HispanicBusiness

happens, the Mariners should challenge the .500 mark.

Projected lineup

CF Franklin Gutierrez (.260, 4 HR, 17 RBI in 40 games)

3B Kyle Seager (.259, 20, 86)

LF Michael Morse (.291, 18, 62 in 102 games with Washington)

DH Kendrys Morales (.273, 22, 73 in 134 games with Angels)

RF Michael Saunders (.247, 19, 57)

C Jesus Montero (.260, 15, 62)

2B Dustin Ackley (.226, 12, 50)

1B Justin Smoak (.217, 19, 51)

SS Brendan Ryan (.194, 3, 31).

Projected rotation

RH Felix Hernandez (13-9, 3.06 ERA, 5 CG)

RH Hisashi Iwakuma (9-5, 3.16 ERA, 16 starts)

LH Joe Saunders (9-13, 4.07 in 28 starts with Arizona and Baltimore)

RH Brandon Maurer (9-2, 3.20 in 24 starts in Double-A)

RH Blake Beavan (11-11, 4.43, 26 starts)

Closer

RH Tom Wilhelmsen (4-3, 2.50, 29/34 saves)

HOUSTON ASTROS

2012 season: 55-107 (sixth, NL Central)

New faces: 1B/DH Carlos Pena, above, RHP Philip Humber, OF Rick Ankiel, 1B/OF Chris Carter.

Strength: Second base. Jose Altuve was an All-Star in 2012, and he might be the only representative the rebuilding Astros have this year.

Weakness: Hitting, pitching, depth, inexperience -- pick one. Questions abound at every position, which means first-year manager Bo Porter, the Nationals' former third base coach, will be hard pressed to avoid a last-place finish in the division.

Outlook: It's a new league for the Astros, who make the jump from the NL. Unfortunately, they bring much of the same problems they've had recently with them. This team finished last in the NL Central in each of the past two years and could lose more than the 107 games it lost in 2012. The Astros will try to avoid becoming the first team to lose at least 106 games in three straight seasons since the expansion Mets did it from 1962-65. It won't be easy for a team with just five players on the 40-man roster with more than two years of major league experience and the league's lowest payroll.

Projected lineup

2B Jose Altuve (.290, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 33 SB)

1B Brett Wallace (.253, 9, 24)

DH Carlos Pena (.197, 19, 61 for Tampa Bay)

LF Chris Carter (.239, 16, 39 for Oakland)

RF Fernando Martinez (.237, 6, 14)

CF Justin Maxwell (.229, 18, 53)

C Jason Castro (.257, 6, 29)

SS Ronny Cedeno (.259, 4, 22 for Mets)

3B Matt Dominguez (.284, 5, 16)

Projected rotation

RH Bud Norris (7-13, 4.65 ERA)

RH Lucas Harrell (11-11, 3.76)

RH Philip Humber (5-5, 6.44, with the White Sox)

RH Brad Peacock (12-9, 6.01 in Triple-A Sacramento)

LH Erik Bedard (7-14, 5.01 with Pittsburgh)

Closer

RH Jose Veras (5-4, 3.63, 1 save with Milwaukee)

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

2012 season: 73-89 (fourth, AL East)

New faces: RHP R.A. Dickey, above, LHP Mark Buehrle, SS Jose Reyes, RHP Josh Johnson, OF Melky Cabrera.

2013 outlook: Toronto went all-in this offseason and landed three top-quality starters in Dickey, Buehrle and Johnson. And the offense is