Previsioni Line-up titolari 2018: American League

 

L’intento di questo contributo è quello di mostrarvi, in due puntate, una per Lega, quali saranno i giocatori che con tutta probabilità (molti free agent sono ancora sul mercato, ndr) prenderanno il campo per l’Opening Day 2018 con le rispettive squadre.

In questo primo articolo prenderemo in considerazione le 15 franchigie della American League, indicando ruolo per ruolo chi avrà più chances di ottenere la titolarità per il fatidico 29 Marzo, fra nuovi innesti (una N accanto al nome), debuttanti (DB) e infortunati pronti al rientro (I).

Le rotazioni dei lanciatori partenti verranno anch’esse esplicitate ma ci limiteremo esclusivamente alle voci dalla 1 alla 3, essendo quello degli starting pitcher un punto di domanda spesso anche per gli stessi manager a inizio Spring Training.

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

 

Baltimore Orioles

C               Caleb Joseph

1B             Chris Davis

2B             Jonathan Schoop

SS              Manny Machado (cambio di ruolo confermato dal manager Buck Showalter)

3B              Tim Beckham

OF (sx)      Trey Mancini

OF (cntr)   Adam Jones

OF (dx)      Joey Rickard

DH              Mark Trumbo

Rotazione: 1. Kevin Gausman 2. Dylan Bundy 3. Gabriel Ynoa

Manager:   Buck Showalter

 

Boston Red Sox

C              Christian Vazquez

1B            Mitch Moreland

2B            Dustin Pedroia (I, fino a fine Maggio) / Brock Holt

SS             Xander Bogaerts

3B             Rafael Devers

OF (sx)     Andrew Benintendi

OF (cntr)  Jackie Bradley Jr.

OF (dx)     Mookie Betts

DH             Hanley Ramirez

Rotazione: 1. Chris Sale 2. David Price 3. Drew Pomeranz

Manager:  Alex Cora (N)

 

New York Yankees

C                 Gaby Sanchez

1B               Greg Bird

2B               Ronald Torreyes (DB)

SS               Didi Gregorius

3B               Miguel Andujar (DB)

OF (sx)        Brett Gardner

OF (cntr)     Aaron Hicks

OF (dx)        Aaron Judge

DH               Giancarlo Stanton (N)

Rotazione:   1. Luis Severino 2. Masahiro Tanaka 3. Sonny Gray

Manager:     Aaron Boone (N)

 

Tampa Bay Rays

C               Wilson Ramos

1B             Brad Miller

2B             Daniel Robertson (DB)

SS              Adeiny Hechevarria

3B              Matt Duffy

OF (sx)       Mallex Smith

OF (cntr)    Kevin Kiermaier

OF (dx)       Steven Souza Jr.

DH              Corey Dickerson

Rotazione:  1.  Chris Archer 2. Jake Odorizzi 3. Blake Snell

Manager:    Kevin Cash

 

Toronto Blue Jays

C                   Russell Martin

1B                Justin Smoak

2B                Devon Travis

SS                 Troy Tulowitzki

3B                 Josh Donaldson 

OF (sx)         Curtis Granderson (N)

OF (cntr)      Kevin Pillar

OF (dx)         Randal Grichuk (N)

DH                 Kendrys Morales

Rotazione    1. Marcus Stroman 2. J.A Happ 3. Aaron Sanchez

Manager:     John Gibbons

 

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

 

Chicago White Sox

C                   Welington Castillo (N)

1B                 Jose Abreu

2B                 Yoan Moncada

SS                 Tim Anderson

3B                 Matt Davidson

OF (sx)         Nicky Delmonico

OF (cntr)      Adam Engel

OF (dx)         Avisail Garcia

DH                 Tyler Saladino

Rotazione: 1. James Shields 2. Lucas Giolito 3. Reynaldo Lopez

Manager:      Rick Renteria

 

Cleveland Indians

C                  Roberto Perez             

1B                Yonder Alonso (N)

