Memphis Tigers
Key Acquisitions: None
Key Players Lost: Carter Stern SP
After reaching the NLCS in season 20, the Tigers and their fans suffered a disappointing setback last year, finishing last in the NL south. With Memphis fighting most of last season trying to claw their way from the bottom, Management went into the offseason hoping to add a couple of pieces in order to make another playoff run, only to come up short on several of their targets. The Tigers were however able to pick up RP Cody Harmon off waivers to provide help in the bullpen and Rule 5 Draftee Riku Martin 1B/COF to provide much needed power off the bench or in a platoon. This years pitching staff will be young and inexperienced with Lonny Andujar taking Sterns spot in the rotation. While the starting lineup has a familiar look that could see Buck Watson starting the season with the big league club. As always, Tiger fans will remain optimistic to start the season, but should know fairly soon what kind of season they will have to endure.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The major move of the offseason was to resign Michael Shumpert and make sure he ends his career in Texas. A number of veterans were signed to fill in the roster, but no major moves. The Red Raiders should be a mediocre team again this season as the franchise gears up for a rebuild. Playing in a weak division, its possible that we'll get luck and Seneca and Shumpert will get one more chance to make a playoff run.
Anaheim Trojans
Last Year's Record: 71-91
Projected Record: 77-85
Added: Buzz Beinre - will take over as closer.
Losses: Martin Dresden SP(Little Rock), Eric Mullin DH, Miguel Rodriguez C, Vladimer Quinones RF
Rookies to be called up: Dexter Robinson SP, D'Angelo Marandona RP, and Albert Neal SP, Steve Lombardi C
We are hoping this is the year things start to turn around in Anaheim. With 8-10 players expected to be promoted in the next 2 years and a ton of cap space this franchise should be contending soon. The bullpen was a total disaster last year so I was happy to grab a decent closer at a reasonable price. It should be interesting to see how the young staff performs this year. Not too optimistic about the offense.
Nashville Commodores
After making the playoffs 9 out of the last 10 seasons, but losing in the first round 8 times, it's rebuilding time in Nashville.
The Commodores traded away top talent for prospects to start the rebuild and brought in FA pitchers Javier Sanchez, Greg Padden, David Saito and Stuart Schrenk as well as CF Theo Franco and C's Frank Rowand and Tomas Lira. Harry Albaladejo, acquired in a trade, will take over at 2B.
The Commodores hope to remain competitive in the AL south while building a team that can compete in the playoffs. However, this season .500 would be an accomplishment.
Richmond Spiders
We returned to the top of the division last season, but it wasn’t exactly a convincing return, going 81-81. Much more was expected last season, but things just never got rolling. The expectations remain high this season as more pieces will be added to the young roster. Everyone of significance returns except C Benji Franco, who was moved out via trade. That open spot will go to prospect Davey Latos, who should be an upgrade both offensively and defensively. Former 1st-rd pick Henry Knight will be promoted to play 2B/CF.
The biggest addition is the trade for potential ace Trent Keefe. It cost a couple pretty good prospects, but adding Keefe, who is still in his prime and has ace potential, was a big move for us. He should really improve the rotation and help us match up a little better should we make the playoffs again.
Prospect Ralph Small lurks in the minors. He could hit in the majors today, but his ticket to the big league club will be cashed in once he can play a little better 3B. If that happens by the end of the season, he may get called up for a late season push.
There are high expectations in Richmond to take the next step up from mediocrity into the upper tier of the league. The team will need to avoid another disappointment and step up to meet those expectations.
New York Red Storm
Key Losses: Buzz Beirne, Milton Hermanson, Geoff Snyder (trade)
Key Additions: Odalis Velazquez
Call-ups: Footsie Womack, Alexi Nunez (trade)
Outlook: After a surprise playoff appearance as a wild card team last year and a 16 game improvement, the Red Storm youngsters are looking to make some noise again this year with the addition of Velaquez and the call-up of Footsie Womack. We lost some power with Hermanson splitting, poise at the back end of the bullpen with Beirne's departure and the trade of Snyder, but upper management feels that we have the pieces in place to more than adequately replace them. We hope to contend for the division this year with the hopes that an extra year of seasoning for the young guns will allow us to push further into the post-season.
Salem Beavers
Departures
Starting SS Bartolo Estrada, 31 – Type B Signed by Helena 1 yr @ $6M, Having a SS ready to go in AAA let Estrada walk saving quite a bit of money for a near identical replacement and picking up a Type B pick.
RF/3B - Chico Tavarez, 35 – Unsigned, Declined and will never play another MLB game
vRHP platoon RF Cyrus Connelly, 37 – Unsigned, Declined and will never play another MLB game
Backup SS Willis Brock, 35 – Unsigned, Declined and will never play another MLB game
vLHP platoon LF Raymond Nixon, 33 – Unsigned, Could still be useful vLHP platoon guy but I opted for guys with more defensive skill.
Part-time 3B Willie Berroa, 33 – Signed by Helena 1 yr @ $3M, Signed some better hitting 3B/RF guys and also have guy ready in AAA.
Backup C Edgar Guillon, 36 - Unsigned, Declined and will never play another MLB game
SP Clay Hausmann, 37 – Type A Signed by Columbus 4 yrs $28.3M, Was the best pitcher on team for the last two seasons and didn’t want to lose him but was unwilling to give the contract duration he received and couldn’t match total contract amount.
RP George Stokes, 32 – Unsigned, Was a previous late free agency bargain signing and was not that good.
RP Virgil Macias, 34 – Unsigned, Was a previous late free agency bargain signing and was not that good.
RP Pat Gibbons, 39 – Unsigned, Put a fork in him.
Arrivals
vLHP Platoon C Ray King, 35 – 1 yr @ $1.6M: Cheap backup option with a very good OBP bat. With my the low durability of my top option, he will get the regular season starts vLHP.
3B/RF Vasco Mendoza, 34 – Type B 2 yr @ $4.8M: Solid bat will get time in 3B and RF.
vLHP SS Joe Blank, 31 – 2 yr @ $1.8M: Good defense, typical SS bat. Will be the guy until after game 20 when he becomes the vLHP platoon. Will also be used to fill in on occasion in CF or 2B.
RF Milton Hermanson, 32 – Type B 4 yr @ $6M: Very good bat and can also play 3B if needed. Will be a big upgrade offensively and defensively compared to last season.
SP Willie Izturis, 31 – Trade with Nashville: Gave up a couple of solid young prospects for an ace that this team has needed to make the next step in the postseason. Huge upgrade as the #1 starter.
SP Tony Telemaco, 33 – GM Declined Option 5 yrs $92M: Not being able to pony up the $110M for Shumpert, Telemaco
was signed as the next option. He should be a good upgrade as either our #2 or #3 starter.
SP Dante Li, 34 – Type A 5 yrs @ $4.9M: Considering how well he has performed at the hitter’s park in Dover, this was a massive bargain signing that I expect to yield the absolute most bang for the buck of any of my signings. Will be competing for the #2 playoff rotation role.
Minor League Call-ups
3B/RF Willie Guerrero, 22 – A ML average bat with decent defensive skills. Will be part of my three headed 3B/RF trio with Mendoza and Hermanson, since none have the durability to play every day.
vRHP SS Ahmad Lansing, 23 – Was ready last season but had Estrada blocking the way. Great defense, standard SS offense.
LF Jimmie Delgado, 21 – Not yet developing but need him now to fill the spot for payroll purposes. Should be an above average ML hitter, probably average to a little below for COF.
RP Earl Jensen, 21 – Very good short outing reliever that could pitch an inning every other day.
Season Outlook
The offense, which was slightly above average in the AL last season, should have a similar output as last season and score enough runs to compete every night. With Hermanson, the Beavers finally have a third big bat to go along with Acosta and Shigetoshi.
Defensively, the Beavers will continue to be brilliant up the middle with Lansing/Blank at SS, Aguilera at 2B, and Torres in CF. With the new additions, an above average defense should improve to be one of the best in the league.
I started with the top performing pitching staff in the AL, let one stud SP and three poor performing relievers walk and brought in three stud SPs and one stud RP. I believe I have assembled the deepest pitching staff in the majors. I fear that with the failure to sign Shumpert, we still may lack the marquee guy to get us over the hump, but Izturis, Telemaco, and Li will be great additions that give us six starting pitchers that all would probably have a place in the rotation for any other team. I still haven’t made up my mind completely if it will be Schneider or Komatsu as the odd man out.
We were very active this offseason and all of the effort was an attempt to assemble the talent needed to finally end the Gophers stranglehold on the AL. Anything short of a 100+ win season and a trip to the World Series will be a disappointment. This team as currently constructed as a three season window of opportunity as Izturis will be an expensive FA after that.
Oakland Golden Bears
Oakland made a big jump in our rebuilding effort as we finally made the playoffs and showed a real turnaround on the field. We tried to make some big splashes in Free Agency, however we got out spent for a few of the options we were looking at. The biggest fish that got away was Tony Telemaco who ended up signing with Salem who won our division last season and should be the favorite to do so again this season.
As for the players that we added to this seasons roster: Luis Duran and Ajax Goldstein should give us some added bullpen support. We got Mark Glover in a trade with Fargo for future All Star reliever Freddy Barrett. Not sure Glover will have much left in the tank for the Golden Bears, but after not getting much in starters during FA, we had to take a chance.
Jose Gandarilla should give us some added defense in CF. The Oakland front office is extremely excited to have Juan Rojas making his ML debut this season at DH. Rojas should bring some added long ball power in a pitchers park that will hopefully bring us some extra wins as well.
Dover Fightin' Blue Hens
Dover did not make wholesale changes even though the team underperformed last year. Dante Li would not re-sign with the club last year or during the offseason, and the director of player personnel was on a cruise during free agent signings, so Li went elsewhere for a mere $4.9 mil. He will be hard to replace. Dover is continuing to build from the minors, so a playoff spot is the best that can be hoped for. The Blue Hens added Rule 5 pitcher Albert Cedeno and he looks developed enough to contribute. First round pick Patrick Scharein will join an already solid bullpen.
Columbus Buckeyes
Columbus, OH- The natives are growing restless in Columbus and are expecting a return to the playoffs this season. Manager tdfactory got off to a good start in his stint at Columbus and made the playoffs in year 3 for the first time in franchise history but has not been back since. The last 3 years have been a letdown and the fans want wins! On a positive side, the Bucks have had there best 6 year stretch ever and have finished 2nd in the division in 4 of tdfactory's 6 years.
Players Departing- P Carlos Encarnacion, P Haywood Young, P Mule Wells, P Shawn Beaulac, P Alex Jackson (option not exercised), CF Alberto ANdrus, SS Ricardo Ramirez
Players Added: P Harvey Ennis (Waivers), P Clay Hausmann, P Andres Rosario, 1B Danny Sheffield, CF Everett Wood,
Up from the Farm- P Placido Romero, P Stephen Harvey
Down on the Farm- Possible Call Up in Season 22- CF Freddie Urich
Tdfactory shook up the team a bit in FA, letting a good chunk of the pitching staff walk and bringing in some new arms to Columbus. Also, another bat was needed and 1B Danny Sheffield was added through trade for a prospect. Columbus chased Telemaco, but the sweepstakes became too rich, so they pulled out to focus on other targets. The team is happy with the additions, however one set back has already occurred with CF Everett Wood sustaining an ankle injury on the 2nd to last day of ST and he is out for 75 days. It is possible tdf could bring up prospect CF Freddie Urich to help fill in, but with no AAA experience yet, it is likely he will stay down until next season. Former 1st rounder Stephen Harvey joins the pen as well as home grown propsect P Placido Romero. If the new adds can gel with some of the young talent on the Buckeyes, a playoff run is not out of the question. Go Bucks!
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Season 22 Team Previews - Batch 1
First Ten Previews posted below. Thanks to all of those who got them in so quickly. Let's get some more in!
