Baseball in the Magic City: a Marlins OOTP 18 dynasty

[Gronk4M13]

[Gronk4M13]

Hey, Hey Hey, Goodbye: Loria Sells Marlins

"Free at last, free at last." That's the sentiment surging through Miami as unpopular owner Jeffrey Loria has agreed to sell the Marlins. Loria has been referred to as the "worst owner in sports" and "the most hated man in baseball." Through 18 years of ownership, Loria has run a championship-winning team into the ground. This came after Loria, as owner of the Montreal Expos, oversaw their downfall and ultimate collapse.

With the sale of the team rumored for #1.6 billion, many fans are newly angry with Loria for selling out and solely seeking to maximize his profit. (Loria initially invested 158.5 million in the team, and now many fans feel that, all along, Loria sought to earn a big paycheck rather than build a winning team.)

Countless fans and people in the baseball business itself feel that Loria's tenure as owner has stained the sport of baseball. He's a wannabe George Steinbrenner without the success to back it up. Loria has constantly used shady maneuvering to make the Miami taxpayers pay for the team's maintenance, especially in the construction of the new stadium that opened in 2012.

What's another of Loria's biggest sins? he paid himself and team president David Samson a "management fee" to run the team.

Baseball in Miami has been decaying under Loria. Many fans hope that the new owner will bring new life and hope to the franchise.

[Gronk4M13]

Jeter Leads Group in Marlins Purchase

"Mr. November" is returning to baseball. Former Yankees star Derek Jeter is the face of the group that has purchased the Miami Marlins from Jeffrey Loria. Jared Kusher, son-in-law of President Donald Trump, is another prominent name in the ownership group. Sources close to the situation believe that Jeter is being pushed as the leader of the group to earn some support from the fans. Jeter was a 14 time All Star, a five time World Series Champion, one time World Series MVP, Rookie of the Year, 5 time Gold Glove winner, 5 time Silver Slugger winner, 2 time Hank Aaron Award winner, and one time Roberto Clemente Award winner in 20 seasons with the New York Yankees. He's a living legend and he was always considered one of baseball's heroes. Many fans will hope that Jeter can be Miami's savior.

[Gronk4M13]

Marlins to Build 10 Foot Statue of Fernandez

Despite his various questionable acts as owner of the Miami Marlins, Jeffrey Loria has (arguably) handled the shocking death of star pitcher Jose Fernandez with class. In one of his final acts as acting owner of the Marlins, Loria announced that the Marlins will build a ten-foot statue outside of Marlins Park to commemorate Fernandez.

Jose Fernandez was one of the brightest stars in MLB; a two time All Star and 2013 Rookie of the Year, Fernandez was on his way to becoming a truly elite pitcher. He was adored by the fans as he climbed his way to stardom. The Cuban-born right hander died shockingly at the age of 24 in a boating accident on September 25, 2016. His death has left a cloud over the team that the players continue to fight every day.

After a lengthy investigation, Fernandez was found to be intoxicated as he was driving the boat before it crashed. However, fans and teammates alike choose to remember the image of a bright star of a person and a player.

Loria announced that the statue will be unveiled on September 25, 2017, the one-year anniversary of Fernandez's death.

[Gronk4M13]

Well, that should do it for the preliminary posts. I wanted to set up the storyline; Derek Jeter will spearhead the revival of the Miami Marlins. Next up, I'll post a season preview for the 2017 Marlins.


Before I do, I want to share my settings for anyone that's curious.

-In this league, the MLB, NPB, KBO, CBPL, Mexican League, CBL, and US and Japanese Independent leagues are active.

-I am the GM and I have the Cannot be Fired setting on. I am determined to bring the Marlins a championship but I'll do it my way.

-Complete Scouting System is on. 20-80 scale, stars ratings.

-All ratings set relative to MLB and based on all players not positions.

-Storylines on

-Injuries- high realistic modern day.