2B                Jason Kipnis

SS                 Francisco Lindor

3B                 Jose Ramirez

OF (sx)          Michael Brantley (I) / Brandon Guyer

OF (cntr)       Bradley Zimmer

OF (dx)          Lonnie Chisenhall

DH                 Edwin Encarnacion

Rotazione:     1. Corey Kluber 2. Carlos Carrasco 3. Trevor Bauer

Manager:      Terry Francona

 

Detroit Tigers

C                 James McCann

1B               Miguel Cabrera

2B               Dixon Machado

SS                Jose Iglesias

3B                Jeimer Candelario

OF (sx)         Mike Mahtook

OF (cntr)     Leonys Martin

OF (dx)        Nick Castellanos

DH                Victor Martinez

Rotazione:  1. Michael Fulmer 2. Jordan Zimmermann 3. Mike Fiers (N)

Manager:     Ron Gardenhire (N)

 

Kansas City Royals

C                          Salvador Perez

1B                        Hunter Dozier (DB)

2B                        Whit Merrifield

SS                        Alcides Escobar (N)

3B                        Cheslor Cuthbert 

OF (sx)                Alex Gordon

OF (cntr)             Paulo Orlando

OF (dx)               Jorge Bonifacio

DH                       Jorge Soler

Rotazione:         1. Danny Duffy 2. Ian Kennedy 3. Jason Hammell

Manager:          Ned Yost

 

Minnesota Twins

C                 Jason Castro

1B               Joe Mauer

2B                Brian Dozier

SS                 Jorge Polanco

3B                 Miguel Sanò

OF (sx)          Eddie Rosario

OF (cntr)      Byron Buxton

OF (dx)         Max Kepler

DH                 Robbie Grossman

Rotazione:   1. Ervin Santana (I) 2. Jose Berrios 3. Kyle Gibson

Manager:    Paul Molitor

 

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

 

Houston Astros

C                 Brian McCann

1B               Yuli Gurriel     

2B               Jose Altuve

SS               Carlos Correa

3B               Alex Bregman

OF (sx)        Marwin Gonzalez

OF (cntr)    George Springer

OF (dx)       Josh Reddick

DH               Evan Gattis

Rotazione: 1. Justin Verlander 2. Dallas Keuchel 3. Gerritt Cole (N)

Manager:    A.J Hinch

 

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

C                    Martin Maldonado

1B                  C.J Cron

2B                  Ian Kinsler (N)

SS                   Andrelton Simmons

3B                   Zach Cozart (N)

OF (sx)           Justin Upton (N)

OF (cntr)        Mike Trout

OF (dx)           Kole Calhoun

DH                   Albert Pujols

Rotazione:    1. Garrett Richards 2. Andrew Heaney 3. Shohei Othani (N)

Manager:      Mike Scioscia

 

Oakland Athletics

C                    Bruce Maxwell

1B                  Matt Olson

2B                  Jed Lowrie

SS                   Marcus Semien

3B                   Matt Chapman

OF (sx)            Matt Joyce

OF (cntr)        Dustin Fowler (N & DB)

OF (dx)           Stephen Piscotty (N)

DH                   Khris Davis

Rotazione:    1. Kendall Graveman 2. Sean Manaea 3. Jharel Cotton

Manager:      Bob Melvin

 

Seattle Mariners

C                 Mike Zunino

1B              Ryon Healy (N)

2B              Robinson Cano

SS               Jean Segura

3B                Kyle Seager

OF (sx)        Ben Gamel

OF (cntr)     Dee Gordon (N)

OF (dx)        Mitch Haniger

DH                Nelson Cruz

Rotazione:  1. James Paxton 2. Felix Hernandez 3. Mike Leake

Manager:     Scott Servais

 

Texas Rangers

C                     Robinson Chirinos

1B                   Joey Gallo

2B                   Rougned Odor

SS                   Elvis Andrus

3B                   Adrian Beltre

OF (sx)           Willie Calhoun (DB)

OF (cntr)       Delino DeShields

OF (dx)         Nomar Mazara

DH                 Shin-Soo Choo

Rotazione:   1. Cole Hamels 2. Martin Perez (I) 3. Doug Fister (N)

Manager:     Jeff Banister