Baltimore in 2008
Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 9:04 am
Last Year: 98-65
98 wins, their highest total since 2000, sounds good but somehow they managed to break a streak of eight straight JL Atlantic division wins. 2007 was the year that Greenville finally were not only contenders but winners as the Moonshiners finished level at the top with the Monarchs and the JLA title went to a Game 163.
Off Season moves:
After only their second playoff miss in 11 years how do you react? Is it a blip, is it the end? Tweak, rebuild or head in the sand? Well it certainly proved to be a busy winter in Baltimore as the Monarchs tweaked the team with nine players leaving and six arriving.
Major departures via free agency included 36-yr-old Simon Caesar who had a good season after arriving from the EBA but was allowed to return to the EBA one year later, 33-yr-old Pacorro Butieprez who couldn’t find a regular role and 35-yr-old Christian Martorell who left after a three year Monarch career, the last two years spent as an outfield nomad. Four of the departing players were claimed off waivers, Birmingham grabbing two including 36-yr-old one club man Brett Caves who had lost his starting role in the outfield after 12 years with the Monarchs.
The major free agent signing was 32-yr-old catcher Pat Larkin jr who was handed a four-year $3.8m contract. Two of the others, 29-yr-old José Cortéz & 28-yr-old Cal Miller, have not played a full season in the MBBA while 36-yr-old Gerardo Cutitta played for Las Vegas in 2006 but has spent the rest of his career in the EBA. 25-yr-old Héctor Hernández was claimed off waivers from Louisville a year after they had drafted the former 2003 first supplemental round pick in the Rule 5 draft.
Looking to 2008
With all the teams in the JL Atlantic Division being a hotbed of off-season ducking & diving I can’t see a lot of change in this division despite the revolving door policies. Washington look to have fared the best but they’re probably too far back to make a real impact on the division’s top two and with Greenville needing to rebuild their bullpen following three off-season departures that could throw the division title back to Monarchs
Larkin jr should improve Baltimore behind the plate and with no anticipated changes in last year’s rotation or bullpen we could see another 95+ win season in 2008. The outfield could be the potential problem area with 35-yr-old Daniel Labrie in the twilight of his career now and Rod Roberts, the only other outfield star, it could be a year of flux and journeyman plug-ins. Eleven of the Spring Training roster were 32 or over and perhaps now the Monarchs biggest enemy is the passage of time, their dominance of the JLA is coming to an end but not this year.
2008 : The Monarchs creaking bones will last them at least another year, 95-67 will be enough for the division title and a Doubleday Series win but the Cartwright Cup could be their limit.
98 wins, their highest total since 2000, sounds good but somehow they managed to break a streak of eight straight JL Atlantic division wins. 2007 was the year that Greenville finally were not only contenders but winners as the Moonshiners finished level at the top with the Monarchs and the JLA title went to a Game 163.
Off Season moves:
After only their second playoff miss in 11 years how do you react? Is it a blip, is it the end? Tweak, rebuild or head in the sand? Well it certainly proved to be a busy winter in Baltimore as the Monarchs tweaked the team with nine players leaving and six arriving.
Major departures via free agency included 36-yr-old Simon Caesar who had a good season after arriving from the EBA but was allowed to return to the EBA one year later, 33-yr-old Pacorro Butieprez who couldn’t find a regular role and 35-yr-old Christian Martorell who left after a three year Monarch career, the last two years spent as an outfield nomad. Four of the departing players were claimed off waivers, Birmingham grabbing two including 36-yr-old one club man Brett Caves who had lost his starting role in the outfield after 12 years with the Monarchs.
The major free agent signing was 32-yr-old catcher Pat Larkin jr who was handed a four-year $3.8m contract. Two of the others, 29-yr-old José Cortéz & 28-yr-old Cal Miller, have not played a full season in the MBBA while 36-yr-old Gerardo Cutitta played for Las Vegas in 2006 but has spent the rest of his career in the EBA. 25-yr-old Héctor Hernández was claimed off waivers from Louisville a year after they had drafted the former 2003 first supplemental round pick in the Rule 5 draft.
Looking to 2008
With all the teams in the JL Atlantic Division being a hotbed of off-season ducking & diving I can’t see a lot of change in this division despite the revolving door policies. Washington look to have fared the best but they’re probably too far back to make a real impact on the division’s top two and with Greenville needing to rebuild their bullpen following three off-season departures that could throw the division title back to Monarchs
Larkin jr should improve Baltimore behind the plate and with no anticipated changes in last year’s rotation or bullpen we could see another 95+ win season in 2008. The outfield could be the potential problem area with 35-yr-old Daniel Labrie in the twilight of his career now and Rod Roberts, the only other outfield star, it could be a year of flux and journeyman plug-ins. Eleven of the Spring Training roster were 32 or over and perhaps now the Monarchs biggest enemy is the passage of time, their dominance of the JLA is coming to an end but not this year.
2008 : The Monarchs creaking bones will last them at least another year, 95-67 will be enough for the division title and a Doubleday Series win but the Cartwright Cup could be their limit.
