Post by Commissioner Erick on Nov 10, 2018 15:18:57 GMT -5
1) New York Yankees
2019: 99-63, AL East Champion. Defeated Chicago White Sox 4-2 in ALDS. Defeated Houston 4-2 in ALCS. Lost to Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 in World Series.
Who They Were: The Yankees slugged 294 home runs last year, riding an armada of power bats and bullpen arms to the World Series. Five players hit at least 30 home runs, and Gleyber Torres hit 28 with a .328 average.
Offseason Review: The Yankees lost only minor pieces, with Rob Refsnyder and Dan Straily being sent west and Tyrell Jenkins coming back. With the team coming off a pennant and most of the core in or entering the prime of their careers, there was no need for major changes.
On the Farm: The recent rankings that just published have the Yankees as a middle-of-the-pack farm. Lucious Fox is closest to the majors as his speed and defense can pay dividends immediately, though he'll start the year in Triple-A with the Yankees stacked with middle infield defenders. The Yankees also have some control-challenged relievers in the upper minors who can contribute as soon as next year once their control issues are sorted out.
Best Case Scenario: Masahiro Tanaka has the same postseason he had last year. Luis Severino has anybody else's postseason.
Worst Case Scenario: Have people actually seen Tampa Bay's rotation?
Key Questions: With Pienda and Eovaldi out for awhile, how do you try to survive their absence?
It appears that maybe you'l have Mitch Walding starting over Didi Gregorious. What's the deciding factor in that race?
2) Tampa Bay Rays
2019: 84-78, 2nd Place AL East.
Who They Were: Tampa Bay was the only team in the AL with an ERA under four, but won seven games fewer than Pythagoras said they would. An injury plagued season from Kevin Kiermaier hurt as that extra boost he provides with the bat could have pushed them over the top.
Offseason Review: Tampa Bay doubled down on having great pitching, signing Madison Bumgarner to front their rotation. Top prospect Andres Giminez, acquired in a lopsided deal with the Mets in 2018, looks to take over the starting shortstop role with Matt Duffy sent to Oakland. With the arms and gloves on the team, plus the run prevention of Tropicana Field, it'll be a shock if the Rays don't lead the league in pitching.
On the Farm: There aren't a lot of stars, but there are role players in close proximity. Patrick Leonard popped 32 home runs in Triple-A last season and can produce dingers if called upon. Joshua Lowe struggled at Triple-A last year, but has some potential and pedigree as a third base prospect in his own right. Jesus B. Sanchez has a good idea of what he's doing at the plate, plus carries a good glove. As such, Tampa Bay is as prepared as any team to weather some injuries to non-essential players.
Best Case Scenario: Tampa Bay wins 100 games. They have that kind of ceiling.
Worst Case Scenario: It's possible to see the team struggling to hit for average and underperforming its Pythagorean record again. Maybe the team only wins 86 and misses the playoffs.
Key Questions: Brad Miller is no longer a capable defender anywhere but first and second base, but he popped 32 homers last year. How will you utilize him this year?
Andres Giminez is a bright young talent, but is farther along with the glove at this point. What are your plans for him this season?
3) Toronto Blue Jays
2019: 76-86, 3rd Place AL East
Who They Were: After an injury-filled 2018 that saw Toronto miss the playoffs, the Blue Jays undertook a rebuilding effort to develop a base for their future. Toronto won only 76 games last year, but assembled a rich collection of young talent that can someday take Toronto back to the upper reaches of the AL.
Offseason Review: Toronto let Francisco Liriano and Russell Martin walk in free agency this offseason as Toronto continues to purge its pricy veterans and build around youth. Ryan Braun and Troy Tulowitzki are, for all intents and purposes, in the last seasons of their contracts, and Devon Travis, despite being a little younger, may not be in Joe Mazzola's future plans. This will give Toronto's youth one more year to develop before a big chunk of free agent money comes available. Depending on the plans for Braun and Tulowitzki, Toronto may have a lineup where only one player is older than 25, and only three are older than 24.
