Post by Commissioner Erick on Sept 24, 2023 12:02:07 GMT -5
The NL West should be ultra competitive again, with two title contenders, and a trio of teams that can all finish comfortably above .500 with a few breaks.
1) Los Angeles Dodgers
2030: 104-58, NL West Champions. Defeated Philadelphia 4-3 in NLDS. Defeated St. Louis 4-2 in NLCS. Lost to Kansas City 4-0 in World Series.
Who They Were: The Dodgers were really good in average and avoiding strikeouts with Luis Urias hitting .302 and Salesman Ancrum batting .328 with 36 homers. The team was only ninth in homers though, a reason why the NL West came down to the final series. In the playoffs, the Dodgers’ pitching was exemplary in the NLDS and NLCS, but the Royals were too tough in the World Series.
Offseason Review: The Dodgers lost Urias and Ancrum, plus they let Rodriguez’ Grayson and Eduardo walk. Bobby Spong is in Boston. Josh Weaver and Sal Blea will take over the empty rotation spots, Jorge Ramos will play most of the time in Left Field, and old friend Manny Machado returns to play Third Base.
On The Farm: It’s no longer an exceptionally deep farm, but there are a couple of stars. Loose Cody Saunderson has loose hips, allowing him to turn and run in Center Field, steals bases on the basepaths, and turnaround fastballs at the plate. He looks like a complete player. Brandon Sutphin isn’t as complete, but he has major power and could be a huge slugger in the pros. Aside from those three, it’s not a strong pen.
Best Case Scenario: The Dodgers are the class of the NL once again.
Worst Case Scenario: Without a proven, the Dodgers could be vulnerable in the Wild Card Game if the Giants win the West.
Key Questions: You lost a lot of batting average this offseason. Do you think your formula of controlling the plate and winning the BABIP game can repeat this year?
Is Sal Blea worthy of a fifth starter spot?
2) San Francisco Giants
2030: 100-62, 2nd Place NL West. Lost to St. Louis in NL Wild Card Game.
Who They Were: The Giants had an All-Star team in 2030, but still saw the division come down to the final series. They were swept at home that weekend, then Octavio Lopez allowed six runs in a third of an inning in the Wild Card Game, as the Giants had a horrendous collapse to their year. The team was second in run prevention and third in runs scored, but the final four games undid all of it.
Offseason Review: The Giants lost a lot of key performers, with Kelyn Klattenberger, Juan Castoreno, Luis Paez, Manny Machado, Octavio Lopez, and Ismael Morel playing elsewhere. Aaron Allen finally gets a starting spot at First Base, and Willi Castro is over to play Third Base. Sam McMillian will Catch some, and Luis Zapien will man Center Field. The defense will be better, but the Giants lost a lot of punch.
On The Farm: For a team that’s been strong in the majors for some time, the farm is great, third overall. Pops Soto is the star, a big time slugger who can hold his own at Third Base, or man an outfield spot. He has All-Star potential, as does Orlando Monje, a 6-6 tree of a man, who should be a fixture on the home run leaderboards when he fills out. Tubby Meave doesn’t have classic First Base power, but he should hit .300, and while Terry Ryder does have classic First Base power, but may be able to hold his own in Right Field. The pitching doesn’t have high-end stars, but a number of back end types are close to the PBA and should be able to plug in spots for years to come.
Best Case Scenario: The Giants hold it together the final week of the year.
Worst Case Scenario: The offense is pedestrian and the Giants end up in a Wild Card battle.
Key Questions: Do you believe you still have an offense that can win the World Series?
What role will David Kouns play this year?
Colorado Rockies
2030: 78-84, 3rd place in NL West
Who they were: The Rockies improved their record from 2029 by a single game but managed to finish 3rd in the division. They were a solid hitting unit led by a strong season from the future HOFer David Dahl and fellow OFer Raimfer Salinas, but as is usual with Colorado their pitching staff struggled, pitching to a 5.17 ERA as a team. It's hard to compete in Coors Field.
