Season Preview

TimGuru · 02-27-2009, 12:17 PM

The Wolverines are ready for the 2009 season.

At the plate, I believe we have a potentially explosive offense, with solid threats top to bottom, especially against right handed pitching in our lefty-friendly park. Chris Jennings, converted backup catcher, has been released to get under the cap, and Harmon Richardson is now the backup, but hopefully Noordam won't need it. At first, Josh Turnwall is a major producer and will hopefully grow into his power potential. Joel Byron is a key addition acquired via free agency, and in the outfield, Xavier Welsh anchors solid players in all 3 spots, all in their prime and hopefully hungry to win.

Starting pitching is a concern, with no real stand out ace. Spring training results suggest that Juan Rigoberto isn't willing to assume the mantle, but if his progression from 07 to 08 (ERA dropped from mid 7 to mid 5) continues and I get mid 4 ERA out of him, I'll be pleased. 20 year old Rakesh Singh COULD emerge, and will front the rotation. At the other end of a career is free agent acquisition Arthur Vachon, on a one year deal and maybe motivated. The bullpen should be an incredible strength, with traded-for Tapper and FA signee Wright anchoring a corps that should be able to hang onto any lead and keep a close game close for the bats to come back.

I am cautiously optimistic about this Wolverine squad. I'm not quite sure they can break into the playoff picture, but in the RL anything is possible. I certainly expect to improve on last year's 71 wins, and the goal for 2009 is to break 80, which has only happened ONCE for this franchise since 1981's relocation. It is time to establish a tradition of excellence in Michigan, something that has been entirely lacking since the franchise came here.

Chief Rum · 02-28-2009, 02:07 AM

Well, since no one's around well after 10 (locally), I'll go ahead and write one of these...

STARTING PITCHING

For most of the past 20 years, Atlanta has run out a four man rotation, usually with good success. So despite a large number of seemingly effective potential starters, the Crackers will again feature just four regular turns in their rotation. The ace remains Christian Miller (22-12, 3.87 era, 262 K, 9.0 K/BB). The 2005 POY has won 20 or more games in three of the last four seasons, and just signed a huge seven-year, $54 M dollar. He will continue to take the ball on Opening Day. For all that Miller has accomplished, though, it's becoming more and more clear he will have to watch out for 26-year-old South African native Iestyn Kirkman (21-11, 3.48 era, 241 K), who has the natural talent to overtake Miller's hold on the staff's #1 spot. Marcel McDonald (21-12, 3.79 era, 248 K) tends to be forgotten next to Miller and Kirkman, but the dependable righty and four-time All Star--just one less than Miller--was the third of the club's trio of 20-game winners last year. That last cherished spot in the rotation has been a rotating door of late, although it is a testament to the ongoing arrival of new talent that some of the past #4s have not succeeded in holding on to it. This year's latest introduction to the back end of the rotation is second year man William Samson (6-0, 2.48 era, 9.17 K/9), the 12th overall pick in the 2007 draft. Samson went straight to the bigs last season and had a key middle relief role, but his destination was always the rotation. This continues to be one of the best rotations in the league.

BULLPEN

The supremely skilled but mercurial Carlos Gonzalez (3-6, 32 sv, 4.41 era, 9.0 K/9) saved 84% of his games last year, a very solid, if not dominating figure. Gonzalez, a former backend rotation starter, has long been one of the staff's most talented pitchers, but has rarely found the consistency required of him. Since no other clear candidate is ready to displace him, though, Gonzalez will return to the closer role. A short term challenge will come from former Wolverine and Peanut All Star closer Chris Pollock (5-10, 26 sv, 5.68 era, 10.3 K/9). Pollock, signed on the cheap after suffering his worst year as a pitcher in 2008, will help support Gonzalez as a backup closer and set up man.

The versatile Drake Davis (18-10, 3.26 era, 236 K) has been a middle reliever, a long reliever and last year held the #4 spot in the rotation. Now he will be a key setup man. Davis's move to the pen is less about him not being capable--he had the best ERA in 2008 of any Cracker starter--than the need for more dependable arms deep in the pen. Also, Davis, like Gonzalez, has never been a long stamina pitcher. Southpaw Bill Alexander (1-2, 11 sv, 3.74 era) will help replace former longtime Cracker Carlos Cantu and key reliever Jose Bruno in another key setup spot. Cantu and Bruno were allowed to walk as free agents.

