Edmonton 2035: Calm Before the Storm?

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Edmonton 2035: Calm Before the Storm?

Post by RonCo » Sun Jun 10, 2018 9:38 am

Image The Jackrabbits scored 611 runs last year, worst in the Frick, but better than the Goats of Nashville. So there’s something to build off of I guess. Rumors are that whenever any of the six of Edmonton fans got together over the winter they would great each other with the first giving a ba-a-a-a- bleat, while the other slapped him on the back and said “just kidding, sorry!” which goes to prove the Canadian way of life will never be quite like any other.

We come today, however, not to fricassee the bunnies but to examine the chances they might plays something most fans would consider baseball-like in 2035.

The answer is “yes, probably, but we apologize in advance because you never get a second chance.” We’re getting ahead of ourselves, though. Let’s start where all such things Edmonton must start: Bobby Lynch (10/6/9 Ratings).

ROTATION:

The kid is 23 now, and entering his third season in the bigs, wo we all know his story. Bobby Lycnh is that rare and wonderful thing—a left-handed flame thrower with an achingly sharp curve and a change up that can make a hitter swing so hard his teeth yank themselves. “Save dental bills,” said one. He went 9-8 last year with Edmonton, dropping a 2.93 ERA. Brilliant.

The problem, of course, is what comes next. Or, maybe this isn’t a problem so much as an uncertainty—though to be fair, if you’re a manager in the BBA, uncertainty like this is a problem.

Johnny Morin (7/7/7 Ratings) (14-11, 3.46) is 24 and entering his fourth season in the BBA. His progression last year was enough to make a lot of fans excited. The question at present is to what extent the cavernous confines of the Edmonton ballpark created that performance—an answer to which can be found in a marvelous .6 HR/9 stat (best in the league). The good news is that he pitches in the same park this year.

21-year-old Chet Parrish (8/7/7 Ratings) looks like he’s next in line. He got a trial last year and didn’t stink. Then we probably see 23-year-old Jean Huguet (10/6/5 Ratings), a guy who reminds us a little of a right-handed Tim Oliver. Is that good? I dunno. Maybe. They say his stuff is Lynch-like, but he hasn’t thrown a pitch in the bigs, yet, so who knows? Now’s as good a time as any for the Jackrabbits to discover what he’s got. After that you’ve got a few choices. Our guess is that 24-year-old lefty Justin Sproule (6/6/7 Ratings) will get the nod. He pitched well in stints last year.

Bottom line, if you squint a little more than normal, you can see the Edmonton rotation being more than just a little okay.

So, how far am I squinting? Hmmm…not too far just yet.

GRADE: C+ with a possible bullet.

THE PEN:

Perhaps the biggest news of the season was the addition of closer Jonathan Bowen (10/5/9 Ratings), who came to the team on a pricey three-season deal. He’s been a Grade-A closer in the San Antonio franchise for a long time, and at 35 still has that 101 MPH heater. If the game gets to him, the Jackrabbits could make some noise. To be honest, though, that “getting to him” could well be a problem.

Maxime Manceau (8/8/7 Ratings) will be back. He’s a guy who everyone says “just looks like he’s got something to say” when he’s on the mound, but hasn’t seemed to quite lasso his talents, yet. Is 2035 the year? Jose Gutierrez (6/7/8 Ratings), another free agent could well help. He tossed a 1.79 ERA in Atlantic City, but he’s also 38. Time has a way of erasing certain things like fastballs and changeups. But if Gutierrez can manage 50 solid appearances again, things could look up in Edmonton.

After those guys, though, the fact is that the Jackrabbits are throwing out more of a prayer than a wing. You scan down the list of candidates, and you get a feeling that the bullpen hasn’t been built so much to take advantage of its park as that they’re hoping the park band-aids over the gaping hole in their talent level. Our guess is that the Jackrabbits will be looking for cheap alternatives to get better here as the season goes on.

