Minnesota-The loss of Abraham Davis to free agency and Orber Benitez to injury in Buffalo and the expected addition of two power arms in the form of Marlon Rose and Rick Tyner to their rotation powers the Fatboys back to the top of the pecking order in the AL. Their offense will be almost completely in tact and their main departure, Louis Quantrill, is being replaced by the vastly more talented Rose. That offense is getting up there in age though.
Buffalo-They still have Vinny Wang, Clay Young, and one of the best offenses in the majors, but the loss of Benitez and Davis (even if Davis was, along with Young, surprisingly ineffective last season) is a blow to this team and knocks them one peg below the Fatboys.
New York Metropolitans-After having the 5th worst offense in the AL last season, the Metropolitans went on a Bizarro-Wilpon-esque spending spree this offseason and added the best hitter and best shortstop on the market to their already talented team. Although this team will not have a great OBP, they will have a dynamic rotation, the most valuable pitcher in the league in Crash Miller, and an offense that will hit some dingers and steal bases like the dickens. The Mets will be a team that is much more dangerous in the playoffs than in the regular season.
Philadelphia-The reigning AL champs return one of the more dynamic lineups in the league, but the loss of Bill Cameron hurts as does the loss of their DH last season, Hector Soto. Their pitching staff, while posessing a dynamic weapon in Ismael Molina, remains a liability.
Los Angeles-A sneaky good team from last season and my "lead pipe prediction for the season", The Hangars added two solid additions in Hector Diaz and Daniel Thompson to an already above average offense. The pitching staff will have former #1 pick Carl McMurty for a full season which should only help the number three staff from last season. If any team is poised to jump into the upper crust of the AL this season, it is the Hangars.
Potential Division Winners, But Luck Required(Ranked)
Tampa Bay-The likely favorite in the AL South and a perennially solid team, there is no reason to believe that this team will perfom much differently than the 90 win team that it has consistently been over the last six seasons, good or bad.
Florida-This could be the surprise team in the AL in season 14. The addition of Bill Cameron will greatly bolster an offense led by Ronald Leverault, and Louis Quantrill will be a solid option in the rotation. Could this be a replay of the JMilesky/Rockitsauce experience from seasons 10/11?
Decent enough but...not likely to reach the playoffs(Not Ranked)
Richmond-Not a bad team, and better than their record last year, but there is no reason to believe that they will challenge Tampa Bay or Florida for a division championship this season.
Las Vegas-Alex Bravo and Walt Lambert form a dynamic duo, and the additions of Danny Brower and Dale Stewart help, but it is difficult to forecast this team to win much more than 85 games in season 14.
Fargo-They lost Mariano Reyes who is one of the more valuable players in the league, but they added a number of smaller pieces who could make up for the loss of Reyes, but probably won't.
San Francisco-No reason to think they will be terrible or be a contender.
In the Prospect Business...(Not Ranked)
Syracuse-JMilesky returns to his old team with an Isiah Thomas-esque collection of bad contracts. Should be fun!
Boston-Rebuilding project year four commences.
Pittsburgh-A full season of Rafael Cairo will be exciting, but otherwise it is tough to forecast this team to do much more than last season.
Little Rock-Still a season or two away, but this team is primed to do great things in the very near future.
Cheyenne-They have a couple of good prospects in AA, but this team is still at least one year away from contending.
It's difficult to pick a clear favorite from the two giants of the NL, so I'll take the easy route and crown them both #1. The Sidehill Gougers finished 4 wins better and had a slightly better run differential, but were eliminated in the DCS, while the 'Crats won it all. Both teams did little to improve their roster, but lost no one of consequence, simply cycling backups and role players through free agency. Salem boasts one of the best pitching staffs in Gleeman World history; the Greys' John Carroll may have won the NL Cy Young, but Gouger pitchers secured the next four slots on the ballot. The 'Crats showcase the league's most dynamic offense, bludgeoning the ball to the tune of .281/.349/.444, scoring a league-best 935 runs - all without attempting a single stolen base.
The gap between the top two teams in the NL and the rest of the field is almost laughable. The Downpour are a good team, to be sure, and they've had a very productive offseason. The signing of Abraham Davis should turn out to be interesting; moving from neutral Dunn Tire Park to spacious Cheney Stadium could prove to be critical for the flyball-heavy righty. Ernest Crawford is an excellent caddy for Wilt Knotts, and Daryl Morgan will likely prove an improvement over Glenallen Simontacchi's enigmatic past performance. Bringing in productive flex pitcher Jacob Stewart can't hurt, either. Yet despite all of these improvements, the Downpour simply lack the amount of top-tier talent that both Washington and Salem possess, making them clearly a notch below.
The Jayhawks did even less to their ML roster than either the Sidehill Gougers or Bureaucrats, choosing to stand pat this season (their disturbing trend of trading for minor leaguers closely affiliated with the porn industry notwithstanding). The 'Hawks can hit, although some of that is a Wrigley mirage; they posted a league-leading .805 OPS last season, but could only muster a .737 showing on the road, good for 6th in the NL. Their team ERA is similarly misleading; while finishing well below the league average in that category, they actually managed a 3.64 ERA on the road, 4th best in the National League. In short, the Jayhawks are deceptively balanced, and look like one of the early favorites to grab one of the two coveted NL wildcard spots.
