after Brandon Moss failed to fill the bill. They also would like to add a reliable left-handed reliever and a second baseman who could compete with Delwyn Young for the starting job in spring training.
FREE AGENTS: No one on the roster is eligible for free agency.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: RHP Denny Bautista, RHP Matt Capps, SS Ronny Cedeno, LHP Zach Duke, RHP Jeff Karstens, RHP Tyler Yates, RHP Ross Ohlendorf (possible Super 2).
The Pirates will at least explore the idea of signing Duke to a multiyear contract, and the same could hold true for Ohlendorf if he qualifies for arbitration as a Super 2 player (in the top 17 percent of major league players with between two and three years of service time). Capps, Cedeno and Karstens figure to return on one-year deals. Bautista was not tendered a contract last winter, and the Pirates likely will take the same course of action again, making him a free agent. Yates, who had Tommy John surgery on his elbow in July, also will be non-tendered.
IN LIMBO: RHP Matt Capps and C Ryan Doumit will be used as potential trade bait, especially if the Pirates can get a decent package of youngsters in return. RF Brandon Moss likely will be traded if the Pirates acquire a power-hitting outfielder in free agency.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Jose Ascanio (arthroscopic right shoulder surgery in October 2009) likely will be out until June.
RHP Craig Hansen (nerve irritation in neck) did not pitch after April 20. His status is questionable, as he must wait for the nerve to regenerate.
RHP Tyler Yates (Tommy John elbow surgery in July 2009) is unlikely to be ready to throw off a mound when spring training begins or pitch in a major league game until the All-Star break.
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