SEA 46: 96-67, Won Division (11 straight), advanced to Division Round and lost to San Francisco
Big Offseason Moves
Let a couple of aging big names walk - Tuck Howard and Wily Osoria - and re-signed a couple - Sean Cameron and Rafael Moreno. Added longtime Montgomery 2B Arthur Taylor, SS Raul Machi, and SP Fabio Reitz on FA deals. Picked up RP Kent Watson in the Rule V. Grabbed RP Cody Jeffres off waivers. Promoted RP Rondell Becker.
The Good News
This is a pitching-first team, which is good news if your staff is as good as theirs (3.29 ERA in S46- first in Hobbs). Geraldo Manto is their #1 and qualifies as an ace - the other 4 starters (Matos, Gardner, Costilla, Reitz) all look like pretty good #2's, and all posted sub-3.60ERA's last year. That rotation depth keeps them from relying on their bullpen much, but when they do they turn to William Lui, kind of a closer + middle man utility reliever. He had 9 wins, 13 saves and a 2.39 ERA last year in 135 innings, giving them essentially another 2/3 of an ace.
The rest of the pen is decent-to-pretty good - Patrick Lowrie has a career 3.16 ERA - but they just don't need many innings from them (the 5 starters and Lui threw 75% of their innings last year).
I just noticed they've won the division 11 straight seasons with 3 different owners. That's impressive.
The rest of the pen is decent-to-pretty good - Patrick Lowrie has a career 3.16 ERA - but they just don't need many innings from them (the 5 starters and Lui threw 75% of their innings last year).
I just noticed they've won the division 11 straight seasons with 3 different owners. That's impressive.
The Bad News
Pep Walsh is probably in his last season as an elite hitter.
What To Expect
101, 87 and 95 wins the last 3 seasons, and with their pitching there's every reason to expect around 95 again. This division could be a real battle, though, as Houston has improved to the 90-win range and Austin charged into instant contention with all their trades.
101, 87 and 95 wins the last 3 seasons, and with their pitching there's every reason to expect around 95 again. This division could be a real battle, though, as Houston has improved to the 90-win range and Austin charged into instant contention with all their trades.
SEA 46: 76-86
Big Offseason Moves
Parted ways with C Damian Li, OF Einar Nunez, OF Dario Chong, RP Andres Morlan, C Omir Stowers, and RP Ozzie Martin. Inked FA deals with RP Alejandro Bonilla, SP Bernard Shea, and CF Neil McGehee. Found a couple of P's in R5: Donne Larson and Duane Croushore. Promoted C Billy Raben, SS Bo Presley, OF Keith McPherson.
Almost complete roster redo over the last 2 seasons.
Almost complete roster redo over the last 2 seasons.
The Good News
Dave Nathan was the best power prospect in his draft class (S41 #15) and started fulfilling that potential with 39 jacks and an .863 OPS as a rookie. Roy Maier is a little less-talented version of Nathan, but also arrived last season with 34 HR's. Both are also A+ OF's, so their corners are well set for a few seasons. Al Guzman is a plus hitter at 2B and I like the combination of McMasters and Presley at SS: both are better-than-average hitters (for SS's), and other than slightly hesitant gloves, their defensive ratings are gold.
Miguel Juarez is their #1, and he knocks out sub-4.00 ERA seasons in a punishing ball park every year. Jimmy Miller is just a notch below Juarez at #2. Snell and Lemon are a notch further down, meaning they're going to be up-and-down. I think (and hope) they'll promote Neil Brooks (S43 #24) shortly, giving them a 3rd pretty reliable starter.
Miguel Juarez is their #1, and he knocks out sub-4.00 ERA seasons in a punishing ball park every year. Jimmy Miller is just a notch below Juarez at #2. Snell and Lemon are a notch further down, meaning they're going to be up-and-down. I think (and hope) they'll promote Neil Brooks (S43 #24) shortly, giving them a 3rd pretty reliable starter.
The Bad News
They have a couple of lineup holes with McPherson at 1B and Elcano at 3B (his glove is great, but it can't cover for his woeful .300 OBP). Raben and Keats are more defensive catchers, and CF McGehee is adequate on both sides of the ball. They need to make a deal for a 1B - call New Orleans and inquire about that there Engel Bastardo.
The bullpen is not a strength. Bonilla and Shea will help, but most of their pitching wins are going to come from the front of the staff.
The bullpen is not a strength. Bonilla and Shea will help, but most of their pitching wins are going to come from the front of the staff.
What To Expect
All in all, I think the lineup is pretty good, but I'd sure like to see them get a 1B bopper somewhere. It's a younger team, an improving team, and it could still finish 4th in the South.
SEA 46: 93-69, Wild Card, lost in Round 1 to Jackson
Big Offseason Moves
Just one FA move - signed RP Gregorio Martin. Promoted LF Wilin Cedeno.
The Good News
Abundance of young home-grown talent. 2B Fred Buckel was their #1 (14 overall) in SEA 40 - he's been an .843 OPS over his first 3 seasons. 3B Danry Montero ($19.6MM IFA S43) has been all that his first 2 seasons (91 HR's). Kyle Falk (Rule V selection, originally drafted #27 in S39) is the reigning NL Gold Glove SS. Cedeno was a ML-ready IFA last year, and is an instant ROY candidate. Shane Williams (S43 #4) is that rare good-field, good power CF.
No move has been more important to Houston's current state of contention more than the S41 trade of then 24-yo stud OF Omar DeLeon to Jacksonville for then 19-yo prospect Diego Alomar (the top IFA in S40 at $35.6MM). 22 and 23 wins the last 2 seasons, with 257 and 261 innings pitched.
And there's more talent in AAA - 1B Wiki Figureoa ($24.5MM IFA S44) and CF J.J. Lundquist (S43 #10).
No move has been more important to Houston's current state of contention more than the S41 trade of then 24-yo stud OF Omar DeLeon to Jacksonville for then 19-yo prospect Diego Alomar (the top IFA in S40 at $35.6MM). 22 and 23 wins the last 2 seasons, with 257 and 261 innings pitched.
And there's more talent in AAA - 1B Wiki Figureoa ($24.5MM IFA S44) and CF J.J. Lundquist (S43 #10).
The Bad News
The pitching behind Alomar - even the ones with interesting talent like Pierzynski, Tartamella, Flores and Miles - have just enough warts that they're going to have some rough seasons. If they all come together with good seasons at the same time, they could blow away this tough division.
What To Expect
Man, there's a lotta talent here. There are 3 really good teams in this division but this one probably has the highest ceiling.
SEA 46: 75-87
Big Offseason Moves
Traded pretty much the entire farm system plus 3 pre-arb former high picks (Norman, Blake, Benson) for 3B Steve Walsh, C Gerald Lim, SP Chris Osborne, SP Pat Jodie, RP Tony Arias, CF Touki Epstein, RP Salvador Brooks, 1B Darrell Lynn, utility Emmanuel Fernandez, and SS Rico Navarro. Filled out the roster in FA with SP Cesar Benavente, SP Miguel Taveras, and OF Trever Fick.
The Good News
Obviously, the dual aces topping the rotation. The lineup that's going to be an on-basing nightmare for opposing pitchers. Rotation spots 3 and 4 with Benavente and Harris should be fine.
The Bad News
They stopped trading before they completely re-did the bullpen, and will be overly reliant on Tony Arias and Salvador Brooks. For now, the defense is no better than adequate.
What To Expect
They should be in the race in Hobb's toughest division.
They should be in the race in Hobb's toughest division.
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