The middle relief and long relief roles will be handled by a bevy of former and perhaps future rotation candidates. Davis will serve a dual role, also pitching out of middle relief. Former Ranchero workhouse lefty Curt Anderson (9-4, 4.64) was signed to shore up a young staff. A trio of young potential starters rounds out the staff. Jimmy McBride (2-0, 2.17, .234 oavg) will look to build on an excellent rookie season. New rookies Jerry Rasmussen (27-5, 3.17 era, 353 K in AAA) and Brian Fisher (29-4, 2.11, 364 K in AA) will take on the remaining spots. Rasmussen has electric stuff, while Fisher is more solid all around. The numbers all around look gawdy, but in fact, the pen has been a very inconsistent part of the Cracker staff the past few years, and it seems likely to have its up and downs this year as well.

CATCHER

Greg Harris (.287, 20, 92, .792 ops) is a four time All Star and Gold Glove winner with a gun for an arm. The 32-year-old was heading to free agency at the end of this season before being inked to a three-year extension. Scouts say he may be losing some bat speed, though, so it remains to be seen if that will end up being a good move. For now, Harris still acts as a deterrent to opposing basestealers and a middle of the order bat. Veteran Hoshi Kouda (.252, 8, 50, .678 ops) isn't nearly as strong at or behind the plate, but he should be an adequate backup. The former longtime Settler catcher murders lefties.

INFIELD

The problem: two of the best hitting first basemen in FOOL. The solution: throw one of them at 2B? That was last year's solution for the Crackers when uber-prospect Jeff Patton (.172, 21, 69, .652) showed he could no longer be ketp down at AAA. Patton had what scouts determined to be an odd season long slump that really hurt his contact ability last year, but he has returned to making sound contact in the spring and will continue on his route to likely middle of the order stardom. Despite a platoon role and hitting troubles, Patton still led the club in dingers and has the most natural power on the team. Patton was the one tabbed for 2B, where he was not very good, but he was passable. That left the 1B spot to two time All Star Leonard Cunningham (.315, 14, 80, .819 ops), who is now a fixture at the position for the Crackers, having signed an extension last year. Cunningham, a .313 career hitter, has yet to hit below .300 in a season.

Patton's force feeding to 2B necessarily hurt the playing time of regular 2B John Knowles (.268, 12, 65, .737 ops). Knowles, a steady defender with decent power, but who has consistently made less contact than his performance would suggest, will start against lefties and be a key bat off the bench. He is playing for a new deal. The hot corner will feature a new starter in the smooth-hitting Emmitt Waltenbery (.323, .802 ops in 65 ABs) has battle-title winning ability and is a very good defensive player.

Waltenbery forced his way past the still very effective Mike Harrington (.272, 13, 75, .705 ops) who nonetheless hasn't really performed to his level of talent. Harrington is a natural shortstop with good defensive skills and more natural power than Waltenbery, so he will serve a main role with the team. The infield is rounded out by established star Millard Montgomery (.356, 12, 73, .923 ops, 24 sb), who returns to SS after a couple years at 3B. Montgomery finished third in the CL in batting last year, and the three time All Star and 2004 Rookie of the Year is hitting an amazing .340 thus far in his five-year long career.

OUTFIELD

Perhaps the biggest question of the season will revolve around the host of candidates the Crackers have brought in to attempt to fill the gaping hole left by the departure of superstar RF Jesus Ramirez (still out on the market as of this preview, but expected to ink a one year deal with some team). Ramirez, a career .333 hitter with 2,404 hits in a 13 year career, is a four time All Star and was the 2000 CL Tanaka award winner, so his departure is no small issue.

Unfortunately, the only major outfield bat available in free agency was Ramirez himself, who at last report was seeking an exorbitant salary figure that led to his departure in the first place, so the Crackers signed a handful of options and will hope that depth will result in an answer. It starts with the long awaited arrival of Travis Matteson (.314, 5, 18, .908 ops in 112 ABs). Matteson hasn't developed as fast as expected, and has enough troubles against lefties that he will need to be part of a platoon situation, at least for now, but he's more than Ramirez's equal against righties. Speedy power hitter Rafael Ojeda (.259, 18, 82, .717 ops, 57 sb) certainly has his issues as well, with underwhelming numbers and issues against tougher righties, but the former Brother is one of the best defenders in the league at all three OF spots, has some of the best power on the squad, and speed to burn. He's a terrific counter balance to Matteson in RF.

In LF, Gerald Phipps (.335, 18, 65, .892 ops) wraps up the longterm extension he signed in 2006. Phipps is still a liability in the field and struggles against southpaws, but he's still a very solid all around player. Former starting CF Eduardo Gonzalez (.313, 8, 39, .845 ops, 32 sb), a plus defender and one of the most dangerous basestealers in the game, has never really developed as well as the scouts said he would, so he has been relegated to a lefty platoon spot with Phipps for this season.

