A Flock Of Bluebirds 2040.11- Outfield Recaps

[recte44]

Player Grades and 2041 Projections- Outfielders
October 11, 2040

Gipper Kengos, Left Fielder
24 years old
Contract Status: Arby (Est: $1,900,000)

Nashville is betting on Kengos to be a sparkplug at the top of the order and also to be a Zimmer level outfielder. The best part is he's extremely affordable. He fits the team extremely well and the Bluebirds are lucky to have him.

2041 Projection: Starting Left Fielder (with a little CF sprinkled in)

Toby Peck, Outfield
23 years old
Contract Status: Pre-Arby (Auto)

Peck is a player that is right up Recte's alley. Not highly rated but just good enough to be in the mix for legit playing time. His numbers at the upper levels of the minor leagues are absolutely silly. Check this out:
2038- (AA): 247 AB, 22 2B, 11 HR, 45 RBI, .352/.412/.630/1.028
2038- (AAA): 189 AB, 21 2B, 12 HR, 39 RBI, .328/.413/.630/1.042
2039- (AAA): 479 AB, 33 2B, 26 HR, 78 RBI, .311/.381/.551/.932
2040- (AAA): 252 AB, 15 2B, 21 HR, 45 RBI, .313/.380/.663/1.043

So Peck was called up to the big leagues a couple times in May and June/July and didn't hit at all. He went back to the minors and just kept raking. In September he was brought back to Nashville and given a bunch of playing time, and here's what happened:
42 AB, 2 2B, 4 HR, 12 RBI, .333/.417/.667/1.083

It'd be safe to say that Peck is in the plans for Nashville next season.

2041 Projection: Nashville will find a spot for him somewhere. Let's say fourth outfielder for now.

Frank Underwood, Outfielder
26 years old
Contract Status: Pre-Arby (Auto)

Nashville acquired Underwood with Peck right before the Rule 5 last season and they are comparable players, though Peck holds two advantages over Underwood. Peck is a switch hitter, Underwood is a lefty. Peck is three years younger than Underwood. The comparisons are strong past those two differences.

Like Peck, Underwood flopped badly at his first chance at the bigs in June, going 0-15. When called up in September, everything changed:
33 AB, 5 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .303/.395/.636/1.031.

So if Peck is the fourth outfielder, guess that makes Underwood the fifth.

2041 Projection: Fifth Outfielder

Kidane Ata, Center Fielder/Pitcher
23 years old
Contract Status: Arby (Proj: $3,600,000)

The big question going into 2040 was how Ata would be utilized by the new administration. While most saw Ata as more valuable as an outfielder than a pitcher, the Nashville front office thought a bit out of the box to ultimately answer the question. Yes, Ata is a Zimmer level center fielder. He hasn't shown the ability to hit enough against righties and they definitely wanted to use his electric arm on the mound. The original solution (which might ultimately be the end game) was to use him every fifth day on the mound as a starter and have him play outfield the other four days. This started out promising but quickly was determined to be a failure. Once Occam's Razor was applied the two-headed monster that is Ata was officially born. He would play centerfield against lefties and pitch in a high-leverage, stopper role out of the bullpen on the other days. It was a minor surprise that his WAR as a pitcher (2.6) was over double what he accrued as a position player (1.2). 3.8 combined is pretty damn good, and it's safe to say that Nashville may have just created the damn blueprint to handle elite two-way players for the whole league. Next season the Bluebirds want to get him more time in the field while still using him extensively as a pitcher- so there will be more scheduled days as the team will be more hands on with 7-Day Lineups.

2040 Projection: 60% Starting Centerfielder, 40% Bullpen Stud

Alonso Olvere, Designated Hitter/Right Fielder
23 years old
Contract Status: $2.5M/yr through 2043

After coming over from Omaha, the Bluebirds installed Olvere as their DH versus righties and the results were awesome. He was always a fine hitter with Omaha, but with Nashville he was much more than fine. In 111 at-bats he slashed .333/.405/.595/.999 with 9 doubles, 6 homers and 30 RBI. After buying out three years of arbitration at a reasonable $2.5M per year, Nashville clearly sees Olvere as a part of their core. As was the issue in Omaha, his subpar outfield defense makes a fit hard to find for him, but if he hits like he did this year a fit will be found.

2040 Projection: Everyday vs RHP (one of DH/LF/RF)

Henry Rectenberg, Right Field
27 years old
Contract Status: Team Option of $8.4M for 2041

Bluebirds fans were truly excited to get Rectenberg on the squad before the 2040 season began. It's safe to say that his time in Nashville will be up after just one awful season. Nothing went right for Rectenberg this year and there is no scenario in which the club would exercise their team option, so on to free agency it is for the once star.

2040 Projection: Looking for a new home in Free Agency

Sixto Mejia, Right Field
22 years old
Contract Status: Pre-Arby (Auto)

Mejia was the highest rated of all of the young outfield prospects for Nashville going into 2040, and still has the most upside. The problem with Mejia is the production is far below the talent. He underwhelmed in AAA this year and then didn't do anything for the big club in September. Still, his power is something the lineup needs so he'll get more looks.

2040 Projection: Probably back to AAA for one more year

Nacho Mendez, Right Field/Third Base/First Base
20 years old
Contract Status: Pre-Arby (Auto)

Going into the season, Mendez had only 69 games at the Single-A level of the minor leagues. Nashville fast-tracked him through 30 games of AA ball straight up to AAA where he played really well for 60 games. In need of a right-handed bat to even out all of the lefties, Mendez had a real opportunity (and still does) to be a part of the big club. HIs 28 BBA at-bats are far too small of a sample to write him off just yet.

2040 Projection: Platoon vs RHP (1B is probably the best spot for him, though RF is ok)

[jleddy]

Great series and format.

[HoosierVic]

Thanks, Matt, for giving me a possible path forward with Paul Kemp, a promising two-way player working his way through Chicago's minors. Good series, by the way.

[recte44]

Still have the pitching coming

[GoldenOne]

I should have taken the team with me and let you start from scratch in Nashville. Dont even recognize this team (very much) anymore.

[jleddy]

I should have taken the team with me and let you start from scratch in Nashville. Dont even recognize this team (very much) anymore.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[GoldenOne]

I should have taken the team with me and let you start from scratch in Nashville. Dont even recognize this team (very much) anymore.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

They were .500 last year and only 11 games back with a payroll that was almost $21M lower.

[shoeless.db]

Cool format. I like the projections.