Post by Commissioner Erick on Sept 14, 2023 6:52:45 GMT -5
The AL West has generally been competitive at the top, and this year looks like no exception. The strong Athletics, resurgent Rangers, and upgraded Mariners each look like they can contend for the division throne. Farther down, the Astros have begun their rebuild, with the Angels still in the process of transforming their talent pool.
1) Texas Rangers
2030: 97-65, AL West Champions. Defeated Toronto 4-2 in ALDS. Lost to Kansas City 4-1 in ALCS.
Who They Were: Texas spent big in 2030 to build up their team after a down 2029. Expected to rebuild, Texas found bargains in free agency and built an AL power that was third in homers, first in steals, and third in runs allowed. Lambert Swinkels exploded for 47 homers and 131 RBIs, while new additions Josh Weyer and Steve Goode combined for 67 long balls. On the bases, Luis V. Garcia, Freudis Nova, and Doorbell Gestoso each stole 37 bases. A deep staff held its own until Laurente Baffi came aboard in a mid-season trade to anchor the rotation. The Rangers ran into the dominant Royals in the playoffs, but were able to knock out the Blue Jays and reach the ALCS.
Offseason Review: Texas has downgraded some support pieces. Longtime relief staple Dan O’Rourke is now in Toronto, while Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Butler are elsewhere. Heliot Ramos and Joe White will no longer be key outfielders on the team, Cesar Pastrano will move into the rotation, and Trout Taylor should get a full season look to nail a starting spot.
On the Farm: Jaiden Walker is the prize. A 24-year-old arm, Walker throws hard and has a slider and splitter combination that miss bats. Still ironing out repeating his delivery, he should be a live arm when he debuts later this season or 2032. There are some outfielders in the mid and upper minors that have enough of a tool box to project to be useful in a small role in the PBA. Sandor de Graaf, is the most likely to stick—an underwhelming bat, de Graaf can really steal bases, plus he plays all three outfield spots well. He’s destined to be a fifth outfielder.
Best Case Scenario: An old lineup ages well and a young staff develops nicely.
Worst Case Scenario: An old lineup slows down with age, and a young staff is too inexperienced to deliver.
Deciding Questions: You lost a lot of depth from a good team last year. Are you concerned you’ll be able to survive if a couple of injuries knock some of your players out of the lineup?
Your bullpen looks ordinary with O’Rourke in Toronto. Do you have faith in the unit to get outs?
2) Seattle Mariners
2030: 77-85, 3rd Place AL West:
Who They Were: Seattle didn’t really stand out in a particular area last year, posting slightly below average offenses and defenses and ending up with a slightly negative record as a result. The team didn’t walk much and struck out a bunch, and only Michael Green had more than 23 homers. In fact, only two hitters popped more than 17. Meanwhile, 21 arms pitched for Seattle and only Dakota Hudson posted at least 2 WAR with 2.1.
Offseason Review: Seattle has remade itself. Gleyber Torres should find himself revitalized after a weird stint with Arizona. Instead of being buried at First Base, he’s slotted to take over Third Base to accommodate young phenom, Ji-Hu Kim, a potentially prodigious slugger once cut by the SK Wyverns and Lotte Giants of the KBO. Ivan Johnson returns to Seattle to give the team a strong defense up the middle with Wander Samuel Franco. Bryce Zettle comes over from Kansas City, who didn’t have room for him. He should be able to mash at DH. Luis Morales gets away from his Philadelphia namesake to man Center Field, and M.J. Melendez replaces Reese McGuire at Catcher. Vinny Escudero is in an ideal role as a super sub off the bench. Regis Jentzsch was acquired to be a frontline arm, with youngsters Steve Conner and Sean Koch also battling for the honor. Seattle is poised to make a jump if the youngsters follow through on their potential.
On The Farm: The Mariners traded many of their best prospects to remake the team. The remaining best prospects are close to the majors and will likely break camp with the team, with few impactful minor leaguers behind them. Seattle’s upper minors are rich with depth pieces, so the clubs shouldn’t fall apart if injuries hit the club.
Best Case Scenario: The offense is good, the arms are great, and Seattle wins the AL West.
Worst Case Scenario: There aren’t a lot of great, proven bats, so the offense can underwhelm. There's a high floor, but the team can finish 82-80.
Deciding Questions: With a lot of options, particularly for backup spots, who will be your starting and backup outfield when the year starts?
Jason Bordogna was strong in 2029 and rough last year. How quick will your leash of him be this year?
