2010 Baltimore Monarchs

[agrudez]

Offseason
After winning their 2nd JL Atlantic division title in as many years (and reaching the playoffs in a remarkable 11th time in the past 13 years), Baltimore was defeated 4-2 by Vancouver in the opening round of the playoffs… leaving only a silver slugger award for MVP candidate Dale Bunker sitting in the Monarchs’ trophy case. As such, Baltimore no doubt had a chip on their shoulder coming into the offseason and with a very sizable gap between payroll and the new league salary cap (nearly 50M) were looking to shake things up and get themselves over their playoff hump.

Subtractions:
RP Carl Gabbard – voided team option
RP Maynard Gnass – voided team option
SP Rick Cushing – voided team option
SS Ryan Savaikie – lost to FA
C Ralph Butt – lost to FA

Additions:
RP Ron Bly – 4 year, 6M FA
IF Roosevelt Daniel – 1 year, 1.3M FA
CF Richard Wilcox – 5 year, 30.25M FA
C Benjamin Eden – 3 year, 15.78M FA

Overall:
The loss of Butt is one that will sting the Monarchs for quite awhile as career .827 OPS catchers are not trivial to find; however, a potential platoon of newly acquired Eden (LHB) and Crespo (RHB) should represent a reasonably similar offensive output and a huge increase in defensive acumen behind the plate. Meanwhile, the signing of Wilcox (a career .887 OPS bat) will represent a big boon on both sides of the ball for Baltimore. All in all, while Baltimore didn’t manage to address their most pressing need (pitching) they did manage to secure a tangible asset to sure up their OF (which otherwise would have had a hole in it) while also addressing a potential deficiency at catcher after Butt left for Seattle. It is impossible to say that they downgraded this season even as it is difficult to say that they upgraded. Still, ‘staying the course’ after two straight division titles isn’t exactly a bad thing.

2010 Outlook
Pitching:
Once again, former top prospect Juan Rivera will be asked to lead the Baltimore rotation this season; however, with 3 straight subpare seasons under his belt at 27 years old the rope may be running out on this former 7th overall pick. Behind him, veterans James Endres and Yin-xiang Yi will attempt to once again anchor the rotation coming off solid 4.11 ERA and 3.79 ERA campaigns respectively while 25 year old prospect Ron Harmon attempts to take the next step in his development. In the ‘pen, a variety of piece-meal veteran arms will attempt to follow-up last season’s success (4th bullpen ERA in the JL) with Enrique Reyna reprising his role as the staff’s headliner.

Batting:
Labrie (with an absurd career .447 OBP) and Wilcox (with a career .392 OBP) will set the table for some big bats in the Baltimore lineup all season including, but not limited to, last year’s MVP candidate Dale Bunker. Surrounding the 26 year old slugger (whom sports a career 1.003 OPS) in the heart of the lineup will be Mike Roberts and Stephen Lubin (coming off of .81 and .788 OPS seasons respectively). At the back of the lineup will reside the team’s defensive conscious up the middle in Rod Roberts, Dirk Spencer, Juan Lopez and their aforementioned catching platoon.

Overall:
Despite finishing last season with the 5th best team ERA in the JL (with a 4.49 ERA) no one would ever mistake Baltimore for a strong pitching team. Just as in ’09, the ’10 rendition of the Monarchs will push forward towards the playoffs on the backs of their big bats (Bunker, Labrie) and plethora of elite gloves scattered across the field. With a 88-74 record last season, Baltimore did nothing to suggest that their record would go either down nor up next season. Meanwhile, many pundits believe that LOU and WAS’s unexpected surges last season to make the division interesting down the stretch were mostly a mirage as both teams have giant question marks and benefitted greatly by ‘luck of the draw’ in their final PYTH records (+4 for LOU, +2 for WAS and -1 for BAL). Though Washington’s elite offense can never be counted out, until they get some semblance of a pitching staff it will be difficult to take the crown away from the Monarchs – whom should take it once again this season.

Baltimore Prediction: 90 wins, +8 over WAS for the division crown 3 years in a row.

[nverhoev]

Good read. Thank you!

'Staying the course' is a good moto for my team.

[trmmilwwi]

Nice writeup... loving the format.

[felipe]

hmmm...me thinks the pundits will be wrong...not a single weakness in the louisville roster...


well...compared to the team as it was two years ago!

[agrudez]

hmmm...me thinks the pundits will be wrong...not a single weakness in the louisville roster...

well...compared to the team as it was two years ago!

As a fellow owner whom was asked to turn a pile of poo into gold I applaud your efforts; however, I'm just not a big LOU believer yet... perhaps this is the year you change my mind!

[Manny]

Great write-up, should be an exciting division to watch

[recte44]

Pitching will make or break the Monarchs year. I think it might be the Bobwhites turn.

[felipe]

yep, Bobwhites scare the hell out of me

[agrudez]

I guess it all depends on whether or not you think Price is the real deal or not as a starter... and I'd count myself in the latter camp, atm.

Edit. He had a career 3.45 FIP (after '05 when he was fairly developed) as a reliever and then suddenly posts a 3.05 FIP as a starter? Not only that, but he managed to thow 6.1 IP/start with only 3 stam? And that is before you even broach the subject of his LHB split and subpar 3rd pitch...

Personally, if he throws at or under a 3.8 FIP with at or more than 5.1 IP/start next year I'll be ready for as much crow as you can feed me... I just don't think there is a single player in the MBBA today that sets off more alarm bells in my head than Mr. Price.

[JimBob2232]

I guess it all depends on whether or not you think Price is the real deal or not as a starter... and I'd count myself in the latter camp, atm.

Edit. He had a career 3.45 FIP (after '05 when he was fairly developed) as a reliever and then suddenly posts a 3.05 FIP as a starter? Not only that, but he managed to thow 6.1 IP/start with only 3 stam? And that is before you even broach the subject of his LHB split and subpar 3rd pitch...

Personally, if he throws at or under a 3.8 FIP with at or more than 5.1 IP/start next year I'll be ready for as much crow as you can feed me... I just don't think there is a single player in the MBBA today that sets off more alarm bells in my head than Mr. Price.

I think price will be just fine. But...at the very least he is a top notch MR. Which is where I had I'm until he dominated as a SP last year...

I think I am going to regret that trade. Time will tell I guess...