Offseason Review: Rockies fans have been devasted by the loss of fan favorite jorts extraordinaire Ralph Porter. The RFer's 32 homers and 32 pairs of jorts are still free agents at the time of this writing. Dom Smith signed a cheap 1 year deal and lived up to hit putting up 3.5 WAR from 1st base. At the time of writing he is also a FA. Long time Rockies arm Riley Pint has also left the team but his loss won't affect the team as much as he hasn't had a solid season since 2026. The Rockies did not add much to replace Porter, banking on young superstar Danny Davis coming back from a bad ankle injury. It will be good for the PBA to see Danny Dangerous back in action. At 1st base the Rockies hope Alan Ramos can replace the loss of Dom Smith. Ramos hasn't had a very good season in a while, but there are worse places than Coors to try and bounce back with the bat. Colorado retained the same rotation besides the addition of a full season of Florida Gator Nate Vance. Vance struggled in his debut last year, but the peripherals and the academic institution suggest there is a lot of untapped potential. He could be one of the best arms Colorado has developed in a while. The bullpen also remains largely the same with a few small additions of Vince Morgan and Jim Brookshire. GM Erick Blasco likely picked these two up for their movement and extreme groundball tendencies, hoping the two can do well in Coors.
On the Farm: OSA ranks the farm dead last in the league, without a single top 100 prospect. Colorado moved their first the year prior for Raimfer Salinas which likely contributes to this. Still there's a few interesting pieces and more AAAA 1Bs than any other organization. Travis Johnson might have the highest ceiling of any Rockies prospect. He's a great relief prospect but was likely over-drafted at 9th overall in 2029 even though he went to Florida. Nick Fallon, last years 2nd rounder is probably the next best prospect. He's a control specialist and although he throws a sinker he isn't the best at keeping the ball on the ground. Still Rockies scouts have been pleased with his development and has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter one day. Jon Lopez is a 1st baseman who might one day hit a lot of homers without striking out too much but he's still very young. Peruvian OFer Alfonso Cruz has ridiculous plate discipline potential, but like Lopez he's only a teenager.
Best Case Scenario: 70 to 80 wins a standard Rockies season.
Worst Case Scenario: 70 to 80 wins, a standard Rockies season. With San Francisco and LA in the division the Rockies don't have a very high ceiling but they also don't have a particularly low floor.
Key Questions: With your recent trade it will now be two years in a row without a first round pick. Are you concerned with how that will affect your farm system, which OSA already doesn't seem to be too much of a fan of?
Kent Guttman is unhappy with his role expecting to be a bench player instead of a starter even though OSA says he should have no trouble in a starting role, will you accommodate Kent's quixotic demand and reduce his playing time?
Which Florida Gators are your scouts targeting in this year's draft?
Arizona Diamondbacks:
2030: 75-87, 4th place in NL West
Who They Were: Like Colorado, the Dbacks were another strong hitting team who had trouble on the mound. Superstar OFer Tony Sierra was limited to only 89 games, but a strong supporting cast of 6 other hitters with at least 1.9 WAR kept the Dbacks roster afloat. Gary Ford one of the best 3rd basemen in the league hit 48 home runs, and rookie sensation LFer Robert Correa hit 50 homers on the way to the Rookie of the Year award. On the pitching side injuries also limited the team. It's a shame but at this point in his career SP Jim D'Amico clearly can't stay healthy. Limited to only 11 starts last year he's already out for 3-4 months to begin this season.
Offseason Review: The Dbacks didn't do much this offseason, a factor of being overbudget. They return all nine starting position players besides Gleyber Torres. His contract proved too expensive to keep so he was traded to Seattle for the cheaper but less talented Caleb Swift to take over at 1B. Longtime OFer DeShawn Delaine fell off a cliff last year and was also traded along with a 1st round pick to the White Sox in order to dump his contract. They also acquired relief arm Josh Fitzpatrick in that trade. On the pitching side Dbacks fans can look forward to a full season of Jonas Cardenas, and top 100 prospect Chris Walker. Cardenas can spin a curveball as anyone in the league and put up 2.4 WAR last year in only 130 IP as he spent the first part of the season in the minors. Walker is a sidearm pitcher who is great at keeping the ball down. How he handles lefties will define his career.
On The Farm: Arizona has a midtier farm system coming in at 17th in OSA's rankings. They've got 4 top 100 prospects. Steve Sachs debuted last year but he's still got a little developing to go in AAA. If he can get a feel for his control he can be a great addition to the Arizona rotation, touching 101 mph and generating ground balls in a hitters park. SS Zaki Wambugu is Arizona's next highest ranked prospect. The native Tanzanian won't stick at SS but he's got light tower power potential. Arizona scouts discovered him during their annual Serengeti Off-season Safari. The aforementioned Chris Walker is Arizona's 3rd highest ranked prospect, and OFer Dustin Hall comes in as Arizona's 4th ranked prospect. Hall may debut this season. He's a line drive hitter with a gap to gap approach well suited for Chase Field.
