Pitching
Gone is the dynamic duo of Ricardo Rivera and Ruben Vazquez – in is the new crop of young pitchers looking to make names for themselves. While they haven’t had the same success as their predecessors, many of them all talented in their own right and give the Outlaws the best shot of winning games. The staff doesn’t have a true ace, just ask catcher, Calvin Johnson. Brody Picot was unable to repeat the success he found in 2052 and led the league in losses and HR allowed. He is in his final year before free agency, so perhaps he will pitch well and demonstrate his value for big money. If not, look for Sakaturo Kawano to step up. The Japanese right-hander has been a model of consistency, however, the results haven’t been great. He is able to rely on his curveball for outs, but his problem is getting hitters to two strikes with a sub-par cutter and changeup and hitters are able to sit on the curve. Alex Payne, who, like Kawano, was part of the trade that sent Vazquez to Sacramento, could wind up being the best pitcher in the rotation this season. The southpaw has good stuff and is alright at keeping the ball in the park and waling batters, but both could use improvement. Kent Pickford has the highest ceiling of any pitcher in San Antonio, but the 25 year-old has not lived up to expectations yet. His high velocity looks daunting, but sits pretty straight and if timed correctly, usually results in extra bases for the batter, though he is also a candidate to lead the league in strikeouts. The team’s fifth starter is up in the air at the moment, but veteran Francisco Franco is likely to fill the role. The former starter was moved into the bullpen last season, but still made 11 starts. His leadership in the rotation could be important to the squad’s success.
Closer Christian Chavez is still recovering from a torn labrum, so even if he does return before the all star break, will we see the same dominant closer of years past? The Outlaws sure hope so. Francisco Salgado hasn’t pitched well this decade, so he shouldn’t be considered reliable, but he might be the best candidate to close games at the moment because you won’t find much better at the end of the bench. Hopefully GM Tim Mesack can pull together some funds to sign a reliever before the end of spring training, but San Antonio doesn’t have a ton of room in their budget for impact late inning arms.
Infield
The aforementioned Johnson will man the plate. The five-time Monty winning catcher is still more than capable behind the dish, in fact, winning his first Zimmer in 2053. Majid bin Husam has been a major let down after scouts believed he would be a perennial all-star. Coming off an injury-shortened season, bin Husam could be on the move for a package of prospects before he hits free agency at the end of the season. If so, the Outlaws wouldn’t have much else to rely on offensively. Jeremy Owbridge and Billy McKay will play up the middle once again. Owbridge signed a monster deal after the 2052 season after a successful stint in the GBC. The problem is he stinks and should really be limited to 2B, if not limited to a utility role. McKay isn’t terrible, but certainly hasn’t played up to his 4 year $34 million extension. Rhys Cripps might actually be the best SS of the bunch, but he will likely play the hot corner again. His .376 SLG% leaves a lot to be desired at a position usually filled with power.
Outfield
Patrick Stolz came over from the GBC after the 2051 season and hasn’t missed a beat. He led the league in hits in 2053 with 228 and will once again be relied on to be the primary run-scorer, which still might not happen too often. Carlos Blanco looks to get the starts in CF, but he isn’t there for his bat and his glove isn’t spectacular. RF could be occupied by Russell Walker or Bill Cole? Maybe Rafael Mckinna? Or Abdul-Quddus bin Khair al Din? No, these are real name and real players vying for a starting position in the BBA. It’s really a mystery at this point and maybe the secret weapon is hiding behind closed doors and will be released on Opening Day. If not, Mesack better pick up the phone and get someone there ASAP or that 50 fan interest could plummet further.
Designated Hitter
This one should be pretty simple as Lee Hogan had a great 2053 campaign slugging 26 HR en route to an .884 OPS. However, he could make a transition to 1B if bin Husam is traded. In that scenario, look for Ira Patterson to get most of the reps against RHP. Patterson is a sold hitter against righties, but can’t hit lefties well or play much in the field.
Overall, the Outlaws are in a heap of trouble and have been since winning it all in 2044. They haven’t seen the playoff since and with Pedro Bustamante gone to free agency, the Outlaws only have a banner remaining to remind them of better times. They do have a few nice looking prospects on the horizon, but they will still be battling budget issues as the team’s fan interest has crashed. I’d expect the team to sell any spare parts and start from scratch, leaving the team with a 62-100 record.
