1. Will the signing of Jason Schmidt have a big impact on the Dodgers or is he near the end of the road?
The Dodgers' acquisition of Jason Schmidt will have a hugely positive impact on the Dodgers. The Dodgers have had good pitching in recent years, but they have a lacked a true ace, something they could have used in the playoffs last season. They thought they were getting an ace in Derek Lowe a couple years back, but he's made more news with his off-field romantic exploits than anything he's done on the mound. Schmidt is 34 now, but he's made at least 29 starts each season since 2002. He's coming off a year where he pitched 213 innings and struck out 180. Leaving San Francisco for LaLa land must have irked Giants fans, but this is a great move for the Dodgers and it just might pay dividends come October.
2. Okay, so Jason Schmidt was a big loss for the Giants, but will Barry Zito make up for that?
The best thing Barry Zito has going for him is that National League hitters are unfamiliar with him. His big, looping curveball is one of a kind. The issue with Zito in recent years has been his control. He's not going to strike out too many batters either. The talent does not match the outrageous contract the Giants gave him. He'll make up for the loss of Schmidt in that he's five years younger, but as far as a dominating presence on the mound, Schmidt has got him beat.
3. What does the departure of long time manager Bruce Bochy mean for the Padres?
It's hard to replace a San Diego fixture like Bochy, whose twelve seasons as Padres manager included four division titles and one World Series appearance. They brought in former Angels pitching coach, Bud Black, as his replacement. Black will get to work with a young All-Star pitcher, Jake Peavy, and the tall, hard throwing Chris Young. Black will get some help by having veterans Greg Maddux and David Wells in his starting rotation (not that Peavy needs much assistance). Add to that one of the best closers in the game and a lineup that has a good mix of speed and power. Black has the good fortune of coming to an organization that's built to win a division title this year (something Bochy, now managing the Giants, will hope to stop from happening). But if San Diego does win the West, Bochy deserves much of the credit.
4. Were the Diamondbacks smart to bring back Randy Johnson at this point in his career?
Well, lets see...he's now 43 years old, had a bad back last year, and is already on the DL this season. So no, this was not a genius move by Arizona. Bringing him back for one year to try and catch lightning in a bottle would have been one thing. But the D-Backs extended him two years for $26 million. They must be thinking that the Big Unit will somehow find the fountain of youth after finding mostly trouble pitching in the Bronx. Maybe this was a PR move for a franchise that has struggled to put fannies in the seats since Johnson left the club after the 2004 season. When Johnson does come off the DL, he should have more success than he did in New York, a marriage that just never quite worked out. Johnson enjoyed playing in Phoenix and became comfortable there. But does a young team like the Diamondbacks really need the potential distraction of a multi-million dollar, 43-year old (he'll be 45 in the last year of his contract) going on and off the DL? The money would have been better spent on a legitimate closer or a power hitting outfielder to replace Luis Gonzalez.
5. Will the Rockies trade Todd Helton this season?
Although there was plenty of talk during the offseason about Helton being dealt prior to the start of the 2007 season, it probably will not happen this year. Helton stuck it out during the very lean years of this franchise, and now that the team might be on the rise again, he would love to be part of it. Last year the Rockies were only four games out of first on the day of the trade deadline, so Helton wasn't going anywhere then. This year the division figures to be a toss up once again and the Rockies should remain in the race for at least as long. Looking at the long term, Helton, who turns 34 in August, is still owed over $90 million through the 2011 season, so whether or not Helton remains in Colorado for the duration of his contract is another question. But after evaluating where they are at for 2007, the Rockies front office has decided they want Helton to remain as the centerpiece of the franchise.
