OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

Art Deco · 05-11-2023, 06:50 PM

First off, a spring training report. We did not escape March unscathed as our closer Josh Scanlon was lost for the season with shoulder inflammation and lefty reliever Mason Feole will miss the first week or two of the season with a hamstring strain. The bullpen already was weakened with free agent losses from last season and our pitching depth is paper-thin right now. Mike Moore is now the closer and Frankely Guzman and Wes Mendes are the righty/lefty setup guys. All three of them were pitching in middle relief last year, which tells you how we're hurting in that department. We have no money to spend to pick someone up, so unless we do a dollar-for-dollar trade or deal a stud prospect to get the other team to retain 100% salary outside help will not be forthcoming.

In transaction news, we signed veteran IF Oneil Cruz to a minor league deal to give us righty hitting depth. He'll report to Durham. Interestingly the two biggest free agents still unsigned are two of our stars from last year: OF Billy Carlow and closer Eric Lewis.

Never done this before, but why not? Here are the spring training stats:

A few points of interest. Agustin Lopez got to play when Wander missed a couple of weeks during spring training and he certainly hit. He's rated for 70 contact and that's not potential. He's a mediocre but not terrible defender who will make a great utility guy but we already have a couple right now in Park and Calhoun. When we signed him over the winter I noted that Duk-Yoon Ko was a true three outcomes guy, and sure enough he either homered, walked or struck out in 29 of his 46 plate appearances. He'll be at Durham as well. Joe Stack had a fine preseason and looks to be ready to take over at 1B and Danny Arroyave is ready to take the next step to superstardom.

While the bullpen is questionable, the starting rotation should be really good if it stays healthy, and Danny Morales is ready to step in. If he should falter guys like Cecconi, Guzman and Mendes can all start.

The Opening Day roster:

C-Contreras, Cartaya
1B-Stack
2B-A.Gutierrez
SS-W.Franco
3B-Arroyave
IF-Park, Calhoun, Kasper
LF-Tosado
CF-Westfall
RF-Shimuzu
OF-Saomoa
DH-Strickland

This is one more hitter than we usually carry with Zack Kasper out of options and giving us a RH 1B bat to spell Stack against tough lefties (not a straight platoon). Kasper will probably go anyway when Feole comes off the IL and we'll return to 13 hitters/14 pitchers.

SP-Marlette, DiCostanzo, Ferguson, McElvain, Morales
LR-Cecconi, Brooks
MR-Abeyta, Adkins, Ericson
SU-Mendes, Guzman
CL-Moore

Jeremy Brooks made the staff pretty much by default. Not sure I've seen anyone with such a discrepancy between their ratings and their performance, and he'll be our mop-up guy.

Check out these handsome devils:

A look at the farm:

Berumen should be our next star and could play in the majors right now if he had to. He'll got a shot at Durham and it's not out of the question we seem him up in the second half. Gutierrez isn't quite ready yet and will need more seasoning. Stack is already up of course and keep an eye on Marin, who's already rated 65 contact/55 power presently. Our OF depth on the big club at the moment is a bit thin but with Beruman and Marin close and Elijah Green at Durham we should be fine there.

The preseason predictions:

Wasn't sure what to expect but BNN likes us, projecting 100 wins. Of course that would be a 15-win drop-off from last year so some of my pessimism (mainly around the bullpen) is warranted but it still should be a really good team (albeit a thin one).

05-11-2023, 06:50 PM	#1135
Art Deco Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 7,113	2034 Opening Day Roster and Preseason Predictions First off, a spring training report. We did not escape March unscathed as our closer Josh Scanlon was lost for the season with shoulder inflammation and lefty reliever Mason Feole will miss the first week or two of the season with a hamstring strain. The bullpen already was weakened with free agent losses from last season and our pitching depth is paper-thin right now. Mike Moore is now the closer and Frankely Guzman and Wes Mendes are the righty/lefty setup guys. All three of them were pitching in middle relief last year, which tells you how we're hurting in that department. We have no money to spend to pick someone up, so unless we do a dollar-for-dollar trade or deal a stud prospect to get the other team to retain 100% salary outside help will not be forthcoming. In transaction news, we signed veteran IF Oneil Cruz to a minor league deal to give us righty hitting depth. He'll report to Durham. Interestingly the two biggest free agents still unsigned are two of our stars from last year: OF Billy Carlow and closer Eric Lewis. Never done this before, but why not? Here are the spring training stats: A few points of interest. Agustin Lopez got to play when Wander missed a couple of weeks during spring training and he certainly hit. He's rated for 70 contact and that's not potential. He's a mediocre but not terrible defender who will make a great utility guy but we already have a couple right now in Park and Calhoun. When we signed him over the winter I noted that Duk-Yoon Ko was a true three outcomes guy, and sure enough he either homered, walked or struck out in 29 of his 46 plate appearances. He'll be at Durham as well. Joe Stack had a fine preseason and looks to be ready to take over at 1B and Danny Arroyave is ready to take the next step to superstardom. While the bullpen is questionable, the starting rotation should be really good if it stays healthy, and Danny Morales is ready to step in. If he should falter guys like Cecconi, Guzman and Mendes can all start. The Opening Day roster: C-Contreras, Cartaya 1B-Stack 2B-A.Gutierrez SS-W.Franco 3B-Arroyave IF-Park, Calhoun, Kasper LF-Tosado CF-Westfall RF-Shimuzu OF-Saomoa DH-Strickland This is one more hitter than we usually carry with Zack Kasper out of options and giving us a RH 1B bat to spell Stack against tough lefties (not a straight platoon). Kasper will probably go anyway when Feole comes off the IL and we'll return to 13 hitters/14 pitchers. SP-Marlette, DiCostanzo, Ferguson, McElvain, Morales LR-Cecconi, Brooks MR-Abeyta, Adkins, Ericson SU-Mendes, Guzman CL-Moore Jeremy Brooks made the staff pretty much by default. Not sure I've seen anyone with such a discrepancy between their ratings and their performance, and he'll be our mop-up guy. Check out these handsome devils: A look at the farm: Berumen should be our next star and could play in the majors right now if he had to. He'll got a shot at Durham and it's not out of the question we seem him up in the second half. Gutierrez isn't quite ready yet and will need more seasoning. Stack is already up of course and keep an eye on Marin, who's already rated 65 contact/55 power presently. Our OF depth on the big club at the moment is a bit thin but with Beruman and Marin close and Elijah Green at Durham we should be fine there. The preseason predictions: Wasn't sure what to expect but BNN likes us, projecting 100 wins. Of course that would be a 15-win drop-off from last year so some of my pessimism (mainly around the bullpen) is warranted but it still should be a really good team (albeit a thin one).