New Faces, New Places, High Pressure

Pressure. It is a word synonymous with professional sports. It is what separates the professionals from the weekend warriors. The word takes on different meanings and exudes different intensities depending on the environment. Pressure in New York and Boston is quite different from pressure in Seattle or San Diego. Every athlete feels pressure whether it is from the environment he plays in or the inherent pressure that all athletes place upon themselves with their lofty expectations. Every offseason, a free agent class will all get situated in new cities and begin the season as a team’s hope for a better season. Most players are simply moving to another city, obtaining a job and a paycheck. But for some, the new contract and new city comes with high expectations. Those expectations are sometimes unrealistic, yet omnipresent. Even the best players can take quite a bit of time to adjust to their new environments. For some, an adjustment period is not an option as their new teams and new fans are expecting instant results. This season, five players are about to feel the intense pressure of moving into situations where their very performance will define their new team’s season.

Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

For the first time in his 12-year career, Roy Halladay will be pitching for a legitimate World Series contender. Widely considered one of the best pitchers in the game, Halladay, 33 years old, comes to Philadelphia with a great deal of pressure to lead the staff and team to a third consecutive World Series appearance. Most will point towards the fact that Halladay spent his entire career in the American League East and still posted a 148-76 record with a 3.43 ERA in 2,046.2 innings. During the past two seasons, Halladay has elevated his game, raising his strikeouts per nine innings to 7.5 and 7.8. The lone question that has haunted Halladay’s career has been whether or not he can pitch during a stressful pennant race in a stressful environment. It should not be lost that in order to acquire him, the Phillies unloaded their farm system and traded 2009 post-season hero Cliff Lee. The rabid Phillies fan base will not be patient with a slow start as the remainder of the Phillies’ rotation is riddled with questions. If the Phillies do not make a return to the World Series and Halladay is merely average, he will take the brunt of the blame.

The two-time 20 game winner and former Cy Young Award winner will likely find zero problems and contend with Johan Santana for the National League Cy Young Award. Along the way, he will mentor the Phillies’ rotation, having an even greater impact. As he enters his mid-30’s, his prime is almost at a close, but that will not impact his 2010 season. One of the best will get to prove his worth next October.

Jason Bay, New York Mets

With the exception of the 2007 season, Jason Bay has been one of the best offensive outfielders in the Game since 2004. Because he started his career with the Pirates (after a trade from San Diego), he was largely ignored except when he received the obligatory and mandatory Pirates’ All-Star nomination. It is not that Bay didn’t deserve to be there, it is simply that he toiled in relative obscurity while averaging a .292/.382/.547 batting line, 31 homeruns and a 141 OPS+ from 2004 through 2006. After succeeding in the pressurized environment of Boston for the last season and a half, Bay entered the free agent market as one of the two best available free agents outfielders. After an interminable wait, Bay inked his five year, 80 million dollar deal (assuming the fifth year option kicks in) with the New York Mets. He comes to a team in desperate need of power and in desperate need to rid themselves of the choker and loser label.

Unfortunately, the pressure on Bay may be more than he can produce. He is coming to a Stadium that is not power hitter friendly and coming with expectations of producing like the 2008 Los Angeles version of Manny Ramirez. Citi Field will likely impact his ability to hit 30 homeruns, but a .280/.370/.500 season with 25 homeruns can be reasonably expected. Even if he did reach 30 homeruns, will it be enough for a fan base that often has unrealistic expectations? Remember, this a fan base that is disappointed with Carlos Beltran. If the 2010 Mets fail, Bay will become the target for the fan’s ire as Bay was the one brought in on a hefty contract. There will be screams that they should’ve signed every player not named Jason Bay. It is unfair, but the reality of the pressure on Bay will be felt. With some warning signs of offensive and defensive decline, the outlook isn’t bright, especially in the long-term.