The one player now assured of a starting spot in the OF is a guy only signed to be a backup three years ago. Since then, the sweet swinging Pat Jesso (.351, 2, 37, .842 ops, 33 sb) has done little to suggest he shouldn't be starting in CF. He is another excellent defender with great speed, and is yet another threat to one day win a batting title on this team of contact hitters. No matter who is playing, Jesso will find his way onto the field.

OVERVIEW

The starting pitching is excellent, and there is potential in the pen. There are a ton of quality hitters in the infield, plus defenders at every position except 2B, and a lot of speed in the outfield. And there's enough power--if not overwhelming--to drive all of the line drive hitters in, which should make for another prolific offense.

Short of some poor seasons from several key players all at once, it seems a cinch Atlanta will be above .500 again and contend for a chance to return to the Classic for a potential third straight championship--even without Ramirez.

Prediction: 2nd

02-28-2009, 02:07 AM	#2
Chief Rum Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Where Hip Hop lives	Well, since no one's around well after 10 (locally), I'll go ahead and write one of these... STARTING PITCHING For most of the past 20 years, Atlanta has run out a four man rotation, usually with good success. So despite a large number of seemingly effective potential starters, the Crackers will again feature just four regular turns in their rotation. The ace remains Christian Miller (22-12, 3.87 era, 262 K, 9.0 K/BB). The 2005 POY has won 20 or more games in three of the last four seasons, and just signed a huge seven-year, $54 M dollar. He will continue to take the ball on Opening Day. For all that Miller has accomplished, though, it's becoming more and more clear he will have to watch out for 26-year-old South African native Iestyn Kirkman (21-11, 3.48 era, 241 K), who has the natural talent to overtake Miller's hold on the staff's #1 spot. Marcel McDonald (21-12, 3.79 era, 248 K) tends to be forgotten next to Miller and Kirkman, but the dependable righty and four-time All Star--just one less than Miller--was the third of the club's trio of 20-game winners last year. That last cherished spot in the rotation has been a rotating door of late, although it is a testament to the ongoing arrival of new talent that some of the past #4s have not succeeded in holding on to it. This year's latest introduction to the back end of the rotation is second year man William Samson (6-0, 2.48 era, 9.17 K/9), the 12th overall pick in the 2007 draft. Samson went straight to the bigs last season and had a key middle relief role, but his destination was always the rotation. This continues to be one of the best rotations in the league. BULLPEN The supremely skilled but mercurial Carlos Gonzalez (3-6, 32 sv, 4.41 era, 9.0 K/9) saved 84% of his games last year, a very solid, if not dominating figure. Gonzalez, a former backend rotation starter, has long been one of the staff's most talented pitchers, but has rarely found the consistency required of him. Since no other clear candidate is ready to displace him, though, Gonzalez will return to the closer role. A short term challenge will come from former Wolverine and Peanut All Star closer Chris Pollock (5-10, 26 sv, 5.68 era, 10.3 K/9). Pollock, signed on the cheap after suffering his worst year as a pitcher in 2008, will help support Gonzalez as a backup closer and set up man. The versatile Drake Davis (18-10, 3.26 era, 236 K) has been a middle reliever, a long reliever and last year held the #4 spot in the rotation. Now he will be a key setup man. Davis's move to the pen is less about him not being capable--he had the best ERA in 2008 of any Cracker starter--than the need for more dependable arms deep in the pen. Also, Davis, like Gonzalez, has never been a long stamina pitcher. Southpaw Bill Alexander (1-2, 11 sv, 3.74 era) will help replace former longtime Cracker Carlos Cantu and key reliever Jose Bruno in another key setup spot. Cantu and Bruno were allowed to walk as free agents. The middle relief and long relief roles will be handled by a bevy of former and perhaps future rotation candidates. Davis will serve a dual role, also pitching out of middle relief. Former Ranchero workhouse lefty Curt Anderson (9-4, 4.64) was signed to shore up a young staff. A trio of young potential starters rounds out the staff. Jimmy McBride (2-0, 2.17, .234 oavg) will look to build on an excellent rookie season. New rookies Jerry Rasmussen (27-5, 3.17 era, 353 K in AAA) and Brian Fisher (29-4, 2.11, 364 K in AA) will take on the remaining spots. Rasmussen has electric stuff, while Fisher is more solid all around. The numbers all around look gawdy, but in fact, the pen has been a very inconsistent part of the Cracker staff the past few years, and it seems likely to have its up and downs this year as well. CATCHER Greg Harris (.287, 20, 92, .792 ops) is a four time All Star and Gold Glove winner with a gun for an arm. The 32-year-old was heading to free agency at the end of this season before being inked to a three-year extension. Scouts say he may be losing some bat speed, though, so it remains to be seen if that will end up being a good move. For now, Harris still acts as a deterrent to opposing basestealers and a middle of the order bat. Veteran Hoshi Kouda (.252, 8, 50, .678 ops) isn't nearly as strong at or