2007 Team by Team Preview - Mavs

Dallas Mavericks

Starting Pitching:
Carpenter, Cain, Garcia, Pettitte, Garland, Suppan - Carpenter and Cain are two of the best in the league; Garcia and Pettitte are very pitchable; Garland and Suppan not so much

Bullpen:
Street, Valverde, Fuentes - the two right-handers are much better vs rh batters; fuentes is probably the best of the three

Catcher:
Johjima - .298 BA vs rhp; all 18 of his homers came vs rhp; will have a better arm than Lo Duca
Lo Duca - great average and OB, but not much power; a little better vs lhp

Infield:
N.Johnson (1b-3) - excellent card; OB is over .420 on both sides; SLG is over .500 both sides; will lose a little in the clutch
Vidro (2b-3, 1b-4) - excellent vs lhp, although very little power or speed
Hall (2b/ss/3b-3, cf-4) - great power; OPS is 1.072 vs lhp; BA and OB much lower vs rhp; will lose some hits in the clutch
Jeter (ss-1) - outstanding all-around card; better vs lhp, but pretty dang good vs rhp; Is this consistency? In 7 of the last 8 years, he has made either 13, 14, or 15 errors.
Blalock (3b-3) - horrible vs lhp; useable but not great vs rhp; will gain in the clutch
Helms (1b-3, lf/3b-4) - only 240 AB, but very good ones; balanced
Kendrick (1b/3b-5, 2b-4) - not a lot of help, but hit .295 vs rhp
Ma.Sweeney (1b/lf-4) - probably not a keeper
Hardy (ss-3) - still a good prospect; can hit lefties
McPherson (1b/3b-4) - has been traded back and forth, so somebody must like him as a prospect, but offers little help right now.

Outfield:
Alou (lf/rf-4) - pounds lhp
DeJesus (lf-2, cf-3) - a lefty who hits lefties better; decent vs rhp
Dye (rf-4) - also pounds lhp but also very good on the right side; tremendous power; in 2000 Dye went from an of-4 to a Gold Glove - now he's back to being a 4
Cruz (of-3) - only 223 at bats, but great vs lhp (mental note to self: no lhp vs mavs); won't have many hits vs rhp, but there will be some walks; didn't make an error
W.Pena (of-4) - 276 AB; good hitting card on the right side
Floyd (lf-4) - probable cut

Designated Hitter:
Alou, Pena, and Dye are all 4's, so they may get some time at DH; if Dye plays rf full time, an Alou/Pena DH platoon is a possibility; Helms may get some time here, too

Uncarded Guys:
none

Draft Status:
Picks 11th; has all his own picks

Outlook:
The Mavs will be very tough. Garcia and Pettitte must keep this from becoming "Carpenter and Cain and two days of rain." The offense is deep and talented, and will especially damage any lefties brave enough to take the mound against them. The Mavs and Inmates will vie for the MFD, and the Mavs vs Johan Santana games will be fun to watch. I know I said in an earlier post that the Inmates were the favorite, but on further review... the Mavs are the best team in this division... well, until the Buckeyes pull that rabbit out of his pinetar-stained cap.

Four teams to go: Drillers, Warpigs, Tweeners, and Nads