3) Oakland Athletics
2030: 90-72, 2nd Place AL West
Who They Were: Oakland has been a solid team for three seasons with 94, 92, and 92 Pythagorean Wins the past three years, but they’ve made the playoffs just once in the stretch. Last year’s club fell apart late with 10-16 records in both August and September. The team was swept in six games by Texas in September, and lost series to the Astros, Yankees, White Sox, and Tigers the final two months. Oakland scored the second most runs in the league and never got to show it off in the playoffs.
Offseason Review: A lot of depth is off the team. Midseason acquisitions Jahmai Jones and Boyd Vander Kooi are free agents, as is one-year rental Addison Russell. Aramis Ademan was brought in to play Second Base, Brendan Tinsman is the new Catcher, and Ofelky Peralta has the inside track to be the fifth starter.
On The Farm: It’s not a great farm. Josh Faulkner has a good Cutter-Screwball combination, but looks like a rodent. He lacks control of his pitches and judgment with his facial hair. Jason Lovelace looks like a potential second division Center Fielder. Felix Flemate has a fringy bat, but a good eye should help it play up. He struggled in Short-A last year, but is only 18. There are former major leaguers in the upper minors that should allow the team to be resilient against injuries.
Best Case Scenario: The good play continues when the months get cooler.
Worst Case Scenario: A reawakened Seattle pushes Oakland down the pecking order.
Key Questions: Milt Pool has been a Third Baseman most of his career. Why the decision to move him over to First Base?
You don’t have a lot of great hit tools on your roster. Are you concerned your guys will be able to get base hits ahead of your power hitters?
4) Houston Astros
2030: 69-93, 4th Place AL West
Who They Were: Houston had some good players, but they were neutralized by a number of weak players. Four hitters had at least 2.8 WAR, but five played at least 83 games and had negative WAR, let alone players with smaller roles. The starting rotation was adequate, and the bullpen was fine, but starters Jeff Morrison and Jorge Cotto, plus closer Marcus Thomas were the only arms that were really top notch. Without the depth of talent, Houston lost 93 games.
Offseason Review: Houston lost some of its best players, with Ichisake Ochaia returning to Japan and Jeff Morrison traded to the Mets. Solid arms Jorge Ontivelos, D’Mond LaFond, and Marcus Thomas have also moved on. Kris Bryant and Austin Meadows are on, bringing more name value than WAR value as the team looks to retain some fans as they begin their rebuild.
On the Farm: Houston has some good pieces moving through the upper minors. Tyler Schneider has a good bat and good power and has already debuted, while Stanley Nieman and Dave Ironside are close to being mid-rotation arms. There’s decent depth in the system with lesser prospects filling up the lower minors.
Best Case Scenario: Dansby Sanson and Jorge Cotto give Houston some upside. They could win 71 games.
Worst Case Scenario: There’s little high end talent around Swanson and Cotto. The lack of upside could result in 100 losses.
Key Questions: Why did you bring on so many veterans?
You have a lot of prospects in the upper minors. Will we see them this year, will you delay their service time, or would you trade them to get younger prospects?
5) Los Angeles Angels
2030: 41-121, Last Place AL West
Who They Were: The Angels were another incompetent disaster as Alvin Kaufmann looks to build the club out of a decade of horrid mismanagement. The team was last in offense and last in run prevention as seven position players produced -0.9 WAR, including Shortstop Daniel Escobar’s -5.2 mark. On the positive note, the Angels continued to get their books in order and former first overall pick Danny Marchwinski had a nice rookie year with a 119 OPS+ in 125 games.
Offseason Review: The Angels saw underperforming Robert Stephenson and Willy Adames retire, freeing up some money. They got a first round draft pick for taking on Marcus Stroman’s dead money, and signed stopgaps Reese McGuire and Darrick Hall to take over at Catcher and First Base. Esteban Valdez was allowed to walk in free agency, which combined with Stephenson’s retirement and no real upgrades, could result in the worst Angels pitching staff of their recent run of terrible play. There are some good young prospects on the staff, but they may be too underdeveloped to produce right away.
On the Farm: It’s still a barren farm. Los Angeles has the league’s best prospect, but little after that. Mini Horse, Danny Hein, has a lightning bat and power that hasn’t been seen from the Shortstop position in a while. He may ultimately be a Second Baseman, but he’ll be a huge bat when he debuts. There are some Third Basemen in A-ball, Sage Donahue and Ephrem Ben Hassi, that could be passable starting infielders in time. Aside from Mini Horse, it’s not inspiring.
Best Case Scenario: The team win 50 games.
Worst Case Scenario: The Angels have been making a mockery of the Worst Case Scenarios.
