2009 Birmingham Bandits

[nverhoev]

Birmingham Bandits 2009 Preview

Last Season: 60-102, 4th in Frick Midwest

Key Adds: Benjamin Rivero, Jose Lopez

Key Losses: Tim Jones, Darelle Dowdle, John Robinson

Starting Pitching:

Robert Shaffer – One of the better younger pitchers in the league Shaffer is looking to take the next step and become the workhorse the Bandits need him to be. With mid 90’s velocity and great movement Shaffer has the potential to frustrate offenses. If only he had a third developed pitch he would unquestionably be an ace. At the very least I’m projecting a winning record and 3.90 ERA for this young hurler.

Mike Teddler– The veteran will be looked to eat as many innings as possible. He is pretty much an average pitcher across the board and has actually appeared in more games as a reliever in his career than as a starter. If Teddler can pitch 200 innings at league average I think Birmingham would be happy with the result.

Miguel Rivera – This fire balling youngster was once the second overall pick in the draft. He has never lived up that hype unfortunately but will be looked to be a key contributor to the Bandits rotation. He will strike out a fair number of hitters. His good movement will help provide his defense the opportunity to create double plays since his control is an issue and he will inevitably give up a lot of walks. The good thing is that at age 26 Rivera is only getting better. If he can work through any early season struggles he may be peaking just in time for a playoff push.

Rene Moncada– Moncada will be entering his 12th season in the MBWBA and the team will be hoping he can use his veteran experience to put up some good numbers. His best days are unfortunately behind him and after a disastrous 2008 (5-13, 6.93ERA) this may not turn out well.

David Wise – Wise was once the 11th overall pick in the ammy draft. He never quite lived up to that selection but is still a decent option as a fifth starter and young enough to offer some upside. As a lefty he will benefit from facing most teams ‘lesser’ lineups. After good 2006 and 2007 seasons Wise had a miserable 2008 that we won’t talk about in this preview. Wise is probably another pitcher that Birmingham would be extremely pleased with something like a 9-9 record and 4.50 ERA.

Manny Ruiz– I had never seen this player before until going over the Bandits roster. He is possibly one of the most interesting pitchers from a scouting perspective in that it is so difficult to project how effective he can be. He won’t give up a lot of hits or walks but will every other hit he does give up may end up in the stands. I feel like he will end up getting a fair number of starts so it will be interesting to keep an eye on him and what kind of numbers he puts up.

Paul O’Scullan – This youngster may see some time in the rotation later in the season and would probably benefit from more time in the minors. Still he could be a factor for this Bandits team and deserved a mention.

Bullpen:

Birmingham has a pretty solid bullpen. They should be stingy and with leads Birmingham will be tough to beat.

Closer – Veteran Closer Mario Diazreturns to anchor the Pen. He’s solid all around and should provide stability.

Key Guys – Cliff Webb and Josh Oliverare all pretty decent options out of the bull pen. Young lefty John Taylor has the makeup to be a good one and is primed to make an impact this year.

Lineup:

Catcher – Dexter Sheehan, coming off a Sawyer Silk Award season, is the heart and soul of this team. Birmingham has a huge advantage by having such a great hitter and defender at a premium position. When looking at his stats I’m surprised he has only ever hit up to 38. I could see him upping that total to 50 + this season which could be trouble for the Frick Midwest division.

First Base – Larry Crawford packs some punch. His career .739 OPS is somewhat surprising. If he finally plays up to his potential it would be a big boost to the Bandits playoff hopes.

Second Base – The Bandits have quietly built a nice young middle infield. Juan Gutierrez may not wow anyone with his bat but provides solid defense at second and is a plus base runner. There are some young players waiting in the wings but Gutierrez looks to have this spot locked up for now.

Short Stop - Joseph Drewis a solid bat and top notch defense. He looks like a future star to me and can play anywhere around the infield.

Third Base – Surfer Johnson returns to man the hot corner in Birmingham. It’s unfortunate that he has reverse splits as he would probably provide more value to the offense. Nonetheless Johnson is a solid pro and is seemingly automatic for a .300/.380/.450 every season.

Left Field – Andre Morrislooks to start the year in left field. He’s not great defensively but has good contact. His .289 average in 2008 is probably on the low end of what to expect from him. I think a +.320 batting average is not unreasonable for this young outfielder. Mark Nichols will get a lot of playing time in the outfield as well.

Centerfield – I’m calling it now: Norris Morgan is an all-star in 2009. Something I love about Birmingham is their players up the middle; Sheehan at catcher, Drew at short, and Morgan in centerfield are all young, great bats, and even better defense. He put up a 4.6 WAR season last year and with his tools I think he can push 7 wins in 2009.

Right Field – The team signed Benjamin Rivero to a one year deal this offseason. It looks like he will be a placeholder until a guy like Mike Hampton is ready. Jose Lopezis another option here.

DH – Paccoro Butieprez is a solid bat that provides consistency at the plate. He gets on base and hits for decent power. Pretty much what you`re looking for in this spot. Pretty solid guy for the position.

Prognosis:

I said earlier that Birmingham is built well up the middle with Sheehan, Drew, and Morgan good players in their twenties. It`s a great way to build a lineup. I think the lineup is above average and will be much improved over last year`s version. Unfortunately there is still work to do in the rotation but there are some younger players that will get better as the season goes on. The bullpen is above average which should help lighten the load a bit. The Frick League Midwest seemingly is the most competitive division year in and year out in the MBWBA. Frankly it wouldn`t surprise me if the Bandits finished first, second, third, or fourth. It`s hard to call them a playoff favourite at this point but I am sure they are better than last year’s 102 loss team. Although the results may not initially show it I think this team is one to look out for in the near future. I think a .500 81-81 season is a fair goal for this team. With some good fortune and development of younger players this team could surprise some people. Also, Dexter Sheehan will repeat his Sawyer Silk season.

[bigmike13]

Very fair write up. taking my lumps now but like you say with a little luck and a breakout season or two who knows what could happen.

Grazie!

[felipe]

How come every player is described as 'never lived up to his draft spot'?

That is some poor drafting...IMHO

All MY guys are described as 'imbued with confidence by GM Hopkins, this Slugger attained personal record numbers, for his beloved manager'

[trmmilwwi]

How come every player is described as 'never lived up to his draft spot'?

That is some poor drafting...IMHO

All MY guys are described as 'imbued with confidence by GM Hopkins, this Slugger attained personal record numbers, for his beloved manager'

That's just because you allowed them out of the minors!

[felipe]

LOL...I enjoyed that one!