Charlotte Tar Heels
Our tongue in cheek goal is have the top record in the world and then lose to a team in the playoffs who finished 15-25 games worse than us record wise which has happened most of the last 5 seasons. So we've been very successful in that regard. More seriously our goal is the same as always...enjoy the heck out of the regular season, hopefully win the division and earn a bye in the playoffs and then make a bet to see who will upset us in the playoffs.
We didn't lose too much from last season. Vic iglesias was not re-signed after asking for a lot in arb, but was then signed long term by another team so good for him, he cashed in. Other than a couple inning eater arms in the bullpen, there won't be a lot of change from a team who led the world in most key pitching, hitting, and fielding categories.
Long term this team is starting to age. Realistically our window is 2-5 more seasons depending on a host of factors. We're doing our best to keep control of the payroll with massive signing bonuses to limit the annual salaries and not re-signing secondary and tertiary players, but its starting to inch up. There have been some internal arguments about moving some of they vets in their prime for some prospects to keep the franchise rolling long term at a high level, but we've become too attached to many of our top guys. Should be a fun season.
Philadelphia Owls
Philadelphia Owls Players Lost : Pitcher Javier Sanchez and SS/RF Hunter Keough.
New players: SP Ismael Martinez, P Vic Iglesias and P Tommie Osbourne.
Rookies expected to contribute: SS Juan Dali, LF Derek Randolph and 2B Terrell Kelly .
This season, Owls are hoping for a better result than last year. Offensively, the team will again, count on MVP third baseman Frieri Santiago, CF Carlton Brooks platooning with Al Petit, veteran Miller Kotsay also platooning with Julio Nunez at 1B, C Terry Lee and DH Everth Manzanillo. But 2 rookies, Juan Dali at short and Terrell Kelly at 2B should help the offense. The rotation, lead by Carlos Martinez, is this year again, a question mark. We hope the arrival of 3 newcomers, Ismael Martinez, lefty Tommy Osbourne and Vic Iglesias will help stabilize this rotation. In the bullpen, everybody's back, it should be more than OK.
The future though, looks bright with SP Vernon Black(1 yeay away), LF Benji Guzman, lefty SP Brad Cunningham, another lefty SP Marino Megias, SS Domingo Fernandez, CF Julio Cueto and DH Dusty Malone.
Don't be desperate Owls fans, we will send a better team on the field this season.
New players: SP Ismael Martinez, P Vic Iglesias and P Tommie Osbourne.
Rookies expected to contribute: SS Juan Dali, LF Derek Randolph and 2B Terrell Kelly .
This season, Owls are hoping for a better result than last year. Offensively, the team will again, count on MVP third baseman Frieri Santiago, CF Carlton Brooks platooning with Al Petit, veteran Miller Kotsay also platooning with Julio Nunez at 1B, C Terry Lee and DH Everth Manzanillo. But 2 rookies, Juan Dali at short and Terrell Kelly at 2B should help the offense. The rotation, lead by Carlos Martinez, is this year again, a question mark. We hope the arrival of 3 newcomers, Ismael Martinez, lefty Tommy Osbourne and Vic Iglesias will help stabilize this rotation. In the bullpen, everybody's back, it should be more than OK.
The future though, looks bright with SP Vernon Black(1 yeay away), LF Benji Guzman, lefty SP Brad Cunningham, another lefty SP Marino Megias, SS Domingo Fernandez, CF Julio Cueto and DH Dusty Malone.
Don't be desperate Owls fans, we will send a better team on the field this season.
Iowa City Hawkeyes
Iowa gave up on a couple of players from last year. Not key players but I needed to fill some holes this offseason. So by making a position change to one player and the signings of RF Yorman Costilla and CF Fergie Cromer, along with returning franchise players like Justin Crosby, Jack Nicholas and Neil McCallum I think we should be OK with offence and defence.
However the pitching is still suspect, I am hoping with another year under their belts that my young pitchers will improve and change the dynamic of my pitching staff as well I still have a great closer in Dustin Watson and I signed veteran SP Jake Randolph for leadership. Still I believe I need 1 more starter to be competitive and am trying with a limited budget to find one more via trade. Hopefully it all comes together this year for Iowa.
However the pitching is still suspect, I am hoping with another year under their belts that my young pitchers will improve and change the dynamic of my pitching staff as well I still have a great closer in Dustin Watson and I signed veteran SP Jake Randolph for leadership. Still I believe I need 1 more starter to be competitive and am trying with a limited budget to find one more via trade. Hopefully it all comes together this year for Iowa.
Cincinnati Bearcats
The Cincinnati Bearcats embark on season 22 after a season 21 17 game improvement over season 20. That is the extent of the good news. Bad news is that the Bearcats lost more than they won in season 22. The Gophers will continue to be the elephant in the room, the Bison are certain to improve and it is expected that the sleeping giants (the Ducks) will be aroused from their slumber. Old pro and certain Hall of Famer, Enrique Sojo, is gone, as are Hamlet Darwin, Joaquin Gonzales, and Torey Vizquel. Those 61 homers and 205 rbis will not be replaced by the Bearcats only FA addition, defensive specialist Jerry Hume. If ground can be made up, the Bearcats expect improvement from second year players Felipe Barrios, Willard Perez, Danny Gibson, Sal Beltre, and Ren Lee. Honing skills at AAA are Rick Arias, Andres James, Jalal Bowman, Albie Gomes, and Len Whitesell. All could join the big club during the season and all are expected to be solid major league contributors.
Recent drafts have resulted in more misses than hits and the 'Cats have not done well with FA signings or IFAs. The current system screams mediocrity. It is expected that the turn around will begin in earnest this season; but,positive results are somewhere in the future.
Recent drafts have resulted in more misses than hits and the 'Cats have not done well with FA signings or IFAs. The current system screams mediocrity. It is expected that the turn around will begin in earnest this season; but,positive results are somewhere in the future.
Detroit Wolverines
S21: 61 -101 (4th in NL North)
Wolverine fans are getting tired of watching their baseball team stuck in the Rich Rod era and management is on the hot seat this season. Last season we brought up three key pieces on offense in Keith Petersen, Marshall Washington and Douglas Lawrie. Lawrie was the only one to perform decent at the plate which sent us back down to the worst record in MLB. This FA we lost 4 pitchers so we hit the market obtaining 3 Type A pitchers in Fausto Gimenez, Jay Rhodes, and Miguel Barcelo. They should help strengthen our staff and keep us close in games. Brutus Olmos is also getting called up to take over 2B to help with some offense. Our young guys did improve ratings from their call up so we're hoping that they preform better than last year and more in line with their ratings. We've also let them know, along with all other managers in the league, that everyone is on the trading block if it will help better our team.
Wolverine fans are getting tired of watching their baseball team stuck in the Rich Rod era and management is on the hot seat this season. Last season we brought up three key pieces on offense in Keith Petersen, Marshall Washington and Douglas Lawrie. Lawrie was the only one to perform decent at the plate which sent us back down to the worst record in MLB. This FA we lost 4 pitchers so we hit the market obtaining 3 Type A pitchers in Fausto Gimenez, Jay Rhodes, and Miguel Barcelo. They should help strengthen our staff and keep us close in games. Brutus Olmos is also getting called up to take over 2B to help with some offense. Our young guys did improve ratings from their call up so we're hoping that they preform better than last year and more in line with their ratings. We've also let them know, along with all other managers in the league, that everyone is on the trading block if it will help better our team.
Charleston Cougars
Charleston lost two key players to free agency this offseason, 3b Odalis Velaquez and SP Fred Keppel. However, a trade with Helena to bring in SP Efrain Nakano and 3b Geraldo Arias should mitigate the damage. Charleston also picked up SS Macier James in free agency.
Charleston hopes to contend this year with a rotation led by Eswalin Sierra and backed by Nakano and David Rodriguez. Saul Martin, Miguel Certa, Donn Rodgers and Craig Parrish will lead a potent lineup. With too many DH types, Charleston may face challenges in the field as they will likely utilize players such as Rodgers and Mark Komatsu in Right Field.
Charleston hopes to contend this year with a rotation led by Eswalin Sierra and backed by Nakano and David Rodriguez. Saul Martin, Miguel Certa, Donn Rodgers and Craig Parrish will lead a potent lineup. With too many DH types, Charleston may face challenges in the field as they will likely utilize players such as Rodgers and Mark Komatsu in Right Field.
Boise Broncos
The Broncos have lofty goals set for the coming season. The strength of the team will be its deep and talented pitching staff lead by rising stars, Carlos Jose and Max Chavez and anchored by veteran starters Marc Westmoreland and Chris Dawkins. The rotation will be supported by one of the best bullpens in the league. On offense (last year’s biggest problem) we’ve added leadoff hitter Herm O’Shea thru free agency and 3b Casey Keller by way of trade. These additions, together with a full season with Gorkys James and Alex carter and another year with rising star Red Dreifort should provide the runs support need to make a move for the division title.
Arizona Wildcats
The new look Arizona Wildcats are hoping to improve on their 82 win season from last year. New veteran position players such as 1B Angel Sanchez, SS Jumbo Cortazar, CF Geoff Snyder, and RF Perry Abbott will hopefully stabilize the starting lineup and help support former no.1 overall pick Doug Treadway when he makes his ML debut this season.
The pitching staff also has a few new faces and the Wildcats hope to rely on a pair of 36 year old newcomers in Kevin Ryu and Alvin Barnes to hopefully give Arizona a much improved starting rotation.
The team had a very average pitching staff and offense last season and we hope the surge of veteran talent can help us to contend in the playoffs this season.
The pitching staff also has a few new faces and the Wildcats hope to rely on a pair of 36 year old newcomers in Kevin Ryu and Alvin Barnes to hopefully give Arizona a much improved starting rotation.
The team had a very average pitching staff and offense last season and we hope the surge of veteran talent can help us to contend in the playoffs this season.
Huntington Thundering Herd
After a season that ended 8 games under .500 despite a widely held belief that they would compete for a fifth division title, the Herd’s front office did some soul searching. Looking deep inside itself to determine what needed to happen to lead this organization to glory…yep, that’s right, the front office went fishing!
Pitching (15th in NL ERA)
The pitching staff was disappointing last season as bargain basement pickups failed to pan out. This season sees the return of only 4 pitchers and the addition of 7. While missing out on the big dogs, we still managed to add LHP Disuke Suzuki (222.0 IP, 19-6, 1.34 WHIP, 3.36 ERA), to the rotation that already boasted sub 1.30 WHIP guys in LHP Ralph Myette and RHP Cole Mitchell. RHP Dallas Parrott will return to the rotation while newcomer Joe Alexander will man the back-end. Nick Wilson, Alex Franco, Hod Ferrell, and Merv Witt join Steve Donovan and David Mathews in the bullpen. It should be a formidable bullpen of hard throwers.
Batting (6th in NL Runs)
The offense was full of solid hitters but still struggled to put up the runs we feel like it should have. Gone is perennial SS Jumbo Cortazar, 4th in franchise history in games played. In his place is youngster Rey Jung, who won’t perform to Jumbo’s offensive characteristics, but should outperform him defensively. Most of the offense returns, but in slightly different roles. Shane Meadows moves to RF to make room for new 1B Steve D’Amico. 3B Kevin Xaio adds flexibility and defense off the bench for 3B Mitchell Spencer. Gabe Price and Vasco Jose split LF. Strong CF Markus Crosby looks to break out in his 3rd BL season. Alex Pimentel and Benji Franco are going to platoon at C. Hopefully the offense out of that position goes well. Dante Itou and rule 5 selection Enrique Mendoza provide a strong bench. Robert Frederick returns to play 2B and probably bat 2nd.
