Here's their introduction to the concept:
Here in the BBA universe, we are only 23 days away from our trade deadline.We’re 50 days to Major League Baseball’s trade deadline — so there are just 50 days for front offices to determine how much they like what they see, how much needs to change and how to value that change in acquisition cost.
This far out from July 31, it’s easier to pinpoint what team needs exist (or might arise in the next seven weeks) than to hammer down what players might be available as solutions, let alone the proper ones. So this week, The Athletic is introducing the first installment of its Urgency Index — a ranking of which teams are likely to need starting pitching, offensive help and relief pitching by July 31. It’s a mix of obvious needs in the here and now, projecting what can change over the next several weeks, and analyzing how valuable even small improvements might be for teams straddling playoff contention.
BATS
1st: Vancouver (currently 3 games out of the WC) 15th in the Frick in wOBA (.297)
DH Royce Hinkle is crushing right-handed pitching (161 OPS+) and LF Greg Clover is crushing southpaws (154 OPS+), but otherwise their lineup presents few problems for opposing pitchers. Their team OPS of .688 is second worst in the Frick League. Their home record is 26-28, the only losing home record among playoff contenders. Their park is a batters' nightmare with factors of 90% for average and 80% for everything else. This suggests that they should focus on speedy high contact hitters and play small ball but their lineup only fields three batters with 7 contact and only two with 8+/8+ speed/stealing.
Their first base platoon of Felix Ramos, hitting .195, and Sam Corkum, .249, is abysmal. Catcher is even worse with batting averages well below the Mendoza line and OPS+ of 49/55.
The Mounties need to go shopping for a first baseman and a catcher who can add some length to their lineup.
2nd: Sacramento (currently 1 game out of the WC) 12th in the Frick in wOBA (.310)
Sacramento's home park also kills the long ball with an 80% home run factor but is almost neutral regarding average (98%) and amps up extra base hits with 114% doubles and 120% triples. Like Vancouver, they only have three hitters with 7+ contact and only one with 8+/8+ speed/stealing, but they do have four hitters with gap of 7+. They are tied for 7th in extra base hits, disappointing considering their home park. Their .724 team OPS is the worst among Frick contenders not named Vancouver.
LF Pedro Alvarez (158 OPS+), CF Lou Bayou (137 OPS+), and RF Norio Yoshida (134 OPS+) compose one of the league's best outfields, but the lineup peters out quickly after that. They just lost 2B Yoshitora Goto and 1B Chinh Tran-Nhu to injuries. Daniel Kenner, their glove-first shortstop, is hitting .166 with a 15 OPS+.
The Mad Popes need a lot of help if their lineup is going to score enough runs to keep them in the playoff race.
3rd: Twin Cities (currently 3rd WC) 9th in the Frick League in wOBA (.314)
Their park is relatively neutral but also amps up extra base hits. The good news is that Twin Cities ranks 3rd in the Frick in extra base hits but the bad news is that they are 13th in batting average and 12th in on-base percentage. Reigning MVP Raul Gallegos is a force to be reckoned with but there is nobody else with an OPS+ over 117. He can't carry the team by himself. They've sold out for defense up the middle but the corners aren't producing. 1B/3B/LF/RF are sporting OPS+ of 110/72/109/109.
The River Monsters need bats at the corners. Gallehos plays part-time LF but is best at DH. The good news is that corner outfielders and first basemen are readily available.
Honorable Mention: Calgary, Bikini
STARTING PITCHING
1st Des Moines (currently 2nd WC) 12th in the Frick League in SP ERA (4.72)
The Kernels' rotation is led by 37-year-old Jose Barron, who could die at any moment. He's 3-1 with a 3.55 ERA (122 OPS+) since coming over from Cape Fear in a mid-June deal. He's a solid mid-rotation guy but he's being asked to front their rotation. Also arriving in the deal was 26-year-old Raul Castanelda, 1-3, 5.11 ERA (84 ERA+), whose specialty is serving up long balls. Steven Clayton, 35, was supposed to be the ace of the staff after signing a $96 million contract back in 2060 but Father Time had other plans. Clayton is 11-4 with a 4.45 ERA (97 ERA+). Wild Thing Raul Morales, 2-2 with a 5.85 ERA (74 ERA+), is walking 6.3 per nine innings. Alonso Amaya, 27, is 8-2 with a 5.20 ERA (83 ERA+).