Rich Harden, Texas Rangers

Rich Harden is just 28 years old, has a career 3.39 ERA, 1.237 WHIP, 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings average, and a 131 ERA+. His profile is exactly what the Rangers have lacked over the last 20 years—a dominant strikeout pitcher in the prime of his career. When Harden was signed to his one year deal, the ripple effect was the Rangers trading the reliable yet unspectacular Kevin Millwood to leave Harden as the ace of a young pitching staff that does have as many questions as it does talent. Unlike Halladay, the pressure won’t be on Harden as much to dominate or lead the Rangers to the World Series; it will be simply to make 30 starts and give close to 200 innings. If he can do that, he has proven that he has the talent to pitch like a number one starter. The problem is that Harden has done that just once (2004) in his seven-year career. Over the past two seasons, Harden has made 25 and 26 starts respectively, compiling 148 innings in 2008 and 141 innings in 2009. Both seasons are the second and third highest totals of his career. The Rangers were in the pennant race for most of the 2009 season and clearly lacked the frontline starter to lead their young staff. Harden has the tools to be that ace, but he hasn’t demonstrated durability. If he fails to match Millwood’s ability to make his start every fifth day, the young rotation will be taxed, which will impact their bullpen. The Rangers literally bet their season on Harden’s ability and his health.

Rafael Soriano, Tampa Bay Rays

Like Rich Harden, the question has never been about stuff as Rafael Soriano can be one of the more dominating relievers in Baseball. It is Soriano’s ability to take the ball when called upon that has plagued much of his eight-year career. He’s been able to make more than 50 appearances just three times in his career. However, those three times have come within the last four years. During those four years, Soriano has compiled a 2.76 ERA, a 1.006 WHIP, a 10.3 K/9 average, and a 155 ERA+. That dominance has been compiled as a member of the Braves bullpen (three of the four years) and serving as a setup man and co-closer with Mike Gonzalez for the past couple of years. Last season, he racked up a career high 27 saves.

Soriano now moves the American League East and to a Rays team that has a legitimate chance of competing for a playoff berth. He is an upgrade in their bullpen as the Rays’ relievers had 22 blown saves in 2009. The pressure to perform will be great for Soriano as the Rays’ two divisional opponents have closers who rarely lose games. Moving back to the American League (he began his career in Seattle) will prove to be a challenge as will the fact that he is the lone closer for the first time in his career. He has the stuff to perform well, but his reaction to a type of pressure he never experienced will likely be the key to the Rays’ 2010 post-season chances.

Tim Hudson and Billy Wagner, Atlanta Braves

Both Hudson and Wagner are vital keys for the Braves’ hopeful resurgence in 2010. Both are replacing two of the Braves’ best performers from 2009. Hudson, now 34 years old, made his comeback from elbow surgery last season and was successful in his seven starts. That success led the Braves to give him a three year 28 million dollar extension. The fallout from that contract was the Braves needing to shed the contract of Javier Vazquez, who was the Braves’ best and most dominant pitcher last season. The pressure for Hudson to assume a leadership role on the staff is exacerbated by Jair Jurrjens’ early spring discomfort as well as the Braves’ lackluster offense. The Braves are betting that Hudson can make 30 starts and pitch to his career average. They still lose a bit from Vazquez’s 2009 season, but a healthy Hudson will be enough to stay in the pennant race. Hudson hasn’t been depended upon so much since his days in Oakland. Now, he must lead the staff while Tommy Hanson matures and Jurrjens heals and continues his development.

The Braves let Mike Gonzalez sign with the Baltimore Orioles and then traded Rafael Soriano after the reliever accepted arbitration. They signed 38-year-old Billy Wagner to a one year, seven million dollar deal. Wagner also missed most of 2009 while rehabbing from elbow surgery. The flame throwing southpaw returned to the New York Mets and immediately showed his old mid to high nineties velocity. After just two innings with the Mets, he was traded to the Red Sox. He appeared in 15 games, pitching 13.2 innings, allowing 8 hits, 3 runs, 7 walks, and 22 strikeouts as a setup man for Jonathan Papelbon. Now, Wagner and his 385 career saves will return to the closer role for the Braves. If he cannot make it through the entire season or cannot pitch on back-to-back nights, the Braves only alternative is Takashi Saito, a 40-year-old right-hander. If Wagner cannot be an adequate closer, the Braves don’t have a strong enough bullpen to compensate.

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