Jerry Crasnick

  (1:00 PM)

Hey everybody, I'm here at Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies-Marlins game today. Beautiful day for ball. Let's take some questions.

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:00 PM)

Hey everybody, I'm here at Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies-Marlins game today. Beautiful day for ball. Let's take some questions.

Brock(Indiana) [via mobile]

What are the cardinals chances of winning back to back World Series titles.

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:03 PM)

Brock, That's tough to predict because the postseason can be so ... well ... unpredictable. But that team really seems to have moved past Albert Pujols. There are issues (Chris Carpenter's health, Mike Matheny's learning curve, etc.), but the Cards are going to be right in the middle of that NL Central race.

Ryan (DC)

Too early to print those Orioles World Series tickets?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:04 PM)

Ryan, Yeah, a little early. But you have to like it when Nick Markakis gets off to a start like this. And we've been saying for years that they would go as far as their young pitching takes them. Nice to see Arrieta, Hunter and Hammel throw so well their first times out. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how stiff a test that Minnesota lineup is.

Jamie (VA)

When does John Lannan get traded? I'm not for paying a Triple-A player 5 mil!

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:06 PM)

Jamie, I was at the Nats opener, and I get the sense Mike Rizzo is in no big rush to trade Lannan. I still think they're going to need him at some point this season. You hate to trade away good pitching depth and then have an injury and find yourself short-handed. Lannan is a pretty decent 4-5 starter

CC (Atlanta)

It's early we know. But Fredi is universally disliked by our fan base. His postgame "golly gee, we're trying. Tip our cap to the other team" spiel was old last September. The Braves are notoriously patient but could he be in trouble if they start out in a deep hole? I for one sure hope so.

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:08 PM)

CC, I hate to promote managerial "death watches." But yeah, you get the sense that Fredi could be in trouble with a really bad start, coming off that September disaster. You're right about the "universal dislike part." I don't know if there's a manager in baseball who gets slammed by the fan base more than Fredi. It's not easy replacing Bobby Cox.

Dave (Phoenix)

If the Cubs rotation continues to pitch well, and the bullpen figures it out, do the Cubs have a shot to stick around in the central?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:09 PM)

Dave, Sorry, but I can't see it. Pretty mediocre lineup, and the rotation doesn't stack up with the NL Central contenders. They just need to make progress this year and bring an infusion of young talent into the system. It's going to take a while

Zaccheus (Detroit)

Is Detroit the team to beat this year? They have pitching and a dominant lineup? Prince Fielder and King Cabrera are a great combo!

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:12 PM)

Zaccheus, Well, Jayson Stark picked them to win the World Series, and he has a tremendous track record (not). I still have issues with the defense, but they should win the AL Central by at least 10 games. And I wouldn't be surprised if Dave Dombrowski fortifies the rotation at the trade deadline if need be

Jon (DC)

Nats fan here that was blown away by Szamardjia. Holy crap, throwing 97 in the 9th inning? Does he keep it up the rest of the year?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:13 PM)

Jon, I didn't see Samardzija's start, but apparently he was quite impressive. Hey, the Cubs gave him a ton of money because they thought he had the potential. That's the good thing about what Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are doing now: If they give guys like Samardzija and Bryan LaHair a shot, who knows? Maybe they'll surprise people.

Matthew (Columbia, NJ)

Jerry: Do you think Juan Pierre should be the Phillies starting left fielder? Aside from Pence, he was the Phils best offensive player in the opening series.

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:16 PM)

Matthew, Juan Pierre gives the Phillies some speed and energy they can't find from other sources. But at this stage of his career, I don't know if he's an everyday guy anymore. He's probably better served getting 300-400 at-bats than 600-700 at the top of the order.

Jason (Michigan)

You think the Royals will be a threat to the Tigers?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:17 PM)

Jason, No, but I really do like that lineup. And they have to be encouraged with the way the starters threw in the opening series vs. the Angels. If Luke Hochevar and Jonathan Sanchez pitch well, they have a good chance to cross the .500 barrier this year. That's definitely progress.

