Post by Commissioner Erick on Apr 1, 2023 11:56:21 GMT -5
The 2029 AL West started off seeming like it would be one of the PBA's all-time worst divisions, but Oakland and Seattle picked things up and made for a respectable division towards the end of the season. This year, the division should be better. The bottom feeders are better with Texas a legitimate threat to win the division, and Seattle and Oakland have proven they can build solid rosters in interesting ways. It makes for a more interesting division entering 2030 than it was entering 2029.
1) Texas Rangers
2029: 58-104, 4h Place AL West
Who They Were: The Rangers were rough, second to last in most pitching and hitting categories, despite being first in stolen bases. Their top veterans were largely okay, though a cut above what the Rangers needed, but they gave so much playing time to non-PBA performers. Juan Hinojosa was the club’s primary Designated Hitter. He had a .610 OPS and was worth -2.2 WAR. Jason Crabbe disappointed to a .624 OPS and was sub-replacement level, and Kevin Ecevit and Edison Renteria combined to be worth -0.9 WAR. With Esteban Valdez turning in a bizarre 4.72 ERA, the defense was worse than the offense. It totaled to the first losing season in Texas history.
Offseason Review: Sean Devereaux was brought in to replace Esteban Valadez, with few other changes to the staff. The rotation may be awful as a result. However, former MVP Juan Gestoso and 5.0 WAR performer last year Freudis Nova jumped from Boston to Texas. Steve Goode provides power and pop, while Josh Weyer adding another slugger to the lineup. With many good incumbents remaining, the Rangers should have a strong lineup and defense.
On The Farm: Last year’s first round selection Trout Taylor was a college senior and should move quickly as a frontline arm. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him up this year. Hamburger Torres should need a little more seasoning, but he could turn opposing pitchers into ground beef as early as next year. A good burger goes well with soda, and Jason Tomlin could be a refreshing complement down the road. Only 19, he still needs some time to carbonate. Chris Gasper has struggled in Triple-A with his control. If he can be passable at throwing strikes, he’ll be a good mid-rotation arm.
Best Case Scenario: Last year was a blip and Texas wins the division.
Worst Case Scenario: Last year’s disappointing veteran seasons were new baselines and can’t overcome an awful staff. Texas finishes third.
Key Questions: It appeared that your team was rebuilding, but you signed a number of elite infielders and have a good-looking team. What caused you to change your approach?
You upgraded your lineup, but not your rotation. Are you confident the unit can be successful this season?
2) Oakland Athletics
2029: 96-66: AL West Champions. Lost to Cleveland 4-2 in ALDS.
Who They Were: After an 8-15 April, and being 17-24 following a Gilbert Celestino ninth-inning grand slam and Gabe Bonilla walkoff homer in a May 19 loss in Minnesota, the A’s turned things around. They won 10 of their next 13, and didn’t stop winning, ultimate earning a division crown. The team was third in average, with a Gigante performance out of nowhere from Jose Altuve to spark the offense, while Rule V pick Doug Heppenstall turned into an All-Star to spark the pitching.
Offseason Review: Not willing to bet Jose Altuve’s performance was sustainable, Oakland let him walk in free agency. They also let Jesus B. Sanchez walk as well. Starters Rob Singelton, Tristan Casas, and Sean Devereaux won’t return either. Jacob Amaya will man an infield spot, while Joe White serves as fourth outfielder. Willson Conteras serves as backup Catcher and bench bat. Anderson Espinosa and youngsters will compete to round out the rotation.
On The Farm: Oakland has a good farm with some top tier talent. Elias Ramirez—main asset from the Juan Castoreno trade, should be up this season and has both Platinum Stick and Gold Glove upside. Starter Josh Faulkner is a good looking mid-rotation arm who is currently a Top 25 prospect. He’s a couple of years away, but will be a nice addition to the rotation. Last year’s first rounder, Jason Lovelace, has huge upside, but will need a lot of time to realize it. He has fast, athletic wrists and gets loft on his swing. He may not be a Center Fielder long time, but he’ll be a pain for pitchers.
Best Case Scenario: Back-to-back AL West titles.
Worst Case Scenario: Oakland could finish fourth in an improved division.
Key Questions: A lot of your starting depth from last year won’t be on the team this year. Do you expect your pitching performance to fall off?
Who are your four starters behind Heppenstall and why?