Come playoff time, there is no one in this rotation that you want starting a win-or-go-home game. Des Moines is on track to make the playoffs for now, but they need to find an ace or two if they want to advance deep into the playoffs.
2nd: Charlotte (currently 1 game out of the WC) 10th in the Johnson League (4.61)
The Flyers rotation is led by Buwono Mainaky, 7-4 with a 2.97 ERA (155 ERA+), a true ace. The other four are all solid starting pitchers but unremarkable. Bob Anderson, 6-4, 4.10 ERA (115 ERA+) was once an ace but at 33 his age is beginning to catch up with him. Arturo Trevino, 8-6, 4.18, Larry Jensen, 8-13, 4.88, and Logan Hill, 9-7, 5.46, round out the rotation.
The Flyers offense is among the JL's best and their bullpen is strong but adding an ace between Mainaky and Anderson would go a long way to helping them make the playoffs.
3rd: Bikini (currently 1 game out of the WC) 9th in the Frick League (4.43 ERA)
The Krill are another squad with a solid rotation that lacks an ace. 23-year-old Paul Worboys, 6-5 with a 3.80 ERA (115 ERA+), may one day grow into that role but he's not there yet. It is likely that his defense (ZR of -8.6 ranks 11th in FL; DER of .681 ranks 13th) is holding him back but that's unlikely to change anytime soon. It is certain that first round draft pick Paul Glass, 1-5 with a 5.46 ERA (80 ERA+) is not well-suited for a defensively-impaired team, given his very pedestrian stuff (2/3). That is the yin and yang of the rotation; the others are Arturo Meza, 11-7 with a 3.79 ERA (116 ERA+); Herman Deckard, 3-2 with a 5.71 ERA (77 ERA+); and Nelson Williams, 8-7 with a 4.70 ERA (93 ERA+).
Like Des Moines, the Krill need an ace for that do-or-die playoff game, or perhaps just to lead them to the playoffs and that pot of gold AKA playoff revenue that comes with it. Failing that, perhaps a couple of back-end starters who can provide league average production while Deckard and Glass hone their skills in the minor leagues.
Honorable Mention: Sacramento, Calgary
RELIEF PITCHING
1st: Twin Cities (currently 3rd WC) 10th in the Frick league (4.02 ERA)
The River Monsters recently demoted their closer Jorge Duran, who was 2-6 with 6.02 ERA and 15 saves in 22 opportunities. They have no heir apparent. It appears that they've handed the job to Brain Groves for now. He has a 4.39 ERA (99 ERA+) in 37 appearances with a 1.46 WHIP and 4.0 walks per nine innings. Their stopper, Andres Gonzales, is their bullpen ace; he is 13-6 with a 3.63 ERA (119 ERA+) and a 1.17 WHIP. Their setup guys are sporting ERAs of 5.23 and 6.02. Their long reliever has a 6.58 ERA.
A new closer will help but they need much more than that. Their pen needs a complete makeover.
2nd: Rosenblatt (currently 2nd WC) 11th in the Johnson League (4.19 ERA)
The Bombers' closer, Candrata Parmar, is 26 of 27 in save opportunities with a 2.09 ERA, but the issue is whether they can get the ball to him with a lead. Their L/R setup duo of Aaron Stevens and Kirk Redding has 5 saves and 12 holds but also 14 meltdowns between them; each have WHIPs over 1.50 and SIERAs over 5. The remainder of the pen isn't any better.
Their rotation ERA ranks 4th in the JL largely on the strength of ace David Molina. Their offense leads the league in most categories. The bullpen is shaky. So far it doesn't seem to have hurt them too much, as they holding their own in one-run games, but they would be well-served to bring in reinforcements before the trade deadline.
3rd: Atlantic City (currently 4th WC) 10th in the Johnson League (4.13 ERA)
I'm not sure why the Gamblers are on this list, as they are 21-9 in one-run games. Their bullpen seems to be performing well. Yet, it ranks 11th in the JL. Is it because their closer, Jesus Martinez, has blown 10 saves out of 40 opportunities? He has a 4.82 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, and issues 4.3 walks per nine innings.
Their setup guy, Harry King, appears to be performing well, with a 2.87 ERA, but he's blown 5 of 9 save opportunities. Middle reliever Kreshnik Bizi shuts down lefties but is giving up home runs to right-handed batters at a prodigious rate.
According to Walk-Off Watch, Martinez has been walked off three times and King once. I'd suggest that the Gamblers find themselves a new closer if they want to keep those one-run wins going.
Honorable Mention: Chicago, Portland