Key Questions: A full season in now, how do you feel the rebuild is progressing?
Last year, your Shortstop position was an utter nightmare. Do you feel it will be a little more competent this year?
1) Texas Rangers
2030: 97-65, AL West Champions. Defeated Toronto 4-2 in ALDS. Lost to Kansas City 4-1 in ALCS.
Who They Were: Texas spent big in 2030 to build up their team after a down 2029. Expected to rebuild, Texas found bargains in free agency and built an AL power that was third in homers, first in steals, and third in runs allowed. Lambert Swinkels exploded for 47 homers and 131 RBIs, while new additions Josh Weyer and Steve Goode combined for 67 long balls. On the bases, Luis V. Garcia, Freudis Nova, and Doorbell Gestoso each stole 37 bases. A deep staff held its own until Laurente Baffi came aboard in a mid-season trade to anchor the rotation. The Rangers ran into the dominant Royals in the playoffs, but were able to knock out the Blue Jays and reach the ALCS.
Offseason Review: Texas has downgraded some support pieces. Longtime relief staple Dan O’Rourke is now in Toronto, while Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Butler are elsewhere. Heliot Ramos and Joe White will no longer be key outfielders on the team, Cesar Pastrano will move into the rotation, and Trout Taylor should get a full season look to nail a starting spot.
On the Farm: Jaiden Walker is the prize. A 24-year-old arm, Walker throws hard and has a slider and splitter combination that miss bats. Still ironing out repeating his delivery, he should be a live arm when he debuts later this season or 2032. There are some outfielders in the mid and upper minors that have enough of a tool box to project to be useful in a small role in the PBA. Sandor de Graaf, is the most likely to stick—an underwhelming bat, de Graaf can really steal bases, plus he plays all three outfield spots well. He’s destined to be a fifth outfielder.
Best Case Scenario: An old lineup ages well and a young staff develops nicely.
Worst Case Scenario: An old lineup slows down with age, and a young staff is too inexperienced to deliver.
Deciding Questions: You lost a lot of depth from a good team last year. Are you concerned you’ll be able to survive if a couple of injuries knock some of your players out of the lineup?
Your bullpen looks ordinary with O’Rourke in Toronto. Do you have faith in the unit to get outs?
2) Seattle Mariners
2030: 77-85, 3rd Place AL West:
Who They Were: Seattle didn’t really stand out in a particular area last year, posting slightly below average offenses and defenses and ending up with a slightly negative record as a result. The team didn’t walk much and struck out a bunch, and only Michael Green had more than 23 homers. In fact, only two hitters popped more than 17. Meanwhile, 21 arms pitched for Seattle and only Dakota Hudson posted at least 2 WAR with 2.1.
Offseason Review: Seattle has remade itself. Gleyber Torres should find himself revitalized after a weird stint with Arizona. Instead of being buried at First Base, he’s slotted to take over Third Base to accommodate young phenom, Ji-Hu Kim, a potentially prodigious slugger once cut by the SK Wyverns and Lotte Giants of the KBO. Ivan Johnson returns to Seattle to give the team a strong defense up the middle with Wander Samuel Franco. Bryce Zettle comes over from Kansas City, who didn’t have room for him. He should be able to mash at DH. Luis Morales gets away from his Philadelphia namesake to man Center Field, and M.J. Melendez replaces Reese McGuire at Catcher. Vinny Escudero is in an ideal role as a super sub off the bench. Regis Jentzsch was acquired to be a frontline arm, with youngsters Steve Conner and Sean Koch also battling for the honor. Seattle is poised to make a jump if the youngsters follow through on their potential.
On The Farm: The Mariners traded many of their best prospects to remake the team. The remaining best prospects are close to the majors and will likely break camp with the team, with few impactful minor leaguers behind them. Seattle’s upper minors are rich with depth pieces, so the clubs shouldn’t fall apart if injuries hit the club.
Best Case Scenario: The offense is good, the arms are great, and Seattle wins the AL West.
Worst Case Scenario: There aren’t a lot of great, proven bats, so the offense can underwhelm. There's a high floor, but the team can finish 82-80.
Deciding Questions: With a lot of options, particularly for backup spots, who will be your starting and backup outfield when the year starts?
Jason Bordogna was strong in 2029 and rough last year. How quick will your leash of him be this year?
3) Oakland Athletics
2030: 90-72, 2nd Place AL West
Who They Were: Oakland has been a solid team for three seasons with 94, 92, and 92 Pythagorean Wins the past three years, but they’ve made the playoffs just once in the stretch. Last year’s club fell apart late with 10-16 records in both August and September. The team was swept in six games by Texas in September, and lost series to the Astros, Yankees, White Sox, and Tigers the final two months. Oakland scored the second most runs in the league and never got to show it off in the playoffs.