3) Seattle Mariners
2029: 87-75, 2nd Place AL West
Who They Were: Seattle built a team devoid of power. They were 13th in homers, but fourth in average and fifth in walks. Despite the baserunners, they finished 10th in runs scored. They did defend well, with the best BABIP against in the American League. They were close to the playoffs but lost six of their final seven games to fall short in the end.
Offseason Review: Manny Machado and Mike Trout were the team’s most dynamic hitters and both are sitting in free agency. Livan Soto has also departed. Former starters Caleb Swift and T.J. Hardman will move back into the lineup, while rookies Michael Green and Alberto Marchand will platoon at Third Base.
On The Farm: It’s one of the better farm systems in the league. Top 25 prospect Steven Conner isn’t long for Triple-A and should debut the middle of the season. Pat Hembree is a future starting Third Baseman a year away, while Ji-Hu Kim looks like a future three-true-outcomes juggernaut. David Kitchel is farther away, but has a quick bat and doubles power that should turn into home run power as he matures.
Best Case Scenario: Seattle closes out the final week to earn a playoff berth.
Worst Case Scenario: The offense is worse, the division is better, and the Mariners have a losing record.
Key Questions: Marcus Stroman had an interesting year for you last year with a solid 4.38 ERA despite just 72 strikeouts in 156.1 innings. Do you think he can continue to be effective despite his velocity dipping into the 80s?
You’ve lost a lot of offense with Machado and Trout off the team. How will you attempt to manufacture offense without them?
4) Houston Astros
2029: 70-92, 3rd Place AL West
Who They Were: Houston won 70 games last year, their third straight year with a win total starting with a 7, and a declining win total for the fourth straight season. Their starting pitching was good with Jeff Morrison a Cy Young runner up and Jorge Cotto turning in 3.9 WAR and a 4.22 ERA that was higher than his FIP. The offense hit homers, but they were mostly solo shots, as the team’s lack of batting average hurt the team’s ability to score runs. As a result, despite being sixth in homers, the Astros were 11th in runs.
Offseason Review: Casey Gillaspie retired and Joshua Lowe left to Miami via free agency. Antonio Santillian and Jared Jackson are now on the White Sox. They’ve all been replaced internally and therefore the Astros will have a similar roster to last season.
On The Farm: Houston doesn’t have a great system with most of the farm’s talent locked up in one player, last year’s 14th rounder Tyler Schneider. The Right Fielder is a hard worker, who is always in the gym and should knock in a lot of runs in the PBA. While there isn’t a lot of high end talent elsewhere in the organization, there is a lot of depth in the upper minors. Houston should be able to plug holes well this year.
Best Case Scenario: Ichisake Ochiai and Dansby Swanson have bounceback seasons, the front end of the rotation holds up, and Houston wins a weak division.
Worst Case Scenario: The team is the same as last year, except Jeff Morrison falls off. That’s a 68-win team.
Key Questions: You didn’t improve your offense from outside of the organization. Why didn’t you make a move to change your team?
Ochiai has seen his stats dip the last four seasons, but is also entering his prime. How much of a priority is it for you to resign him?
5) Los Angeles Angels
2029: 40-122, Last Place AL West
Who They Were: Amazingly, despite Steve Strzepek and Robert Savard relinquishing control of the Angels for the first time since 2018, last year was the worst Angels’ season yet. It was their seventh straight last place finish. Miguel Acosta was worth -7.3 WAR all on his own, but four other position players cost -1.1 WAR or worse. The pitching staff was less inept, and Rhino Murrin turned in a solid year, but the Angels still had a lot of chaff and cycled through 22 pitchers, 10 of whom were below replacement level. It was truly a disastrous roster.
Offseason Review: Rhino Murrin was traded away, but Esteban Valadez gives the team its best pitcher in years. Chris Okey replaces Miguel Acosta as starting Catcher mercifully, but the rest of an incompetent offense remains. Young pitching prospects Rick Jeffers, Jeff Susino, and Hirokatsu Inouye should give the team an exciting rotation, though it should be another brutal season.
On The Farm: The Angels are finally developing a farm. Aside from Jeffers, Jesus Corniel should bolster the rotation in a couple of seasons, with Bryan Beauvais filling a fifth starter spot with him. Getting position player talent to the PBA will take more time, but this is the most talented farm the Angels have had in at least a decade.
Best Case Scenario: The Angels young pitching is so good they only lose 98 games.
Worst Case Scenario: I thought a 45-win season was a worst case scenario, but then they went 40-122 last year. Is 35-127 possible? If it is, the Angels can reach it!
