Bautista, Others Try to Follow Up Career Years
Stan McNeal - SportingNews.com
Mar 17, 2011
The Blue Jays have spent a fair amount of their spring trying to downplay the expectations of a Bautista repeat.
"If he doesn't get his pitch to hit, he's not afraid to take a walk," says manager John Farrell, knowing that pitchers will be cautious to challenge last season's home-run champ. Toronto gladly would take a 24-homer decrease if
Bautista could reach 100 walks and 100 RBIs again.
Bautista isn't the only player facing heightened expectations that follow a career year. Four others:
R.A. Dickey, SP, New York Mets
Last season: In his fifth season as a knuckleballer, Dickey finally learned how to consistently throw strikes. He finished with a 2.84 ERA while working 174 1/3 innings, both career bests by far. "It's awfully humbling," Dickey says. "I've spent so much time at the minor league level trying to figure out and work with the pitch."
This season: All Dickey could find last year was a minor league contract, but he came to camp this spring with a two-year, $7.8 million deal and a guaranteed spot in the Mets' rotation. Scouts believe Dickey should be able to continue his mastery of the knuckleball, now that he has figured out how to command it.
Delmon Young, LF, Minnesota Twins
Last season: Ask Twins right fielder Michael Cuddyer who has the most raw power on his team and he doesn't hesitate. "Delmon," he says. Remind him that Jim Thome, Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel also play for Minnesota, and Cuddyder doesn't back down. "Delmon," he repeats, nodding in the affirmative. Young, the first pick in the 2003 draft, started to show some of that power last season when he hit 21 homers, eight more than his previous best. However, only six of those homers came at new Target Field, a park where fly balls to left-center quickly die at night.
This season: Young was slowed by turf toe earlier in camp but returned to the field this week. G.M. Bill Smith considers him as key as any of the "bombers" he has in the lineup. "Delmon's (health is) good," Smith says. "We're excited about that."
Colby Lewis, SP, Texas Rangers
Last season: A 12-13 record and 3.72 ERA might not seem like a career year, but few careers have taken such detours. The righthander hadn't won a game in the majors since 2004 as he tried to overcome command problems and shoulder issues. Lewis got well with a two-year stint in Japan, enjoyed a solid regular season in Texas and then beat the New York Yankees twice in the ALCS to put the Rangers in their first World Series.
This season: Lewis enters the season as the No. 2 starter in a rotation that lost its ace. Though C.J. Wilson earned the Rangers' opening-day start, Lewis was the only other starter who reported to camp assured of a spot in the rotation.
John Buck, C, Florida Marlins
Last season: Although he was one of seven Blue Jays to hit at least 20 homers last season—a career first for Buck—his biggest improvement was his batting average. He hit .281, 34 points better than his previous high from 2009. Buck would have surpassed his career-high in games (118) if he hadn't missed a couple of weeks with a thumb injury.
This season: Buck was one of the first free agents to sign during the offseason, accepting a three-year, $18 million offer from the usually thrifty Marlins. "I knew what kind of deal I was looking for and to work with this pitching staff made it an even easier decision," he says.
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