Best Case Scenario: Sierra stays healthy and the young pitching jells putting Arizona in contention for a WC spot late into the season.
Worst Case Scenario: Sierra's injury and budget woes prevent the Dbacks from being as strong as they could be and the club slides to another mediocre season.
Key Questions: How do you intend to get under budget?
Tony Sierra and Gary Ford are about to get very expensive. Will you try to hold onto them or move to start a rebuild?
What is the club looking for in Robert Correa's sophomore campaign? He set the bar so high as a rookie, do you believe he can repeat it?
5) San Diego Padres:
2030: 69-93, Last Place NL West
Who They Were: The Padres weren’t terrible last year, but they did have a terrible August, where they went 4-24. That nightmare of a month overshadowed a respectable club that was seventh in run prevention and had some solid offensive players. However, the Padres also had a few dead zones. Ernesto Rueda was worth -1.4 WAR, Edris Kwakou was worth -0.7, and 22 pitchers were forced to suit up for the team, including Jordan Sheffield and his -1.3 WAR.
Offseason Review: Luis Almanazar and M.J. Melendez have moved on, representing the losses from the starting position players. Daniel Reginalde will get first crack at the starting Catching spot, and minor league veteran Parker Richter should get the opening game nod at Third Base. Trent Clark will be the backup outfielder. The rotation should be similar to last year.
On The Farm: It’s not a great farm. Raul Miranda has a chance to be special. He has huge power, and a huge arm, but he can’t move at all, relegating him to First Base. He should bring major power to Petco when he develops. Daizo Matsumoto was a Rule V pick ahead of 2028. He’s still only 22 and could be finally ready for important PBA work. There’s decent upper minors depth, but no other real sure thing in the system.
Best Case Scenario: The team can be a .500 team.
Worst Case Scenario: Another 4-24 month.
Key Questions: Ernesto Rueda was rough last year. Will he have an important role again this season?
What role will Trent Clark play on the club?
1) Los Angeles Dodgers
2030: 104-58, NL West Champions. Defeated Philadelphia 4-3 in NLDS. Defeated St. Louis 4-2 in NLCS. Lost to Kansas City 4-0 in World Series.
Who They Were: The Dodgers were really good in average and avoiding strikeouts with Luis Urias hitting .302 and Salesman Ancrum batting .328 with 36 homers. The team was only ninth in homers though, a reason why the NL West came down to the final series. In the playoffs, the Dodgers’ pitching was exemplary in the NLDS and NLCS, but the Royals were too tough in the World Series.
Offseason Review: The Dodgers lost Urias and Ancrum, plus they let Rodriguez’ Grayson and Eduardo walk. Bobby Spong is in Boston. Josh Weaver and Sal Blea will take over the empty rotation spots, Jorge Ramos will play most of the time in Left Field, and old friend Manny Machado returns to play Third Base.
On The Farm: It’s no longer an exceptionally deep farm, but there are a couple of stars. Loose Cody Saunderson has loose hips, allowing him to turn and run in Center Field, steals bases on the basepaths, and turnaround fastballs at the plate. He looks like a complete player. Brandon Sutphin isn’t as complete, but he has major power and could be a huge slugger in the pros. Aside from those three, it’s not a strong pen.
Best Case Scenario: The Dodgers are the class of the NL once again.
Worst Case Scenario: Without a proven, the Dodgers could be vulnerable in the Wild Card Game if the Giants win the West.
Key Questions: You lost a lot of batting average this offseason. Do you think your formula of controlling the plate and winning the BABIP game can repeat this year?
Is Sal Blea worthy of a fifth starter spot?
2) San Francisco Giants
2030: 100-62, 2nd Place NL West. Lost to St. Louis in NL Wild Card Game.
Who They Were: The Giants had an All-Star team in 2030, but still saw the division come down to the final series. They were swept at home that weekend, then Octavio Lopez allowed six runs in a third of an inning in the Wild Card Game, as the Giants had a horrendous collapse to their year. The team was second in run prevention and third in runs scored, but the final four games undid all of it.
