Revisiting the 2051 Media Guide: A Newcomer's Perspective

[BaseClogger]

Back before I had been GM for a single game in the Brewster, I put my reputation on the line by prognosticating the best and worst free agent signings of the 2050-2051 offseason for the 2051 Media Guide. It's time to revisit those predictions.

Thumbs Up

Pedro Gomez (Long Beach Surfers) - Gomez has been durable, amassing 880 PAs over the last two years, but with only 0.8 WAR to show for it look for his $12M team option to be bought out this offseason. Long Beach has gotten twice the production in half the PAs out of Joe Zwicker.

Scott Davis (Mexico City Aztecs) - Davis underwhelmed and was a luxury for Mexico City, who opted to cash him in for prospects from Des Moines midseason. Although he didn't offer much in the way of direct production for the Aztecs, I like the prospects so I suppose this was a win.

Bret Powers (Charlotte Cougars) - Powers socked 32 home runs in 2051 but was held back by a .315 OBP and finding himself holding a glove too often. I shouldn't have questioned YS9's platooning. As a sub-replacement level player in 2052, he disappointed for multiple organizations. Powers was part of a blockbuster trade too complex to impact here, but consider this guy a bust.

Francisco Ortiz (Las Vegas Hustlers) - Ortiz had a nice season in 2051 for both Las Vegas and Chicago, netting the Hustlers a prospect from a midseason trade. He fell to pieces in 2052 and got sent to AAA, but at such a modest price tag I'd say this prediction was correct.

Jesper Sonderlei (Twin City River Monsters) - Sonderlei managed to trick BBA teams into giving him 688 PAs over the last two season but he's been sub-replacement level during that time. Another swing-and-a-miss by this rookie GM. Power was supposed to be the calling card but Jesper sits at 20 career HR.

Thumbs Down

Shalom Van Buuren (Seattle Storm) - This guy didn't hit much in 2051, still declined his player option, managed a three year deal last offseason, and played even worse for Madison in 2052. I guess his .321 OBP from the middle infield wasn't a disaster for Seattle.

Matthew Hewat (Twin City River Monsters) - The River Monsters had a big year in 2052, but Matthew Hewat was not necessarily part of the reason why. He's hit just .294/.329/.390 for Twin City and they still have four more years at $8.5M per left on the contract. The defense hasn't been good enough to stick at SS and he's spent more time elsewhere on the infield.

Felipe Vega (Mexico City Aztecs) - Vega hit 41 homers and was worth over 4 WAR before opting out after his first season in Mexico City. Not a bad outcome all things considered, after he only accumulated 2.2 WAR in his first season on a long contract with the River Monsters. Maybe I was a year too early with this prediction.

Raul Fernandez (Seattle Storm) - Oops. Fernandez has averaged 4 WAR per year in Seattle by getting back to his excellent hitting ways and has played so well I expect him to decline his player option for the 2053 season.

Angel Zalapa (Portland Lumberjacks) - Jeez, another big miss on my part. Zalapa had the best year of his career since his early 20s, hitting .275/.353/.538 with 43 homers in 2051 before opting out of his contract with Portland. He had a solid season returning to Velencia at the age of 36 in 2052.

[recte44]

I love (LOVE!!!) the "look back" articles. Keep it coming Kurt!

[Dington]

Love the reviews and hope you keep it going. Great work

[datom25]

I have no idea if Powers is an overpay or an underpay.. He costs more than a comparable FA, but is cheaper than extending a comparable player with a team friendly vesting option. It's a shame he wasn't a 1 Win player, but he surely is more likely to be that next year than not.

EDIT: in that he's a 1-2 Win platoon/maybe fulltime starter OF who will earn 24 mil over the contract, and they tend to cost quite bit. Yokohama wants 90 million over six, but only needed 7.5 as a FA.

EDIT2: He's yours to any team that wants him. Maybe that's a clue to whether he is in fact an overpay

EDIT3: And great read, btw!

[BaseClogger]

Powers what I’d call a useful player. You hope to pick those guys up off the scrap heap IMO.

[7teen]

I remember reading your Zalapa take hoping you’d be wrong. Glad you were! Haha.

Granted I think Portland benefited from him opting out as well.

[datom25]

I have no idea if Powers is an overpay or an underpay.. He costs more than a comparable FA, but is cheaper than extending a comparable player with a team friendly vesting option. It's a shame he wasn't a 1 Win player, but he surely is more likely to be that next year than not.

EDIT: in that he's a 1-2 Win platoon/maybe fulltime starter OF who will earn 24 mil over the contract, and they tend to cost quite bit. Yokohama wants 90 million over six, but only needed 7.5 as a FA.

EDIT2: He's yours to any team that wants him. Maybe that's a clue to whether he is in fact an overpay

EDIT3: And great read, btw!

For those interested in second guessing, having gone from signing a million platoon bats to make sure Powers option doesnt vest, I'm now wondering how to play him regularly enough against RHP so it does.

[CTBrewCrew]

PHEW! No Madison players

[lordtoffee]

I always love to see the perspectives on what other GMs think of moves no matter how far back those moves occur. Great feature Kurt, and keep doing more of these.