The Conquistadores finished an agonizing one game behind the NL South champion Twins, ending what turned out to be a disappointing year for a franchise coming off of a franchise-best 99 wins in Season 12. Despite this, Monterrey GM evelandz23 decided not to make any major moves, simply swapping minor pieces during the offseason. The focus will largely be on the pitching staff, which has great front end talent but questionable depth. Max Moehler and Ismael Colome are very good, but Juan Oliva's season smells fluky, and the rest of the rotation looks a bit dicey. Similarly, the bullpen is all over the place; mopup pitcher Desi Liriano somehow ended up throwing 77 awful innings, for instance. There's plenty of talent here, though, and there's no reason why the Conquistadores can't wrest the division crown back in Season 14.
Despite finishing with the 3rd best record in the NL last season and essentially returning the same roster, Boise will be hard-pressed to make it back to the playoffs. That's partly due to the strength of the division, but partly due to regression; prior to Season 13, Boise floundered at or below .500 for three straight years, including back-to-back 74 win campaigns in Seasons 11 and 12. Then, after adding Pat Badilla and Raul Rivera, the Mashers improved 18 games. As well as those two players performed, their efforts weren't worth nearly that much. Moreover, the team's performance is likely to deteriorate because of the age of its players. More than half of the roster is at least 32 years old; four of those guys are at least 38. Only one player falls under the age of 27. The Mashers still look good enough to play meaningful games late into the season, but the proverbial window of opportunity may be closing in a hurry.
In a surprising turn of events, the Twins, not the Greys or Conquistadores, ended up winning the NL South for the first time since Season 4. It won't be easy to repeat, though; the Twins ended up outperforming their expected winning percentage by 7 games last season. Regression, meet Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City, meet regression. The team lives and dies by the same principles it always has. On offense, they slap the ball around and draw walks, then start running and don't stop. On defense, their pitchers throw strikes while their ridiculously athletic fielders gallop across the field, gobbling up every grounder and flyball in sight. It makes for a peculiar brand of baseball that evokes memories of years past. Will it work again this year? It's possible, and big-ticket FA acquisition Sting Berger will make them better, along with full seasons from their emerging youth corps. Regardless of their success last year, though, they don't appear to be the division favorites coming in.
The Greys fell flat on their faces, finishing 13 games out of first, well out of contention. The bats turned ice-cold; almost every player on the roster played worse than his established level of performance. The pitching was fine, led (as usual) by stocky ace extraordinaire John Carroll. With OBP machine Solly Alexander joining youngster Russ Sullivan atop the lineup, the Greys' offense should (in theory) rebound, especially if aging slugger Matt Governale can prove last year's performance was a fluke, not a trend. It may be difficult to project St. Louis to regain its perch atop the division given last season's debacle, but expect them to at least be in the mix, if nothing else.
In a statement move, the Twindyans acquired former #1 overall pick Jin-Chi Choi from Anaheim for a couple of prospects. They also signed former Anteater SS Guy Wise to a utility role, adding a bit of depth and flexibility to the roster. It's not enough to make Milwaukee a good team, but as they proved last season, you don't have to be good to win the NL North. The Twindyans were actually outscored by 9 runs en route to taking the division. Not exactly impressive. Look for more of the same this year; this year's Twindyans are better than last year's model, but they still look like fodder for the top wildcard team in the playoffs (if they get there at all).
Milwaukee's biggest challenger, and the only team in the NL North to finish with a positive run differential. The Otters look primed to duke it out again with the Twindyans in the battle for mediocrity. Solid pitcher Alex Sano is gone, now replaced by relievers Galahad Christiansen and Alex Rojas; they're probably game enough to make this a wash. The Otters also replaced underachieving position players Theo Coleman and Bo Brown with platoon SS Miguel Alvarez. None of these moves do all that much to change the ability level of the team; while they technically outperformed Milwaukee last season in terms of run differential, the Twindyans did more to improve their squad this offseason.
One of the youngest teams in Gleeman World, with only two players on the wrong side of 30. The Yankees, led by blossoming ace David Calderon, should be solid in run prevention; losing veterans Cozy Bolling and Galahad Christiansen won't hurt too much given their modest performances, and the Yankees have a truckload of able-bodied (if unspectacular) pitching prospects at AAA. The offense, however, is another problem; the Yankees scored the 3rd fewest runs in the NL, ahead of only the lowly Comics and 'Nard Doggs, and they've done nothing to address the issue. Godspeed, Danny Payton.
