Full Rosters Here
1975 Record: 83-79 - click for stats
Projected 1976 Rosters
| Rotation | POS | Lineup | |||||||||||||||||
| John Montefusco | CA | Biff Pocoroba, Johnny Oates or Pete Varney | |||||||||||||||||
| Dick Ruthven | 1B | Willie Montanez | |||||||||||||||||
| Buzz Capra | 2B | Marty Perez | |||||||||||||||||
| Mike Beard? | 3B | Darrell Evans or could move to LF | |||||||||||||||||
| Carl Morton? | SS | Darrel Chaney | |||||||||||||||||
| Roric Harrison? | LF | Evans, Cito Gaston or Charlie Spikes | |||||||||||||||||
| Bullpen | CF | Dave May | |||||||||||||||||
| Max Leon | RF | Jeff Burroughs | |||||||||||||||||
| Mike Beard? | BN | Rod Gilbreath/Rob Belloir/Jerry Royster (3B?) | |||||||||||||||||
| Ron Reed | BN | ? | |||||||||||||||||
| Al Hrabosky? | BN | ? | |||||||||||||||||
| Tom House? | BN | ? | |||||||||||||||||
| ? | BN | ? | |||||||||||||||||
| Top Prospect(s): Dale Murphy (CA), Jerry Royster (IF) | |||||||||||||||||||
Notes: A team with a lot of positions up for grabs in Spring Training. Mike Beard was the Braves top reliever in 1975 but will be given a look at starter in West Palm Beach as the Braves do not have a left-handed starter. The Mad Hungarian Al Hrabosky is a newcomer to the staff and he should be plenty mad about his own performance as a Kansas City Royal last season. The top three in the rotation and the bullpen are the only pitchers guaranteed spots. Meanwhile the batting lineup has a lot of question marks, with Darrell Evans getting some work in Left Field in case the Braves see more from a 3B candidate than a LF candidate in the spring.
Full Rosters Here
1975 Record: 76-86 - click for stats
Projected 1976 Roster:
| Rotation | POS | Lineup | |
| Jim Palmer | CA | Ellie Hendricks/Dave Duncan | |
| Mike Torrez | 1B | Lee May | |
| Rudy May | 2B | Bobby Grich | |
| ? | 3B | Doug DeCinces | |
| ? | SS | Mark Belanger | |
| LF | Paul Blair | ||
| Bullpen | CF | Juan Beniquez | |
| Grant Jackson | RF | Ken Singleton | |
| Paul Mitchell | BN | Hendricks/Duncan | |
| Dyar Miller | BN | Billy Smith (IF) | |
| Tippy Martinez | BN | Mike Anderson (1B,OF) | |
| ? | BN | ? | |
| ? | BN | ? |
Notes: The Orioles lost bullpen ace Dick Drago in Free Agency but obtained heavily sought after Mets ace Mike Torrez to counter that. Like the Braves there are several spots up for grabs on the O's pitching staff but there is more clarity with their starting lineup. Doug DeCinces is expected to be the full-time 3B this season after a strong second half ahead of veteran Brooks Robinson. Ken Singleton had MVP like numbers last year and is hoping for more help in '76.
1975 Record: 79-83 - click for stats
Projected 1976 Roster:
| Rotation | POS | Lineup | |||||||||
| Jerry Koosman | CA | Brian Downing | |||||||||
| Steve Stone | 1B | Jim Spencer | |||||||||
| Jim Kaat | 2B | Jorge Orta | |||||||||
| ? | 3B | Bill Stein OR Bill Melton | |||||||||
| ? | SS | Roy Smalley | |||||||||
| LF | ??? | ||||||||||
| Bullpen | CF | ??? | |||||||||
| Ron Schueler | RF | Bobby Bonds | |||||||||
| Stan Bahnsen | BN | Phil Roof (CA) | |||||||||
| Ozzie Osborn | BN | Stein/Melton | |||||||||
| ? | BN | Don Kessinger (IF) | |||||||||
| ? | BN | ||||||||||
| ? | BN | ||||||||||
| Top Prospect(s): Pete Vuckovich (P), Francisco Barrios (P) | |||||||||||
Notes: Jerry Koosman was the Sox top hurler after coming over in a trade with the Mets last season and is expected to start on opening day. Free Agents Jim Kaat (PHI) and Stan Bahnsen (OAK) were signed in hopes of upgrade Chicago's 4.31 ERA pitching staff of a year ago. The South Side Hitmen led the majors with 184 home runs - 76 of those coming off the bats of Jim Spencer (40) and Bobby Bonds (36). Outside of Bonds the outfield was a black hole last year and fans are skeptical on new additions like Ralph Garr and Jerry Hairston being able to change that.
