2057 Madison Wolves Preview

[conman14]

It was a tough 2056 season for the Madison Wolves, who ended 7th in the Frick Heartland Division as their postseason drought extends to seven seasons. They are also on a run of just two .500 or greater seasons in that time, last achieving a winning season in 2054, and look to be in the process of reinventing their roster by largely moving towards youth.

The big story for the Wolves coming into 2057 will be the return of their mercurial 1B/OF Manobu Shimizu, who returns from the effects of post-concussion syndrome – he was limited to just 15 games in 2056 following a freak collision on the bases early in the year. He may not be the same Shimizu who was one of the best hitters in the BBA in the second half of the 2040s, but his absence last season was still keenly felt by the Wolves.

It will also be the first season without another long-time Wolf – Jose Hernandez called it quits after 16 seasons and over 2000 games, as he announced his retirement at the end of 2056.

Off-season News

Their off-season has been an interesting one, making some bullish moves to bring them closer to the pack in the FL. They signed former San Fernando OF Jamie Angwin to a 1-year deal worth $13 million, and also signed OF Garry Mihalsky on a 1-year $6.8 million deal, as he returns from a sabbatical following his release from the Chicago Black Sox. The Russian will add some pop to the Wolves’ lineup.

GM Simon has also made a move to bring in former Long Beach and Phoenix starter Lucas Wood. He was signed to a 5-year $28 million deal including a player option, in a move that has been widely touted as a potential steal around league circles. He endured a down year in 2056, but has previously shown well primarily in the Surfers organization.

In terms of outgoings, top offensive player Pedro Guzmán walked at the end of the season, and they also lost one of their key bullpen arms in Gilberto Cordero, who cashed in on an incredible 2056 season to jump ship to Calgary.

Roster Review – Ones to watch

Despite their 2056 record, the Wolves’ roster boasts some stars that could help propel them back into contention.

The previously aforementioned Lucas Wood could be a bargain locked down for the next four years minimum – if he can rediscover the form that marked him out as one of the top young pitchers of the BBA a few years ago, he will form a strong 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation alongside Josh Clark. Clark is another player looking to put right a shaky couple of seasons and rekindle the form that saw him win the Newcomer of the Year in 2053.

At catcher, the Wolves will be hanging their hat on Ziad Abdul-Samad, who had his best season in the BBA last season. He may be a bat-first catcher, hitting over .300 last year, but has also demonstrated a solid glove behind the plate.

As mentioned at the top of the article, all eyes will be on Manobu Shimizu on his return from concussion symptoms. It is fair to say that the recent story of the Wolves cannot be told without Shimizu, and they will be hoping that he can hit the same heights as he did before his injury. He has been playing 1B during Spring, but can also play in the outfield. Stats geeks will also be keeping an eye on him this season, as he has a shot to break 3000 career BBA hits over the course of 2057 - given he is just 170 short, look for him to be nearing that mark towards the end of the year.

Off-season acquisition Garry Mihalsky has been playing DH during Spring, but can also play out in left field. He will be looking to repair his reputation after an unceremonious end to his Black Sox stint, and with a bat that has the potential to take the lid off games, all the tools are there to have a great year.

Prospects

The Wolves also have a number of prospects who could potentially contribute this season. Two such players, infielders Pedro Rocha and Alfredo Pereira, both sit top 100 in the BBA Prospect Pipeline. Rocha’s development from being an 11th round pick in 2053 has been stupendous, and it is fair to say that he is the most likely hitting prospect to see BBA time this year. Pereira, meanwhile, has been in the Wolves’ system since signing as a scouting discovery in 2050, and could also make the jump this year. Both have excellent bats, though Pereira may struggle to find a defensive home outside of 1B.

Top prospect Byung-Kyu Park is a little further away from the BBA, and is slated to start the season in the Drake League this season. He is another who will not contribute much with the glove, but has big-bat potential.

In terms of pitching, former first rounder Pablo Guardado is on track to start the year in the RHML and could be a nice addition to the pitching corps later in the season. He has high strikeout potential and four excellent pitches, and with a little more experience in the Horn League could find himself as an option in the middle of the rotation. The same can be said of fellow Horn starter Wilson Herrera, who has been putting up excellent numbers over the past couple of seasons.

Pre-Season Predictions

Early predictions have the Wolves pinned on a 72-90 record and a -95 run differential, though with one look at the simulations it says more about the competition that they face in their division - three teams are predicted to break the 100-win barrier in the Heartland Division alone. While a return to the post-season is unlikely this season, this is a young team that is building for the future. Excluding Shimizu, the eldest projected starter on offense is 31, with most of the infield being in their mid-20s. The same story holds on the mound, with the majority of their pitching corps being under 30 years old.

Their season will hinge on the return of Shimizu, and how close he is to reaching the heights he hit over recent years. His career 162 game average would put him on 7.0 WAR, with an OBP over .400 - the Wolves would no doubt bite your hand off if you offer them those numbers. With early signs in Spring Training looking good, if the young core can kick on, they could set themselves up for a solid run over the next year or two and give Shimizu one last shot at a Brewster.

[RonCo]

Nice overview.

[BaseClogger]

Really impressive preview for somebody whose only been in the league since 2056. Seemed spot on.

[trmmilwwi]

Great writeup! Madison pitching seems to be a thing..

[Dington]

Impressive preview

[jiminyhopkins]

This is very well done for a new GM. Kudos!

[CTBrewCrew]

Great job! Spot on too.

[conman14]

Great job! Spot on too.

Hope I've done the team justice, and best of luck for the season!