Buffalo Bulls
Key Additions: Joaquin Nunez (270 career wins, 2.42 Lifetime Era) Mitch Huckaby (Single Season Averages .273 28 HR 99RBI) Benny Jose (bench player)
Key Losses : Frank Jenkins(FA) 1B/LF, Scott Boswell LF (Helena), Tomas Lira C/DH (Nashville), Felipe Montanez(FA)SS Tommie Osbourne P (Philadelphia)
The Buffalo Bulls broke the club single season wins record for the 2nd season in a row with 94 . Unfortunately they couldn't get past the 2nd round of the playoffs as the Charlotte buzz saw cut them down again. The Bulls return almost the same exact team minus some role players, With their 2 young stud pitchers and the addition of Joaquin Nunez the Bulls have a pretty solid 1-3 Starters, add Mitch Huckaby manning one of the corner OF spots hopefully that it will be enough to push them over the top this season. The Bulls let go some of their older players which in turn has upgraded the defense and durability of the team. A playoff run wouldn't be out of the question with the same team returning.
Key Losses : Frank Jenkins(FA) 1B/LF, Scott Boswell LF (Helena), Tomas Lira C/DH (Nashville), Felipe Montanez(FA)SS Tommie Osbourne P (Philadelphia)
The Buffalo Bulls broke the club single season wins record for the 2nd season in a row with 94 . Unfortunately they couldn't get past the 2nd round of the playoffs as the Charlotte buzz saw cut them down again. The Bulls return almost the same exact team minus some role players, With their 2 young stud pitchers and the addition of Joaquin Nunez the Bulls have a pretty solid 1-3 Starters, add Mitch Huckaby manning one of the corner OF spots hopefully that it will be enough to push them over the top this season. The Bulls let go some of their older players which in turn has upgraded the defense and durability of the team. A playoff run wouldn't be out of the question with the same team returning.
Syracuse Orange
Players Lost: Michael Seay, Walt Rogers (Type B), Harry Piedra (Type B) Vasco Mendoza (Type B)
Players Added: Johnny Ryan (soon),Mario Hiljus (soon ), Saul Garrido (2b), Sandy Weiss (1b), Manuel Santayana (rp), Esmil Canseco (utility) (Rule 5)
The Orange are quite optimistic for season 22. We’re hoping a wild card can be achieved. Last year the team spent a good amount of time very near the top of the ERA lists. This year’s staff should be even better with the addition of star prospect Johnny Ryan. We also added a nice reliever in Manuel Santayana. Plus some of the kids have another year under their belt.
Offense is what killed this squad last season. We simply could not score runs. If they had an average offense they would have been challenging for a wild card.
We think we’ve made some changes that should indeed help that offense. Former #2 overall pick Mario Hiljus is expected to be on the team sometime this season. This actually may happen sooner probably more than later. Sandy Weiss should be a nice addition along with Saul Garrido and Esmil Canseco. A pretty decent catching prospect Rene Thornberry might see a promotion this season as well.
Players Added: Johnny Ryan (soon),Mario Hiljus (soon ), Saul Garrido (2b), Sandy Weiss (1b), Manuel Santayana (rp), Esmil Canseco (utility) (Rule 5)
The Orange are quite optimistic for season 22. We’re hoping a wild card can be achieved. Last year the team spent a good amount of time very near the top of the ERA lists. This year’s staff should be even better with the addition of star prospect Johnny Ryan. We also added a nice reliever in Manuel Santayana. Plus some of the kids have another year under their belt.
Offense is what killed this squad last season. We simply could not score runs. If they had an average offense they would have been challenging for a wild card.
We think we’ve made some changes that should indeed help that offense. Former #2 overall pick Mario Hiljus is expected to be on the team sometime this season. This actually may happen sooner probably more than later. Sandy Weiss should be a nice addition along with Saul Garrido and Esmil Canseco. A pretty decent catching prospect Rene Thornberry might see a promotion this season as well.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Season 21 - First Round Review
1. Chicago – Zeke Lawton
The top power hitter in the draft goes #1. He has an awesome combination of power, splits, and batting eye. Two concerns of mine are his durability and his position. How many games can he play at 100%? Also, some would argue it makes sense to choose a top of the rotation SP or a guy with a good bat who plays a premium position since they are harder to come by. However, if Lawton’s production can be maximized to full efficiency he will be one of the top hitters in the world statistically each season. Hard to pass up.
2. Philadelphia – Vernon Black
Black is a top of the rotation SP prospect. He could have gone #1 and it at least could have been justified. Nothing wrong with this pick.
3. Cincinnati – George Reid
Reid is a solid, if not spectacular SP prospect. I think allright is a little hard on him as I think he will do ok. He isn't worth a top 3 pick, but still a nice SP prospect.
Allright – “For the second year in a row, the Bearcats put all of their scouting eggs in the high school nest. Last year the gamble paid off like a house-fixed slot machine. This year the gamble didn't pay that much. With the #3 pick, the best the highest paid high school scouts could come up with was George Reid, an 18 year-old out of Smithville, Mo. You may not have heard of Smithville and its unlikely you will hear of George Reid. He projects to above average control and splits; but, that's about it. With only 2 pitches, he will probably wind up in the bullpen. The best park he could play in is the Grand Canyon and only then if the wind is not blowing out. The Bearcats are in sore need of some "can't misses" in the minors. Unfortunately, the draft has proven to be a pipeline of "can't plays". The silver lining ( and boy do the Bearcats need one); Reid is undecided about signing, claiming that he has basketball scholarships on the table.”
4. Boise – Frank Hughes
I love this pick and love Hughes’ bat. He will absolutely rake. I think he could have gone #1 and it been justified.
Abesmem – “Boise is thrilled that Frank Hughes was still available at 4th overall. He was the #1 ranked player on our board. Frank projects to hit for both great power and high average against righties and lefties. He has a superior batting eye and is a very advanced player for 18 years of age. His health and durability score at the top of the charts. The only thing he’s missing is speed. Frank is starting out in Low A but could be in the majors in 3 years.”
5. Iowa City – Jamie Watson
I should cut and paste what I wrote about Reid above. Decent SP prospect, but #5 seems awfully high for a guy who should top out as a back of the rotation SP.
6. Anaheim – DaRond Jenkins
Really nice pick considering a couple of the reaches above. The Trojans must have been ecstatic he fell to #6. Really strong bat who will anchor a corner outfield position.
Vino5 – “DaRond Jenkins will be a middle of the order hitter. His splits should top out close to 90 with solid power/eye. There were a few premier hitters at the top of this draft and we are very happy to grab one of them.”
7. Detroit – Norberto Benitez
I’m stunned Benitez fell to #7. He could contribute at the ML level today if needed to. I disagree with tk in that I don’t think he’ll progress enough to play CF, he should be able to do just fine (if not better) at 2B and when you combine that bat with a premium position, you’ve drafted a keeper.
Tk21775 - We had Mr. Benitez listed first on our draft board so was very pleased to see him still available at the #7 spot. Defensively he'll be able to handle centerfield or 2B and will have a great bat for either position. At age 21 he's almost ready for the big leagues so we expect him to go through the minors quickly once he decides to pick up the pen and sign.”
8. New York – Tony Hughes
Hughes has a great bat and will play 1B/DH for the Red Storm. Nothing wrong at all in selected a big bopper with the #8 pick. Nothing much to say other than he should be a great hitter.
Mamidu – “He will be able to mash. I have him projected at 94 96 87 77 82 with $17M invested in college scouting, so i hope it is pretty accurate. I was looking for a big bopper in this draft, and I believe I found him. We needed some more pop at 1B, and we got it. Love the handlebars.”
9. Louisville – Casey Patterson
Personally I have had bad luck with pitcher without at least decent/good control so I don’t love this pick. The Cardinals will have to bank on his #2 Pitch and splits and hope he is “wild within the strike zone.”
10. Helena – Storm Cordova
One of the top relievers goes off the board as we round out the top ten. He should be a really solid piece to the Grizzlies bullpen. Might have been a touch high for a setup guy who probably won’t be truly dominant.
Drichar138 – “We love that Storm is a highly durable reliever. He has a dominant first pitch and is very good at getting groundballs. Overall we feel like it may have been a reach to take a set up man at #10 in the draft, but with the talent pool that was available, the alternatives were not pretty. “
11. Columbus – Gabe Podsednik
Interesting selection. He has a really long way to go with his glove to even be in the discussion as a 3B so I’m more comfortable rating him as an OF. He projects to really good contact and power, but only average against righties which will diminish his effectiveness.
12. Richmond – Mac Collins
I’ll pretty much echo what cm says below. My scouting doesn’t show him as a SS unless you’re ready to deal with a good number of errors. His bat is still solid and will give value as a top notch 2B or 3B down the line.
Cmthieme – “This one all depends on how he develops defensively. If he is good enough to play a passable SS (my 20M college scouting had him as a serviceable if slightly below average SS defensively) then this is a great pick at 12. If not (and he has a ways to go, so it's pretty questionable), his bat will still play at 2B or 3B, but won't be near the asset he would be at SS. He signed for not too much over slot, so that was a nice surprise.”
13. Oakland – Hasn’t signed although he should. Great reliever prospect.
14. Little Rock – Paul Johnson
I don’t see much here with Johnson. In a best case scenario is a back of the rotation starter/long reliever. Worst case he is a AAAA guy. Not something you want to have as a possibility with a low teen draft pick.
Joekendall – “We were happy to add a SP to the fold when selecting Paul Johnson with the 14th pick. Paul will fit in nicely as a #3 starter. His splits will be what holds him back from being a #1 starter.”
15. Huntington – Erubiel Matos
Pretty much what hurricane says below. He should be able to contribute as MLer to someone’s pitching staff. I’m just going to assume hurricane will trade him.
Hurricane384 – “An underwhelming pick at #15, Erubiel Matos should still be able to contribute in the bigs...maybe as a SuA or LRA...just would've liked to have a bit of a better player here.”
16. Portland – Randy Thornton – Hasn’t signed and I didn’t scout him.
17. Seattle – Charlie Ellenwood
Good, solid outfielder. His batting eye will hold back his OBP/OPS and hitting in Seattle isn’t exactly easy.
18. Kansas City – Joc Patterson
It appears he is a bit too far defensively to be a CFer, but could lock down 2B nicely. Bat isn’t great, but he also won’t be a black hole in the lineup.
19. Syracuse – J.J. Whiteside
Hmmm…his glove isn’t going to be good enough for SS, but bat doesn’t look like it will be good enough to warrant a COF position. Hopefully his defense progresses to the point where he is a good, possibly great defender at 2B or 3B and also provides value with a decent bat.
Evil doers – “The Orange are happy with their signing of J.J. Whiteside.He came out as a short stop but will move him to a spot that will fit him better. He'll be a nice addition to the squad in a few years.”
20. Arizona State – Lyle Washington
Very similar to Whiteside chose one pick earlier although my scouts don’t like his bat as much as Whitesides. Spistol does a good job laying out his expectations below. Worst case he could also be a very good utility guy/platoon against lefties.
Spistol – “The Sun Devils had kind of a strange draft, landing the somewhat disappointing Lyle Washington, their 10th choice, with the #20 pick. The high-school scouts rate him more highly than the advance scouts; the high-school scouts get paid more, so hopefully they'll be righter. Either way, he'll be a mediocre hitter with Gold-Glove skills at 3B or 2B -- his glove is a little clunky for SS.”
21. Jackson – Felipe Romano
As we enter the back half of the draft, the run of picks is getting less and less thrilling. Romano is someone I think you’d typically see chosen as a comp pick or maybe even second round. His splits leave a lot to be desired, but hopefully his #1 pitch will help him big time.
Iceman67 – “Not much to say about Felipe Romano. Jackson management was not really overthrilled or disappointed with its pick of Romano at #20. Good stamina and control, L/R splits are ok but not really major league blockbusters. Romano projects at best, middle or long relief at the big league level (if he gets that far). In the mean time, he will be a starter in the minors.”