1975 Record: 84-78 - click for stats
Projected 1976 Roster:
| Rotation | Pos | Lineup | |
| Dennis Leonard | CA | Buck Martinez | |
| Steve Busby | 1B | John Mayberry | |
| Paul Splittorff | 2B | Frank White | |
| Jim Colborn | 3B | George Brett | |
| (Marty Pattin) | SS | Freddie Patek | |
| LF | Hal McRae | ||
| Bullpen | CF | Amos Otis | |
| (Marty Pattin) | RF | Al Cowens | |
| Tom Hall | BN | Bob Stinson (CA, UT) | |
| ? | BN | Jerry Terrell (IF) | |
| ? | BN | ? | |
| ? | BN | ? | |
| ? | BN | ? |
Top Prospect(s): Ruppert Jones (OF)
Notes: The Royals led the majors with 124 Quality Starts but a suspect bullpen and thin offense sunk them down the stretch. That bullpen has been largely jettisoned, which means swingman Marty Pattin is likely bullpen bound by default. The Royals traded Free Agent SS Bucky Dent to the Yankees for John Mayberry. This gives starting jobs to two players coming off miserable seasons - Mayberry and SS Freddie Patek. George Brett, Hal McRae and Amos Otis are stars - but can they get any help in '76?
1975 Record: 80-82 - click for stats
Projected 1976 Roster:
| Rotation | Pos | Lineup | |
| Andy Messersmith | CA | Rick Dempsey | |
| Burt Hooton | 1B | Bill Buckner | |
| Ken Brett | 2B | Phil Garner | |
| ? | 3B | Ron Cey | |
| ? | SS | Bill Russell | |
| LF | Dusty Baker OR Jim Wynn | ||
| Bullpen | CF | Rick Monday | |
| Elias Sosa | RF | Jim Lyttle | |
| Jim Brewer | BN | Steve Yeager (CA) | |
| Al Downing | BN | Boog Powell (1B) | |
| Charlie Hough | BN | Baker/Wynn | |
| ? | BN | Lee Lacy (UT) | |
| ? | BN | ? | |
| Top Prospect(s): Don Stanhouse (P) | |||
Notes: Andy Messersmith had a Cy Young caliber season and Burt Hooton, Ken Brett and Elias Sosa had very good seasons as well but the rest of the staff was average at best. Rick Dempsey moves to his more comfortable role behind the plate after playing much of last season in Right Field. Rick Monday shifts from 1B to CF and has been replaced by free agent Bill Buckner. Another newcomer Jim Wynn only hit .179 in Atlanta last year but he walked 94 times and hit 20 Home Runs in 329 AB's. He'll contend with Dusty Baker this spring for the LF job.
1975 Record: 90-72 - click for stats
Projected 1976 Roster
| Rotation | Pos | Lineup | |||||||||
| Catfish Hunter | CA | Thurman Munson | |||||||||
| Don Gullett | 1B | George Scott | |||||||||
| Luis Tiant | 2B | Sandy Alomar | |||||||||
| Ed Figueroa | 3B | Graig Nettles | |||||||||
| Ken Holtzman | SS | Bucky Dent | |||||||||
| LF | Roy White | ||||||||||
| Bullpen | CF | Ken Griffey | |||||||||
| Dick Tidrow | RF | Lou Piniella | |||||||||
| Paul Lindblad | BN | Len Randle (UT) | |||||||||
| Doc Medich | BN | Walt Williams (UT) | |||||||||
| Dave Pagan | BN | ? | |||||||||
| ? | BN | ? | |||||||||
| ? | BN | ? | |||||||||
| Top Prospect(s): Willie Randolph (2B), Jerry Mumphery (OF), Butch Wynegar (CA) | |||||||||||
Notes: The best team after the All-Star Break last season was the Yankees but they still made a lot of changes this offseason. Three new southpaws were signed as free agents as they attempt to build a team around their ballpark. Don Gullett should be motivated after being removed from the Reds rotation in the World Series. He is joined by fellow newcomers Ken Holtzman (Orioles) and Paul Lindblad (A's). Offensively the Yankees appear pretty well set with their starting lineup with just the reserve spots up for contention in Fort Lauderdale.