-Batter/pitcher aging speed: .750

-Talent Change Randomness: 150

-Very Hard Trading Difficultly, Heavily Favor Prospects. Evaluation: 40/30/20/10

-AI Trading: Very Low until July 25-August 1. Then, I'll change it to high to emulate the trade deadline craziness.

-Media contract based on market size, owner decides over budget.

-Yearly inflation: 1-3%

-Player development budget disabled

-For now, automatic evolution is off. I might turn it on after a few seasons.

-Player generation- few setting for every group

-Assistant GM controls minor league signings and demotions and controls the budget.

-Manager controls lineup/staff

-If I can, I'll edit the 2017 ASG to ensure it's in Marlins Park as it will be IRL. Right now, I don't know how to do that.

[Gronk4M13]

2017 Season Preview: Meet The Marlins

2016 : 79-82 record; 3rd place, NL East; 15 1/2 games back; team average .263; team ERA 4.07; attendance: 1,752,235

Offense

Default lineup:

LHB 2B Dee Gordon

(2 time All Star, one time Gold Glove winner, one time Silver Slugger)

Gordon is signed through 2021 with a team option after the 2020 season. After making 7,500,000 this season, Gordon's salary jumps to 10,500,000 then 13,000,000 and 13,500,000. In other words, we're probably stuck with him for the foreseeable future. On paper, that's not necessarily a bad thing. He's a very good contact hitter, he's a very good defender at 2B and he's extremely fast. He's a great threat on the bases. (He led the NL in stolen bases in 2015 with 58.) He's also a very good bunter. The Florida native expects to be at the top of the lineup.

When looking at the stats, he was limited to just 79 games last year after a lengthy PED suspension. His average dropped to .268 after hitting .333 in 2015 when he led the NL in batting average. His OBP dropped to .305 after posting a .359 OBP in 2015. His slugging percentage and OPS dropped, too (.418 and .776- in 2015; .335 and .641 in 2016.) His OPS+ dropped all the way from 121 in 2015 to 77 in 2016 and he went from posting a 4.3 WAR to just a .4 WAR. Using many of the popular stats, it's easy to deduct that Gordon had a down year. Whether or not that will continue remains to be seen. The Marlins need him to have a good season to have any chance of having success as a team.

LHB LF Christian Yelich

(one time GG winner, 2016 SS winner.)

Yelich is coming off a Silver Slugger winning season. The former first round draft pick looks to continue his ascension in 2017. He's a very good defender and he's also a good threat on the bases. He's a good contact hitter with the potential to improve. He has good gap power and a pretty good eye but he's not great at avoiding Ks. Yelich is just 25 and he's signed through 2022. He's making 3.5 million this year, and that figure steadily rises. After the 2021 season, he has a team option on a $15 million dollar salary.

Looking at the stats, Yelich played in a career high 155 games last year. He had a career highs with 172 hits, 21 HRs, 98 RBI, .376 OBP, .483 slugging percentage, .859 OPS, 136 OPS+, and 4.9 WAR. He had a career year and there's no reason to believe he'll notably regress this year.

RHB CF Marcell Ozuna

(2016 All Star)

Ozuna is coming off is first All Star season. He has very good power with a little room to get better. He has a below average eye and he's not a great contact hitter. He plays very good defense at RF. He's slower than you'd like for an outfielder. He has a good arm, though. He's just 26 years old and he's still in arbitration. This year he's making $3.5 million.

Last year, Ozuna tied a career high with 23 home runs. He walked a career high 43 times and improved his 2015 average (.259) to .266. He posted a career high OBP (.321), raised his slugging to .452 after a 2015 decrease, a career high OPS (773.) He was a 2.5 WAR player which was a bump up from a 1.4 WAR 2015. Expectations are relatively high but Ozuna shouldn't be expected to carry the offense in any way.

RHB RF Giancarlo Stanton

(3 time All Star, one time SS winner, 2016 HR Derby winner, 2014 Hank Aaron award winner and HR leader .)