GRADE: The arrival of Bown and Gutierrez raise it to a C+


CATCHER:

The team apparently thinks Eric Fabre (6/7/7/6/5 Ratings) is ready, so at 21 the kid will probably get his shot. Baseball people wonder if his defense is really there, and if the power swing could use dome more time. There is pressure, though. Pressure to make a show of the team’s trade to get him, and pressure to wind some games. The other opportunities are Juan De Los Santos (5/7/7/4/5 Ratings) and Miguel Valencia (5/3/8/6/7 Ratings), neither of which get the heart going pitter-patter.

GRADE: Dunno yet, so let’s call it a C and be done with it. Fabre is going to be a solid major league catcher sometime. We’ll see whether it’s 2035 or not.


INFIELD:

The arrival of Dusty Rhodes (10/3/6/5/10 Ratings) on a fairly sensible 4-season deal makes things look considerably better, though, to be honest, since he doesn’t really have that line-drive-into-the -gap kind of swing, he’s not particularly well suited to the park. Time will tell. At 31, he’s a small rick, too. Probably worth the gamble, though. It does make one wonder what’s to become of Jose Gonzalez (7/7/6/4/7 Ratings), who can still thump RHP and seems perhaps better suited to the environment. Cash plays, after all, and Rhodes’ contract is … uh … much more than Gonzo’s.

At 31, Luis Soto (6/4/7/5/10 Ratings) looks like he’ll be back to handle second base. If not spectacular at the role, his 2.1 WAR was solid enough—though pricey.

The Jackrabbit front office game Jesus Mejia (5/6/7/6/5 Ratings) $2.2M this off-season, presumably to play shortstop. This probably doesn’t thrill a lot of fans, nor, really should it. The team probably needs an upgrade. Holden Blackwell (6/5/2/3/9 Ratings) is probably back to play third for a little longer. He’s slick at third and has lots of hardware from past seasons, but scouts seem worried about him, suggesting that he’s lost sort bat speed and that he’s showing signs of being vulnerable to velocity. Regardless, he’s holding the spot for now while the team dreams of Stephen Collins III arriving.

GRADE: Um. Hmmm. I worry. Let’s call it D+, though I might be a little over-critical.


OUTFIELD:

Luis Costello (8/7/8/4/8 Ratings) will make his long-anticipated debut this season, teaming with scintillating superstar Mitch Dalrymple (9/7/8/4/8 Ratings) to make a stunning pair. If the team still had Augie Plascencia around to plug into left field, it would be Full of Amazing. But Plascencia was lost to a Rule V mix-up, and so instead you;ve probably got a platoon with Malcom Guesne (who is an elite defender and can hit well enough), and a couple right handed hitters in Gordon Burkett (6/7/7/4/7 Ratings) and Folkert Letroit (6/6/4/6/7 Ratings). Burket is the better defender and has a little pop. Letroit gets on base better.

Plan B would be for prospect William Wood (6/9/5/6/6 Ratings) to accelerate his development and make an additional splash. He’s got a ways to go, though. Let’s not bet on Plan B at this point.

Declan Crauen (8/8/7/5/7 Ratings) is a solid major league hitter who will probably DH a bit and see the field on and off again.

GRADE: It’s a good enough set of guys, all young, and theoretically getting better. Let’s call it a B+ for now, though depth could be a problem if one of the kids gets hurt for any length of time.


OVERALL:

GM Brandon Brooks took some flack from talk radio hosts for his hands-off approach last year, but other than the Plascencia affair, has taken a stronger approach this past off-season.

Playing in the Frontier, you never know what might happen. I mean, beyond the fact that they won’t beat Calgary for the division title, anyway. But can they beat an fresh-faced Boise? A Vancouver team that almost made the playoffs last year? As Seattle team that always seems to be on the brink of being good, but seems to always find a way to fall by the wayside?

Yeah. It’s possible.

Our guess is that it won’t happen this year, though. Our guess is that the Jackrabbits get better as the season goes on, and enter the 2035/36 off-season ready to take that one more step they’re going to need to really compete.

Let’s give them a 9-game progression and say 74-88.
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Re: Edmonton 2035: Calm Before the Storm?

Post by felipe » Sun Jun 10, 2018 9:50 am

Its a slow boil in Edmonton...but eventually...these guys might make some noise

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