Key Questions: It’s year two of your leadership. How do you feel the rebuild is going after the abhorrent roster you took on?
Will Jeffers be up the whole season or will you try to hold him back to save a year of eligibility?
1) Texas Rangers
2029: 58-104, 4h Place AL West
Who They Were: The Rangers were rough, second to last in most pitching and hitting categories, despite being first in stolen bases. Their top veterans were largely okay, though a cut above what the Rangers needed, but they gave so much playing time to non-PBA performers. Juan Hinojosa was the club’s primary Designated Hitter. He had a .610 OPS and was worth -2.2 WAR. Jason Crabbe disappointed to a .624 OPS and was sub-replacement level, and Kevin Ecevit and Edison Renteria combined to be worth -0.9 WAR. With Esteban Valdez turning in a bizarre 4.72 ERA, the defense was worse than the offense. It totaled to the first losing season in Texas history.
Offseason Review: Sean Devereaux was brought in to replace Esteban Valadez, with few other changes to the staff. The rotation may be awful as a result. However, former MVP Juan Gestoso and 5.0 WAR performer last year Freudis Nova jumped from Boston to Texas. Steve Goode provides power and pop, while Josh Weyer adding another slugger to the lineup. With many good incumbents remaining, the Rangers should have a strong lineup and defense.
On The Farm: Last year’s first round selection Trout Taylor was a college senior and should move quickly as a frontline arm. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him up this year. Hamburger Torres should need a little more seasoning, but he could turn opposing pitchers into ground beef as early as next year. A good burger goes well with soda, and Jason Tomlin could be a refreshing complement down the road. Only 19, he still needs some time to carbonate. Chris Gasper has struggled in Triple-A with his control. If he can be passable at throwing strikes, he’ll be a good mid-rotation arm.
Best Case Scenario: Last year was a blip and Texas wins the division.
Worst Case Scenario: Last year’s disappointing veteran seasons were new baselines and can’t overcome an awful staff. Texas finishes third.
Key Questions: It appeared that your team was rebuilding, but you signed a number of elite infielders and have a good-looking team. What caused you to change your approach?
You upgraded your lineup, but not your rotation. Are you confident the unit can be successful this season?
2) Oakland Athletics
2029: 96-66: AL West Champions. Lost to Cleveland 4-2 in ALDS.
Who They Were: After an 8-15 April, and being 17-24 following a Gilbert Celestino ninth-inning grand slam and Gabe Bonilla walkoff homer in a May 19 loss in Minnesota, the A’s turned things around. They won 10 of their next 13, and didn’t stop winning, ultimate earning a division crown. The team was third in average, with a Gigante performance out of nowhere from Jose Altuve to spark the offense, while Rule V pick Doug Heppenstall turned into an All-Star to spark the pitching.
Offseason Review: Not willing to bet Jose Altuve’s performance was sustainable, Oakland let him walk in free agency. They also let Jesus B. Sanchez walk as well. Starters Rob Singelton, Tristan Casas, and Sean Devereaux won’t return either. Jacob Amaya will man an infield spot, while Joe White serves as fourth outfielder. Willson Conteras serves as backup Catcher and bench bat. Anderson Espinosa and youngsters will compete to round out the rotation.
On The Farm: Oakland has a good farm with some top tier talent. Elias Ramirez—main asset from the Juan Castoreno trade, should be up this season and has both Platinum Stick and Gold Glove upside. Starter Josh Faulkner is a good looking mid-rotation arm who is currently a Top 25 prospect. He’s a couple of years away, but will be a nice addition to the rotation. Last year’s first rounder, Jason Lovelace, has huge upside, but will need a lot of time to realize it. He has fast, athletic wrists and gets loft on his swing. He may not be a Center Fielder long time, but he’ll be a pain for pitchers.
Best Case Scenario: Back-to-back AL West titles.
Worst Case Scenario: Oakland could finish fourth in an improved division.
Key Questions: A lot of your starting depth from last year won’t be on the team this year. Do you expect your pitching performance to fall off?
Who are your four starters behind Heppenstall and why?
3) Seattle Mariners
2029: 87-75, 2nd Place AL West
Who They Were: Seattle built a team devoid of power. They were 13th in homers, but fourth in average and fifth in walks. Despite the baserunners, they finished 10th in runs scored. They did defend well, with the best BABIP against in the American League. They were close to the playoffs but lost six of their final seven games to fall short in the end.