Despite being listed just under their NL North competition in the preliminary rankings, the Gunslingers don't appear to be a threat, even in a division this weak. That's because their respectable regular season record masks the league's 4th worst pitching staff (by RA) and 4th worst offense (by RS), and it's hard to say they've improved all that much. Sure, they've brought in solid FA starter Otis Upshaw, and trading for Pat Bowen should bolster a bullpen that at times looked like Rob Hutch, Carlos Santiago, and a bunch of Little Leaguers. Getting to start Willie Espinoza for a full season is nice as well. However, the Gunslingers also lost solid SP Placido Coronado and OBP-heavy 2B Solly Alexander. Coronado's been replaced, but there doesn't appear to be a legitimate solution to man the keystone on the roster.
Formerly the Vancouver Vigilantes, longtime GM scottie3234 voluntarily resigned over the offseason. Since then, the franchise now has a new locale (Montreal), moniker (Redbirds), and GM (bkukowski). It'll be a long road back to respectability for the new franchise, as they inherit a pitching staff that allowed 953 runs, 2nd worst in the NL. To remedy the situation, Montreal opted to do some spring cleaning, bringing in pitchers Glen Leon, J.C. Carroll, Henry Gilmore, and Bernie Nunez, among others, while also calling up relief prospect Wellington Martinez. Furthermore, the Redbirds agreed in principle to trade for Anteater star Sal Roosevelt at a later point during the season, which should provide a huge shot in the arm for the beleaguered cadre of pitchers. Montreal also acquired Gustavo Rojas, Mateo Gonzalez, and Willie Sanchez, all solid big leaguers in their own right. It's not enough to bring them to contention, even in the weak NL North. It might, however, give them a chance to pass Sioux Falls and climb out of the cellar.
Once one of the better franchises in Gleeman World, the Anteaters have undergone a major facelift. Only two players (Sal Roosevelt and Lariel Lee) from Season 13's 25 man roster figure to still be there by Opening Day, and Roosevelt should be on his way out a fifth of the way into the season. There's not much to say about this unit; as a ragtag collection of unwanted free agents, Quad-A castoffs, and waiver bait, they don't figure to make much noise this year. Finishing within 10 games of the 2nd worst NL West team would be an achievement in and of itself.
The franchise formerly known as the Rincons finally bottomed out, posting an abysmal 41-121 record (and actually deserving it, which is just as impressive). They don't rank last, though, because GM schnoogens decided to proactively fix up the team. To fix the pitching staff, the Nard Doggs called up top prospects Mule Hardy and Sammy Gonzalez; they also signed FA hurlers Willis Bradford, Alex Sano, Joshua Walsh, and Louis Lyon, all capable major leaguers that should provide a modicum of stability where there previously was none. Scranton also signed veteran 3B Clay Gibbons, who should provide some much needed power in the middle of the lineup, and snagged Rule 5 gem Jacob Sauer, who'll likely be penciled in as the starting RF. There are still tons of holes, and this is hardly a good team. Nonetheless, they should at least avoid being a complete pushover.
My pick for the worst team in the NL. One reason is that they don't have a pitching staff right now. At all. The Comics currently have 6 pitchers on their 25 man roster; one of those, Curt Jackson, probably has no business being on a major league team. The offense doesn't actually look a whole lot better, either. While they do have a full squad of position players, only one (Mo Crane) appears to have a better than 50/50 shot of topping a .700 OPS. This could end up being a complete disaster.
It's ridiculous that Grover Rowand and Haywood Towers aren't even eligible to be nominated for the Hall of Fame. They were two of the best pitchers in the history of the world for a good chunk of time. I don't know if they pitched long enough to really be Hall of Famers, but the owners in our world should get the chance to debate that. Is there some way players who don't meet the nomination thresholds can be added to the list upon owner request?
I'm well aware of the requirements, thanks. That's the point. They're bad. I told patrick they were bad, and that star players such as Rowand and Towers would be left out as a result. I guess we'll have to start our own Hall of Fame on the world blog. Oh well. Yours could have been a cool feature.
2/5/2010 2:13 PM
Customer Support
We reduced the qualifications for all players to accommodate for players that were generated with ML years upon world creation and I'm sorry you disagree with the formula that we use, but you can see that even if we were to modify it it wouldn't get every player in that every user wants to see.
Even if we only take into account the seasons in which Rowand played he doesn't qualify. I would be interested to know of any pitcher that has ever been up for nomination with less than 125IP. You may have a case for Towers but again we lowered the numbers to get these types of guys in and he still doesn't qualify.
2/5/2010 2:18 PM
benj13blue
That's why I'm saying there should be some way to make a special request to be able to nominate somebody who otherwise wouldn't qualify. I don't know if Towers and Rowand would make it, but that shouldn't be up to you. It should be up to our world. They were dominant pitchers for the early stage of our world history.
2/5/2010 2:19 PM
benj13blue
Or you could just make it so that anybody who won an MVP or Cy Young award is eligible to be nominated, even if they don't meet your formula. That wouldn't add that many players to the mix and it would probably catch every player who people are griping about not being included.
2/5/2010 2:21 PM
Customer Support
I understand what you are saying, but everyone wants someone in that didn't qualify. We could never field that many requests.
If changes need to made we can always change the qualifications and we appreciate your suggestion.