Offseason Review: A lot of depth is off the team. Midseason acquisitions Jahmai Jones and Boyd Vander Kooi are free agents, as is one-year rental Addison Russell. Aramis Ademan was brought in to play Second Base, Brendan Tinsman is the new Catcher, and Ofelky Peralta has the inside track to be the fifth starter.
On The Farm: It’s not a great farm. Josh Faulkner has a good Cutter-Screwball combination, but looks like a rodent. He lacks control of his pitches and judgment with his facial hair. Jason Lovelace looks like a potential second division Center Fielder. Felix Flemate has a fringy bat, but a good eye should help it play up. He struggled in Short-A last year, but is only 18. There are former major leaguers in the upper minors that should allow the team to be resilient against injuries.
Best Case Scenario: The good play continues when the months get cooler.
Worst Case Scenario: A reawakened Seattle pushes Oakland down the pecking order.
Key Questions: Milt Pool has been a Third Baseman most of his career. Why the decision to move him over to First Base?
You don’t have a lot of great hit tools on your roster. Are you concerned your guys will be able to get base hits ahead of your power hitters?
4) Houston Astros
2030: 69-93, 4th Place AL West
Who They Were: Houston had some good players, but they were neutralized by a number of weak players. Four hitters had at least 2.8 WAR, but five played at least 83 games and had negative WAR, let alone players with smaller roles. The starting rotation was adequate, and the bullpen was fine, but starters Jeff Morrison and Jorge Cotto, plus closer Marcus Thomas were the only arms that were really top notch. Without the depth of talent, Houston lost 93 games.
Offseason Review: Houston lost some of its best players, with Ichisake Ochaia returning to Japan and Jeff Morrison traded to the Mets. Solid arms Jorge Ontivelos, D’Mond LaFond, and Marcus Thomas have also moved on. Kris Bryant and Austin Meadows are on, bringing more name value than WAR value as the team looks to retain some fans as they begin their rebuild.
On the Farm: Houston has some good pieces moving through the upper minors. Tyler Schneider has a good bat and good power and has already debuted, while Stanley Nieman and Dave Ironside are close to being mid-rotation arms. There’s decent depth in the system with lesser prospects filling up the lower minors.
Best Case Scenario: Dansby Sanson and Jorge Cotto give Houston some upside. They could win 71 games.
Worst Case Scenario: There’s little high end talent around Swanson and Cotto. The lack of upside could result in 100 losses.
Key Questions: Why did you bring on so many veterans?
You have a lot of prospects in the upper minors. Will we see them this year, will you delay their service time, or would you trade them to get younger prospects?
5) Los Angeles Angels
2030: 41-121, Last Place AL West
Who They Were: The Angels were another incompetent disaster as Alvin Kaufmann looks to build the club out of a decade of horrid mismanagement. The team was last in offense and last in run prevention as seven position players produced -0.9 WAR, including Shortstop Daniel Escobar’s -5.2 mark. On the positive note, the Angels continued to get their books in order and former first overall pick Danny Marchwinski had a nice rookie year with a 119 OPS+ in 125 games.
Offseason Review: The Angels saw underperforming Robert Stephenson and Willy Adames retire, freeing up some money. They got a first round draft pick for taking on Marcus Stroman’s dead money, and signed stopgaps Reese McGuire and Darrick Hall to take over at Catcher and First Base. Esteban Valdez was allowed to walk in free agency, which combined with Stephenson’s retirement and no real upgrades, could result in the worst Angels pitching staff of their recent run of terrible play. There are some good young prospects on the staff, but they may be too underdeveloped to produce right away.
On the Farm: It’s still a barren farm. Los Angeles has the league’s best prospect, but little after that. Mini Horse, Danny Hein, has a lightning bat and power that hasn’t been seen from the Shortstop position in a while. He may ultimately be a Second Baseman, but he’ll be a huge bat when he debuts. There are some Third Basemen in A-ball, Sage Donahue and Ephrem Ben Hassi, that could be passable starting infielders in time. Aside from Mini Horse, it’s not inspiring.
Best Case Scenario: The team win 50 games.
Worst Case Scenario: The Angels have been making a mockery of the Worst Case Scenarios.
Key Questions: A full season in now, how do you feel the rebuild is progressing?
Last year, your Shortstop position was an utter nightmare. Do you feel it will be a little more competent this year?