Ah, the star, Gian"Star-lo" Stanton. See what I did there?

Moving on...

He is an incredible power hitter and he could get even better. He's below average at avoiding strikes. But he does have a very good eye for the ball. He's not a great contact hitter. He's a good defender and he has a great arm. He, like Ozuna, is slow for an outfielder but he can be a threat on the bases.

His contract is nuts. He's making $14,500,000 this year and that jumps all the way to $25,000,000 next season then $26,000,000. He can opt out after the 2020 season. If he opts in, his salary jumps to $29 million then $32 million for a few seasons. It drops back to $29 million in his final year (2028.) If he opts in after 2020, he is signed through 2028. I really hope he earns that paycheck. Yikes.

Let's look at the stats. Stanton has struggled to stay healthy in his career. After playing in only 74 games in 2015, he played in 119 in 2016. The Marlins have to hope that number continues to increase this season. He hit 27 home runs, which tied his 2015 total. Miami hopes he returns to his 2015 37 homer form. He upped his RBI total to 74. Stanton only hit .240, which was the third lowest average in his ML career. His OPS dropped to .326, and his slugging dropped to .489 after a .606 2015. His OPS dropped to 815 and his OPS+ dropped to 122. His WAR dropped from 2.8 to 2.4. Once again, Miami hopes he can return to his 6.9 WAR 2015 season.

Stanton had a down year despite playing in many more games than his 2015 campaign. Miami needs him to bounce back but, similarly to Gordon, it's hard to tell whether 2016 was one down year or the sign of a beginning trend.

LHB 1B Justin Bour

Bour isn't a great contact hitter and he doesn't have a lot of gap power.But he's a good HR hitter and he has a good eye and good discipline. He's a good defender at 1B but he doesn't have a lot of range. He's in arbitration and he's making just $552,500.

In 2016, Bour only played in 90 games. His HR total dropped to 15 after hitting 23 in 129 games the year before. He walked a career high 38 times. He hit .264 and his OBP increased to .349. His slugging percentage dropped four percentage points to .475. His OBPS increased to 824, a career high, and his 125 OPS+ was also a career best. Bour should be a solid contributor this season.

LHB 3B Derek Dietrich

Dietrich isn't a great contact hitter but he has solid gap power. None of his other offensive skills stand out for better or worse. He's relatively slow. He's not a great defender but he has a good arm. He's in arbitration, making $1.7 million this year.

In 2016, "DD" played in a career high 128 games with a career best 98 hits, 42 RBI, 32 BB,.279 average, .374 OBP, and 2.4 WAR. His OPS, slugging percentage and OPS+ dropped from 2015, which could be a cause for concern. However, Dietrich had a solid year and should be a good producer for this offense.

RHB J.T. Realmuto

He's 25 and he's only making $562,500 this year. But he's already a leader in the locker room. He is popular in the clubhouse and he's very intelligent. He's a good contact hitter that's good at avoiding strikes. He's also a good defensive catcher. He's not a great power hitter, though.

In 2016, he played in a career high 137 games, posting a career best 154 hits, 11 HRs, 48 RBI, 28 BB, 12 SB, .303 AVG, .343 OBP, .428 SLG, .771 OPS, 112 OPS+ and 2.6 WAR. He had a career year and could continue to improve this season.

RHB SS Adeiny Hecchavarria

He has practically no power and he's not a great contact hitter. He doesn't have a great eye but he's very good at avoiding strikeouts. He's a very good defender at SS and he can be a threat to steal.

In 2016, he played in a career high 155 games but his hit total dropped from 132 to 120, which continued a drop from 2014 (148 hits.) He walked a career high 33 times. His average dropped to .236, the second worst of his Marlins tenure. His OBP dropped to .283, his slugging dropped to .311, his OPS dropped to .594, and his OPS+ dropped all the way to 64 after a 96 OPS+ on 2015. His WAR drooped from 1.8 in 2015 to -1.2 in 2016. He's making $4,350,000 in arbitration this year. It's worth wondering, if he doesn't improve, if his lack of offense is worth the price tag.

