With a 2053 season that saw a 79-83 record at the end of regular season play, the Madison Wolves are moving onto 2054 but aren't doing anything too rash. Actually, one of the biggest changes is their new wolf logo.
Many of their additions were of a stealthy nature, acquiring players coming off of down years. Will the Wolves cash in on this strategy? We'll have to see if new contact hitting catcher Ziad Abdul-Samad can play solid enough defense that it doesn't put the team at a disadvantage. And if reliever Gilberto Cordero can bounce back from a trying 2053 where his ERA escalated to 5.19 for Boise. But that's about it for the additions. The Wolves were not impacted by the activity of the Rule V or IFA periods.
The free agent losses were not all that troubling. Longtime 1B Chris Mann moved onto Portland, and then suffered a season-ending injury during spring training. The Wolves will also have to replace lefty Warren Moore in the rotation, and righties Ira Dawson and Raphael Castagna in the bullpen. Presumably the Wolves are focused on getting a little younger with their pitching core by letting these players walk. Infielder Shalom Van Buuren was also released for hitting below the Mendoza line.
A good deal of the Wolves' payroll is tied up in RF Manobu Shimizu. His $22 million paycheck is currently the 5th highest in the BBA. But there has been some anxiety in Madison, as Shimizu hasn't been an all-star since 2051. They really need the lefty slugger to get back to his 6.0+ WAR days of the 2040's. He is 33 and scouts say he's not in decline as of yet and still has the sweet swing to annihilate right-handed pitching. He just needs to find his groove again.
The Wolves' run production was poor in 2053, but the Wolves have a few pieces to turn it around. 3B Salvador Allende led the Frick with an incredible .422 OBP and won a Yogi for his vacuum work at the hot corner. 2B Jose Hernandez has good contact hitting, but will need to leave behind a his -0.9 WAR 2053 performance. Unfortunately, the rest of the lineup seems to be lacking offensively. The Wolves may need to scrap some of their defense for offense in order to get the run totals to improve.
On the pitching side, there is room for improvement after an uneven 2053. Only one starter, Buwono Mainaky, managed to finish the season with a winning record. Lefty Warren Moore had a nightmare 4-15 season with a 5.10 FIP, and thankfully he's no longer with the team. Staff ace Yorikane Miyamoto had his work ERA and WHIP since 2044. At least rookie starter Josh Clark had a since debut with an impressive 3.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 32 starts. As long as they fill in the back end of the rotation capably, this staff could be much better in 2054. In the bullpen, Dana Pualani was probably the most effective reliever with 15 saves and a 3.68 ERA. He'll need to be part of the surge in the bullpen if the Wolves are to get above .500 and compete for a playoff berth.
On the prospect side, it's possible Wesley Turner could make his rookie debut after a nice showing in A and AA. But at 21 years old, he may need a little more time.
The Wolves have some talent, but it feels like things will have to break just right this year for them to sneak into the playoffs. Will the pack be able to stay on the scent?