On the Farm: The system ranking is low, but it's a bit misleading as the Blue Jays are stocked with prospects already on the team. Most of the juicy prospects are now in the low-minors, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still profiles as a big slugger and he's in Double-A.
Best Case Scenario: The prospects take enough steps to reach .500.
Worst Case Scenario: If Rowdy Tellez' 39 home runs last year were a fluke, this team will struggle to drive in runs.
Key Questions: Ryan Braun and Troy Tulowitzki remain on the roster. What are your plans with those veterans?
Luis Alexander Basabe was a monster in the World Baseball Classic, but right now he's penciled in to bat in the bottom of the lineup. Did his WBC performance change your short term opinion of him?
4) Boston Red Sox
2019: 71-91, Tied Last Place in AL East
Who They Were: Stuck with a bloated budget and John Henry's financial woes, Boston couldn't bring talent aboard to patch a leaky roster. The team got star performances from Mookie Betts, Javier Baez, and Rick Porcello, but also experienced situations like Dustin Pedroia bat .278 with nine home runs as the team's primary DH, and Ben Taylor pitching 52.1 innings with a 6.95 FIP.
Offseason Review: Still in dire straits financially, Boston traded away Mookie Betts and let Rick Porcello test free agency, two players who put up at least 4.3 WAR last season. Brady Rodgers, Derek Fisher and Ramon Laureano came back in the Betts trade and will each make the minimum, helping out Boston's financials. Still, the star power from several year ago has been diminished, and the team is a year away from Pablo Sandoval coming off the books and Rusney Castillo being non-tendered so they can finally get in the black financially.
On the Farm: Eloy Jimenez and Tyler O'Neill are each top 100 prospects and in Triple-A. If they can develop and contribute, it will be another huge gift to Boston's financials. Aside from some middling pitching depth, there's not much else in the upper minors.
Best Case Scenario: There's some offensive talent here. If the starting pitching recovers after a down 2019, Boston can win 76 games.
Worst Case Scenario: The veteran starting pitchers continue to decline and there's no star to lift Boston out of the morass. They lose 95 games.
Key Questions: Both Ryder Jones and Pablo Sandoval had respectable 2019's.Which player earns the third base nod this year?
Zach Grienke and David Price have huge contracts. Will you try to move them this season?
5) Baltimore Orioles
2019: 71-91, Tied Last Place AL East
Who They Were: The pitching was atrocious and some role players had poor seasons. That combination tanked a competitive team, dropping them to a 91-loss season.
Offseason Review: Kevin Gausman, Darren O'Day, and Brad Brach all had awful seasons and all are no longer on the team. There are some remaining pitchers who had awful seasons still around, but Baltimore was ready to move on from some of its high-profile disappointments. With Hyun-soo Kim allowed to depart, Anthony Santander will have a chance to build on a strong 2019 and finally seize a starting job. There are a lot of veterans on the downswing though, many on expiring deals, making this season a potential transition year.
On the Farm: It's not the best system and doesn't have a lot of impact potential. Ryan Mountcastle and Jomar Reyes didn't impress in Triple-A last season and if they sputter again, it really hurts Baltimore's long term depth. Between Hunter Harvey, John Means, Eucebio Arias, and Darwinzon Hernandez, there will be some youthful starters that get shuttled between Triple-A and the big leagues.
Best Case Scenario: The veteran sluggers all have good seasons, the pitching can't get worse, and the team is able to win 79 games.
Worst Case Scenario: The veterans fall apart and the pitching is still terrible. The Orioles can lose 100 games.
Key Questions: You brought on Martin Prado and Starlin Castro as stopgaps at second and third base. What is your long term plan for those positions?
You have Adam Jones moved over to Right Field this year as he wasn't a very good defender at center anymore. Do you think Ben Revere can hit enough to warrant a starting job of his own though?
