With the IRL MLB offseason getting under way, I have decided to make start a new sim with the
Cincinatti Reds but starting after the 2021 season concluded!
I need your help with trading difficulty sliders!!! Please comment below with your suggestions below for how to adjust to make more challenging. Here is what I have adjusted them to so far!
Here is how the MLB standings finished for the 2021 simulation season!
Reds finished at 74-88, which is worse than I expected.
Tigers somehow managed to lose 115 games!
Robbie Grossman put up a 4.5 WAR season!
Miguel Cabrera had -1.5 WAR in only 95 games!
They were somehow 13 games worse than their pythag record!
Angels finished with the second worst record in the AL.
Shohei Ohtani was very underwhelming on the mound (5.68 ERA in 17 starts) and very mediocre with the bat (.779 OPS)!
Pirates finished at 81-81, which was 2nd best in the NL Central!
JT Brubaker was amazing for them posting an ERA of 2.82 (3.45 FIP)!
Guardians finished 98-65 which was +7 compared to their pythag record!
Here is how the Reds pitching performed in 2021!
Having four starters each make 30+ starts is incredibly lucky, yet it didn't amount to a great deal of success.
Wade Miley - Pending free agent and we won't be bringing him back.
Luis Castillo - Appears to have had a "bad luck" season with an inflated ERA and a decent FIP of 4.09. Predicted to make around $7m in arbitration, which is good value still.
Amir Garrett - Had an excellent year in the bullpen with a sub 3 ERA & FIP. Homer suppression / limiting the walks may have been a fluke (45 rating for movement and control).
Vladimir Gutierrez - "Extreme flyball" pitcher with 35 movement = trade bait candidate for sure. Still has two option years remaining and just turned 26.
Jeff Hoffman - The often injured / now out of options pitcher will likely be traded / non-tendered.
Hunter Greene - Made his MLB debut this yeae and the results were average. He only made one start, but will most likely be in the rotation for 2022.
Nick Lodolo - After a very decent AAA season, he was rewarded with his first MLB callup in September. Looking like he will be in our rotation in 2022 also.
Here is how our hitters did in 2021!
Joey Votto - What an absolute monster season he had at the plate!
Nick Castellanos - What an total dud of a season. With two years left at $16m per, moving him will be one our top priorities this offseason.
Jose Barrero - Looking like a backup infielder, not a starting shortstop.
Mike Moustakas - Missed 5 weeks due to an elbow injury but had a great year with the bat. He will most likely be traded this offseason as he is due to make $16m in 2022 and $18m in 2023.
Dan Vogelbach - Claimed off waivers at the end of July and didn't hit / barely played. A certain non-tender candidate for sure.
Notable free agents
Tucker Barnhart - We need to have an elite defensive catcher. If we can trade for someone with better catcher ability, we will attempt to bring him back!
Heath Hembree / Joakin Soria / Shane Greene - Decent seasons from Hembree & Soria, but we will look to build a bullpen via trade / waiver wire / internal candidates.
Wade Miley - As mentioned above, we will be letting him walk.
2021 MLB draft recap
17th overall -
Josh Baez - HS corner OF. Unable to sign unfortunately (but not really).
30th overall -
Sam Bachman - College RHP. Pitched remainder of season in low A Daytona. Signing bonus of $4.59m.
35th overall -
Peyton Stovall - HS 2B who looks pretty unremarkable. Signing bonus above $2m.
53rd overall -
Izaac Pacheco - HS 3B / future 1B. Looks like future trade bait piece. Signing bonus of $1.38m.
89th overall -
Braden Montgomery - HS corner OF. Does
not look like future MLB talent at this time.
Rough 2022 Team Outline
SP1 - Sonny Gray - $10.7m in 2022
SP2 - Luis Castillo - $7.5m (arb estimate)
SP3 - Tyler Mahle - $2.6m (arb estimate)
SP4 - Hunter Greene
SP5 - Nick Lodolo
SP6 - Tejay Antone - Will be in bullpen / only has 40 stamina.
Bullpen options
Amir Garrett - $2.4m (arb estimate)
Jose DeLeon - $1m (arb estimate) - Out of options / walks too many guys
Lucas Sims - $1.1m (arb estimate)
Tony Santillan - 24yr old former SP. Poor movement/control for rotation, but may be decent in relief role.
Carson Fulmer - Out of options / would be ok middle relief option.
Hitters we are certainly keeping
Starting catcher - TBD, possibly Barnhart
Backup catcher - Tyler Stephenson - Future trade bait. Currently 40th best MLB prospect and we need to capitalize on this!
1B - Joey Votto - Signed for 2 more years and $50m.
2B - Jonathan India - Had a very good rookie season and will be our 2B for next little bit. Unfortunately can't really play another position at an above average level.
SS - Need to find a glove first SS this offseason
3B - Eugenio Suarez - Signed for 3 more years and $33m. If we can trade him, we might. But he may be with us for at least 2022.
Backup INF - Jose Barrero - Will be 24 in April and will be our backup infielder.
LF - Jesse Winker - Due for a nice arb increase to an estimated $6.5m. Will be with us for at least 2022 after having a nice 2021. Defensive liability in LF.
CF - Need to find glove first CF this offseason
RF? - Nick Senzel - Still a pre-arb player, but we need to find him a home defensively. Started 79 games in CF last year and looking more like a RF for us in 2022.
4th OF / RH bat - Should be able to add a RH bat to play some LF if we need to platoon Winker at some point.
Now time to do a little roster cleanup before we start simulating!
Don't forget to comment below with your trade difficulty suggestions!!!