Full Rosters Here
1975 Record: 90-72 - click for stats
Projected 1976 Rosters:
| Rotation | Pos | Lineup | |
| Rick Reuschel | CA | Gene Tenace | |
| Bert Blyleven | 1B | Willie Stargell | |
| Dock Ellis | 2B | Rennie Stennett | |
| ? | 3B | Richie Hebner | |
| ? | SS | Frank Taveras | |
| LF | Bill Robinson/Bernie Carbo OR Ed Kirkpatrick | ||
| Bullpen | CF | Al Oliver | |
| Kent Tekulve | RF | Dave Parker | |
| Sam McDowell | BN | Duffy Dyer OR Manny Sanguillen (CA) | |
| Dave Giusti | BN | Jim Fregosi (1B,3B) | |
| Dave Tomlin | BN | Mario Mendoza (SS) | |
| Bob Moose | BN | Tom Helms (2B) | |
| ? | BN | 2 of Robinson, Carbo, Kirpatrick | |
| Top Prospect(s): Omar Moreno (OF) | |||
Notes: The defending NL East champs were involved in the offseason's biggest trade, acquiring Bert Blyleven, Ed Kirkpatrick and Jim Fregosi from the Rangers for Richie Zisk and Jim Bibby. Blyleven should join Reuschel as twin aces at Three Rivers. Kirkpatrick and Fregosi - along with free agent signing Bernie Carbo - should bolster a bench that was thin a year ago. Top bench man Bill Robinson will get a shot at replacing Zisk in Left. The Pirates are overloaded now with veteran bats and may not be able to keep them all - in particular since they need to keep light-hitters Tommy Helms (2B) and Mario Mendoza (SS) since they are the only backups at this position. Perhaps the Bucs will be on the lookout for one backup middle infielder this spring to replace that pair and free up a roster spot.
Full Rosters Here
1975 Record: 73-89 - click for stats
Projected 1976 Roster:
| Rotation | Pos | Lineup | |
| Bill Hands | CA | Darrell Porter | |
| Jim Bibby | 1B | Johnny Grubb | |
| Jackie Brown | 2B | Doug Flynn | |
| ? | 3B | Mike Cubbage | |
| ? | SS | Bert Campaneris | |
| LF | Richie Zisk | ||
| Bullpen | CF | Mickey Rivers | |
| Jim Kern | RF | Roy Howell | |
| Sparky Lyle | BN | John Ellis or Bill Fahey (CA) | |
| ? | BN | Leo Cardenas (IF) | |
| ? | BN | Leon Roberts (OF) | |
| ? | BN | Lamar Johnson (1B) | |
| ? | BN | ? | |
| Top Prospect(s): Lee Mazzilli (OF), Lamar Johnson (1B/OF) | |||
Notes: No GM has been busier in the Reshuffled Deck than the man behind the Rangers. In addition to the big trade with the Pirates mentioned above they also acquired Mike Cubbage from the Twins for Mike Marshall. A few other key Rangers like Jim Kern and Mickey Rivers were also acquired via trade during the 1975 season. Johnny Grubb led the AL in On Base Percentage and moves to first base this season to free up Left Field for Richie Zisk. Roy Howell is doing the same, moving to RF from 3B where Cubbage will now roam. The Rangers biggest issue is pitching depth as almost every spot on their staff is up for grabs in Pompano Beach.
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