22. Dover – Matthew Maholm
Maholm is the third of the last four picks who played SS as an amateur, but will have to be moved to another position. He does not have a great bat and looks to project as a utility guy at the ML level, not an everyday starter.
23. New York – Raymond Ruebel
The Red Storm selected another good hitter with their second first round pick. Although not on the level as the first selection, Ruebel should still be a solid hitter in the big leagues and someone I think will contribute more than a few of the selections before him.
Mamidu – “Another guy that will rake for the Red Storm. I have him projected at 74 81 79 91 66 with $17M invested in HS scouting. His avg health is a little concern, but his should be a great DH for years to come. A great value for a pressing need at DH for the organization.”
24. Texas Tech – Sam Barnes
Mongoose does a great job describing his selection below. Although I’m not as optimistic as he is (my scouts aren’t high on his splits getting much better), he should be able to contribute as a back of the rotation/long reliever for the Red Raiders.
Mongoose_22 – “The Red Raiders were happy to draft the durable RHP Sam Barnes out of Ironwood, MI. He was number 7 on the draft board that our underfunded scouting department cobbled together, so we were happy to land Barnes. I project him to be a solid #4 type starting pitcher once he fully develops. His splits are nothing to write home about, being very average at best. Hopefully, his assortment of pitches at his disposal will offset his splits, allowing him to get ML hitters out. With his ability to eat innings and high health rating, he is just the type of starter that the Red Raiders look for when trying to fill out the bottom of the rotation.”
25. Nashville – Derrek Bard
I actually really like this pick and think he could have gone 5-7 spots higher. I think he has a shot to be a regular 2B with really good glove and a decent bat which isn’t he easiest to come by.
Cctigerfan – “The Nashville Commodores selected 2B Derek Bard with the 25th pick of the draft. Bard should develop in to a good hitter at the major league level. If his glove can develop he should be a solid 2B in the future for the Commodores.”
26. New Orleans – Bill Wakeland
This pick all hinges on how his splits develop. Everything else should be good enough to contribute for New Orleans.
27. Buffalo – Larry Radmanovich
In this draft, Radmanovich should have probably gone in the late teens, early 20’s so this is good value. I’ll disagree with rooster just because I don’t think he has the bat you’d want as a 3B. Regardless, he has a good glove and his splits should help him overcome his other batting ratings a little bit.
Jrooster35 – “Solid top of the order player drafted as a SS but will probably move to 3B as he moves through the system. Larry was # 6 on Buffalo's "BIG BOARD" so management is very happy to grab him so late in the first round”
28. Fargo – Zach Boyd – Hasn’t signed and doesn’t look like he will. Good relief prospect though.
29. New Orleans – Willy Slocumb
Hopefully can develop into a back of the rotation starter, but is probably destined for long relief/mop up.
30. Charleston – Aroldis Andujar
While on the surface Andujar looks like a solid pick this late, he also has one of the worst health ratings I’ve ever seen of a first round pick. It will be a huge upset if he avoids injuries enough just to progress to being a ML player let alone sticking there.
Dgtrache – “Charleston was pleased to find Aroldis Andujar available with the 30th pick in the draft. While stamina is a question mark, Charleston believes that he can develop into a very good 5-6 inning SP. Andujar has excellent control, good splits and should develop 3 decent pitches.”
31. Charleston – Les Fields
I really like this pick and think Fields show a ton of value this late in the draft. If all goes well, he could be a back of the rotation starter, but regardless should be able to be a solid piece on a pitching staff.
Dgtrache – “31st Pick Les Fields has not signed. However, Charleston's scouting reports indicate that he can serve as a No. 3-4 starter on most teams. The biggest question mark with Fields will be how his splits develop.”
32. Minnesota – Lenny Maya – Hasn’t signed and I didn’t scout him.
33. Charlotte - Harvey Cameron
I’m biased, but I think Cameron is an absolute steal with the last pick in the first round. Our strategy regarding catchers is to be ok punting on PC as long as the bat is good enough and Cameron fits that mold perfectly. Really surprised he lasted this long.
The top power hitter in the draft goes #1. He has an awesome combination of power, splits, and batting eye. Two concerns of mine are his durability and his position. How many games can he play at 100%? Also, some would argue it makes sense to choose a top of the rotation SP or a guy with a good bat who plays a premium position since they are harder to come by. However, if Lawton’s production can be maximized to full efficiency he will be one of the top hitters in the world statistically each season. Hard to pass up.
2. Philadelphia – Vernon Black
Black is a top of the rotation SP prospect. He could have gone #1 and it at least could have been justified. Nothing wrong with this pick.
3. Cincinnati – George Reid
Reid is a solid, if not spectacular SP prospect. I think allright is a little hard on him as I think he will do ok. He isn't worth a top 3 pick, but still a nice SP prospect.
Allright – “For the second year in a row, the Bearcats put all of their scouting eggs in the high school nest. Last year the gamble paid off like a house-fixed slot machine. This year the gamble didn't pay that much. With the #3 pick, the best the highest paid high school scouts could come up with was George Reid, an 18 year-old out of Smithville, Mo. You may not have heard of Smithville and its unlikely you will hear of George Reid. He projects to above average control and splits; but, that's about it. With only 2 pitches, he will probably wind up in the bullpen. The best park he could play in is the Grand Canyon and only then if the wind is not blowing out. The Bearcats are in sore need of some "can't misses" in the minors. Unfortunately, the draft has proven to be a pipeline of "can't plays". The silver lining ( and boy do the Bearcats need one); Reid is undecided about signing, claiming that he has basketball scholarships on the table.”
4. Boise – Frank Hughes
I love this pick and love Hughes’ bat. He will absolutely rake. I think he could have gone #1 and it been justified.
Abesmem – “Boise is thrilled that Frank Hughes was still available at 4th overall. He was the #1 ranked player on our board. Frank projects to hit for both great power and high average against righties and lefties. He has a superior batting eye and is a very advanced player for 18 years of age. His health and durability score at the top of the charts. The only thing he’s missing is speed. Frank is starting out in Low A but could be in the majors in 3 years.”
5. Iowa City – Jamie Watson
I should cut and paste what I wrote about Reid above. Decent SP prospect, but #5 seems awfully high for a guy who should top out as a back of the rotation SP.
6. Anaheim – DaRond Jenkins
Really nice pick considering a couple of the reaches above. The Trojans must have been ecstatic he fell to #6. Really strong bat who will anchor a corner outfield position.
Vino5 – “DaRond Jenkins will be a middle of the order hitter. His splits should top out close to 90 with solid power/eye. There were a few premier hitters at the top of this draft and we are very happy to grab one of them.”
7. Detroit – Norberto Benitez
I’m stunned Benitez fell to #7. He could contribute at the ML level today if needed to. I disagree with tk in that I don’t think he’ll progress enough to play CF, he should be able to do just fine (if not better) at 2B and when you combine that bat with a premium position, you’ve drafted a keeper.
Tk21775 - We had Mr. Benitez listed first on our draft board so was very pleased to see him still available at the #7 spot. Defensively he'll be able to handle centerfield or 2B and will have a great bat for either position. At age 21 he's almost ready for the big leagues so we expect him to go through the minors quickly once he decides to pick up the pen and sign.”
8. New York – Tony Hughes
Hughes has a great bat and will play 1B/DH for the Red Storm. Nothing wrong at all in selected a big bopper with the #8 pick. Nothing much to say other than he should be a great hitter.
Mamidu – “He will be able to mash. I have him projected at 94 96 87 77 82 with $17M invested in college scouting, so i hope it is pretty accurate. I was looking for a big bopper in this draft, and I believe I found him. We needed some more pop at 1B, and we got it. Love the handlebars.”
9. Louisville – Casey Patterson
Personally I have had bad luck with pitcher without at least decent/good control so I don’t love this pick. The Cardinals will have to bank on his #2 Pitch and splits and hope he is “wild within the strike zone.”
10. Helena – Storm Cordova
One of the top relievers goes off the board as we round out the top ten. He should be a really solid piece to the Grizzlies bullpen. Might have been a touch high for a setup guy who probably won’t be truly dominant.
Drichar138 – “We love that Storm is a highly durable reliever. He has a dominant first pitch and is very good at getting groundballs. Overall we feel like it may have been a reach to take a set up man at #10 in the draft, but with the talent pool that was available, the alternatives were not pretty. “
11. Columbus – Gabe Podsednik
Interesting selection. He has a really long way to go with his glove to even be in the discussion as a 3B so I’m more comfortable rating him as an OF. He projects to really good contact and power, but only average against righties which will diminish his effectiveness.
12. Richmond – Mac Collins
I’ll pretty much echo what cm says below. My scouting doesn’t show him as a SS unless you’re ready to deal with a good number of errors. His bat is still solid and will give value as a top notch 2B or 3B down the line.
Cmthieme – “This one all depends on how he develops defensively. If he is good enough to play a passable SS (my 20M college scouting had him as a serviceable if slightly below average SS defensively) then this is a great pick at 12. If not (and he has a ways to go, so it's pretty questionable), his bat will still play at 2B or 3B, but won't be near the asset he would be at SS. He signed for not too much over slot, so that was a nice surprise.”
13. Oakland – Hasn’t signed although he should. Great reliever prospect.
14. Little Rock – Paul Johnson
I don’t see much here with Johnson. In a best case scenario is a back of the rotation starter/long reliever. Worst case he is a AAAA guy. Not something you want to have as a possibility with a low teen draft pick.
Joekendall – “We were happy to add a SP to the fold when selecting Paul Johnson with the 14th pick. Paul will fit in nicely as a #3 starter. His splits will be what holds him back from being a #1 starter.”
15. Huntington – Erubiel Matos
Pretty much what hurricane says below. He should be able to contribute as MLer to someone’s pitching staff. I’m just going to assume hurricane will trade him.
Hurricane384 – “An underwhelming pick at #15, Erubiel Matos should still be able to contribute in the bigs...maybe as a SuA or LRA...just would've liked to have a bit of a better player here.”
16. Portland – Randy Thornton – Hasn’t signed and I didn’t scout him.
17. Seattle – Charlie Ellenwood
Good, solid outfielder. His batting eye will hold back his OBP/OPS and hitting in Seattle isn’t exactly easy.
18. Kansas City – Joc Patterson
It appears he is a bit too far defensively to be a CFer, but could lock down 2B nicely. Bat isn’t great, but he also won’t be a black hole in the lineup.
19. Syracuse – J.J. Whiteside
Hmmm…his glove isn’t going to be good enough for SS, but bat doesn’t look like it will be good enough to warrant a COF position. Hopefully his defense progresses to the point where he is a good, possibly great defender at 2B or 3B and also provides value with a decent bat.
Evil doers – “The Orange are happy with their signing of J.J. Whiteside.He came out as a short stop but will move him to a spot that will fit him better. He'll be a nice addition to the squad in a few years.”
20. Arizona State – Lyle Washington
Very similar to Whiteside chose one pick earlier although my scouts don’t like his bat as much as Whitesides. Spistol does a good job laying out his expectations below. Worst case he could also be a very good utility guy/platoon against lefties.
Spistol – “The Sun Devils had kind of a strange draft, landing the somewhat disappointing Lyle Washington, their 10th choice, with the #20 pick. The high-school scouts rate him more highly than the advance scouts; the high-school scouts get paid more, so hopefully they'll be righter. Either way, he'll be a mediocre hitter with Gold-Glove skills at 3B or 2B -- his glove is a little clunky for SS.”
21. Jackson – Felipe Romano
As we enter the back half of the draft, the run of picks is getting less and less thrilling. Romano is someone I think you’d typically see chosen as a comp pick or maybe even second round. His splits leave a lot to be desired, but hopefully his #1 pitch will help him big time.
Iceman67 – “Not much to say about Felipe Romano. Jackson management was not really overthrilled or disappointed with its pick of Romano at #20. Good stamina and control, L/R splits are ok but not really major league blockbusters. Romano projects at best, middle or long relief at the big league level (if he gets that far). In the mean time, he will be a starter in the minors.”