2/5/2010 2:30 PM
benj13blue
What about making Cy Young/MVP winners all eligible for nominations. Most of them will be eligible anyway, so adding the rest can't be that big a deal, right?
2/5/2010 2:33 PM
Customer Support
Like I said if we feel that we need to make any changes we will surely take your suggestions into consideration. Thanks again.
2/5/2010 2:46 PM
benj13blue
Just so I'm clear, you've gotten so many complaints about missing players that you couldn't handle that many individual requests, but you don't think anything's wrong with your method, so you won't yet consider a simple fix that would stop just about all the complaints. That's the customer support I've come to know and love from WIS.
Sorry to be snarky, but sometimes you guys make a really enjoyable product unnecessarily frustrating.
In my first full season (and first offseason) at the helm of the LA Anteaters, the team earned a sixteen game improvement to 64-98, after two consecutive 48-win seasons (1st season managed by baseballers, I took over the team 10 games into season 2).The ballclub fell one game short of the team’s 65-win goal, but 70-75 wins should be achievable in season 4 to keep the front office intact.
Despite missing my win projection, there were some lucky breaks that fell my way, specifically lucking out on Philip Wolf in the Rule 5 (see his production below) and also getting the #1 pick in a very deep amateur draft.However, since it was my first offseason, I handed out some very questionable contracts to mediocre players.The following is the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from LA’s 3rd season:
The Good
Philip Wolf, Rule 5384 ABs .286/.362/.474
Virgil Lopez, $5.6M salary paid by the 95’ers, 57.2 IP3.75 ERA
Cesar Johnson, 1/$2.4, 71.1 IP3.03 ERA1.21 WHIP
Moises Martin #1 pick, 23 yrs, 2B,65/75/70/62/75 with 99 speed
Comments: Wolf was a Rule 5 homerun, Lopez was a solid waiver wire pickup after he was released, and Johnson was a nice free agent signing as his career winds down (he’s 39).Martin will be an absolute stud and will likely be joining the big club in Season 5, or Season 6 if I find the patience.
The Bad
Cristobal Lopez, 2/$5M228 Abs .298/.351/.37724/25 SBs
Ivan Seguignol, 3/$14M175.1IP4.52 ERA1.44 WHIP
Comments: Lopez was a nice replacement starter in LF/RF/DH and even a little 1B, but is worth no more than just above the minimum.Sequignol will be hurting me for another couple of seasons, although he does eat innings.Just not worth the money.
The Ugly
Tony Clark, 2/$12M154IP6.14 ERA1.60 WHIP
Comments: This was a huge blunder, but he was coming off of consecutive 4.30 ERA/1.38 WHIP seasons with 175 IP and being in a pitchers park I couldn’t see how he wouldn’t at least replicate those stats.I was willing to spend money to ensure a climb towards 65 wins, but this signing simply looks terrible and he’s not worth nearly $6M/year even if he does return to the “norm”.
Season 4 Transactions
For season 4, I limited my free agent activity to just one ML signing, handing Dean Thornton a 1-year deal for $3.6M.58 control, 71/73 splits, 95 vel, and 88/90/51 pitches should make him an effective setup man.It was important for me to grab a RH reliever who I can depend on as I’m gradually relying on a younger, inexperienced staff, and I have plenty of LH’s.
In the Rule 5 draft with the 4th pick I grabbed Daniel Hernandez (71/40/58/59/59), who will start the season at 2B (until Haywood Enders arrives) and thereafter serve as a 3B against LH pitching.Not an ideal platoon candidate, but we’re doing things on the cheap in LA for now.He should get about 250-300 ABs.
I also grabbed Roger Martin with my 2nd Rule 5 pick, he’s a LH with only 41 control, 73/64 splits, 82 vel, 81/80/70/39 pitches.I’m rightly concerned about his control and I’d be happier if he just dropped his 4th pitch, but I wanted a LRB (67 Stam) to grab some garbage innings and he should fit that bill.
Pitching Staff
The rotation, still in patchwork mode, will be as follows (Con, L/R, Vel, 1st/2nd/3rd/4th/5th):
#1: Ivan Seguinol, LH, 31, (68, 69/53, 27, 89/72/77/59/36).2 more seasons of this crap
#2: Felipe Machado, RH, 22, (72, 55/71, 38, 78/84/69/56/49) Making his debut
#3: Tony Clark, RH, 30, (83, 58/58, 80, 82/63/59/59/55) Hoping for a rebound season
#4: Chad Butler, LH, 23, (66, 78/61, 38, 76/74/72/57/53) Making his debut
#5: Clark Speaker, LH, 25, (62, 80/58, 90, 75/65/59/37/19) Less than spectacular last year, possibly demotion or bullpen bound.AAAA pitcher, essentially.
The bullpen is less than spectacular but should at least not entirely embarrass itself, and is led by baby-armed Gerald Ward and his 4 stamina rating.RH, 27, (95, 80/92, 30, 93/90).He managed to make 81 appearances in S3, with 35.1 IP, 3.31 ERA, and 1.05 WHIP.Could be trade bait to a contender looking for a shutdown guy for one or two batters every other game.