CC (Atlanta)

Jerry -- The Fredi issue isn't just about following Cox. Cox has alot of "only 1 WS ring" detractors. After game 162 last year Fredi stepped up to the podium with a big smile and talked about how proud he was of what the team accomplished. Said we had a "great year". Not one inkling of anger or disappointment. Who does that?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:18 PM)

CC, No, I get it. It's not just a Bobby thing. I'm just amazed by the level of dislike for him in Atlanta. Fans were hammering him last year even before the September collapse

Derek (work) [via mobile]

Can small ball work in the SABR age? Charlie Manuel seems bent on trying it this year with his small offense.

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:20 PM)

Derek, Charlie is just using what he has right now. It's a little different from two years ago when Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez were in the lineup. The Phils need to score runs however they can get them.

Jon (DC)

Which fast starting team is "fo' real," and which slow-starting contender is actually in trouble?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:22 PM)

I think Arizona (3-0) is definitely for real. I'm not ready say the Red Sox are "in trouble" after three games. But I picked them to miss the playoffs because of concerns about their pitching, and that opening series didn't do anything to convince me that I'm wrong.

Chuck (Office)

Could the Pittsburgh Pirates win their division?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:24 PM)

Chuck, Sorry, but I don't see that kind of staying power. The lineup is so-so other than Andrew McCutchen, and the pitching isn't as good as Milwaukee, Cincinnati or St. Louis. They'll have their moments, but it's still a fourth place team at best.

Emory (Atlanta)

We were probably hammering Fredi because he was choosing to platoon Heyward and Constanza like that was gonna help anything, along with somehow slamming the best bullpen in baseball so far into the ground they could hardly breathe. And yes, it doesn't help that he doesn't even seem bothered by it all. It might be that he's just an extremely calm dude, but we gotta see some emotion every once in a while.

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:24 PM)

Emory, Thanks. I just wanted to post this because I think it does reflect the opinion of an awful lot of Braves fans.

Derek (work) [via mobile]

Jerry, you didn't answer my question. I know Charlie has to use small ball, my question was can it work?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:25 PM)

Derek, When Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee are pitching, yes, it can work.

George (New York)

Which Tigers batter not name Fielder and Cabrera will have a big year? Avila, Young, Boesch, or Jackson?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:27 PM)

George, Alex Avila made the All-Star team last year. He'll put up big numbers, but Jim Leyland has to be careful not to run him into the ground. Boesch could also have a productive year hitting in the No. 2 spot.

Jon (DC)

Given the extensions of Cain and Votto especially, do you think the deals of Kemp and Zimmerman, for example, look more like team-friendly deals at this point?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:28 PM)

Jon, Hey, anything over $100 million is a haul. But if I'm the Dodgers, I feel pretty good about giving $160M to a franchise center fielder when the Reds just gave $225M to a franchise first baseman

Dan (PA)

Is Andrew McCutchen a top 5 center fielder?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:30 PM)

Dan, Well, Matt Kemp and Jacoby Ellsbury are at the top of anybody's list. But I'm not sure there's anybody else I would take over McCutchen right now. Has to be a top 5.

Zoran (LA)

Did you see Dee Gordon this weekend. Can he still 80-100 bases this year?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:31 PM)

Zoran, I saw Dee Gordon make a couple of highlight reel plays. Very dynamic. I'm not sure he can hit enough to steal 80-100 bases. He's an awful slight guy.

Zach (Toledo)

Do you think the Indians overachieved last year with their pitching because their bullpen has started off to become a weakness and their offense isn't going to score you 6 runs every night?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:33 PM)

Zach, The Indians fell back to earth after that great start. The offense is going to give them some issues. But Masterson and Ubaldo looked great in that first series. I think they have a chance to finish second in that division. But second place and 81 wins aren't going to get you very far.

Hugo (Sydney)

Did you vote in the Top 500 players? If so did you give a 10 to anyone?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:34 PM)

Hugo, I did give out some "10's" to Pujols, Halladay, Miguel Cabrera and a few others, yes.

Dave (NJ)

I know everyone (except Mets fans) view the Mets as a running joke, but is it time to say that Murphy and Duda are pretty good and that lineup is better than people think?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:36 PM)

Dave, I talked to some Mets people over the winter who think Duda is legit. And Murphy has always been able to hit -- the problem is finding him a position. The Mets could be better than people think, because the expectations are so low. If David Wright can build off his early start, they'll be a pesky team. But again, they're in the wrong division to have playoff aspirations.