22. Dover – Matthew Maholm
Maholm is the third of the last four picks who played SS as an amateur, but will have to be moved to another position. He does not have a great bat and looks to project as a utility guy at the ML level, not an everyday starter.
23. New York – Raymond Ruebel
The Red Storm selected another good hitter with their second first round pick. Although not on the level as the first selection, Ruebel should still be a solid hitter in the big leagues and someone I think will contribute more than a few of the selections before him.
Mamidu – “Another guy that will rake for the Red Storm. I have him projected at 74 81 79 91 66 with $17M invested in HS scouting. His avg health is a little concern, but his should be a great DH for years to come. A great value for a pressing need at DH for the organization.”
24. Texas Tech – Sam Barnes
Mongoose does a great job describing his selection below. Although I’m not as optimistic as he is (my scouts aren’t high on his splits getting much better), he should be able to contribute as a back of the rotation/long reliever for the Red Raiders.
Mongoose_22 – “The Red Raiders were happy to draft the durable RHP Sam Barnes out of Ironwood, MI. He was number 7 on the draft board that our underfunded scouting department cobbled together, so we were happy to land Barnes. I project him to be a solid #4 type starting pitcher once he fully develops. His splits are nothing to write home about, being very average at best. Hopefully, his assortment of pitches at his disposal will offset his splits, allowing him to get ML hitters out. With his ability to eat innings and high health rating, he is just the type of starter that the Red Raiders look for when trying to fill out the bottom of the rotation.”
25. Nashville – Derrek Bard
I actually really like this pick and think he could have gone 5-7 spots higher. I think he has a shot to be a regular 2B with really good glove and a decent bat which isn’t he easiest to come by.
Cctigerfan – “The Nashville Commodores selected 2B Derek Bard with the 25th pick of the draft. Bard should develop in to a good hitter at the major league level. If his glove can develop he should be a solid 2B in the future for the Commodores.”
26. New Orleans – Bill Wakeland
This pick all hinges on how his splits develop. Everything else should be good enough to contribute for New Orleans.
27. Buffalo – Larry Radmanovich
In this draft, Radmanovich should have probably gone in the late teens, early 20’s so this is good value. I’ll disagree with rooster just because I don’t think he has the bat you’d want as a 3B. Regardless, he has a good glove and his splits should help him overcome his other batting ratings a little bit.
Jrooster35 – “Solid top of the order player drafted as a SS but will probably move to 3B as he moves through the system. Larry was # 6 on Buffalo's "BIG BOARD" so management is very happy to grab him so late in the first round”
28. Fargo – Zach Boyd – Hasn’t signed and doesn’t look like he will. Good relief prospect though.
29. New Orleans – Willy Slocumb
Hopefully can develop into a back of the rotation starter, but is probably destined for long relief/mop up.
30. Charleston – Aroldis Andujar
While on the surface Andujar looks like a solid pick this late, he also has one of the worst health ratings I’ve ever seen of a first round pick. It will be a huge upset if he avoids injuries enough just to progress to being a ML player let alone sticking there.
Dgtrache – “Charleston was pleased to find Aroldis Andujar available with the 30th pick in the draft. While stamina is a question mark, Charleston believes that he can develop into a very good 5-6 inning SP. Andujar has excellent control, good splits and should develop 3 decent pitches.”
31. Charleston – Les Fields
I really like this pick and think Fields show a ton of value this late in the draft. If all goes well, he could be a back of the rotation starter, but regardless should be able to be a solid piece on a pitching staff.
Dgtrache – “31st Pick Les Fields has not signed. However, Charleston's scouting reports indicate that he can serve as a No. 3-4 starter on most teams. The biggest question mark with Fields will be how his splits develop.”
32. Minnesota – Lenny Maya – Hasn’t signed and I didn’t scout him.
33. Charlotte - Harvey Cameron
I’m biased, but I think Cameron is an absolute steal with the last pick in the first round. Our strategy regarding catchers is to be ok punting on PC as long as the bat is good enough and Cameron fits that mold perfectly. Really surprised he lasted this long.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Season 21 - Team Previews - Batch 3
Charlotte Tar HeelsPlayers Added: Andrea Nelson (OF) in trade with Huntington.
Players Lost: Two long time Tar Heels, Moe Hermanson and Ronnie Hammill departed, but we recently signed them to ML minmums and they had options available so we assigned them to our rookie team. I'm looking at them as our "Crash Davis Duo" in rookie ball. Both were really important pieces over the last 10 seasons to the Tar Heels run of success.
Rookies: Ralph Booker (2B) is a former first round Tar Heel selection and could get the call this season as a utility player. There are also some young pitchers trying to fill out the staff, but then won't (or shouldn't) make big impacts.
Outlook: Our goal is the same as the last few seasons....win the NL East and earn a first round bye in the playoffs. We haven't had a lot of success in the playoffs considering what we've done in the regular season. The Tar Heels finally made the World Series last season after several seasons in a row of early bow outs and proceeded to blow a 3-1 series lead....which is also GM HopkinsHeel's speciality. It appears as though the NL East will be really tough as all 4 teams have reasons to be excited. Can't wait for the season to start!
Chicago Blue Demons
The Blue Demons added several players in an attempt to be more competitive this year. 2B Paul Richards was added to add some pop to the line up and P Andres Rosario was added via trade. Also signed was P Jeremy Livingstone to shore up the bullpen and promising P Charlie Stevens was picked up via the rule 5 draft. The Blue Demons only significant loss was young P Junior Zurbaran dealt in the Rosario trade in the hopes of reaching the 70 win threshold this year.
Iowa City Hawkeyes
Iowa didn't lose anyone of importance, the only thing I lost were pitchers and my pitching was terrible last season.
With that said here I go trying to get some better pitchers. Tried to make trades and sign free agents unfortunately the only pitcher I landed was Derrick Jerichower. Hopfully he and my sophmores from last season can develop into a strong pitching tandem.
My fielders have not changed so I should be fine with offense if everyone stays healthy.
Jackson Rebels
The Jackson Rebels will be looking to charge into the post season this year after falling short last season.
Leading the way will be RF Lyle Daly, who could reach the 50-50 mark. Supporting Daly with offense will be SS Fernando Segui and 2B Dee Thompson. Andres Martinez and Charles Dickerson are expected to give him some protection in the lineup.
After resigning FA pitcher Yonder Santos (more than I would have liked), the rotation has its number one back in the fold. Management is banking on Santos to have another year like last season's that more or less earned him his big contract. Management is also expecting Jordan Stephens to step up his game to be an exceptional #2 starter. Nash Messmer will once again be the Rebel closer anchoring the bullpen.
Syracuse Orange
Players Lost: Joaquin Bautista (Type A), Theo Franco
Players Added: Saul Manzanillo (Trade), Julio Brito (Trade late in Season 20), Santiago Matos (Promotion)
Players “Bubbling Under:” Buddy Ferguson, Chad Demel, Johnny Ryan (INJURED), Terry Overbeck, Sticky Markakis
Outlook: We expected this to be a year that we expected to make the playoffs. However a 250 day injury to Johnny Ryan during the AAA playoffs have put a dent to that optimism. We still think we’ll be competitive. For the third straight season we ‘think’ we’ve improved our bullpen with the addition of Brito and the promotion of Matos. We’ll see….
Columbus Buckeyes
FA Lost- SS Bob Jacobs, P Darond Mays, P OSwaldo Limon
FA Added- P- Joaquin Batista, P Alberto Rincon, C- Tito Banks, and SS Earl Cradle.
While the Bucks have finished in 2nd place in the division in 4 of 5 seasons under tdfactory's leadership, last year can officially be called a disappointment. 2nd place sounds ok, but the under .500 finish wipes off any potential good feelings. There were a few rays of sunshine in the overall disappointing season, and that is the progress of a few of the "Young Bucks" and continued consistency from team leader 3B Thomas Fogg. A couple of the "Young Bucks", 1B Ryan Meusel, 2B Les Rivera, and C Vin Lopez showed progress and continue to develop.
The team suffered minor losses in Free Agency and while the Bucks targeted a few major acquisitions in FA, the price climbed too high and they struck out. However, the additions in the bullpen and the field were improvements.
Last season saw the trade of Ace Homer Konerko. In return the BUcks got three players that are on the ML roster this season, SP- Sonny White who will be heavily counted on in the front half of the rotation, bullpen help in Al Ortiz, and platooning in CF and adding speed on the basepaths is Al Bristow.
Down on the farm, Season 17's first rounder Hector Narveson is expected to contribute to the bullpen at some point this season, although that is the only expected help coming this season. Season 18's first rounder P- Stephen Harvey continues to develop at AAA, and the last two seasons first rounders SS Bip Oeltjen and CF Fred Urich continue to develop in the lower level minors and are probably season 23 arrivals to the bigs.
In order for the Bucks to be successful, the young talent needs to continue to improve, the team must avoid injuries, and see some positive contribution from the new faces gained through last seasons trade and the offseason. AN above .500 finish and at least a WIld Card entry into the playoffs are where expectations sit, anything less will be a major disappointment.
Anaheim Trojans
Lost: Brad Holt, Dickie Hatcher
Added: Vincente Carreras
Prospects who will be called up this year: Tony Kim,
Hipolito Cora, Livian Andino
Not much movement this offseason as the rebuilding continues in Anaheim. This should be another year of struggling to get to .500. Trading Holt away was a difficult decision as he is a premier player, but we feel like there was good value in Carreras. Also borderline HOF player Dickie Hatcher will not be back. Despite low expectations it should be a fun year as a few rookies will be promoted and the minor leagues are getting stronger every year.
Salem Beavers
Departures:
• Torey Feliz, CF, 32 (Signed by Cincinnati) – starter in CF, his best asset, defense, is on the downhill slope.
• Tyson Seaver, 2B, 34 (Signed by Helena) – part time 2B, near the end of his career.
• Ben Jackson, 3B, 36 (Signed by Huntington, assigned to AAA) – can no longer play ML 3B
• Seth Hairston, RF, 31 (Unsigned FA) – vL RF platoon, not worth paying more than league min.
• Carlton Anderson, UT, 29 (Unsigned FA) – Could play well anywhere but SS, barely hits.
• Jacob Belle, 3B-UT, 35 (Unsigned FA) – vL 3B platoon, unlikely to ever play another ML game.
• Gregory Cloud, SP, 31 (Signed by Philadelphia) – A league average quality starting pitcher.
• Howie Hawkins, SP, 31 (Signed by Arizona State) – Similar to Cloud.
• Dom Douglas, LR, 33 (Signed by Arizona State) – Another league average guy.
Arrivals:
• Yadier Torres, CF, 32 (2 yrs, $3.8M per) – Brought in for his GG quality defense to play every day.
• Chico Tavarez, RF, 34 (1 yr, $2.0M) – Will be vL RF and backup for 3B.
• Willie Berroa, 3B-2B, 32 (1 yr, $3.6M) – Will be starting 3B, unless I decide to bring up Guerrero from AAA and he will become backup/UT
• Juan Aguilera, 2B, 28 (2 yrs, $3.3M per) – Superb Def, lots of speed, going to start.
• Gus Griffin, 2B, 29 (2 yrs, $1.6M per) – Back-up 2B
• John Kramer, SP, 32 (5 yrs, $72M) – brought in to be a workhorse and join playoff rotation
• Ching-Lung Komatsu, SP, 37 (3 yrs, $42M, w/ 3rd yr option) – Expected to be a part of the playoff rotation for the next two seasons.
• Erubiel Ordaz, SP, 31 (5 yrs, $3.9M per) – Back of the rotation starter who looks like a guy who has underperformed
Trades Made: None
Rookies Coming Up:
• Undecided – Depending on my players perform at 2B and 3B, I may be bringing up Willie Guerrero at Game 21. At this point I am leaning towards having him play a season at AAA and making the call-up one year later.