Waiting in the wings for a potential S4 callup is Adam Ducey, RH, 22, (82, 64/64, 42, 86/82/51/77/43), who will be utilized depending on how close the team is to risking the 61-win requirement.He’llcertainly be a full-time starter in S5.
The Offense
The offense is young but progressing – below are the ones who will receive the most action:
Name, Position, Age, (Con, Pow, L/R, Eye, Speed)
Philip Wolf, DH, 24, (77, 95, 66/86, 74, 32) – the Rule 5 dream pickup
Neil Morgan, C, 24, (67, 71, 51/72, 57, 67) – 68 pitch calling, solid starter for years to come
Brad Ramsey, 1B, 32, (74, 64, 65/91, 60, 10) – will be jettisoned after his $4M contract is up
Lou Thurman, 3B, 34, (94, 57, 48/58, 59, 55) – a stopgap at 3B for the 2nd year in a row
Ross Mills, SS/2B, 27, (79, 46, 52/59, 65, 40) – will split with Hernandez at 2B
Glenn Simmons, LF/1B, 25, (58, 79, 60/57, 70, 66) – a solid young player
Jorge DeSoto, RF, 29, (9, 100, 53/95, 35, 16) – the slugger who set the SO record
Tris Cook, CF, 28, (43, 3, 39/41, 90, 91) High OBP, SB, and Def save his ML career
Oswaldo Tejada, CF, 24, (81, 24, 44/28, 49) Solid Def, will platoon vs L’s
21-game callups:
Haywood Enders, SS, 24, (36, 71, 81/72, 65, 88) (will start at SS, moving Mills over to 2B)
The goal is 70-75 wins, which would put the team safely above the necessary win threshold of 61.With the #4, #36, and #62 picks in the June Amateur draft and plenty of money set aside for what should be a highly competitive International Prospects race, more help is on the way.The key is slow improvement until the stable of young prospects breaks into the majors, most of them landing between Seasons 5 and 7.The long-term goal is playoff contention starting in Season 7.
Top 10 Prospects
Top prospects, highlighted by “Martin & Martin, Inc” (Moises and Darwin).The D. Martin- Jose – Ducey threesome (see #’s 2-4 below) at the top of the LA rotation will give opponents fits in the coming years, and paired with new S4 major leaguers Butler and Machado a formidable 5-man rotation is in the works.
1.Moises Martin, 2B, 23 (see “The Good” above) -S3 #1 overall pick, future all-star, possible MVP if he fully develops.Depending on defensive development he may become a LF.Likely starter at 2B in Season 5.
2.Darwin Martin, LH SP, 20 – S2 #1 overall pick, currently sits at 75 control with 62/56 splits and pitches of 81/74/72/44.I’d like to see his splits get as close to 70 as possible, and with 86 stamina already he’s already able to go long into games.Induces 77% GBs with his nasty sinker.Look for him in Season 6 or 7.
3.Pablo Jose, LH SP, 20 – S1 #1 overall pick, another control pitcher sitting at 78, with splits of 84/81 but not any real dominant pitches (74/65/47/46).Less stamina than Martin but induces an even greater share of groundballs (86%) without even utilizing a sinker.Will likely debut in Season 6.
4.Adam Ducey, RH SP, 22 – Received in a S1 trade from Mexico City (for 3 solid years of Juan Manzanillo), Ducey is essentially the RH version of Darwin Martin, sporting a high stamina of 82 with decent splits (64/64), an 86% groundball rate, and pitches sitting at 86/82/51/77.If S4 gets off to a slow start, he may see action in the bigs but is otherwise being reserved for his first appearance in S5.
5.Haywood Enders, SS, 24 – Received in a S1 trade with Baltimore (for 2 mediocre seasons of Joe Benson), Enders exhibits multiple tools as he hits for power, has an acceptable glove at SS, and 88 speed.He’ll be a 21-game callup in S4 and will immediately replace Mills at SS.
6.Lariel Sosa, RH RP, 20 – S2 Intl Prospect that signed for $18M, the hope is for Sosa to be the go-to Setup man (or Closer) to help bring victories home.He’s a strikeout pitcher with 70 control and 87 velocity, although I’d like his splits to hit the 60’s soon as he’s currently at 54/57.The timing of his arrival will nicely coincide with the SP’s on this list, look for him in Season 6 or 7.
7.Chad Butler, LH SP, 23 – Yet another S1 trade acquisition, coming from Oakland in return for solid 23 year-old ML 1B Jesus Martin (.882 OPS in debut season).Butler has low stamina for a SP at 68 so he may end up in long relief, but he exhibits decent control (66) with 78/61 splits.He could get crushed by righties in his S4 ML debut season, but his 3 solid pitches will hopefully keep hitters guessing and carry him through (76/74/72/57/53).
8.Ivan Chavez, 1B, 21 – An Intl Prospect from S1 that signed for $11.2M, Chavez is the 1B of the future and will likely be the starter to open S5.He hits for contact (64) and power (70) with splits that heavily favor him against RH’s (51/78) and a great batting eye (74).The team will actively search for a platoon partner vs. LH’s in the meantime.
