2011 Washington Preview

[agrudez]

Offseason
Subtraction:
1B Bob Ritchie – trade (OMA)

Additions:
1B Lonnie Morrill - trade (OMA)
SP Richard Mazzola - trade (OMA)
SS Joseph Drew – trade (OMA)

Overall:
Not having a form of management presiding over their club through the bulk of the offseason, including the start of FA, Rule 5 and (ever imperative) Rule 6 draft cost Washington most (if not all) of their opportunity to improve for the upcoming season. As such, it didn’t seem such a bad idea for a team whom won 69 games (67 in PYTH) last season to re-stock their barren cupboards a bit – even if at the cost of their biggest draw from the year prior, the modern era single season HR king. For this upcoming year, the still developing Morrill will be a poor man’s replacement for Ritchie; however, the acquisition of Mazzola (whose biting movement will fit perfectly in the HR derby ballpark that our nation’s capital houses) gives the team a legitimate #2/3 starter of the future/present; however, some growing pains may be in store for this particular season as he adjusts to both the majors as well as the rotation. Also, Drew’s sure glove and respectable bat will inject some talented youth into a quickly aging middle infield for the Bobwhites.

2011 Outlook
Pitching:
With staff ace, 23 year old Christopher Pump, Jr. leading the way, it seems Washington may finally have an ace to be proud of – in the making at least. Behind him, the team will look for a rebound year from the easily gassed Stanley Price, as well as consistent efforts from Silva and Powell to help ease Mazzola’s transition. The squad’s ‘pen will once again feature one of the game’s best in Chad Jordan as its anchor, but most hope for both a bounce back year from Vela as well as a stronger ‘sophmore’ campaign from Stinson to have any hope of respectable in any inning but the 9th. All in all; however, in the most extreme hitters’ park in the MBBA, the pitching staff (even if elite – which this staff is not) would have their work cut out for them in being a positive as opposed to a negative. As such, easy money would be on the latter for the Bobwhites this year.

Batting:
The loss of Ritchie is one that cannot be replaced; however, Washington still features some potent bats amongst its ranks. In the heart of the team’s lineup, fans can expect Jim Wilson, Doug Byrd and George Bellairs to provide a bulk of the team’s run support while youngsters Lee. Cunningham and Morrill try to aid them in the endeavor. To fill out the last third of the squad, Washington would do well to (possibly sacrificing a bit of offense in the promise) add the gloves of Drew, Santos and McCall to their everyday lineup.

Overall:
All in all, this wasn’t a good team last year and doesn’t project to be one this year – particularly as it lost its best offensive player for the year prior. A missed offseason while the owners drug their feet on the decision of their GM hiring has put their eventual pick, Manny, in a very tough bind moving forward; however, as controversial as it may have been, the Ritchie trade accomplished quite a bit in looking towards the team’s future in a bleak situation. At the moment it would be difficult to project this squad even meeting their meager win total output from last season; however, with some young SPs to build around and some bolstered talent in the minors they could potentially be a prime candidate for a retool, rather than a rebuild – putting them in the mix as soon as next season in a relatively weak division (sans the perennial BAL machine), if cards are played right, of course.

Prediction: 68-94… but still, incredibly, finishing in 2nd place in their division

[Greeney03]

2nd in our division? Do you still have BAL winning?

[agrudez]

2nd in our division? Do you still have BAL winning?

Is this rhetorical?

[Greeney03]

2nd in our division? Do you still have BAL winning?

Is this rhetorical?

No. You really can't see us winning our division, Kyle? Cmon! lol

[agrudez]

No. You really can't see us winning our division, Kyle? Cmon! lol

Um... maybe I should plead the 5th on this one.

[Manny]

An excellent and honest assessment of my team, thanks Kyle