2046: 04 A Stake to Me Heart: Bucharest starting lineup for 2046

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2046: 04 A Stake to Me Heart: Bucharest starting lineup for 2046

Post by allenciox » Thu Feb 25, 2021 5:30 pm

Our 109-53 record last season is hard act to follow. Good news is lineup should be mostly the same this season compared to last; bad news is that every other team has improved while we stay mostly same. From a production standpoint, we best in league in defense, no doubt, but closer to average in offensive production.

At any rate, here is your 2046 Impaler starting lineup:


C: This is the main "upgrade" that we have for the year. We went from average in the league to perhaps league-"best" in the one-year acquisition Hsin Mei . He combine above-average contact with lot of power from small frame. He have plus arm with above average framing. We recognize this is one-year stopgap; no way will salary cap support $12 million salary next season. But have expectation (hope) that one of young prospects promote to majors next year. Midseason acquisition Sang-duk Sim is Hsin's backup; and likely the starting catcher next year. He combine average to above average bat with truly outstanding framing.

1B: Jay Gamble returns after outstanding 4.6 WAR season with league-leading OPS last year (.904). He also win 1B Platinum Stick award last year. This might be fluke; expectation is he be more average 1B this season.

2B: Jeremy Owbridge once again man center of infield against right-handed pitchers. I expect he rebound from disappointing (.236/.351./.333) offensive season. His outstanding defense meant that he still had 3.1 WAR over season, and he named Great Glove winner at 2B. He still young and improved over last year; coaches report that he become more patient at plate than early last season, working count get on base more often. His outstanding defense last season should be even better this season: he also gain step over winter and now can get to balls that few can. His natural position remains shortstop, but no room there with Rakim manning that spot. One note: had outstanding, breakout spring (.316/.403/.509). If he do close to that during season, second-base should be team strength.

Against lefties, we once again use Tyler Shacklady . Last season no good for him at the (.256/.314/.401 line) but he another outstanding defensive infielder, and he should hit lefties well.

3B is a puzzle for this team.. We have choice between Vincente Archuleta , who hit well last year (.292/.358/.465 line, 3.0 WAR) but is only average fielder for third base, and Ernie Schoonmaker , who is dynamite defensively at just about every position except catcher, but no threat at plate: he serve as all-around utility guy last year. We might begin season with Schoonmaker and move to Archuleta if he no cut it at plate.

SS: Rakim Stevenson for crazy reason no win Gold Glove last year (Mumbai's Hewatt win instead, with Rakim in second place). He do however, win platinum stick award at SS with .287/.353/.390 line and 4.3 WAR : almost exactly same as 2044. He sign two year extension for $3.1 million/year near end of last season, so we have him this year and next, at least.

LF: Mitch Dalrymple / Carlos Camacho once again will platoon like last year. Mitch pulled back last year from sensational season in 2044, with a .304/.363/.476 line, and 2.5 WAR. He hit well, but just average fielder. Camacho do just ok with part-time duties last season --- he getting old , but still fantastic fielder in outfield (and second base, too).

CF: Rafael Mullet /
Julio Soriano will platoon, same as last season. 22-yo Mullet have great season last year: winning both Great Glove award and Platinum Stick award. Last year's Mullet was gem defensively and pretty good at bat too (.287/.334/.490 line, 4.6 WAR), but come into training camp this year with rust from offseason, so we see how he do this year.

RF: Fernando Archuleta / Ricardo Esparza will platoon, just like last season. Both these guys are defensive gem with average bat (.256/.350/.419 line, 2.3 WAR last year for Fernando, .283/.367/.439, 1.5 WAR for Esparza)
Fernando win Great Glove for RF last year.

DH: Mahdi Kojo will return at DH this year. He lead league in HR (36) and RBI (111) last year, with a .276/.340/.497 line, good for 2.7 WAR and platinum stick award for DH.

For what it worth, this is how Baseball News Network has rates us across the 8 positions (C -> RF): 1, 4, 3, 5, 2, 4, 7, 6 ... this is out of ten teams, and you can see they think CF is weakest for us, with RF second --- with average place of 4 out of 10. I happen to think 3B should be lower than 5th for us, but maybe RF higher than 6th

Summary: We once again have best defense in all of UMEBA this season, along with best pitching, so we won't give up runs. We have saying in my country: If nobody ever score against you, you never lose. However, our run production will only be average. I expect another first place finish, but maybe not so many wins as last year.


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