9.David Escobar, CF, 21 – Another S1 Intl Prospect that signed for $11.6M, Escobar is a reliable defender that will earn the full-time CF spot in S5/S6 without having a very dangerous bat (50, 36, 71/56, 82) but should get on-base enough to make himself useful.
10.Felipe Machado, RH SP, 22 – Acquired in a S1 trade with Rochester in a multiplayer deal that also brought in Wallace Watson, in return for 1 disappointing year from Chief Lewis (who was subsequently traded again).Machado is making his ML debut in S4 and will battle it out with Butler to see which rookie SP reigns supreme.He has solid control of 72 with 55/71 splits that are helped by an array of pitches (78/84/69/56/49), inducing 76% groundballs with the help of his 84 sinker.Should be a decent back-end SP.
It has been fun to watch this team grow as I’ve learned from my newb mistakes – I don’t anticipate being very active on the trade market unless someone is looking for a bench bat (Ramsey) or offers me solid value for Gerald Ward.In AAA, Manny Beverlin (LH SP, 24) is available and could be a S5 or LR in the majors; I simply don’t have a need for another lefty.74 control, 66/61 splits, 87 vel, 78/73/43/49 pitches with 77% groundball rate.
Looking forward to Season 4...may the Intl Prospect signing record fall!
With the season winding down I thought it would be interesting to take a look at my club. Without further ado: The Trenton Dirty Jerz Season 3 Review.
Going into the season I had a couple of goals: 1. Improve from 70 wins in season 2 to closer to 80 wins in season 3. 2. Add 1 Star quality player and 1 Good regular through the draft and International and some supporting players. 3. Keep all my future core players healthy.
Well, the first goal didn’t come to fruition, but I can take some comfort in scoring more runs than I allowed so my team is improving.
I lost 2 of my 5 projected starting pitchers to injuries before they made 10 starts. While Richard Glanville is no world beater he was a useful 5th starter last year and looked like he would be bad to OK this year as well. His injury forced me to go rung deeper on the starting pitcher depth chart, a rung I really wanted to stay away from, but frankly at that point suck is suck.
The starting pitcher injury that really hurt me and caused some chaining impact on my pitching staff was Trenidad Marquez who made 2 starts in AAA before being lost for the season with a labrum tear. This will likely cause him to miss at least spring training next year. He will compete for a rotation spot during season 4, with his effectiveness and sloting largely dependent on how much he bounces back from injury. As I mentioned the loss of Marquez had some chaining implications I used the pitcher I had penciled in as Long A Mike Marte and the pitcher I had penciled in as Long B RJ Stroud into a tandem role for most of the season. Both were rule 5 picks and pitched well and may break camp with the club in season 4, but will have to compete for a spot. Pepe Sierra, another rule 5 pick this year also pitched well as the Dirty Jerz's top setup man.
Bryan Ball one of last year's Rookie of the year finalist had a sophomore slump as his ERA jumped a point and half as he struggled to adjust to a four and a half man rotation. Justin Brooks continued his consistent performance as a reliable starter and Matt Frye had a nice rookie year and will be penciled in for the number 2 or 3 slot in the rotation next year. Weldon Brooks made the club after Glanville's injury and pitched well in a number of roles from starter to closer and will also compete for a spot to make the club out spring training next year. I'm optimistic at being able to improve the pitching staff with internal options next year.
On the offensive side of the ball the team ran in place despite strong rookie years by David Johnson and BC Tucker and surprisingly strong first year by veterans Mike Browne and Michael Baker. Young veterans Chan Dong and Juan Mendoza continued to be excellent and good players receptively. Based on those comments alone you would expect an offense considerably better than last season, however, Pedro Perez fell off a cliff going from silver slugger to 675 OPS while at a less demanding defensive position. Mule Holmes 800+ OPS and 300+ BA dropped to 660 and 250. Alving Gonzalez hit with good power in his debut year but didn’t do much else. Dan Crawford's offense didn't improve as hoped and the tandem of Paul Howington and Gary Johnstone sucked worse than expected at shortstop.
I feel there are some improvements that can be made on the offense next year largely by replacing the sink hole at shortstop, however, it may be tough to get too much better than league average Crawford will need to develop into a solid top of the order on base threat, and Gonzalez will need to get his onbase percentage into an acceptable range. From a player procurement perspective the season was a big success. I was able to add impact talent through both the draft (historically strong draft) and international (inspite of myself). On the international side I added potential work horse in Louie Hernandez. The Venezuelan is a major league starter now with 70 control, 82/62 splits and 2 league average pitches. The 20 year-old who dominated Hi-A in 100 innings has a lot of growth potential as well with potential strong splits versus both sides and a dominant sinker combined with strong control and the ability to pitch deep into games, on short rest.
