In cooperation with some of the other brilliant minds at FanIQ, here is our projected “All-Clean Team” for 2009. These are all players projected to be starting on an active MLB roster this season. They are all superstars or stars-in-the-making. Most importantly, they all came up in the system under the current drug-testing program, so we are (fairly) certain they are not among those who have or are still using steroids, HGH, or other performance-enhancing drugs.
Please keep in mind if your favorite player isn’t on here, we are not suggesting he’s on the juice. This is simply a team of talented young players to watch for 2009 that you can feel good about rooting for, as their performance should be genuine.
Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants – RHP #55
Age: 24 (Will turn 25 on June 15) - Ht: 5-11 - Wt: 170 - Bats: Left - Throws: Right
2008 Season: 18-5, 2.62 ERA, 265 K, 1.17 WHIP
Tim Lincecum is a certified stud pitcher and showed it with a 2008 campaign that saw him earn a spot on the All-Star team and win the NL Cy Young award in just his second MLB season. His league-leading 265 strikeouts and .221 opposing batting average over 227 innings was a huge bright spot for an otherwise disappointing year for the Giants. Lincecum's deceptive delivery, excellent fastball, and filthy changeup make for a long day for opposing hitters. There is also talk that he is working in a slider for 2009. With the addition of first-ballot future Hall-of-Famer Randy Johnson to the Giants roster, Lincecum may find a mentor in the five-time Cy Young award winner. The Big Unit has a pretty wicked slide piece himself.
With the disappointing start to Barry Zito’s career in a Giants uniform, it appears they still may have found their ace in Lincecum. Assuming he is healthy, the amount of hardware this kid may have in his trophy case when all is said and done could be staggering.
Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies – RHP #35
Age: 25 - Ht: 6-3 - Wt: 192 - Bats/Throws: Left
2008 Season: 14-10, 3.09 ERA, 196K, 1.08 WHIP
Hamels, the 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP, worked 227.1 innings and improved his strikeouts by 19 and lowered both his ERA and opposing batting average considerably over the 2007 season. His effort in the World Series against a white-hot, made-for-Cinderella-story Tampa Bay Rays team was nothing short of spectacular. Hamels won two games in the Series, going 4-0 for the entire preseason with an ERA under 2.
The big lefty brings a traditional fastball/curveball/changeup repertoire to the mound. His over-the-top delivery and mid-90’s heat can give opposing hitters fits. Right-handed hitters hit just .215 against him in 2008. Lefties had a better season against Hamels, touching him up for a .262 average.
The Phillies locked up Hamels with a 3-year, $20.5 million contract that was signed just before spring training began. He will be the clear ace in a projected rotation of Hamels, Brett Myers, Joe Blanton, the ageless Jamie Moyer and young right-hander Kyle Kendrick. He does have a history of arm-related injuries and 2008 marked the first year he did not spend time on the disabled list. When Cole Hamels is healthy, he’s one of the best left-handed starters available. The question will be if his good health will continue in 2009.
CL – Huston Street, Colorado Rockies – RHP #16
Age: 25 (Will turn 26 on August 2) - Ht: 6-0 - Wt: 200 - Bats/Throws: Right
2008 Season (with Oakland): 7-5, 18 Saves, 3.73 ERA, 69K, 1.21 WHIP
A lot of people might not remember that Huston Street won the 2005 AL Rookie of the Year in Oakland in 2005. Street was traded in November 2008 to Colorado as part of the deal that brought Matt Holliday to Oakland. After 60 saves over his first two seasons, Street has been plagued with injuries; managing only 16 and 18 saves for 2007 and 2008 respectively. An injured hip flexor healed in September and Street managed a nice finish to his 2008 campaign, which probably increased his trade value to get Holliday.
Street is projected to battle Manny Corpas for the closer role, but most experts agree he’ll get the job barring injury as Corpas and his 4.52 2008 ERA isn’t very impressive. If Street can stay off the DL, he still has the ability to save 30 or more for the Rockies in 2009. I’m not sure what the rest of the team is going to look like, but Street appears to be healthy for the first time in going on three seasons, and is expected to return to his 2005-06 form.
Catcher: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins - #7
Age: 25 (Will turn 26 on April 19) - Ht: 6-5 - Wt: 225 - Bats: Left - Throws: Right
2008 Season: .328 AVG, 9 HR, 85 RBI, .413 OBP
It would figure that I choose Mauer for this spot and then a report comes out today that he may begin 2009 on the disabled list due to surgery complications.
Mauer is the best offensive catcher since Mike Piazza. In fact, besides the career home runs, he’s better. Mauer is a career .317 hitter, two-time All-Star, batting champion, and Silver Slugger award winner. He also collected his first gold glove in 2008 AND finished fourth in the All-Star MVP balloting. He’s an absolute beast at his position, and he plays 81 home games in one of the worst ballparks in the league. This is the type of player you can make the face of your franchise or your league.
Hopefully Mauer’s complications are minimal and he will be healthy and able to play soon. He is a rising star in MLB and with the Twins opening a new yard in 2010, this is the kind of player you want to build a franchise around and get that ballpark filled. Memo to the Twins front office: lock this guy up for as long as you possibly can. He’s going to do a lot of great things before his career is over.
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