We Got Wood - 45.06 - Play Better Defense. The Master Plan.

[7teen]

It is starting to appear that the famous "Master Plan"TM that the Portland Lumberjacks front office had devised that got left behind a few weeks backs to be exposed to the media wasn't all that "masterful". Thus far the document detailed how the club wanted to keep its finances in check as well as draft pitching. The club has graded out above average in both of those areas but in all reality those are areas every team looks to do. The final major piece of this so-called "Master Plan"TM was unveiled today, and likewise, it wasn't all that earth shattering.

Defense:

Play it really good. Like, everywhere. All positions.

Wow, breaking some new ground there was the "Master Plan"TM. But unlike the financial and pitching situations, where Portland did pretty well in regards to the "Master Plan"TM, the organization took a hard turn away from their plan to play solid defense.

Granted, early on the organization stuck to the script. Several guys in the Portland lineup were superb fielders. Some of those guys, like Miguel Cortez and Arthur Daniel still remain on the squad. The club traded for Robert Menzies who is one of the top hitting and fielding shortstops in the league. Throw in Pedro Gomez behind the dish and Myeong-hwan Kim in the corner outfield and you have the makings of a well rounded group.

So you'd think, with those guys mentioned above the organization was doing things right according to the "Master Plan"TM. But if that were the case, how do you explain the fact the team currently has 3 guys who are best suited as DHs out there playing defense. Well, two of them are trying to field a ball while one of them is the DH. Manuel Martinez, Bartolo Ortiz, and Werner McConnell, Jr couldn't field their way out of a paper bag if they had to yet two of those guys are stuck playing 1B and, god forbid, a corner outfield spot regularly with the club. And let us not forget that Juan Mendoza has the range and the reach of a T-Rex over at 3B. These guys are all poorly suited to play defense for a team that truly wants to start contending. With that said, the defense grade for the "Master Plan"TM portion comes in at a putrid D-.

To make matters worse for Portland, these guys also tie in to the lower grade for the Financial portion as well. The bottom 4 names on that list (Martinez, Ortiz, McConnel, and Mendoza) are all set to make $44.5 million in 2044 and then $43.1 million in 2045. It is not until after the 2045 season that any of these guys can potentially come off the books with either expiring contracts or possibly player or team options.

It may be tough, but the Portland front office needs to re-examine this defense moving forward!