Offseason Review: The Giants lost a lot of key performers, with Kelyn Klattenberger, Juan Castoreno, Luis Paez, Manny Machado, Octavio Lopez, and Ismael Morel playing elsewhere. Aaron Allen finally gets a starting spot at First Base, and Willi Castro is over to play Third Base. Sam McMillian will Catch some, and Luis Zapien will man Center Field. The defense will be better, but the Giants lost a lot of punch.
On The Farm: For a team that’s been strong in the majors for some time, the farm is great, third overall. Pops Soto is the star, a big time slugger who can hold his own at Third Base, or man an outfield spot. He has All-Star potential, as does Orlando Monje, a 6-6 tree of a man, who should be a fixture on the home run leaderboards when he fills out. Tubby Meave doesn’t have classic First Base power, but he should hit .300, and while Terry Ryder does have classic First Base power, but may be able to hold his own in Right Field. The pitching doesn’t have high-end stars, but a number of back end types are close to the PBA and should be able to plug in spots for years to come.
Best Case Scenario: The Giants hold it together the final week of the year.
Worst Case Scenario: The offense is pedestrian and the Giants end up in a Wild Card battle.
Key Questions: Do you believe you still have an offense that can win the World Series?
What role will David Kouns play this year?
Colorado Rockies
2030: 78-84, 3rd place in NL West
Who they were: The Rockies improved their record from 2029 by a single game but managed to finish 3rd in the division. They were a solid hitting unit led by a strong season from the future HOFer David Dahl and fellow OFer Raimfer Salinas, but as is usual with Colorado their pitching staff struggled, pitching to a 5.17 ERA as a team. It's hard to compete in Coors Field.
Offseason Review: Rockies fans have been devasted by the loss of fan favorite jorts extraordinaire Ralph Porter. The RFer's 32 homers and 32 pairs of jorts are still free agents at the time of this writing. Dom Smith signed a cheap 1 year deal and lived up to hit putting up 3.5 WAR from 1st base. At the time of writing he is also a FA. Long time Rockies arm Riley Pint has also left the team but his loss won't affect the team as much as he hasn't had a solid season since 2026. The Rockies did not add much to replace Porter, banking on young superstar Danny Davis coming back from a bad ankle injury. It will be good for the PBA to see Danny Dangerous back in action. At 1st base the Rockies hope Alan Ramos can replace the loss of Dom Smith. Ramos hasn't had a very good season in a while, but there are worse places than Coors to try and bounce back with the bat. Colorado retained the same rotation besides the addition of a full season of Florida Gator Nate Vance. Vance struggled in his debut last year, but the peripherals and the academic institution suggest there is a lot of untapped potential. He could be one of the best arms Colorado has developed in a while. The bullpen also remains largely the same with a few small additions of Vince Morgan and Jim Brookshire. GM Erick Blasco likely picked these two up for their movement and extreme groundball tendencies, hoping the two can do well in Coors.
On the Farm: OSA ranks the farm dead last in the league, without a single top 100 prospect. Colorado moved their first the year prior for Raimfer Salinas which likely contributes to this. Still there's a few interesting pieces and more AAAA 1Bs than any other organization. Travis Johnson might have the highest ceiling of any Rockies prospect. He's a great relief prospect but was likely over-drafted at 9th overall in 2029 even though he went to Florida. Nick Fallon, last years 2nd rounder is probably the next best prospect. He's a control specialist and although he throws a sinker he isn't the best at keeping the ball on the ground. Still Rockies scouts have been pleased with his development and has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter one day. Jon Lopez is a 1st baseman who might one day hit a lot of homers without striking out too much but he's still very young. Peruvian OFer Alfonso Cruz has ridiculous plate discipline potential, but like Lopez he's only a teenager.
Best Case Scenario: 70 to 80 wins a standard Rockies season.
Worst Case Scenario: 70 to 80 wins, a standard Rockies season. With San Francisco and LA in the division the Rockies don't have a very high ceiling but they also don't have a particularly low floor.
Key Questions: With your recent trade it will now be two years in a row without a first round pick. Are you concerned with how that will affect your farm system, which OSA already doesn't seem to be too much of a fan of?
Kent Guttman is unhappy with his role expecting to be a bench player instead of a starter even though OSA says he should have no trouble in a starting role, will you accommodate Kent's quixotic demand and reduce his playing time?
