Rent, don't buy - AL

[da_big_kid_94]

Who are your faves to be looking over their shoulders when the season begins in the American League(the short leash theory)? I'm looking at these;

• Nolan Reimold - O's keep looking for bats.
• Will Middlebrooks - can he last to June when draft pick penalties expire and Drew is still out there?
• Adam Dunn - last year of his deal - perfect trade bait by mid season
• Mitch Moreland - better start out hot as a DH only - guys like Kendry are still out there
• Justin Smoak - quite a few 1B options on that projected 25 man roster besides him
• Daric Barton - is he some sort of legacy from an earlier time in A's history?
• Kelly Johnson - Yanks are storing MI's like chord firewood

Any others anyone would like to venture an opinion on?

[Todd Zola]

FWIW Kelly Johnson will be playing 3rd base where he's fairly safe

Lonnie Chisenhall - I've been saying the Santana expt was just that and Francona said Chisenhall is his guy but if he scuffles he may not be his guy much longer (I think he'll be OK)

Jackie Bradley - No CF is safe until Alejandro de Aza is traded

[deansdaddy]

Asdrubal Cabrera - A free agent at season's end - with Lindor already looking ready with the glove and Mike Aviles around to bridge the gap - Cabrera is the Indian most likely to get traded this year.

Agree with Todd on Chisenhall. I think he will be okay -BUT he is best served by having a platoon mate to limit his time against lefties, who he just can't hit. So I think Santana is going to get that 3B eligibility and Aviles will see some time there as well.

Dustin Ackley - His days are numbered in CF for the M's.

Ryan Goins - Ditto. Why don't Blue Jays just make a Nick Franklin for Anthony Gose trade with M's already. Fills both teams needs.

Alex Presley - He is a fourth OF who is starting. Someone is going to chip away at his playing time pretty quickly.

[Captain Hook]

Asdrubal Cabrera - A free agent at season's end - with Lindor already looking ready with the glove and Mike Aviles around to bridge the gap - Cabrera is the Indian most likely to get traded this year.

Agree with Todd on Chisenhall. I think he will be okay -BUT he is best served by having a platoon mate to limit his time against lefties, who he just can't hit. So I think Santana is going to get that 3B eligibility and Aviles will see some time there as well.

Dustin Ackley - His days are numbered in CF for the M's.

Ryan Goins - Ditto. Why don't Blue Jays just make a Nick Franklin for Anthony Gose trade with M's already. Fills both teams needs.

Alex Presley - He is a fourth OF who is starting. Someone is going to chip away at his playing time pretty quickly.

Cabrera - agree

Chisenhall needs a miracle to survive

Ackley is starting in LF and has a pretty long leash as far as I can tell (of course all bets off if they re-sign Kendrys)

Goins is safe for now (but could certainly play his way out of a job)

Presley not hitting this spring and could easily lose at bats to Aaron Hicks

[Captain Hook]

Who are your faves to be looking over their shoulders when the season begins in the American League(the short leash theory)? I'm looking at these;

• Nolan Reimold - O's keep looking for bats.
• Will Middlebrooks - can he last to June when draft pick penalties expire and Drew is still out there?
• Adam Dunn - last year of his deal - perfect trade bait by mid season
• Mitch Moreland - better start out hot as a DH only - guys like Kendry are still out there
• Justin Smoak - quite a few 1B options on that projected 25 man roster besides him
• Daric Barton - is he some sort of legacy from an earlier time in A's history?
• Kelly Johnson - Yanks are storing MI's like chord firewood

Any others anyone would like to venture an opinion on?

Disagree on Smoak, Johnson, Moreland, and to a lesser degree on Dunn (De Aza is the player they are already trying to trade)

[da_big_kid_94]

I'd agree on Johnson guys if the Yankees had bothered to sign a 3B somewhere down the line ... but all they are doing is throwing MIs at the wall and hoping one of them sticks as a 3B. The Yankee 3B is the last name written on the lineup card from the day before.

They're supposedly trying to trade De Aza I know - but what is wrong with this picture - De Aza at $4.25 this year and final year of arb in 15 or Dunn at $14 mil in his walk year. Can't just dump De Aza and get zip back for a guy they have under control for the next two years. Isn't his fault they re-signed Konerko without an answer for Dunn.

Smoak had never driven in more that 55 runs is a season and a .700 career OPS is not good for a cornerman. Short term, they are more invested in Corey Hart than they are with Smoak. I'm hoping you are right with Moreland, but Texas has enough injury prone players that they may use the DH like the Yankees do - and that's what I'm afraid of if he winds down after the ASB again. Texas is seeing its window close and Washington's going to be a lot quicker on the trigger this year.

[Todd Zola]

I'd agree on Johnson guys if the Yankees had bothered to sign a 3B somewhere down the line ... but all they are doing is throwing MIs at the wall and hoping one of them sticks as a 3B. The Yankee 3B is the last name written on the lineup card from the day before.

Johnson is the regular Yanks third baseman - the job is his. That's my read anyway.