Offseason Review: Manny Machado and Mike Trout were the team’s most dynamic hitters and both are sitting in free agency. Livan Soto has also departed. Former starters Caleb Swift and T.J. Hardman will move back into the lineup, while rookies Michael Green and Alberto Marchand will platoon at Third Base.
On The Farm: It’s one of the better farm systems in the league. Top 25 prospect Steven Conner isn’t long for Triple-A and should debut the middle of the season. Pat Hembree is a future starting Third Baseman a year away, while Ji-Hu Kim looks like a future three-true-outcomes juggernaut. David Kitchel is farther away, but has a quick bat and doubles power that should turn into home run power as he matures.
Best Case Scenario: Seattle closes out the final week to earn a playoff berth.
Worst Case Scenario: The offense is worse, the division is better, and the Mariners have a losing record.
Key Questions: Marcus Stroman had an interesting year for you last year with a solid 4.38 ERA despite just 72 strikeouts in 156.1 innings. Do you think he can continue to be effective despite his velocity dipping into the 80s?
You’ve lost a lot of offense with Machado and Trout off the team. How will you attempt to manufacture offense without them?
4) Houston Astros
2029: 70-92, 3rd Place AL West
Who They Were: Houston won 70 games last year, their third straight year with a win total starting with a 7, and a declining win total for the fourth straight season. Their starting pitching was good with Jeff Morrison a Cy Young runner up and Jorge Cotto turning in 3.9 WAR and a 4.22 ERA that was higher than his FIP. The offense hit homers, but they were mostly solo shots, as the team’s lack of batting average hurt the team’s ability to score runs. As a result, despite being sixth in homers, the Astros were 11th in runs.
Offseason Review: Casey Gillaspie retired and Joshua Lowe left to Miami via free agency. Antonio Santillian and Jared Jackson are now on the White Sox. They’ve all been replaced internally and therefore the Astros will have a similar roster to last season.
On The Farm: Houston doesn’t have a great system with most of the farm’s talent locked up in one player, last year’s 14th rounder Tyler Schneider. The Right Fielder is a hard worker, who is always in the gym and should knock in a lot of runs in the PBA. While there isn’t a lot of high end talent elsewhere in the organization, there is a lot of depth in the upper minors. Houston should be able to plug holes well this year.
Best Case Scenario: Ichisake Ochiai and Dansby Swanson have bounceback seasons, the front end of the rotation holds up, and Houston wins a weak division.
Worst Case Scenario: The team is the same as last year, except Jeff Morrison falls off. That’s a 68-win team.
Key Questions: You didn’t improve your offense from outside of the organization. Why didn’t you make a move to change your team?
Ochiai has seen his stats dip the last four seasons, but is also entering his prime. How much of a priority is it for you to resign him?
5) Los Angeles Angels
2029: 40-122, Last Place AL West
Who They Were: Amazingly, despite Steve Strzepek and Robert Savard relinquishing control of the Angels for the first time since 2018, last year was the worst Angels’ season yet. It was their seventh straight last place finish. Miguel Acosta was worth -7.3 WAR all on his own, but four other position players cost -1.1 WAR or worse. The pitching staff was less inept, and Rhino Murrin turned in a solid year, but the Angels still had a lot of chaff and cycled through 22 pitchers, 10 of whom were below replacement level. It was truly a disastrous roster.
Offseason Review: Rhino Murrin was traded away, but Esteban Valadez gives the team its best pitcher in years. Chris Okey replaces Miguel Acosta as starting Catcher mercifully, but the rest of an incompetent offense remains. Young pitching prospects Rick Jeffers, Jeff Susino, and Hirokatsu Inouye should give the team an exciting rotation, though it should be another brutal season.
On The Farm: The Angels are finally developing a farm. Aside from Jeffers, Jesus Corniel should bolster the rotation in a couple of seasons, with Bryan Beauvais filling a fifth starter spot with him. Getting position player talent to the PBA will take more time, but this is the most talented farm the Angels have had in at least a decade.
Best Case Scenario: The Angels young pitching is so good they only lose 98 games.
Worst Case Scenario: I thought a 45-win season was a worst case scenario, but then they went 40-122 last year. Is 35-127 possible? If it is, the Angels can reach it!
Key Questions: It’s year two of your leadership. How do you feel the rebuild is going after the abhorrent roster you took on?
Will Jeffers be up the whole season or will you try to hold him back to save a year of eligibility?
