Pitching
Carlton Day, it’s been real. I thought you would become one of the league’s best, but you just can’t stay healthy. At this point of his career, he might be better suited in the bullpen. Ken Arroyo has been good, but never took that final leap to stardom, but the depth of starting pitchers in Valencia is amazing. Brian King and Mike Alexander will headline the rotation, but it’s not crazy to think any of the forementioned pitchers end the season being the team’s best pitcher. Gerardo Lopez is a very good fifth starter and the Stars have a couple of options to fill-in for injuries, too. John Olson seems to be a shell of his former self, but is still reliable in the bullpen. Martin Román has been lights out since coming to Valencia in 2049, though, struggled at times last season. The Stars would love to see an encore from Fernando Villareal, who had the best season of his career in 2052. The bullpen remains deep and has several pieces that can step up in 2053.
Infield
The Stars defense will be anchored by Clinton Tyler, who has become one of the best catchers in the Frick League. Yodo Sato hold down his position well at 1B and is a sure bet to bat .320 or better, though he has little power for a corner infielder. Speaking of which, it appears that Jorge Lugo will start at 3B, and while he isn’t going to clobber 20+ HR, he is as sure-handed as the come at the hot corner. The biggest weakness in the lineup is at SS, where Quintin Trewartha relies on saving more runs than he produces. Luckily, his glove is among the best in the BBA, but he brings about as much value to the plate as canned cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving. The big addition is Silk runner-up, Daniel Pepper. The star 2B inked a 4 year $62.4M deal in the offseason and brings some much need oomph to the offense.
Outfield
The lineup won’t get much more of a boost from the outfielders, either. The hope is Mike Brodt gets on base often and should have an OBP near .360. Omer Dijkstra hits RHP well and will provide the most pop of all the outfielders, however, he is now a liability in CF and is better suited for a corner. Habeeb bin Ameen proved he can play CF at the BBA level, but will have to prove 2052 wasn't a fluke. His defense was very average and his 23 HR were a huge surprise, so this might be a spot the Stars look to upgrade mid-season.
Designated Hitter
Donald Miller will get most of the reps at DH, as long as his sub-par defensive skills aren’t needed in the outfield. The slugger seems to have found his groove with two fantastic seasons after an abysmal 2050 campaign. With little power in the lineup, Miller will be relied upon to hit 35+ HR. Newly signed Peter Crocker will be a great bat vs. LHP and could also see time in the outfield.
I think the Stars might be best off with Dijkstra in CF if he can prove not to be too much of a liability defensively. That would enable the Stars to get a little more offense to supplement their amazing defense. After back to back sweeps in the Geoghegan round, the Stars are poised for another trip to the playoffs, but GM Morris Ragland will certainly be looking a little further. I predict 93 wins and a trip to the Cartwright for Valencia.