Zolty (NY)

Mark Trumbo was brutal at 3B in the opener. Can he hit enough to compensate?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:37 PM)

Zolty, I don't know. He doesn't look very comfortable over there. The problem is, will his fielding be so bad that it starts to affect his offense? Let's give him a little time and see.

Alex (Anaheim)

No way Matusz makes the Yanks 0-4 after his miserable 2011, right?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:38 PM)

Alex, I don't see it happening, no.

Owen (Berkeley)

Dave beat me to it, but yeah, I went into the season thinking we (the Mets) stink, and then I look at our lineup and say, eh, we're not so bad. Rotation is still a series of interesting question marks, and I have no real hope for the playoffs, but I could see adjectives in our future like "plucky" and "surprising" and ooh, you just used "pesky!" That's perfect. I feel like the season is a success already.

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:40 PM)

Owen, If Santana can come back to 80 percent of the old Johan, that's not a half-bad rotation. Santana, Dickey, Niese, Pelfrey and Gee. I can live with that

Tony (New York)

When will we see the Rays get a new ballpark?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:40 PM)

Tony, About the same time we see the Oakland A's get a new ballpark.

Ryan (Cedar Rapids)

As a Cubs fan I feel like there is a lot of positives to be taken out of the first weekend. Aggressive on the bases, hitting the ball hard off of 2 great pitchers, and the starting pitching was lights out. Do you take more negative or positive from the Cubs after the first weekend?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:43 PM)

Ryan, I like the fact that Theo Epstein and the new group are doing it methodically and trying to build the right way, through scouting and the draft. The lineup they're putting on the field now isn't particularly dynamic. They'll have their moments, and they'll probably wind up finishing fourth. But at least there's a plan. I place more stock in that than day-to-day fluctuations. It was just three games.

Brian (Indy)

Per the question about detroit and another offense star besides the big two...Austin Jackson is off to a hot start with his new swing. If he cuts his K's by half and is on base alot, watch out.

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:44 PM)

Brian, I just wonder if he won't lapse back into the old bad habits when he hits a rough patch. But he has talent and he's a good kid, and I know Lloyd McClendon will put in the hours with him in the cage.

Matt (NY)

Most of my fellow Yankee fans disagree with me, but I'm worried that their lineup is too old to produce. Behind Cano, they're a bunch of .250 hitters

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:45 PM)

Matt, I don't like "old" teams either. But I still think A-Rod, Teixeira, Jeter and company have enough in the tank for that team to win 95 games. Wait until the middle of the season, and they'll be hanging 10-spots on a lot of mediocre starters in the Bronx.

Dusty (St. Louis)

How big of a year is Hosmer going to have?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:48 PM)

Dusty, Pretty big. Based on last year, I think we're looking at 25-homer, 100-RBI, .300, .850 OPS type stuff. The thing I love about the kid is his approach. He's a 22-year-old who acts like a veteran

Sam (KC)

Could you see the Royals making any drastic moves before the trade deadline if they are a couple games back at the All-Star break?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:49 PM)

Sam, No, I don't see them doing anything to interrupt Dayton's Moore's long-range plan. To me, they're still a year away from legitimate contention. And I think the front office knows that.

AA (Atown)

How drunk are the Phillies fans tailgating since 10AM today?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:50 PM)

AA, It's a very polite, well-mannered yet enthusiastic crowd today at Citizens Bank Park.

Jose (MD) [via mobile]

Do the nationals have a chance to make the postseason?? Zim for MVP??

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:51 PM)

Jose, The Nats certainly feel they have a chance. And you have to love the arms in that rotation. I'm still not sure they're going to produce enough offense. At some point, the Bryce Harper Watch is going to have to begin in earnest.

Kyle (Lock Haven, PA)

The Indians and Blue Jays had one of the most interesting series I've seen in a while. Which team do you think will be in contention come All-Star break?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:52 PM)

Kyle, I'm not as sold on the Blue Jays as some people are after their incredible Grapefruit League performance. But they have a better chance of making the playoffs than the Indians do at this point.

Owen (Berkeley)

Jerry, are you a coffee guy, tea person or none of the above?

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:52 PM)

Owen, I like a good cup of java or two in the morning.

Jerry Crasnick

  (1:53 PM)

Thanks for the emails, everybody. It was fun. I'm going to get back to watching Cole Hamels and the Phillies against the Fish. Let's do it again next week.