Top 5 Surprise Teams

By Paulie Knep
Love of Sports Correspondent

Every season there are teams who exceed all expectations, either by making the postseason or simply being competitive.

Last year, the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks went from last place in the NL West in 2006 to the playoffs in 2007. In 2006, it was the Detroit Tigers who shocked baseball fans with their unanticipated postseason run.

These are the five teams that might surprise baseball this season.

Kansas City Royals

The Royals went 69-93 last season and haven’t been competitive for many years. As a small market team with the inability to sign high priced free agents, they’ve built their team through the farm system.

Third baseman Alex Gordon, the No. 2 pick in the 2005 draft, is one of the up and coming stars in the league. After struggling early in the 2007 season, he began hitting the ball with authority after the All-Star break. He’s joined in the Royals lineup by Billy Butler, a 21-year-old DH/1B prospect who hit .292 in a brief stint in the majors last season.

The team’s also excited about slick fielding shortstop Tony Pena, Jr. and talented closer Joakim Soria. Gil Meche is a reliable veteran starter, and the Royals found a steal in Brian Bannister, a young pitcher with excellent command of the strike zone.

A big question mark in the rotation is Zack Greinke. He has a 99 mph fastball and is as talented as any young pitcher in the league, but a social anxiety disorder’s held him back ‘til now. He shined in the bullpen last season and will get another crack at the rotation in 2008. If he’s able to channel his phenomenal arm into a productive season, the Royals will have a formidable rotation.

The team will be a lot better than last season as their young players continue to develop. They should be able to be good enough to climb out of the AL Central cellar.

Toronto Blue Jays

For the past several seasons, the Yankees and Red Sox have fought it out for the AL East title and the Blue Jays have placed a distant third. Why should this year be any different?

Pitching depth. Roy Halladay’s been one of the best pitchers in the AL over the past several years, but he hasn’t had help.

Two years ago, the Blue Jays brought in oft-injured A.J. Burnett via free agency, then last year Dustin McGowan found his control and was dazzling at times and Shaun Marcum became an effective starter after years in the bullpen. Closer B.J. Ryan then missed most of the season with an elbow injury. Jeremy Accardo did an excellent job filling in for him. Ryan’s recuperation is ahead of schedule, and the Jays now have two great options to close games.

Toronto’s leadoff hitter, Alex Rios, is a great player entering his prime, and Vernon Wells is a very good all-around center fielder. The Jays need aging veterans Frank Thomas and Scott Rolen to add some pop in the middle of the order to protect Wells.

The Yankees and Red Sox are relying on a number of young pitchers this season. So, if the Blue Jays are able to stay healthy, this could be the year they win either the AL East or the wild card.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

The Rays finished last in the AL East once again in 2007, but they showed some signs of improvement. B.J. Upton emerged as a superstar, and Carlos Pena surprised everybody by hitting 46 home runs. Most importantly, the Rays’ starting pitching showed signs of life. Youngster James Shields established himself as a solid No. 3 pitcher, and rookie Andy Sonnanstine looked impressive at times.

The Rays also upgraded their rotation by acquiring young flame thrower Matt Garza from the Twins. Then they signed Troy Percival to handle the closing duties, allowing Al Reyes to return to his setup role. If Percival and ace Scott Kazmir can stay healthy, and Garza and Sonnanstine find some consistency, the Rays’ staff will be vastly improved.

Carl Crawford and Upton provide speed and power at the top of the lineup. With Pena and a healthy Rocco Baldelli, the lineup will put runs on the board. They’re also expecting big things out of their third baseman, mega prospect Evan Longoria.

The Rays have a lot of question marks, but they also have a lot of potential. They’re not ready to challenge for the AL East crown, but a .500 record isn’t out of the question.

Chicago Cubs

Many people attributed the Cubs’ success last season to a weak NL Central division, so they weren’t considered to be on the same level as teams like the Mets, Phillies and Rockies. However, there are a number of reasons to believe the Cubs will be significantly better in ‘08.

None of the Cubs’ three best hitters, Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee or Aramis Ramirez, had a great 2007 season, and they should all improve upon their numbers. Last year, manager Lou Piniella failed to find an everyday center fielder or right fielder on the roster. They signed the 2006 MVP of the Japanese Central League, Kosuke Fukudome, to play right field. They’re hoping that five-tool prospect Felix Pie will run away with the center field job.

The rotation should be improved as well. Last season, Carlos Zambrano was preoccupied by his impending free agency, so he should be more effective with that behind him. Second year lefty Rich Hill is developing into a strong No. 2 starter, Ted Lilly is no slouch himself and the Cubs added innings eater Jon Lieber to solidify the back end of the rotation.

A key component to their season could be (hold your breath, Cub fans) Kerry Wood. His shoulder is pain free, and he’s the frontrunner for the closer job. If he’s effective, the Cubs can use Carlos Marmol and Bob Howry as setup men, giving them great depth in their bullpen.

This could be the season generations of Cubs fans have been praying for.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers went 82-80 last season and had a rift in the clubhouse between the veterans and youngsters. So, who better to handle controversy than the always even keel Joe Torre?

The Dodgers have a number of talented young hitters in their lineup. First baseman James Loney and right fielder Matt Kemp, both 23, showed they could hit major league pitching, batting .331 and .342, respectively. Russell Martin’s already one of the best offensive catchers in baseball, and third base prospect Andy LaRoche will look to wrestle the starting job away from Nomar Garciaparra this spring.

The Dodgers have speed at the top of their lineup with Juan Pierre and Rafael Furcal, and if newly signed center fielder Andruw Jones can regain his power stroke they’ll have a dangerous lineup.

They definitely have a deep bullpen, anchored by Jonathan Broxton and closer Takashi Saito, and two reliable veterans with big game experience at the front of their rotation in Brad Penny and Derek Lowe. Chad Billingsley turned a corner last season, striking out almost a batter per inning, and if Hiroki Kuroda is more Daisuke Matsuzaka than Kei Igawa, the Dodgers will have one of the better rotations in the NL.

With new leadership and a number of fast rising young stars, the Dodgers are primed to vault past the Diamondbacks and Rockies in the NL West and are capable of making a run deep into October.