behind the plate, but he should be an adequate backup. The former longtime Settler catcher murders lefties. INFIELD The problem: two of the best hitting first basemen in FOOL. The solution: throw one of them at 2B? That was last year's solution for the Crackers when uber-prospect Jeff Patton (.172, 21, 69, .652) showed he could no longer be ketp down at AAA. Patton had what scouts determined to be an odd season long slump that really hurt his contact ability last year, but he has returned to making sound contact in the spring and will continue on his route to likely middle of the order stardom. Despite a platoon role and hitting troubles, Patton still led the club in dingers and has the most natural power on the team. Patton was the one tabbed for 2B, where he was not very good, but he was passable. That left the 1B spot to two time All Star Leonard Cunningham (.315, 14, 80, .819 ops), who is now a fixture at the position for the Crackers, having signed an extension last year. Cunningham, a .313 career hitter, has yet to hit below .300 in a season. Patton's force feeding to 2B necessarily hurt the playing time of regular 2B John Knowles (.268, 12, 65, .737 ops). Knowles, a steady defender with decent power, but who has consistently made less contact than his performance would suggest, will start against lefties and be a key bat off the bench. He is playing for a new deal. The hot corner will feature a new starter in the smooth-hitting Emmitt Waltenbery (.323, .802 ops in 65 ABs) has battle-title winning ability and is a very good defensive player. Waltenbery forced his way past the still very effective Mike Harrington (.272, 13, 75, .705 ops) who nonetheless hasn't really performed to his level of talent. Harrington is a natural shortstop with good defensive skills and more natural power than Waltenbery, so he will serve a main role with the team. The infield is rounded out by established star Millard Montgomery (.356, 12, 73, .923 ops, 24 sb), who returns to SS after a couple years at 3B. Montgomery finished third in the CL in batting last year, and the three time All Star and 2004 Rookie of the Year is hitting an amazing .340 thus far in his five-year long career. OUTFIELD Perhaps the biggest question of the season will revolve around the host of candidates the Crackers have brought in to attempt to fill the gaping hole left by the departure of superstar RF Jesus Ramirez (still out on the market as of this preview, but expected to ink a one year deal with some team). Ramirez, a career .333 hitter with 2,404 hits in a 13 year career, is a four time All Star and was the 2000 CL Tanaka award winner, so his departure is no small issue. Unfortunately, the only major outfield bat available in free agency was Ramirez himself, who at last report was seeking an exorbitant salary figure that led to his departure in the first place, so the Crackers signed a handful of options and will hope that depth will result in an answer. It starts with the long awaited arrival of Travis Matteson (.314, 5, 18, .908 ops in 112 ABs). Matteson hasn't developed as fast as expected, and has enough troubles against lefties that he will need to be part of a platoon situation, at least for now, but he's more than Ramirez's equal against righties. Speedy power hitter Rafael Ojeda (.259, 18, 82, .717 ops, 57 sb) certainly has his issues as well, with underwhelming numbers and issues against tougher righties, but the former Brother is one of the best defenders in the league at all three OF spots, has some of the best power on the squad, and speed to burn. He's a terrific counter balance to Matteson in RF. In LF, Gerald Phipps (.335, 18, 65, .892 ops) wraps up the longterm extension he signed in 2006. Phipps is still a liability in the field and struggles against southpaws, but he's still a very solid all around player. Former starting CF Eduardo Gonzalez (.313, 8, 39, .845 ops, 32 sb), a plus defender and one of the most dangerous basestealers in the game, has never really developed as well as the scouts said he would, so he has been relegated to a lefty platoon spot with Phipps for this season. The one player now assured of a starting spot in the OF is a guy only signed to be a backup three years ago. Since then, the sweet swinging Pat Jesso (.351, 2, 37, .842 ops, 33 sb) has done little to suggest he shouldn't be starting in CF. He is another excellent defender with great speed, and is yet another threat to one day win a batting title on this team of contact hitters. No matter who is playing, Jesso will find his way onto the field. OVERVIEW The starting pitching is excellent, and there is potential in the pen. There are a ton of quality hitters in the infield, plus defenders at every position except 2B, and a lot of speed in the outfield. And there's enough power--if not overwhelming--to drive all of the line drive hitters in, which should make for another prolific offense. Short of some poor seasons from several key players all at once, it seems a cinch Atlanta will be above .500 again and contend for a chance to return to the Classic for a potential third straight championship--even without Ramirez. Prediction: 2nd __________________ . . I would rather be wrong...Than live in the shadows of your song...My mind is open wide...And now I'm ready to start...You're not sure...You open the door...And step out into the dark...Now I'm ready.

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