Season Expectations:
For the position players, I feel like I have acquired equivalent offense relative to those departing from what was one of the top offenses last season. Meanwhile, defensively I have gained significant upgrades at 2B, CF, and platoon RF.
My big spending should pay big dividends on the mound as a large bulk of regular season and playoff innings just got major upgrades. Even Ordaz at his disappointing performance level is equal to what I lost for a #5 SP, so if he makes the gains I am hoping for it will also be a nice boost.
We were actually very fortunate to win 99 games last season, so this time around we may actually slip from that total, but the team will be much stronger for the playoffs with a rotation of Schneider, Kramer, and Komatsu. Additionally, being able to move low stamina/durability ace Clay Hausman to the role of first RP off the bench during the playoffs will be a major benefit. My goals for this season are to win another division title, earn a bye, and make a deep playoff run.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Season 21 - Team Previews - Batch 2
Charleston Cougars
Charleston suffered a big blow this offseason when it was unable to re-sign John Kramer who departed to Salem via free agency. Needing a number 2 starter, Charleston traded for David Rodriguez, sending several good prospects to Fargo. Charleston also signed several key players to contract extension. With 4 top 50 selections in the draft, Charleston hopes to reload its minor league system this year.
Charleston hopes to again contend for a title. Last year’s Cy Young winner Eswalin Sierra will again lead the pitching staff and hopes to come close to his prior performance. Rodriguez will serve as the Number 2 starter, with Fred Keppel the Number 3. Charleston returns a strong lineup anchored by Saul Martin, Odalis Velasquez, Donn Rodgers and Miguel Certa among others.
Seattle Huskies The Seattle huskies offseason plan failed. Hoping to find some talent cheap, we tried the waiting game. We are now left with a few players we are not too thrilled about.
We let donte Hartman walk, preferring to allow that rotation spot to go to Ivan cano. Cano's rise to the big leagues was crushed last season by a devastating injury ( labrum tear) that saw his overall value drop by 9 points. He regained 5 this offseason, and should still fill in nicely.
Letting coco laroche go was in the plans, as we were unhappy with his offense and defense combination. However, with nothing on the market, we will turn to a defense first mentality and go with either Javier Torres (rule 5) or Thomas Bowen ( FA signing).
LF could be a revolving door this season. Look for Brad Finley to take the spot if he can live up to his minor league numbers, and Darnell Myers gets hurt or can't hit.
Kansas City Wildcats
The Kansas City Wildcats resigned 3B Gavin Mills . We brought back Marquis Nolan to play first and signed Thomas Wise as a back up catcher. KC has a good balance of power and speed. The pitching staff will have a rookie starter Nathan McClain . I hope this team will win the division this year after their 64 Philly imitation last year.
Buffalo Bulls
The Buffalo Bulls made it past the wildcard round last season on the strength of their young pitching but that is as far as they advanced. With bigger goals in sight during the off-season the #1 priority was upgrading the offense and that is just what management did. The team added SS Eddie Padden, and OF Al Ayala in trades, and picked up former player Frank Jenkins to help out at 1B with young Vladimir Volquez still getting his footing.With these additions Volquez and SS Montanez will now be relegated to the pine, both were 20hr 70rbi guys last season which in turn stabilizes Buffalos bench which was pretty weak one year ago.The Bulls also added to the end of their rotation with the signings of Ramon Higashioka, and Darrell Haywood. Big things could be on the horizon for the Bulls ,4 out of 5 of their top RBI guys are back (2) 14 game winners and a 12 game winner return to the rotation, with these additions it looks as if they are after top dog in the division, Charlotte beware. !!! :)
Memphis Tigers
Key Acquisitions: Hugh Bell Lf
Key Players Lost: Jimmie Jodie SP
Excitement in Tiger Town is at an all-time high . Despite being the worst hitting team in the league last season , the Tigers return with virtually the same roster that made their magical run to the NL Championship last year. Opting not to engage in any bidding wars during the offseason, Management decided only to bring Hugh Bell back to the Den to spark what was truly a lethargic offense last year . A pitching staff that led the way and kept the Tigers in games throughout the year remains intact, with the only key loss being that of Jodie who spent a potion of the year on the DL. The Tigers will be looking to rookie Vic Bonilla to earn his spot in the rotation. The Tigers enter the season fully expecting the pitching to hold true and the offense to perform to its expectations and make another run to the playoffs.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech may have taken a step backward this season. Losing Myette within the division was a big loss, and lessens the depth of the starting rotation. Vasco Jose always provided a productive bat with some power in the #5 hole was also lost to Huntington. As the team is handicapped with a high payroll still, big FA signings were out of the question. Douglas Walker will be asked to fill in for Jose. Incumbent SS Elvis Fox will move to 2B or 3B, as his range has declined too much to put him at SS regularly. Former Red Storm SS Ted Guerrero was signed to take over at SS. A couple of veteran, journeyman relievers were brought in to bolster a bullpen that struggles at times last season. The key players are still in place though. And the Shumpert/Senaca led team still expects to contend after a heartbreaking early playoff exit last year. The window is closing though, as the future HoF tandem are 34 and 35 years old. After next season, there will be some tough decisions to be made. Until then, this team will be trying to get a championship for the players who have meant so much to these fans.
Boise Broncos
The Bronco’s are looking to have a breakout year this season with a combination of veteran stars and some young talent that should be hitting their prime. Our pitching staff, long an issue for the team, sis anchored by a strong starting rotation led by veterans Marc Westmorland and Chris Dawkins. Carlos Jose in his second full year and Max Chavez a late season call up, should prove to be dominant young arms. Equally as important however is a much improved bullpen. Karim Garces will still be closing behind setup man Victor Diaz, but the additions of Jeff Giavotella from AAA and FA Tom Obermueller will help bridge the gap to the 8th and 9th innings. A young but improved outfield will be anchored by Jose Ortiz in CF who looks ready to fill the role of a dynamic lead-off hitter. Einar Lee will continue to a force at 3b while the Broncos are very excited to have Red Driefort back for his first full season at 1B. Dreifort shows all the signs of being a dominant offensive threat for many years. All in all, Boise hopes to be a factor in the NL West this season.
Nashville Commodores
After reaching the playoffs for the 8th time in 9 years last season, the Nashville Commodores were content with minor changes this off season. The biggest edition to the roster was Cy Saturria, aquired in a trade with Fargo. Saturria will add a little firepower to a lineup which lacked consistency last season. Slick fielding SS Jason Jenner was added via free agency to solidify the infield. An above average pitching staff returns all 11 members, and should once again be the strength of the team. Once again this season it it playoffs or bust in Nashville.
Little Rock Razorbacks
Key Additions: Coco Laroche
Key Losses: None
Prospects to Watch: Neftali Lucano, Kory Silva
Outlook: Last season, Little Rock finished 80-82. We look to improve with the solid pitching we have established. We intend to battle for a playoff spot this season. Go Razerbacks!
New York Red Storm
FA Lost: Cole Mitchell, Hugh Bell, Einar Chavez
FA Added: Bobby Reese
FA Retained: Buzz Beirne
Rule 5 Draftee: Richie Haren
Trade: Acquired Junior Zurbaran for Andres Rosario & Esmil Posada
Rookies: Felix Dunston, Al Park, Guy Forster
Outlook: While I lost some FAs, none were high priorities to bring back and I fetched some nice comp picks to replenish the farm system. The core of the team is locked up long term, in ARB or just starting their ML careers. Super excited to bring up the 3 stud rookies. I hope for a very competitive team, and for the young guys to get their feet wet, with an eye on next year to really make some noise.
Charleston suffered a big blow this offseason when it was unable to re-sign John Kramer who departed to Salem via free agency. Needing a number 2 starter, Charleston traded for David Rodriguez, sending several good prospects to Fargo. Charleston also signed several key players to contract extension. With 4 top 50 selections in the draft, Charleston hopes to reload its minor league system this year.
Charleston hopes to again contend for a title. Last year’s Cy Young winner Eswalin Sierra will again lead the pitching staff and hopes to come close to his prior performance. Rodriguez will serve as the Number 2 starter, with Fred Keppel the Number 3. Charleston returns a strong lineup anchored by Saul Martin, Odalis Velasquez, Donn Rodgers and Miguel Certa among others.
Seattle Huskies The Seattle huskies offseason plan failed. Hoping to find some talent cheap, we tried the waiting game. We are now left with a few players we are not too thrilled about.
We let donte Hartman walk, preferring to allow that rotation spot to go to Ivan cano. Cano's rise to the big leagues was crushed last season by a devastating injury ( labrum tear) that saw his overall value drop by 9 points. He regained 5 this offseason, and should still fill in nicely.
Letting coco laroche go was in the plans, as we were unhappy with his offense and defense combination. However, with nothing on the market, we will turn to a defense first mentality and go with either Javier Torres (rule 5) or Thomas Bowen ( FA signing).
LF could be a revolving door this season. Look for Brad Finley to take the spot if he can live up to his minor league numbers, and Darnell Myers gets hurt or can't hit.
Kansas City Wildcats
The Kansas City Wildcats resigned 3B Gavin Mills . We brought back Marquis Nolan to play first and signed Thomas Wise as a back up catcher. KC has a good balance of power and speed. The pitching staff will have a rookie starter Nathan McClain . I hope this team will win the division this year after their 64 Philly imitation last year.
Buffalo Bulls
The Buffalo Bulls made it past the wildcard round last season on the strength of their young pitching but that is as far as they advanced. With bigger goals in sight during the off-season the #1 priority was upgrading the offense and that is just what management did. The team added SS Eddie Padden, and OF Al Ayala in trades, and picked up former player Frank Jenkins to help out at 1B with young Vladimir Volquez still getting his footing.With these additions Volquez and SS Montanez will now be relegated to the pine, both were 20hr 70rbi guys last season which in turn stabilizes Buffalos bench which was pretty weak one year ago.The Bulls also added to the end of their rotation with the signings of Ramon Higashioka, and Darrell Haywood. Big things could be on the horizon for the Bulls ,4 out of 5 of their top RBI guys are back (2) 14 game winners and a 12 game winner return to the rotation, with these additions it looks as if they are after top dog in the division, Charlotte beware. !!! :)
Memphis Tigers
Key Acquisitions: Hugh Bell Lf
Key Players Lost: Jimmie Jodie SP
Excitement in Tiger Town is at an all-time high . Despite being the worst hitting team in the league last season , the Tigers return with virtually the same roster that made their magical run to the NL Championship last year. Opting not to engage in any bidding wars during the offseason, Management decided only to bring Hugh Bell back to the Den to spark what was truly a lethargic offense last year . A pitching staff that led the way and kept the Tigers in games throughout the year remains intact, with the only key loss being that of Jodie who spent a potion of the year on the DL. The Tigers will be looking to rookie Vic Bonilla to earn his spot in the rotation. The Tigers enter the season fully expecting the pitching to hold true and the offense to perform to its expectations and make another run to the playoffs.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech may have taken a step backward this season. Losing Myette within the division was a big loss, and lessens the depth of the starting rotation. Vasco Jose always provided a productive bat with some power in the #5 hole was also lost to Huntington. As the team is handicapped with a high payroll still, big FA signings were out of the question. Douglas Walker will be asked to fill in for Jose. Incumbent SS Elvis Fox will move to 2B or 3B, as his range has declined too much to put him at SS regularly. Former Red Storm SS Ted Guerrero was signed to take over at SS. A couple of veteran, journeyman relievers were brought in to bolster a bullpen that struggles at times last season. The key players are still in place though. And the Shumpert/Senaca led team still expects to contend after a heartbreaking early playoff exit last year. The window is closing though, as the future HoF tandem are 34 and 35 years old. After next season, there will be some tough decisions to be made. Until then, this team will be trying to get a championship for the players who have meant so much to these fans.