With the 6th pick I was able to snag the player I had rated 3rd overall (didn't see a couple players) Richard Blackmon. Blackmon won't be able to stick at SS but depending on how his glove develops he may be able to play CF, 3B, or 2b. Blackmon looks like an elite hitter with excellent power and excellent splits a solid eye and solid contact. He had an excellent year in Low A as an 18 year old. The rest of the draft was largely a bust as my round 2 and 5 pick wouldn't sign and my 3rd and 4th round picks didn’t translate well or develop. I was able to add 3 pitchers through the rule 5 draft who posted solid ERA's, in 350 combined innings.
From an injury perspective the most severe is to Marquez, but considering his ceiling it's not a significant injury to the future of the organization. Thought it cost me a couple of wins last year and will cost me a couple in season 4 and 5. Mike Marte also got injured in the last start of the year, which will have a somewhat minor impact on the team going forward.
Top 15 Prospects: 1. Phillip Holtz: LHP - Drafted in season 2 with the third pick Holtz dominated HiA. He is a major league pitcher now with 72 control, 76/68 splits and 87/67 top 2 pitches, and is developing well with 4-6 points in every major category since spring training looks to be a good bet to get close to his projections: 93 control 89/88 with top pitches of 100 and 81. With 87 health he doesn't have much injury risk associated with him.
2. Louie Hernandez: LHP - Signed as an international in season 3, Hernadez dominated HiA. He is a major league starter now with 70 control, 82/62 splits and first two pitches of 72 and 68 pitches. With only 100 innings as a pro it's tough to gauage his development pace but he looks like a good bet to develop into a number 1 starter who could throw 275 innings, though likely not as dominant as Holtz. 90 Health Rating.
3. Felipe Hernandez: SH, C - An international signed for $20mm out of season 2. Hernadez is an MVP bat whose receiving skills leave much to be desired and may end up at DH depending on how the other catchers in the system develop. Hernadez got solid development this year gaining 4 points across the board and is currently at 70 contact 89 power splits of 88/78 and an eye of 45. That eye is always going to hurt his performance but mid to high 90's power with 80's contract and high 80's splits will go a long way to compensate for the problem. The time table on Hernandez is a little clouded he certainly will spend next year and the first 20 games of season 5 in AAA, however, weather he repeats the full year or comes to the show will be dependent on how the team plays in season 5. Health rating 94.
4. Richard Blackmon: RHH, Inf - Drafted 6th overall in season 3 Blackmon looks like an allstar bat at either 3b, 2b, of CF with great power and great splits. Like most players with no pro-experience he got little progression but lit up Low-A while getting acclimated. Blackmon is sitting at: 72 power, 61/53 splits and 61 control, his bat control is his weak point at only 34. My best guess is he will end up with low 90's power and mid 80's splits and an above average eye. Defensively he projects to be very sure handed with average range for most positions with an arm passable for all positions but SS. 84 health rating.
5.Felix Nomo: LHP - Nomo signed in season 1 as an international with a $26mm bonus has been somewhat of a disappointment. While he has developed and looks like he will debut in game 21 of season 5 he isn't turning into the dominant pitcher I thought I was getting. After 2 full years of development he is sitting at: 77 control, 75/64 splits and 92/76 first two pitches with great velocity and a strong groundball tendency. His pitches, his control and versus LHP is still developing but if his versus RHP doesn’t get a good 3rd year jump he is not going to be the impact player I had hoped for. Health rating 64.
6. Albert Puente: RHP - Acquired 9th overall in the season 1 amateur draft Puente doesn’t have the upside of either Holtz or Hernandez but looks like he will be a high end SP going forward. Puente is further along in his development than either Holtz or Hernandez as he has had more developmental time and is a year older. Puente is a soft-tosser without a dominant outpitch but will have good control and work both sides of the plate. He currently sits at 81 control, 62/68 splits and 74/78 top 2 pitches and developed 4 points in most major categories with his big 3rd year of development ahead hopefully he will get a needed bump in his pitches and will continue to develop his control and splits. 94 Health Rating
7. Dick Hull: RH, SS - Signed by Vancouver as a $13.9mm international in season 1 and was acquired via trade early in season 2. Hull list here at SS and is even money to land somewhere else as his defense even if fully developed is stretched at SS. Hull looks like he will be a top of the order player with a strong eye and very good on base skills. Currently his ratings are 52 contact, 56 power, 72 vs L, 67 vs R, 83 eye. It looks like Hull will be ready for a regular role 20 games into season 5, however, if he can't play SS where he will play is somewhat murky, perhaps playing center or 2b and pushing Dong to left or 1b. Heath rating 82
8. Kevin Matthews: LHP: Drafted in the supplemental round of the season 1 draft. A college closer Matthews has all the stuff to be a great closer in the bigs but struggled at Low and High A before having a solid season in AA this year. Matthews will probably be limited to a traditional 1 inning closer role. Currently, has a control of 76 splits of 67/68 and pitches of 86 and 96. It's likely he will hit mid 80's control mid 70's splits with dominant pitches. Matthews looks to debut in season 5. Health 60.
