Chasing The Storm 2034-5 Looking at the Underachievers

[njherdfan]

Whenever a team underperforms like the 2034 Seattle Storm did, there is not going to be a shortage of players to blame. With that in mind, let’s take a look at Seattle’s worst players this year!

On offense, Mario Murillo was awful for the Storm. Seattle signed him hoping that he could contribute a solid bat against lefties. Instead, Murillo posted a .646 OPS against southpaws, and he was getting consistently booed by the end of the season. Perhaps more dishearteningly, Manny Montanez posted a pathetic .624 OPS as he straggled his way to -1.2 WAR on the season. Only 3 years ago he was one of the league’s most promising shortstops; in 2030, Montanez posted 4.9 WAR in only 117 games, and in 2030 and 2031 he won the Diamond Glove Award at shortstop. This year, he was worth -12.9 runs. Seattle fans need to hope that Montanez can bounce back and at least come close to the player he used to be.

On the mound, no one particularly stands out, but Wally Lopez was signed to give Seattle a late-game option out of the bullpen. That didn’t really happen, as he walked 27 hitters in 37 innings and muddled his way to a 4.93 FIP. While it seems odd that no one on the pitching staff can be viewed as an underachiever on a team with a losing record, Seattle fans were generally content with the efforts of the rotation this season.

[usnspecialist]

the problem with montanez at short is that he has a noodle arm.

[RonCo]

Montanez is De Castillo without the hit tool.

[RonCo]

Or the switchieness.