Boise Broncos
The Bronco’s are looking to have a breakout year this season with a combination of veteran stars and some young talent that should be hitting their prime. Our pitching staff, long an issue for the team, sis anchored by a strong starting rotation led by veterans Marc Westmorland and Chris Dawkins. Carlos Jose in his second full year and Max Chavez a late season call up, should prove to be dominant young arms. Equally as important however is a much improved bullpen. Karim Garces will still be closing behind setup man Victor Diaz, but the additions of Jeff Giavotella from AAA and FA Tom Obermueller will help bridge the gap to the 8th and 9th innings. A young but improved outfield will be anchored by Jose Ortiz in CF who looks ready to fill the role of a dynamic lead-off hitter. Einar Lee will continue to a force at 3b while the Broncos are very excited to have Red Driefort back for his first full season at 1B. Dreifort shows all the signs of being a dominant offensive threat for many years. All in all, Boise hopes to be a factor in the NL West this season.
Nashville Commodores
After reaching the playoffs for the 8th time in 9 years last season, the Nashville Commodores were content with minor changes this off season. The biggest edition to the roster was Cy Saturria, aquired in a trade with Fargo. Saturria will add a little firepower to a lineup which lacked consistency last season. Slick fielding SS Jason Jenner was added via free agency to solidify the infield. An above average pitching staff returns all 11 members, and should once again be the strength of the team. Once again this season it it playoffs or bust in Nashville.
Little Rock Razorbacks
Key Additions: Coco Laroche
Key Losses: None
Prospects to Watch: Neftali Lucano, Kory Silva
Outlook: Last season, Little Rock finished 80-82. We look to improve with the solid pitching we have established. We intend to battle for a playoff spot this season. Go Razerbacks!
New York Red Storm
FA Lost: Cole Mitchell, Hugh Bell, Einar Chavez
FA Added: Bobby Reese
FA Retained: Buzz Beirne
Rule 5 Draftee: Richie Haren
Trade: Acquired Junior Zurbaran for Andres Rosario & Esmil Posada
Rookies: Felix Dunston, Al Park, Guy Forster
Outlook: While I lost some FAs, none were high priorities to bring back and I fetched some nice comp picks to replenish the farm system. The core of the team is locked up long term, in ARB or just starting their ML careers. Super excited to bring up the 3 stud rookies. I hope for a very competitive team, and for the young guys to get their feet wet, with an eye on next year to really make some noise.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Season 21 - Team Previews - Batch 1
Detroit Wolverines
S20: 70-92 (3rd in NL North)
Lost in FA:
SP Clyde Jodie (7-11, 4.06 era, 137.1 innings)
SP Hod Ferrell (4-9, 3.5 era, 126.0 innings)
LF Eliezer Arrojo (.303 avg, 27 HR, 77 RBI)
Added in FA:
SP Donte Hartman (11-8, 3.48 era, 178.2 innings)
SP Jimmie Jodie (3-7, 3.51 era, 112.2 innings)
Last season the rebuild continued in Detroit as we posted another below .500 season record. Management has decided they’re tired of losing and decided this is the year that we begin to see the youth movement in the ML. Keith Petersen will be slotted to play right field, Douglas Lawrie will man third base, and Marshall Washington will take over in left field. While losing Arrojo hurt, we expect these three kids to take over the offense for us while still allowing us a strong defensive team. We didn’t get any younger on pitching like we would have liked to, but by adding Hartman and Jodie we think we did get a little better. Also are younger bullpen pitchers such as Caballero, Price, and Chavez all have a year’s experience under their belt now. Turner Shannon may also be called up to help out the starting rotation depending on how the season begins. We still have last year’s draft picks Brutus Olmos and Albert Perry working their way up the minors to go along with this season’s 7th overall pick and a full prospect budget to try and sign an international player. While we’re not expecting to win the world series this season, we do expect this group to be our core that will get us back to the playoffs in the next couple of seasons and keep us there for awhile.
Philadelphia Owls Players Lost : B.C. Polanco LF/2B and Ivan Bonilla RF.
New players: CF Al Petit and 2 SP Gregory Cloud and Einar Santos.
Rookies expected to contribute: Francisco Soto RP, Derek Randolph LF, Terry Lee C .
This season again Owls are rebuilding. Offensively, the team is not bad with third baseman Frieri Santiago, CF Carlton Brooks platooning with Al Petit, veteran second baseman Miller Kotsay, 1B Julio Nunez, rookie C Terry Lee and DH Everth Manzanillo. The rotation lead by young Carlos Martinez should be better with the addition of the 2 newcomers Gregory Cloud and Einar Santos. In the bullpen, Francisco Soto should help.
The future though, looks brighter with 2B Terrell Kelly(1 year away),SS Juan Dali(1 year away), LF Benji Guzman, SP Brad Cunningham, SP Marino Megias and DH Dusty Malone.
Don't be desperate Owls fans, we will send a better team on the field very, very soon.
Arizona State Sun Devils Low expectations paid off for the Sun Devils in Season 20, when they accidentally ended up winning the NL West for the first time in 8 seasons. Expectations are even lower in Season 21, with another division win seeming even less likely. As part of its long-term rebuilding project, the Sun Devils traded away All-Star veteran SS Eddie Padden for what will hopefully be the leadoff hitter of Season 24-ish, Gail Flair, accompanied by borderline pitching prospect Bruce Perry, a working man who used to load his Econoline van. And 38-year-old Sun Devil lifer Nick Wilson, who won 13 games last year with a 3.35 ERA, finally left the team via free-agency. Rather than spend a lot of money to replace the output of Padden & Wilson, the Sun Devils have used free agents and callups to spackle over holes in the starting rotation and bench -- nothing flashy or expensive -- and hope the kids can carry the team. The future is probably not now -- although accidents have been known to happen.
Cincinnati Bearcats
The Bearcats lost LHP Higashioka to FA and picked up role players Gonzales (ss) and Feliz (cf). No trades so far this season. Rookies on the roster this season will be catchers Baez and Barrios and pitchers Gibson, Beltre, Calderone, and Lee. None are expected to be game changers though it is expected that Lee will develop into a top-notch set up man.
Last year's dramatic drop off was hard to figure. The best guess was that rotten attitudes put the team in a season long funk. The players with the bad attitudes were sent packing so we will see if the guess was correct. The team lost 102 games last season and does not expect to do much better this season.The hope is that the team can hold out until outstanding minor league talent can become major league ready. Richmond Spiders Key Losses: None
Key Free Agents: Albert Nippert
Addition via Trade: Brad Holt
Key Rookies: Matthew Crawford, John Won
Offseason Summary: We tried to address our 2 key weaknesses from last season, pitching and OBP. Brad Holt was added via trade, and he should really help by getting on base in front of our sluggers in the middle of the lineup. This was a key priority and was accomplished. The pending promotion of John Won should also help in this area. The second priority was to improve the bullpen and add an impact starter. The addition of Albert Nippert was our big free agent signing, and should definitely improve our bullpen. On the surface, we overpaid for a relief pitcher. The market dictated more than what I would normally spend on a relief pitcher. However, there were a few special circumstances that made me pull the trigger here. First, despite how he has been used previously, Nippert has the stamina/durability to give 100+ innings out of the bullpen. This is how he will be used and thus he’s not your typical “closer” with a somewhat limited impact. Second, we front-loaded the contract at a time when there is ample budget available. The money given to Nippert this season would only be worth 50% if transferred, so you can almost discount the large sum given this season by 50% in real money that could be used elsewhere. With those factors, I’m comfortable with the contract given the impact we hope he will have on the bullpen.
We tried to also add an impact starter, but our main target (Kramer) decided he wanted to take less than the market would have dictated by signing overnight the first day of free agency. We need to look into the recruiting tactics in Salem. They must have better “escort services” versus Richmond. We were involved with other starting pitcher free agents, but the bidding went higher than we were comfortable with. Improvement this season will have to come from the promotion of Crawford alone.
Outlook: I’m tired of rebuilding/losing, so hopefully it stops now. I thought this club would be better last season with the first real influx of talent since we started rebuilding, but they never seemed to click the way I thought they would. Further additions this season should really push us over the top and into winning territory again. We have a good pipeline of talent developing over the next couple seasons and enough budget to continue to add prospects, so hopefully we’ve used these last couple seasons to set the foundation for a run of success.
Huntington Thundering Herd
Key Additions: C Marshall Damon, RF Vasco Jose, OF Juan Johnson, SP Ralph Myette, SP Cole Mitchell, RP Benjamin Bowker, RP Bastardo Owen, RP Steven Donovan
Key Losses: C Juan Molina, SP McKay Benes, RP Pat Howington, OF Andrea Nelson
To be blunt this offseason was boring. There just didn’t seem to be many deals to be made and the free agent class, outside of pitching, was weak. We added some components, but didn’t do the complete about-face that usually faces a team run by this management group.
Perfectly content to remain where we were offensively with the #2 team last season in the NL in runs scored, we made 2 major moves to get younger in the lineup. Returning 6 starters is a rarity in this franchise, so hopefully we don’t come to regret being passive this offseason. 1B Shane Meadows will anchor the team offensively, while we look for a breakout season from 2nd year man, Markus Crosby. Robert Frederick and Herm O’Shea will continue to platoon at 2B and will leadoff this season. Hopefully LF Gabe Price and 3B Mitchell Spencer can pick up the slack offensively for the departed offensive players. New RF Vasco Jose has large shoes to fill as he replaces fan favorite Andrea Nelson. C Marshall Damon gets his shot at the big-time as he makes his big-league debut.
Pitching was a struggle last season, so changes were made. Currently Ralph Myette will start on Opening Day. Cole Mitchell, Dallas Parrott, and J.P. Valdez are 2-4…the 5th spot is a battle between Kevin Ryu and Ricardo Crespo. Management loves Crespo’s pitches and GB tendencies, while Ryu keeps the ball out of the hitting zone for the most part. The bullpen should be strong, but may undergo some growing pains due to the youth of several key members.
Defensively this team should be very strong up the middle. SS Jumbo Cortazar is always a good defender who has some pop offensively. O’Shea and Frederick are good defenders, although Frederick is the stronger of the 2. Crosby may not be ideal for CF, but he’s solid. Hopefully the defense is a moot point with upgraded pitching and a solid offense.
Louisville Cardinals Last year was a bit of a nightmare for the Louisville Cardinal. After losing Homer Bush, Danny Smoltz, and Miguel Concepcion to free agency, season 20 was an
ugly year for the Cardinals’ offense as the team OPS dropped to an anemic .708 and only 2 guys hitting more than 20HR. We did lose one of them, Al Ayala (.266 28hr 76rbi), who was traded to the Bulls for a young pitching prospect, but as a whole fans should see a much better product on the field this season.
The biggest offseason signing has to be Tomas Lucano who should hold down one of the corner outfield spots for years to come. We also added a couple of speedy/high OBP infielders in Don Hodges (.363obp 41sb last season) and Dennis Beard (.361obp 21HR, 41sb in season 19), as well as Norberto Fernandez (26hr 107rbi 17sb last season) and veteran Jumbo Jimenez (career .792 ops) to fill in around the infield. The pitching staff looks a lot like last year’s which posted a 4.35 ERA good for 3rd worst in the NL, but management feels the staff should rebound and perform closer to S19’s respectable 3.82 ERA. There were a couple changes in the bullpen and the Cards happily welcome Harry Moya to the team. A solid vet, Moya made 63 appearances for the HEL last year and posted a 2.73 era. He’ll be a setup guy again in Louisville this year.
There’s a lot of excitement in Louisville this year, as fans hope the Card can rebound from an off year and get back to the playoffs (as a wildcard of course, as the Tar Heels continue to dominate the NL East). Best of luck to all!
