42.14 Checking the Locks: Final Results

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42.14 Checking the Locks: Final Results

Post by crobillard » Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:51 pm

This is a series where I will evaluate the options in each position leading into Spring Training. This is the last part of the series. I will be providing some results for the locks I chose, how it compares to 2040 and I will update it with a later post with which players make the active roster for Opening Day.

Sure fire locks:
Eric Fabre
David Katzenbogen
Mons Raider
Yi-ke Hsaio
Hakim Ngowa
Steven Collins III
Robert Menzies
Jose Salas
Wilson Villanuela
Myeung-hwan Kim
Pedro Huerta
Jubal Troop
Chandler Hall
Jorge Huerta
Ignacio Castaneda
Jose Torres
Luis Ortega
Ryosei Akiyama

Near lock:
Pepe Espinosa
Jerry Bell
Mauro Flores
Rodrigo Gallegos
Edgardo Torres
Juan Trujillo
Ryosei Akahori
Alfonso Guzman
Sean Spits
Vicente Ventura

Trying to get in the door:
Takeichi Ohayashi
Carlomaria Donadoni
Miguel Deleon
Fernando Navarro
Miguel Pacheco
Julio Uribe
Lorenzo Leon
Ben Holmes
Jim Loudenslager
Fedaku Bbosa
Randy Dickinson
Martin Villa
Luis Marquez
Don Hinxman
Gus Garza
Bernard Keller
Wen Rui
Augusto Villarreal

This year we have 18 sure fire locks down three from last season. I think a lot of this comes from a more competitive pitching environment since we've been struggling there. That challenge is creating more uncertainty which in turn is opening up more opportunities up for pitchers. That leaves nine roster spots up for grabs. With 10 near locks, that creates a scenario I haven't come across before where I have to rank the near locks. I think I would rank the likelihood of them making the team this way with the top most players being most likely to make the team:

Mauro Flores
Pepe Espinosa
Jerry Bell
Rodrigo Gallegos
Sean Spits
Alfonso Guzman
Juan Trujillo
Vicente Ventura
Ryosei Akahori
Edgardo Torres

After the first four the likelihood drops off steeply. Espinosa is because he's totally ready ratings-wise, but I guess if he had a terrible spring I might start him out in AAA to make sure he's alright. Flores and Gallegos are up top because I just don't have a ton of options to start, but I definitely don't think they are sure things after the seasons they had last year. Jerry Bell is likely to make it because he plays a really good centerfield and I don't have many players who play center well. Let's assume Torres doesn't make it through though. Where would we stand by position?

Catcher - 2
Infield - 6
Outfield - 5
Rotation - 6
Bullpen - 8

This is a much different look than I usually have at this season potentially committing 13 spots to pitching without any room for anyone trying to get in the door. For comparison last year we had 25 sure fire and near locks last season and 11 pitchers in this section. Bbosa is a pretty strong option in the trying to get in the door section. He could easily have a very good spring and require me to make a really difficult decision. We have two fewer infielder this year which probably suggests at least Donadoni and either Navarro or Pacheco make it through so we have the middle infield covered.

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Re: 42.13 Checking the Locks: Final Results

Post by indiansfan » Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:15 pm

That's a lot of pitchers on the final roster. Looking forward to just how good Espinosa is.
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Re: 42.13 Checking the Locks: Final Results

Post by RonCo » Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:50 am

Nice little team there.
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Re: 42.13 Checking the Locks: Final Results

Post by crobillard » Thu Mar 26, 2020 9:09 am

indiansfan wrote:
Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:15 pm
That's a lot of pitchers on the final roster. Looking forward to just how good Espinosa is.
Yeah at the end of last year we started moving towards the same thing and with all of these FA signings I think if the bullpen performs well, I’ll be moving the team towards a much heavier bullpen usage since most of my starters aren’t very good.