2019: 99-63, AL East Champion. Defeated Chicago White Sox 4-2 in ALDS. Defeated Houston 4-2 in ALCS. Lost to Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 in World Series.
Who They Were: The Yankees slugged 294 home runs last year, riding an armada of power bats and bullpen arms to the World Series. Five players hit at least 30 home runs, and Gleyber Torres hit 28 with a .328 average.
Offseason Review: The Yankees lost only minor pieces, with Rob Refsnyder and Dan Straily being sent west and Tyrell Jenkins coming back. With the team coming off a pennant and most of the core in or entering the prime of their careers, there was no need for major changes.
On the Farm: The recent rankings that just published have the Yankees as a middle-of-the-pack farm. Lucious Fox is closest to the majors as his speed and defense can pay dividends immediately, though he'll start the year in Triple-A with the Yankees stacked with middle infield defenders. The Yankees also have some control-challenged relievers in the upper minors who can contribute as soon as next year once their control issues are sorted out.
Best Case Scenario: Masahiro Tanaka has the same postseason he had last year. Luis Severino has anybody else's postseason.
Worst Case Scenario: Have people actually seen Tampa Bay's rotation?
Key Questions: With Pienda and Eovaldi out for awhile, how do you try to survive their absence?
It appears that maybe you'l have Mitch Walding starting over Didi Gregorious. What's the deciding factor in that race?
2) Tampa Bay Rays
2019: 84-78, 2nd Place AL East.
Who They Were: Tampa Bay was the only team in the AL with an ERA under four, but won seven games fewer than Pythagoras said they would. An injury plagued season from Kevin Kiermaier hurt as that extra boost he provides with the bat could have pushed them over the top.
Offseason Review: Tampa Bay doubled down on having great pitching, signing Madison Bumgarner to front their rotation. Top prospect Andres Giminez, acquired in a lopsided deal with the Mets in 2018, looks to take over the starting shortstop role with Matt Duffy sent to Oakland. With the arms and gloves on the team, plus the run prevention of Tropicana Field, it'll be a shock if the Rays don't lead the league in pitching.
On the Farm: There aren't a lot of stars, but there are role players in close proximity. Patrick Leonard popped 32 home runs in Triple-A last season and can produce dingers if called upon. Joshua Lowe struggled at Triple-A last year, but has some potential and pedigree as a third base prospect in his own right. Jesus B. Sanchez has a good idea of what he's doing at the plate, plus carries a good glove. As such, Tampa Bay is as prepared as any team to weather some injuries to non-essential players.
Best Case Scenario: Tampa Bay wins 100 games. They have that kind of ceiling.
Worst Case Scenario: It's possible to see the team struggling to hit for average and underperforming its Pythagorean record again. Maybe the team only wins 86 and misses the playoffs.
Key Questions: Brad Miller is no longer a capable defender anywhere but first and second base, but he popped 32 homers last year. How will you utilize him this year?
Andres Giminez is a bright young talent, but is farther along with the glove at this point. What are your plans for him this season?
3) Toronto Blue Jays
2019: 76-86, 3rd Place AL East
Who They Were: After an injury-filled 2018 that saw Toronto miss the playoffs, the Blue Jays undertook a rebuilding effort to develop a base for their future. Toronto won only 76 games last year, but assembled a rich collection of young talent that can someday take Toronto back to the upper reaches of the AL.
Offseason Review: Toronto let Francisco Liriano and Russell Martin walk in free agency this offseason as Toronto continues to purge its pricy veterans and build around youth. Ryan Braun and Troy Tulowitzki are, for all intents and purposes, in the last seasons of their contracts, and Devon Travis, despite being a little younger, may not be in Joe Mazzola's future plans. This will give Toronto's youth one more year to develop before a big chunk of free agent money comes available. Depending on the plans for Braun and Tulowitzki, Toronto may have a lineup where only one player is older than 25, and only three are older than 24.