Helena Grizzlies Key Adds: C – Juan Molina, LF Tyson Seaver, CF Ian Joseph, CF Theo Franco, P Rico Martinez, P Pat Howington, P Kevin Telford, P Merv Witt
Key Losses: LF Bernie Ortiz, C Matt James, 3B Jumbo Jimenez, 2B Rafael Liriano, C Larry Sedlacek, P Karim Ramirez, P Corey Sheffield, P Jeremy Livingstone
Outlook: The Grizzlies begin year two of what could end up being a long rebuilding project. 74 wins last season was quite a drop off from the back to back World Series appearances the team had experienced in season 18 and 19. Core stars such as Efrain Nakano, Miguel Barcelo, Paul Walker, Danny Sheffield and Yorman Costilla are all back, but there is not enough depth to win games on a consistent level. If the team can get through the All Star break with a decent record, some of those stars could go on the trade block.
Dover Fighting Blue Hens
Dover stuck to the game plan of building via the minors. Gone are ss Earl Cradle, SP Robinzon Calderone, and a backup catcher. Brought up to replace them are C Diego Oropesa, Rule 5 utility player Stuart Cohen, and whichever prospect busts out in spring training. Dover won the division last year and should be maturing to an even better record. 4 spots in the rotation are solid and the bullpen is very good. Prediction: Division title and a longer run in the playoffs.
S20: 70-92 (3rd in NL North)
Lost in FA:
SP Clyde Jodie (7-11, 4.06 era, 137.1 innings)
SP Hod Ferrell (4-9, 3.5 era, 126.0 innings)
LF Eliezer Arrojo (.303 avg, 27 HR, 77 RBI)
Added in FA:
SP Donte Hartman (11-8, 3.48 era, 178.2 innings)
SP Jimmie Jodie (3-7, 3.51 era, 112.2 innings)
Last season the rebuild continued in Detroit as we posted another below .500 season record. Management has decided they’re tired of losing and decided this is the year that we begin to see the youth movement in the ML. Keith Petersen will be slotted to play right field, Douglas Lawrie will man third base, and Marshall Washington will take over in left field. While losing Arrojo hurt, we expect these three kids to take over the offense for us while still allowing us a strong defensive team. We didn’t get any younger on pitching like we would have liked to, but by adding Hartman and Jodie we think we did get a little better. Also are younger bullpen pitchers such as Caballero, Price, and Chavez all have a year’s experience under their belt now. Turner Shannon may also be called up to help out the starting rotation depending on how the season begins. We still have last year’s draft picks Brutus Olmos and Albert Perry working their way up the minors to go along with this season’s 7th overall pick and a full prospect budget to try and sign an international player. While we’re not expecting to win the world series this season, we do expect this group to be our core that will get us back to the playoffs in the next couple of seasons and keep us there for awhile.
Philadelphia Owls Players Lost : B.C. Polanco LF/2B and Ivan Bonilla RF.
New players: CF Al Petit and 2 SP Gregory Cloud and Einar Santos.
Rookies expected to contribute: Francisco Soto RP, Derek Randolph LF, Terry Lee C .
This season again Owls are rebuilding. Offensively, the team is not bad with third baseman Frieri Santiago, CF Carlton Brooks platooning with Al Petit, veteran second baseman Miller Kotsay, 1B Julio Nunez, rookie C Terry Lee and DH Everth Manzanillo. The rotation lead by young Carlos Martinez should be better with the addition of the 2 newcomers Gregory Cloud and Einar Santos. In the bullpen, Francisco Soto should help.
The future though, looks brighter with 2B Terrell Kelly(1 year away),SS Juan Dali(1 year away), LF Benji Guzman, SP Brad Cunningham, SP Marino Megias and DH Dusty Malone.
Don't be desperate Owls fans, we will send a better team on the field very, very soon.
Arizona State Sun Devils Low expectations paid off for the Sun Devils in Season 20, when they accidentally ended up winning the NL West for the first time in 8 seasons. Expectations are even lower in Season 21, with another division win seeming even less likely. As part of its long-term rebuilding project, the Sun Devils traded away All-Star veteran SS Eddie Padden for what will hopefully be the leadoff hitter of Season 24-ish, Gail Flair, accompanied by borderline pitching prospect Bruce Perry, a working man who used to load his Econoline van. And 38-year-old Sun Devil lifer Nick Wilson, who won 13 games last year with a 3.35 ERA, finally left the team via free-agency. Rather than spend a lot of money to replace the output of Padden & Wilson, the Sun Devils have used free agents and callups to spackle over holes in the starting rotation and bench -- nothing flashy or expensive -- and hope the kids can carry the team. The future is probably not now -- although accidents have been known to happen.
Cincinnati Bearcats
The Bearcats lost LHP Higashioka to FA and picked up role players Gonzales (ss) and Feliz (cf). No trades so far this season. Rookies on the roster this season will be catchers Baez and Barrios and pitchers Gibson, Beltre, Calderone, and Lee. None are expected to be game changers though it is expected that Lee will develop into a top-notch set up man.
Last year's dramatic drop off was hard to figure. The best guess was that rotten attitudes put the team in a season long funk. The players with the bad attitudes were sent packing so we will see if the guess was correct. The team lost 102 games last season and does not expect to do much better this season.The hope is that the team can hold out until outstanding minor league talent can become major league ready. Richmond Spiders Key Losses: None
Key Free Agents: Albert Nippert
Addition via Trade: Brad Holt
Key Rookies: Matthew Crawford, John Won
Offseason Summary: We tried to address our 2 key weaknesses from last season, pitching and OBP. Brad Holt was added via trade, and he should really help by getting on base in front of our sluggers in the middle of the lineup. This was a key priority and was accomplished. The pending promotion of John Won should also help in this area. The second priority was to improve the bullpen and add an impact starter. The addition of Albert Nippert was our big free agent signing, and should definitely improve our bullpen. On the surface, we overpaid for a relief pitcher. The market dictated more than what I would normally spend on a relief pitcher. However, there were a few special circumstances that made me pull the trigger here. First, despite how he has been used previously, Nippert has the stamina/durability to give 100+ innings out of the bullpen. This is how he will be used and thus he’s not your typical “closer” with a somewhat limited impact. Second, we front-loaded the contract at a time when there is ample budget available. The money given to Nippert this season would only be worth 50% if transferred, so you can almost discount the large sum given this season by 50% in real money that could be used elsewhere. With those factors, I’m comfortable with the contract given the impact we hope he will have on the bullpen.
We tried to also add an impact starter, but our main target (Kramer) decided he wanted to take less than the market would have dictated by signing overnight the first day of free agency. We need to look into the recruiting tactics in Salem. They must have better “escort services” versus Richmond. We were involved with other starting pitcher free agents, but the bidding went higher than we were comfortable with. Improvement this season will have to come from the promotion of Crawford alone.
Outlook: I’m tired of rebuilding/losing, so hopefully it stops now. I thought this club would be better last season with the first real influx of talent since we started rebuilding, but they never seemed to click the way I thought they would. Further additions this season should really push us over the top and into winning territory again. We have a good pipeline of talent developing over the next couple seasons and enough budget to continue to add prospects, so hopefully we’ve used these last couple seasons to set the foundation for a run of success.
Huntington Thundering Herd
Key Additions: C Marshall Damon, RF Vasco Jose, OF Juan Johnson, SP Ralph Myette, SP Cole Mitchell, RP Benjamin Bowker, RP Bastardo Owen, RP Steven Donovan
Key Losses: C Juan Molina, SP McKay Benes, RP Pat Howington, OF Andrea Nelson
To be blunt this offseason was boring. There just didn’t seem to be many deals to be made and the free agent class, outside of pitching, was weak. We added some components, but didn’t do the complete about-face that usually faces a team run by this management group.
Perfectly content to remain where we were offensively with the #2 team last season in the NL in runs scored, we made 2 major moves to get younger in the lineup. Returning 6 starters is a rarity in this franchise, so hopefully we don’t come to regret being passive this offseason. 1B Shane Meadows will anchor the team offensively, while we look for a breakout season from 2nd year man, Markus Crosby. Robert Frederick and Herm O’Shea will continue to platoon at 2B and will leadoff this season. Hopefully LF Gabe Price and 3B Mitchell Spencer can pick up the slack offensively for the departed offensive players. New RF Vasco Jose has large shoes to fill as he replaces fan favorite Andrea Nelson. C Marshall Damon gets his shot at the big-time as he makes his big-league debut.
Pitching was a struggle last season, so changes were made. Currently Ralph Myette will start on Opening Day. Cole Mitchell, Dallas Parrott, and J.P. Valdez are 2-4…the 5th spot is a battle between Kevin Ryu and Ricardo Crespo. Management loves Crespo’s pitches and GB tendencies, while Ryu keeps the ball out of the hitting zone for the most part. The bullpen should be strong, but may undergo some growing pains due to the youth of several key members.
Defensively this team should be very strong up the middle. SS Jumbo Cortazar is always a good defender who has some pop offensively. O’Shea and Frederick are good defenders, although Frederick is the stronger of the 2. Crosby may not be ideal for CF, but he’s solid. Hopefully the defense is a moot point with upgraded pitching and a solid offense.
Louisville Cardinals Last year was a bit of a nightmare for the Louisville Cardinal. After losing Homer Bush, Danny Smoltz, and Miguel Concepcion to free agency, season 20 was an
ugly year for the Cardinals’ offense as the team OPS dropped to an anemic .708 and only 2 guys hitting more than 20HR. We did lose one of them, Al Ayala (.266 28hr 76rbi), who was traded to the Bulls for a young pitching prospect, but as a whole fans should see a much better product on the field this season.
The biggest offseason signing has to be Tomas Lucano who should hold down one of the corner outfield spots for years to come. We also added a couple of speedy/high OBP infielders in Don Hodges (.363obp 41sb last season) and Dennis Beard (.361obp 21HR, 41sb in season 19), as well as Norberto Fernandez (26hr 107rbi 17sb last season) and veteran Jumbo Jimenez (career .792 ops) to fill in around the infield. The pitching staff looks a lot like last year’s which posted a 4.35 ERA good for 3rd worst in the NL, but management feels the staff should rebound and perform closer to S19’s respectable 3.82 ERA. There were a couple changes in the bullpen and the Cards happily welcome Harry Moya to the team. A solid vet, Moya made 63 appearances for the HEL last year and posted a 2.73 era. He’ll be a setup guy again in Louisville this year.
There’s a lot of excitement in Louisville this year, as fans hope the Card can rebound from an off year and get back to the playoffs (as a wildcard of course, as the Tar Heels continue to dominate the NL East). Best of luck to all!
Helena Grizzlies Key Adds: C – Juan Molina, LF Tyson Seaver, CF Ian Joseph, CF Theo Franco, P Rico Martinez, P Pat Howington, P Kevin Telford, P Merv Witt
Key Losses: LF Bernie Ortiz, C Matt James, 3B Jumbo Jimenez, 2B Rafael Liriano, C Larry Sedlacek, P Karim Ramirez, P Corey Sheffield, P Jeremy Livingstone
Outlook: The Grizzlies begin year two of what could end up being a long rebuilding project. 74 wins last season was quite a drop off from the back to back World Series appearances the team had experienced in season 18 and 19. Core stars such as Efrain Nakano, Miguel Barcelo, Paul Walker, Danny Sheffield and Yorman Costilla are all back, but there is not enough depth to win games on a consistent level. If the team can get through the All Star break with a decent record, some of those stars could go on the trade block.
Dover Fighting Blue Hens
Dover stuck to the game plan of building via the minors. Gone are ss Earl Cradle, SP Robinzon Calderone, and a backup catcher. Brought up to replace them are C Diego Oropesa, Rule 5 utility player Stuart Cohen, and whichever prospect busts out in spring training. Dover won the division last year and should be maturing to an even better record. 4 spots in the rotation are solid and the bullpen is very good. Prediction: Division title and a longer run in the playoffs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)