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Page 2
3. Will Robin Ventura return to form?
Florida Marlins 1. Has Ryan Dempster turned into an Ace? Dempster went 14-10 with a 3.66 ERA. If he can repeat his success in 2001, the Marlins will have a great foundation for the rotation. If not, then they’ve got a rotation of prospects. 2. Are A.J. Burnett and Brad Penny ready? Both pitchers are loaded with talent, but they may need more time to develop into major league pitchers. If these guys are ready, the Marlins could compete for the wild card. 3. Will Preston Wilson break the single season strikeout record? Wilson has great power (31HR and 121RBI) and speed (31SB), but he also had 187 strikeouts. He would have broken the record last season, but he was benched the final week to prevent it. He is the main run producer for the Marlins. Montreal Expos 1. Can anyone stop Vladmir Guerrero? If this guy played anywhere but Montreal, he would be a superstar. Last season he hit .344 with 44 HR and 123 RBI. If Fernando Tatis can offer him some protection in the lineup, Guerrero could be even better this year. 2. How far will the rotation let this team go? The top three starters have tremendous ability: Tony Armas, Jr., Carl Pavano, and Javier Vazquez. They finished last season with very good ERA’s in limited playing time. If they can provide the same production over a full season, this team could be very good. 3. Will Ugueth Urbina return to be a dominant closer? OK, I guess the real question is: when Urbina returns to being a dominant closer, will the Expos trade him? After saving 41 games in 1999, the Expos openly shopped him to other teams, but didn’t close the deal. If he gets off to a hot start, look for the Expos to trade him to a contender at the trading deadline. Philadelphia Phillies 1. Will Travis Lee ever hit? Lee is a can’t-miss prospect. In fact he’s been in the big leagues for three full seasons, and he’s still nothing more than a prospect. The Diamondback gave up on him and gave him to the Phillies. This team really needs for him to become a solid power hitter to go along with Scott Rolen and Pat Burrell. 2. Can the Phillies produce a winning club before Rolen become a free agent?
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