Ohio Baseball Early Season Preview

Baseball, originally uploaded by Jeah Dogg.

Erick, I strayed from your assignment and did baseball instead of the NFL draft.

Alright, baseball in Ohio is looking suprisingly good for the first time in a while. The Reds will have a better than expected season, and could finish over .500 for the first time in a while. But the Cardinals, Astros and Cubs will keep them out of the playoffs. The Tribe's chances, on the other hand, are good. Their depth in pitching and all-around youthful talent will keep them in the race for the Penant with the World Champ White Sox. But on the chance that either team falls out of contention, here are some players to follow regardless of the teams' successes.

Ken Griffey Jr. - Reds Outfielder
The Cinti Moeller High grad is 8th on the Alltime Homerun List (when you don't count Bonds, McGuire, Sosa or Palmeiro). But his 2,000 plus pro games are catching up with him. If his hamstring stays in tact he could pass greats like Mike Shmidt and Reggie Jackson this year.

Grady Sizemore - Indians Outfielder
An all-around athelete from Seattle, Sizemore played quarterback in high school and has been clocked running a 4.5 second 40 yard dash. Last year he was the only Major Leaguer to record 20 doubles, 10 triples, 20 homers and 20 stolen bases. Look for him to improve on those numbers this year.

Travis Hafner - Indians Designated Hitter
A slugger from North Dakota, he already has a candy bar named after his nickname, Pronk. The name comes from combining "project" and "donkey". Last year he combined for over 30 HR, over 100 RBI's and hit over .300. This year, Hafner is playing with a reckless abandon as he is near the top of every American League offensive category.

Adam Dunn - Reds Outfielder
A beefwagon from a small town in Texas, Dunn has reportedly taken a liking to fishing in the Ohio. More importantly though, he smacked 46 dingers last year and is on pace to hit over 40 this year. Yet on the flip side, he broke Major League record for strikeouts last year.