Which Florida Gators are your scouts targeting in this year's draft?
Arizona Diamondbacks:
2030: 75-87, 4th place in NL West
Who They Were: Like Colorado, the Dbacks were another strong hitting team who had trouble on the mound. Superstar OFer Tony Sierra was limited to only 89 games, but a strong supporting cast of 6 other hitters with at least 1.9 WAR kept the Dbacks roster afloat. Gary Ford one of the best 3rd basemen in the league hit 48 home runs, and rookie sensation LFer Robert Correa hit 50 homers on the way to the Rookie of the Year award. On the pitching side injuries also limited the team. It's a shame but at this point in his career SP Jim D'Amico clearly can't stay healthy. Limited to only 11 starts last year he's already out for 3-4 months to begin this season.
Offseason Review: The Dbacks didn't do much this offseason, a factor of being overbudget. They return all nine starting position players besides Gleyber Torres. His contract proved too expensive to keep so he was traded to Seattle for the cheaper but less talented Caleb Swift to take over at 1B. Longtime OFer DeShawn Delaine fell off a cliff last year and was also traded along with a 1st round pick to the White Sox in order to dump his contract. They also acquired relief arm Josh Fitzpatrick in that trade. On the pitching side Dbacks fans can look forward to a full season of Jonas Cardenas, and top 100 prospect Chris Walker. Cardenas can spin a curveball as anyone in the league and put up 2.4 WAR last year in only 130 IP as he spent the first part of the season in the minors. Walker is a sidearm pitcher who is great at keeping the ball down. How he handles lefties will define his career.
On The Farm: Arizona has a midtier farm system coming in at 17th in OSA's rankings. They've got 4 top 100 prospects. Steve Sachs debuted last year but he's still got a little developing to go in AAA. If he can get a feel for his control he can be a great addition to the Arizona rotation, touching 101 mph and generating ground balls in a hitters park. SS Zaki Wambugu is Arizona's next highest ranked prospect. The native Tanzanian won't stick at SS but he's got light tower power potential. Arizona scouts discovered him during their annual Serengeti Off-season Safari. The aforementioned Chris Walker is Arizona's 3rd highest ranked prospect, and OFer Dustin Hall comes in as Arizona's 4th ranked prospect. Hall may debut this season. He's a line drive hitter with a gap to gap approach well suited for Chase Field.
Best Case Scenario: Sierra stays healthy and the young pitching jells putting Arizona in contention for a WC spot late into the season.
Worst Case Scenario: Sierra's injury and budget woes prevent the Dbacks from being as strong as they could be and the club slides to another mediocre season.
Key Questions: How do you intend to get under budget?
Tony Sierra and Gary Ford are about to get very expensive. Will you try to hold onto them or move to start a rebuild?
What is the club looking for in Robert Correa's sophomore campaign? He set the bar so high as a rookie, do you believe he can repeat it?
5) San Diego Padres:
2030: 69-93, Last Place NL West
Who They Were: The Padres weren’t terrible last year, but they did have a terrible August, where they went 4-24. That nightmare of a month overshadowed a respectable club that was seventh in run prevention and had some solid offensive players. However, the Padres also had a few dead zones. Ernesto Rueda was worth -1.4 WAR, Edris Kwakou was worth -0.7, and 22 pitchers were forced to suit up for the team, including Jordan Sheffield and his -1.3 WAR.
Offseason Review: Luis Almanazar and M.J. Melendez have moved on, representing the losses from the starting position players. Daniel Reginalde will get first crack at the starting Catching spot, and minor league veteran Parker Richter should get the opening game nod at Third Base. Trent Clark will be the backup outfielder. The rotation should be similar to last year.
On The Farm: It’s not a great farm. Raul Miranda has a chance to be special. He has huge power, and a huge arm, but he can’t move at all, relegating him to First Base. He should bring major power to Petco when he develops. Daizo Matsumoto was a Rule V pick ahead of 2028. He’s still only 22 and could be finally ready for important PBA work. There’s decent upper minors depth, but no other real sure thing in the system.
Best Case Scenario: The team can be a .500 team.
Worst Case Scenario: Another 4-24 month.
Key Questions: Ernesto Rueda was rough last year. Will he have an important role again this season?
What role will Trent Clark play on the club?
