43.13 Checking the Locks: Rotation

[crobillard]

This is a series where I will evaluate the options in each position leading into Spring Training. This is the ninth of eleven parts. I will be taking a look into the starting rotation in this post.

Sure fire locks:
Jubal Troop
Chandler Hall

Near lock:
Rodrigo Gallegos
Ryosei Akahori
Fedaku Bbosa
Dermott Halford
Vicente Lopez

Trying to get in the door:
Martin Villa
Amos Swallows
Itze Woertgen

The topic last season was how the rotation would look with the loss of Julio Alicea and due to inconsistency among these pitchers this probably still would be the storyline this spring if it wasn't for the appearance of two prospects in Swallows and Woertgen. Their presence immediately steals the show as everyone is wondering how long Edmonton can keep up this run of success, all while procuring younger players to help sustain it. Especially in areas of need. Many fans are calling for the callups of Swallows and Woertgen now, but that's not likely to happen since they both only completed Single A last season.

The rotation this season is headlined by Hall and Troop again. With the change to 21, Troop saw some pretty significant lumps to a 9/5/5. With every lump Troop has taken though, he's continued to outperform. I'll keep rolling with him until I have a better pitcher to replace him. For two seasons in a row, he's been outstanding trying to solidify his spot as the ace and veteran leader on this pitching staff. Last year was throwback Troop and worthy of Nebraska consideration, but he was outshined by his peers in a big way. He was 18-9 with a 3.43 ERA in 209.2 innings with a 1.16 WHIP and 202 Ks for a 5.9 WAR for the highest single season WAR total in his career.

Hall received a lump in the 21 move too. He lumped to a 6 movement. Despite some injury issues that last couple season, it's expected that Juan Carlos Gonzales is taking the training wheels off Hall this season and just letting him throw. On strict pitch counts, Hall was 8-5 with a 3.39 ERA in 127.1 innings, 30 starts, a 0.96 WHIP and 134 Ks.

The newcomer last season is Vicente Lopez. Gonzales is said to be pairing the veteran knuckleballer with Swallows, Winnipeg manager Atsumori Maeda and Winnipeg pitching coach Nelson Ramirez to create one of the most knowledgeable pitching rooms in all of baseball for Swallows to learn from. We'll see this spring if it unfolds they way they envision. Lopez is going to be an interesting addition. He's returning from a nasty UCL injury that put him out 13 months. He returns about a month into the season. It's expected that Gonzales will give him a shot at starting despite poor results the last time he took the mound before his injury.

Gallegos, Akahori, Bbosa and Halford round out the near locks. Ordinarily, some of these guys would make sure lock category, but, like last season, the pitching staff is loaded with arms. Last year Edmonton had the largest pitching staff in the BBA and utilized it successfully by limiting all of the starters to a handful of innings each game and allowing the bullpen to mostly shut down teams. It was a recipe that led to 106 wins. There's no word on whether the team plans to do that again or switch to a new strategy. Akahori has typically taken the mound in spot starts when the team perceived to have an advantage with another lefty on the mound. It's no secret that Akahori was far more productive last season in relief though. Bbosa and Halford did excellent their first seasons in the Jackrabbits uniform, but their ratings make all of their success questionable.