torrone
SEA 44: 71-91
Second consecutive rough season for the normally competitive Sox. The offense was still there (Phil Kim .321/31/95 and Mike Darwin .267/35/119) with 847 runs (good for 4th in the AL), but the pitching slipped to 11th (4.82 ERA).
Season 45 Preseason: Jalal Carver and Stryker Hudson moved on in FA, and fan fav Phil Kim was traded for prospects. Pretty conservative free agent spending in keeping with the youth movement - they signed pitchers Paul Cheng (re-signed) Phillip Adams and Harry Martin. Finally, they promoted S40 IFA Cesar Guerrero.
Forecast: You look at their lineup and wonder how they scored 847 runs. They lack power, although 1B Darwin can certainly go deep, and SS Abraham Tropeano has great pop for an IF (he'll be an error machine at SS, and I expect them to go with their better option Wilking Guerrero, currently at AAA). They're just average at reaching base. The running game is competent (Ernest Cordova 30 steals vs. 2 CS)...there's just nothing that stands out, nor is there anything that's terrible. To be fair, there are still only 9 position players on the ML roster. The pitching actually improved from Season 43 (during a big surge in offense league-wide). Niko Ryan and Dan Gabriel in particular posted 1-run per game ERA improvements, but they could both give you 5 ERA's this year. It's not a dreadful staff but there's no stopper in the rotation or the pen...it's probably around a 5.00 ERA again. I sense a little more sliding before turning around. 67-95
Player Watch: SS Guerrero in AAA. Not an All-Star but he'll be the leader of the youth movement.
hystericslap
SEA 44: 78-84
Season 44 In Brief: The bargain FA magic of Season 41 was absent again as the Eaters posted their 3rd straight sub-.500 finish. They got some heroics from Tomas Carrara (13-6, 3.42 ERA), Adys Bethancourt (.267/33/114) and Josh Long (.252/39/119), and the staff was actually in the top half of the AL (7th - 4.24 ERA).
Season 45 Preseason: Lost both Carrara and Bethancourt to FA - so, their best hitter and pitcher. Signed 3 or 4 budget pitchers...maybe Fabio Reitz can replace Carrara's production. Scott Pederson takes over at 1B - probably a push with Adys. More exciting are the 5 rookies on the Opening Day roster. With most of the lineup and rotation now well under 30, a future is emerging.
Forecast: Vasco Alonzo (S39 IFA) gives PITT a semblance of a #1 starter. He certainly looked the part in 131 IP last year - 8-7, 2.88 ERA. The pen looks competent, but the rest of the rotation is iffy. Rookie (and DITR) Ernesto Belliard is the wild card...if he gives them 150 IP of 3.00 ERA in both relief and 10-15 starts, I say the staff outpitches last year. Can't see the lineup scoring an avalanche of runs, as they've gone more defensive with the rookies Martin and Dong in CF. COF's Young and Long are both all-or-nothing types, so there will be some production droughts occasionally. C Ruben Sierra doesn't look like the "Village Idiot," especially on defense. I see a small improvement coming - 81-81.
Player Watch: Keep an eye on this kid Belliard. Used well, he could be a 10 wins/10 saves kind of P (and more as the team improves).
aaamizzou
SEA 44: 59-103
Season 44 In Brief: All-out rebuild, so getting Rusty Wood at #5 in the draft was a highlight. Yasiel Cayones' power and BA were way down for the 2nd straight year in a monster hitter's park. 1B Darrell Lynn (.304/32/84...distant cousin 3 times removed from Freddy) was a standout, as were, well, none of the pitchers. OK, Salvador Brooks picked up 10 wins in relief and led the team in ERA with 3.99.
Season 45 Preseason: The usual script for rebuilders - cheap FA deals for 34-36 yo former solid players. No rookie callups yet but there are 2-3 moderate prospects in AAA that could see ML action.
Forecast: Their best hitter - Cayones - and their best pitcher - Ryan Blackley (S40 #10) - will absolutely improve on their Season 44 performances. aaamizzou shows a preferences for pitchers with better pitches than splits...there are some bullpen guys that might be sneaky good this year (Barker, Tanaka and Brooks can all start games and have very good pitches). OF course, everything is relative in the minefield for pitching that is Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Still rebuilding, but they'll be better - 70-92 (they have to be better, as they have the highest mwr this year with 68).
Player Watch: Cayones is just too good a hitter to be putting up a .221 BA and 38 homers in a little league park. More like .325/55 this year.
pak4427
SEA 44: 82-80, Won Division, Lost Play-In To Los Angeles
Season 44 In Brief: Knocking on the door for a couple of seasons and broke through last year with the Division Win. The offense really carried them (843 runs) - 2nd-year RF Donald Ritz (.307/30/107, LF J.D. Crocker (.268/37/112), and 1B Yoervis Barrios (.281/28/94) led the attack.
Season 45 Preseason: Added pitchers Wilber Harris and Paul Masato - about it. Harris could have an impact on the 'pen; Masato is strictly a #5 or LR.
Forecast: When I looked at their pitching stats from last season, I thought Toledo must be a tinderbox ballpark ala Colorado, Hartford or Durham. Nope, it's actually fairly pitcher-friendly, so I'm predicting better seasons for all of the front 3 of Paul Kinney, Santiago Fuentes, and Andy Cobb. With plus hitters at just about every spot including SS, I think their run scoring will at least repeat last year's. Pretty optimistic about this pitching turnaround. 90-72
Player Watch: Kinney had his worst ERA season last year, in a pitcher-friendly venue at that. Big comeback.
Division Race:
1. Toledo 90-72
2. Pittsburgh 81-81
3. Durham 70-92
4. Boston 67-95
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