On the Farm: The system ranking is low, but it's a bit misleading as the Blue Jays are stocked with prospects already on the team. Most of the juicy prospects are now in the low-minors, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still profiles as a big slugger and he's in Double-A.
Best Case Scenario: The prospects take enough steps to reach .500.
Worst Case Scenario: If Rowdy Tellez' 39 home runs last year were a fluke, this team will struggle to drive in runs.
Key Questions: Ryan Braun and Troy Tulowitzki remain on the roster. What are your plans with those veterans?
Luis Alexander Basabe was a monster in the World Baseball Classic, but right now he's penciled in to bat in the bottom of the lineup. Did his WBC performance change your short term opinion of him?
4) Boston Red Sox
2019: 71-91, Tied Last Place in AL East
Who They Were: Stuck with a bloated budget and John Henry's financial woes, Boston couldn't bring talent aboard to patch a leaky roster. The team got star performances from Mookie Betts, Javier Baez, and Rick Porcello, but also experienced situations like Dustin Pedroia bat .278 with nine home runs as the team's primary DH, and Ben Taylor pitching 52.1 innings with a 6.95 FIP.
Offseason Review: Still in dire straits financially, Boston traded away Mookie Betts and let Rick Porcello test free agency, two players who put up at least 4.3 WAR last season. Brady Rodgers, Derek Fisher and Ramon Laureano came back in the Betts trade and will each make the minimum, helping out Boston's financials. Still, the star power from several year ago has been diminished, and the team is a year away from Pablo Sandoval coming off the books and Rusney Castillo being non-tendered so they can finally get in the black financially.
On the Farm: Eloy Jimenez and Tyler O'Neill are each top 100 prospects and in Triple-A. If they can develop and contribute, it will be another huge gift to Boston's financials. Aside from some middling pitching depth, there's not much else in the upper minors.
Best Case Scenario: There's some offensive talent here. If the starting pitching recovers after a down 2019, Boston can win 76 games.
Worst Case Scenario: The veteran starting pitchers continue to decline and there's no star to lift Boston out of the morass. They lose 95 games.
Key Questions: Both Ryder Jones and Pablo Sandoval had respectable 2019's.Which player earns the third base nod this year?
Zach Grienke and David Price have huge contracts. Will you try to move them this season?
5) Baltimore Orioles
2019: 71-91, Tied Last Place AL East
Who They Were: The pitching was atrocious and some role players had poor seasons. That combination tanked a competitive team, dropping them to a 91-loss season.
Offseason Review: Kevin Gausman, Darren O'Day, and Brad Brach all had awful seasons and all are no longer on the team. There are some remaining pitchers who had awful seasons still around, but Baltimore was ready to move on from some of its high-profile disappointments. With Hyun-soo Kim allowed to depart, Anthony Santander will have a chance to build on a strong 2019 and finally seize a starting job. There are a lot of veterans on the downswing though, many on expiring deals, making this season a potential transition year.
On the Farm: It's not the best system and doesn't have a lot of impact potential. Ryan Mountcastle and Jomar Reyes didn't impress in Triple-A last season and if they sputter again, it really hurts Baltimore's long term depth. Between Hunter Harvey, John Means, Eucebio Arias, and Darwinzon Hernandez, there will be some youthful starters that get shuttled between Triple-A and the big leagues.
Best Case Scenario: The veteran sluggers all have good seasons, the pitching can't get worse, and the team is able to win 79 games.
Worst Case Scenario: The veterans fall apart and the pitching is still terrible. The Orioles can lose 100 games.
Key Questions: You brought on Martin Prado and Starlin Castro as stopgaps at second and third base. What is your long term plan for those positions?
You have Adam Jones moved over to Right Field this year as he wasn't a very good defender at center anymore. Do you think Ben Revere can hit enough to warrant a starting job of his own though?