Bench:

C A.J. Ellis
Veteran catcher A.J. Ellis is considered a team captain/leader. He's loyal and intelligent, so he's a great "glue guy." He's not a good hitter but he does have a good eye. He's a good defender at the catcher position. Manager Don Mattingly brought Ellis to Miami after they spent several years together on the Dodgers, when Mattingly managed there. Ellis split 2016 between the Dodgers and the Phillies. He played in 64 games, recording only 37 hits (his lowest since 2011.) His average dropped to .216 though he hit .312 with the Phillies (11 games.) His stats dropped in every category and he was a -0.8 WAR player.

1B Tyler Moore
He's loyal, he works hard and he's smart. He's a good clubhouse guy because he gets along with everyone. He's a good defender at 1B and he can play OF but his defense rates as poor out there. He's a mediocre hitter but he does have some power. He spent 2016 in the minor leagues with the Braves but he's spent ML time with the nationals (277 games over four years.)

3B Miguel Rojas
He's a very mediocre hitter but he does a great job avoiding Ks. He can play every infielder spot but isn't particularly strong at any one. He has pretty good range and doesn't make many errors. He played in 123 games with Miami last year with a career best 48 hits. Don't rely on him in clutch situations though.

OF Matt den Dekker
The Florida native has some power and a decent eye but he's not a good contact hitter. He's a good defender and he can play any of the OF spots. He has great range and doesn't make many errors. He's fast, good at stealing and he's a very good bunter. As a member of the Marlins, he will play for his third NL East team; he's played two years a piece for the Mets and Nationals. Last year with Washington, he posted a career worst .176 average a career worst OPS+ and only played in 19 games.

OF Ichiro Suzuki

Last but certainly not least, Ichiro Suzuki. He has the most hits (between the NPB and the MLB) at the notable ML levels. In the MLB, he's a 10 time All Star, 10 time GG winner, 3 time SS winner, 2 time batting champion, AL MVP and Rookie of the Year. His 262 hits are a single season record. His ten consecutive 200+ hit seasons are a record, too.

Last year, he reached 3,000 MLB hits with the Marlins. He's legendary for his work ethic. He's 43 years old and he's very popular. He's a very good defender, he's still pretty fast and great threat on the bases. He's a fan favorite. He's very hard to strike out. Last year, he played in 143 games and posted a .291 average. In every major stat, he enjoyed a notable increase from 2015. He's aging but he keeps producing. I for one hopes he gets a good amount of playing time.

Next up: the pitching staff!

[Gronk4M13]

2017 Pitching Staff

This rotation is…not good right now. All five of the default members of the rotation are only 2 Stars. “Ace” Adam Conley has room to grow, but all four other starts appear to be done growing.

LHP Adam Conley

He has good stuff but his movement and control aren’t great. His changeup his his best pitch and his slider could keep developing to take that distinction. He’s a very hard worker, and simply put, he’s a good guy. He works hard, he’s smart and his teammates respect him. He’s only making $537, 500 this year. 2016 was Conley’s second in the pros, so he doesn’t have a ton of data to comb through. Last year, he started a career high 25 games and he went 8-6 with a 3.85 ERA. He threw 133.1 innings , giving up 13 HRs, striking out 124, posting an identical HR/9 as his debut season (0.9.) His BB/9 jumped to 4.2 but his K/9 also jumped to 8.4. His BABIP jumped to .306 and his ERA+ went from 104 to 109. He was a 1.8 WAR player. He’s only 26 so he has time to get better but scouts don’t think he has a lot of potential beyond what he’s shown thus far.

