What happened last year?
Another year, another infuriating "No Late Season Magic" message from the BNN on the last day of the regular season. It didn't even matter that the Talons won a rain delayed game vs. Mexico City a couple days later. This would be the third consecutive season that the club has missed the playoffs on the final sim. This is the classic Gambler's Fallacy, where the Talons keep going all-in despite the hands getting worse and worse. They must think that after so many unfortunate end-of-season stumbles, they must be "due", and therefore keep trying. All the while, the farm system and financial situation keeps getting increasingly dire.
But what are some highlights? Well, the club saw its DH win the BBA home run title for the second time in three years. More improbable is the fact that, for the second season in a row, the Talons had a trash-heap SS win the Diamond Glove at the position. The franchise managed to keep its rotation healthy all season long, with only one starter missing time beyond a day-to-day situation. The Talons also made some decent trades for once, and managed to lock in some pretty reasonable contract extensions as well.
However, poor offensive seasons at first base and third base saw those players turn in performances that were collectively over 3 WAR below their career norms. For a team that missed the playoffs by a single game, that had to hurt. A lack of production at 2B forced the club to spend millions in cash considerations to acquire Jesus Yan, who ended up having a negative WAR for the ballclub. And continued lack of focus on outfield defense saw every full-time OF record a negative Zone Rating. With a season that came down to only one game, the ways to cast blame are legion.
Key Losses
LF Brett White was always going to be a single season contract, so he and his 2 WARS depart, leaving a supplemental 2nd round pick in his wake. RP Mitchell Purssell came over in a shrewd late season deal, but proved to be too expensive to retain and now plies his wares elsewhere. Catcher and Captain John Todd was dealt away last August in a salary cutting deal, and his replacement Warrington Gillette recorded a negative WAR the rest of the way, despite having a catchers' ERA over a run lower. Veteran 2B Mark Wareham was also released days after the season ended.
Key Additions
Looks like the Talons managed to replace most of the losses in kind. Left Field will now be manned by veteran power hitter Justin Jackson, who will likely hit homers but be hard pressed to replace Brett White. As for the bullpen, Purssell's replacement will be Adergazoz Ouakili, signed to a uniquely structured FA contract that will see him get paid only 1.2 million this season. Second base will be manned by Luis Cruz, another glove first/bat last infielder in the mold of IPA. In addition, numerous minor league deals were inked, with notables including C John Hale, DH Mario Deortez, and SP Alvin Chartrand.
Pitching Summary
Starting pitching looks to be similar to last season, when the Talons recorded the lowest Team ERA (4.08) in franchise history. Feliciano Rafael and Don Smith front the roation once again, after a strict, progressive pitch count program appeared to work wonders in keeping these injury-prone starters on the mound. Tomas Ramirez performed well in Phoenix after coming over in trade from YS, and now becomes a rotation fixture for the Talons after signing a 4 year contract extension. Another YS export, Luis Colon, checks in at #4 after another nondescript season. And the fifth starter spot sees some flexibility: if 2045 first round pick Albert Krant falters, super reliever Jose Rodriguez can ably take over, as his 3.5 WAR effort last season attests.
Speakng of relievers, the Talons have some good ones, led by Tiernan O'Macken, who had the fourth highest WAR on the staff last year. He's joined by the aforementioned Ouakili, as well as fan favorite Gilberto Sosa, one of the relievers who came over from the Black Sox late last season and recent signee to a 4 year contract extension. Last year's supplemental first round pick Jason Clark looks set to make his mark in the bigs, which is important because Jeremy Smith still has over a month to go in his injury recovery. The Talons will also find out if two intriguing stories are for real: waiver claimee Mathieu Valette has yet to give up a run this spring, while Alberto Moreno recorded a surprisingly effective 2.01 ERA last season in 89 innings.
Lineup Summary
This lineup is led by basically four players. First and foremost is DH Pedro Guzman, who broke out with a 7.1 WAR campaign last season and led the BBA with 54 home runs, a career high. the Talons were fortunate to buy out his arb years with a budget extension that sees him earn a mere 6.7 million this season, especially important given the new arb totals other teams are dealing with. RF Ramiro Hernandez is back, after his second straight injury shortened season saw him miss out on a 4 WAR campaign. Normally steady 3B Pankratz Isekenmier looks to bounce back from his worst full season to date (2.0 WAR), especially concerning since it was the first of his 6 year, 65 million extension. Liann-wei Mao was another dissapointment last year who must bounce back: this was a first baseman who amassed 30 WAR in his first seven big league seasons and fell flat on his face in 2046.
Other than that? Good luck. All glove/no bat infielders like Luis Cruz or Ian Patrick Anderson aren't going to hit the ball for crap. CF-in-name-only Ramao Saturnino ably proved that his 2.6 WAR campaign of 2045 was indeed a fluke. LF Justin Jackson, as mentioned before, is a poor man's Brett White, and that's not saying much. And Warrington Gillete, who has done wonders for the pitching staff, is an absolute black hole in the lineup.
Farm System Summary
The less said about this, the better. This is a new low for this franchise. After having failed to sign their 2046 first round pick SP Doug Eckhoff, the Talons are ranked 31st in the BBA, with exactly zero players in the top 100 prospects list. Even as an expansion team in 2029 they were never this bad. The closest thing they have to a prospect is Lee Stone, a 55 ranked LF that will likely never see significant time there due to his woeful defense.
This is what happens when you keep trying to "compete". You drain your system, rack up the financial commitments ($125 mil in salary on the books for 2048!!), and continue to dig the franchise's grave.
Overall
We would say that this is the club's last chance at making the playoffs. But so was 2046. And 2045. You get the idea. We could literally copy and paste the blurb from last season right here. In fact, here it is:
"Meh. The best word that can be used here is "average". The Talons have a few good hitters, but so do a lot of other teams. The Talons have a few good arms, but so do a lot of other teams. What the Talons don't have is money (they are aleady projected as well over the cap in 2047(8), severely limiting their flexibility) or prospects (as mentioned above). They also don't have a path to the post season in this author's view. If they couldn't make it the last two(three) seasons, even in a league with four wild cards, there's no way they get in with an arguably worse squad this season."
Prediction
.500 at best. Just get the rebuild over with already. The Talons are like the Dad on a family road trip, skipping the last three gas stations and trying to make it to the next one. And all he ends up with is a car out of gas and kids pissing their pants in the back seat. Sad!