9. Victor Prieto: LHP: Prieto the one inherited player in the top 10 will challenge for a job in the bullpen next year after a dominant season in AA and slowing development. Prieto will never walk less than 3 per 9 but outside of below average control he is a the total package for an RP. 50 stamina, 28 durability will get him over 100 innings a year splits at 84/82, a fastball 83 and a sinker at 86 his weakness is his 54 control. He probably has a point or two of development left which he may get at the major league level. Health 56.
10. Justin Romero: RH, 1B - Aquired through trade in season 1. Nothing special as a player. More or less fully developed and ready to take a full time role next season as DH. Won't be a world beater but should be a reliable 800 OPS player until a better option is available through the farm or free agency. Currently 70 contact, 60 Power, 79/63 splits, 67 eye. Health 77.
11. Paul Marte: RH, C - An inherited player may be squeezed for a job despite having good hitting skills. This all bat catcher is ready to hit in the bigs now despite only being in HiA this season. Marte is a solid but unspectacular 62 contract, 74 power, 57/62 splits and 80 eye. Defensively his game calling leaves a lot to be desired as does his arm. With better catchers, 1b and DH's sprinkled throughout the system he may be trade bait or a bench bat. Health 78.
12. Migue Cruz: RH, 2b - a second round draft pick is developing nicely and had a strong year in LowA. Cruz's bat is progressing quickly and looks like it will be solid if he can continue to develop. He will never be a star, but can be a regular at 2b or CF. His bat stands at 61 contract, 41 power, 62/53 splits and 62 eye and advancing quickly. With 79/84 range/hands projection he could be a regular for a long time. Health 58.
13. Bryan Cordova: LHP - An inherited player who looks like he will be a solid back of the rotation starter on a short term basis. His development has slowed considerably this year, but he will compete for a job in the big league rotation next spring. He has solid unremarkable control, solid unremarkable pitches and below average control. Contol 62, 60/52 splits and pitches 79/73/50/67. Health 87.
14. Phil Riggs: RHP - Traded for in season 1, another young pitcher whose development has stalled. Solid control and tough on righties with a good outpitch Riggs has some weaknesses in so much that he doesn't throw all that hard, doesn't induce all that many grounders and doesn't have much after his good fastball and league average curve. Currently at 79 control, 51/72 splits with 83/68 first two pitches and not blessed with an arm that is very rubbery. He will compete for a spot on the staff next year. Health 92
15. Albert Martin: RB SS: An inherited player who has the inside track on the starting SS gig next year. He isn't much of a hitter 27 contact, 47 power, 43/37 splits and 46 eye but a solid defender currently at 87/83/88/89. While nothing to write home about an improvement over the current situation and if he can stay healthy next year he may get 600 PA's starting on opening day. Health: 39
Others of Note: Miguel Terreo, Steve Farley, Nicholas McKiney, Denis Thornton, Kordell Kirby, Harry Cora, Luis Martin, Brent Ransom, Tori Thomas, Trenidad Marquez, Juan Deleon, Nigel File, Mark Duncan, Eli Segui
Projected Season 4 Roster
1. C: Juan Mendoza (season 3) 2. 1b: Mike Browne (season 3) 3. 2b: Chan Dong (season 3) 4. 3b: BC Tucker (season 3) 5. SS: Albert Martin (AAA) 6. LF: Alving Gonzalez/Luis Martin platoon (season 3) 7. CF: Dan Crawford (season 3) 8. RF: David Johnson (season 3) 9. DH: Justin Romero (AAA) 10. C: Michael Baker (season 3) 11. Util: Pedro Perez or FA upgrade (season 3) 12. SS/CF: Gary Johnstone (season 3) 13. Platoon Gonzalez/Martin (AAA) 14. Free Agent 15: SP1 Justin Brooks (season 3) 16: SP2 Bryan Ball (season 3) 17: SP3 Matt Frye (season 3) 18: SP4 Marquez/Cordova/Riggs (DL/AAA/AA) 19: SP5 Marquez/Cordova/Riggs (DL/AAA/AA) 20: Long A: Prieto/Mike Marte /Riggs (AA/season 3) 21: Long B: Mike Marte/Cradle/RJ Stroud/Brooks (season 3) 22: SetA: Prieto/Nicholas Mckiney (AA) 23: SetB Pepe Sierra/Mike Marte/Cradle/RJ Stroud/Brooks (season 3) 24: SetB: Pepe Sierra/Mike Marte/Cradle/RJ Stroud/Brooks (season 3) 25: Cl: Dennis Thornton (AA)
Overall, I think the club will be better next year. Hopefully up near 500. My payroll looks be less in season 4 than season 3 as the last of the bad inherited contracts will roll off the books. I’m not opposed to adding talent via trade, however, I would want to add talent at spots of organizational weakness that would fit into my long term plans. Relieve pitcher and SS/CF and perhaps corner outfield or 1b are areas that I would improve with the right move. I like my organizational starting pitching even if it is a little far away.
Goals for season 4
1. 80 wins. 2. Keep the prospects and young veterans healthy. 3. Add 2 impact players in player procurement. 4. Add some depth system wide and perhaps trading some AA and AAA prospects for Low A prospects to restock the lower part of the farm.