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Re: 42.13 Checking the Locks: Final Results

Post by indiansfan » Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:37 pm

crobillard wrote:
Thu Mar 26, 2020 9:09 am
indiansfan wrote:
Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:15 pm
That's a lot of pitchers on the final roster. Looking forward to just how good Espinosa is.
Yeah at the end of last year we started moving towards the same thing and with all of these FA signings I think if the bullpen performs well, I’ll be moving the team towards a much heavier bullpen usage since most of my starters aren’t very good.
I carry 12-13 usually, that's why I hate having to use platoons. I'd rather have an extra pitcher.
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FL Pacific Champs: 2016, 19, 21, 34
FL Frontier Champs 2039
FL WC 2018, 26-29, 31-32, 35
JL WC 2040, 41, 44
FL MOY 2019, 34
JL MOY 2044

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Re: 42.13 Checking the Locks: Final Results

Post by crobillard » Sun Mar 29, 2020 11:27 am

Your 2042 Edmonton Jackrabbits:

Catcher
Eric Fabre
David Katzenbogen

Infield
Mons Raider
Robert Menzies
Yi-ke Hsaio
Steven Collins III
Fernando Navarro
Hakim Ngowa
Carlomaria Donadoni
Pepe Espinosa

Outfield
Wilson Villanuela - INJURED
Jose Salas
Myeong-hwan Kim
Jerry Bell
Pedro Huerta

Rotation
Chandler Hall
Jubal Troop
Mauro Flores
Rodrigo Gallegos
Juan Trujillo
Ryosei Akahori

Bullpen
Jorge Huerta
Vincente Ventura
Ignacio Castaneda
Alfonso Guzman
Jose Torres
Luis Ortega
Ryosei Akiyama - INJURED
Sean Spits

Injuries to Akiyama and Villanuela in Spring Training allow two additional spot on the roster. Villanuela is back in a couple weeks. Taking only four outfielders onto the 27 man roster seems scary until you realize that Menzies can play the outfield and Collins can slot into left field in an emergency. Deleon was sent back to AAA after a full season in the majors. The speed will be missed, so it's possible we see him come back into the fold soon. With Donadoni and Espinosa getting the call up and Villanuela getting injured, this probably leads to Menzies starting in center on opening day, Donadoni at third, Espinosa at shortstop and Collins at second. I planned on detailing more of these options here, but with Villanuela out and my goal to get this team ranking higher on some defensive categories this season, Menzies needs to be moved to center to help there for now. Look for a Menzies/Espinosa middle of the infield later this season. Collins to left field?

Trujillo wins the battle for the #5 spot in the rotation, but not by much. I will be playing with a few different concepts to attempt to lean heavily on my new high priced bullpen. I don't think I've ever had a team in my history of baseball leagues that I've paid this much for a bullpen. It's a $30 mil bullpen and they will be earning every penny this season.

I've been playing with some ideas to get Katzenbogen more involved at catcher, but without trading Fabre it wont happen. If interested contact me and help me enact the experiment everyone has wanted with Katz. I can trade cash, bonus or in game to help cover his expenses for this year.

Two big bats in Leon and Uribe don't make the bench for the second season in a row. We're really lacking that big bat off the bench this season too. Luckily, I think I have the best lineup I've put together for the Jackrabbits. It's strong offensively, defensively and versatile.

The challenge this season as it was last season is the pitching. If my bullpen isn't as good as I hope it is, if my starters are even worse than I think they'll be, that will be an enormous challenge this team wont be able to overcome. Last season my offense took control of games, by just slaughtering opponents scoring touchdowns instead of field goals on the games we won. I think this lineup is better, but the catalyst is probably Donadoni. If he doesn't perform as well as Cruz did, it's going to be difficult to keep him up in the bigs since he still has a point in contact, gap and power to get in his potential. I don't think I can continue to hold him back though. His 7.3 WAR in AAA last season makes him an obligatory call up this season. I need to see what he can do against big league pitching. Unfortunately, this season was not based on his Spring Training performance. It wasn't terrible when you look at his .796 OPS, but I certainly hope that's his floor. Four doubles, one triple and three homeruns on 18 hits leads the team among players who started all of Spring Training.

It will be another exciting season.

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