LHP Wei-Yin Chen

We said Conley is the “ace,” but it’s hard to say who really deserves that title. If it’s based on paycheck, Chen might be called the ace. Before the 2016 season, he was signed to a six year, $83 million deal. He can opt out after this season, when he makes a reasonable nine million dollars. If he opts in, he’ll make ten million next year. After that, his salary jumps to $20 million then $22 million before another player option after 2020. If he opts in then, his salary drops to $16 million. Chen has all the leverage; the team doesn’t have much control over whether or not they keep him. His contract will become increasingly difficult to trade.

The Taiwanese pitcher doesn’t have good stuff or movement. He does have good control. None of his pitches stand above the rest. His fastball, curve, slider, and changeup are graded equally. He gets along with everyone and he’s intelligent. He works hard but he’s considered greedy.

In his first year with the Marlins, he started a career low 22 games, and he went 5-5 with a 4.96 ERA (a career worst.) His 123.1 innings were a career low, too. His 100 Ks were a career low as well. His HR/9 increased to 1.6 , his BB/9 dropped to 1.8 and his K/9 increased to 7.3. His .304 BABIP was a career high and his 84 ERA+ was a career low. His 1.0 WAR was a career low. Chen had a down year and if he gets off to a slow start, fans will hope he opts out so the team is off the hook for his contract.


RHP Edinson Volquez

The Marlins signed Volquez to a two year contract this past offseason. He makes $9,000,000 this year before getting a foot million dollar raise next year. He has good movement but his stuff isn’t great. His control leaves a lot to be desired. His sinker is his best pitch. Last year with the Royals, his ERA jumped to 5.37 as he went 10-11 in 34 starts. He pitched 189.1 innings. He allowed a career high 23 HRs. His WHIP jumped to 1.55. is HR/9 jumped to 1.1, his BB/9 increased to 3.6, his K/9 fell to 6.6 and his BABIP jumped to .322. His ERA+ dropped to 78 and his WAR dropped to 1.5 Volquez will have to prove that he can earn this paycheck to earn the support of the fans.

RHP Dan Straily

Straily is only making $552,100, so at least money isn’t a concern here. His changeup is his best pitch but his curveball gets crushed. His movement is inconsistent and he’s not known for his stuff. Last year with the Reds, he started a career high 31 games, winning a career high 14 as he went 14-8. He had a decent 3.76 ERA, a career low. He pitched 191.1 innings. Despite some career best numbers, he gave up a whopping 31 homers. He struck out 162 batters and walked 73, both career highs. His 1.19 WHIP was a career low. His 1.5 HR/9 was the second highest of his career, his 3.4 BB/9 tied a career best, and he posted a 7.6 K/9. His BABIP was .242, so that could signal some regression this year. His ERA+ was 112, a career best. If he can cut down on the homers, Straily could put up some very respectable numbers again.

RHP Tom Koehler

Koehler is still in arbitration but he’s already making $5,750,000. He’s a very hard worker but that might not be enough to make him a truly successful pitcher.He has below average stuff and control, and merely average movement. His slider has a little potential to get better, his fast ball and knuckle curve are slightly above average but his change up leaves a lot to be desired.

Koehler has been a full-time Marlins starter for four seasons. He’s gone 35-48 with a 4.16 ERA. Last year, he posted 9 wins, his lowest total in those four seasons. His thirteen losses were a career high. His ERA jumped to 4.33. He started 33 games but only pitched 176.1 innings. He gave up 22 HR, which tied a career high (22 in 2015.) He walked a career high 83 batters. His 1.47 WHIP was a career worst. His HR/9 stayed at 1.1, his BB/9 jumped to 4.2, but his K/9 jumped to 7.5. A .301 BABIP gives some reason to hope that he’ll see better numbers in 2017. If he doesn’t, he might not be coming back to Miami next year.

Bullpen

LHP Hunter Cervenka
He has good stuff and good movement but below average control. He has a plus fastball and slider. He’s making the minimum so money isn’t a concern. He split last year, his only season in the pros, with the Marlins and the Braves. He put up a 3.53 ERA in 43.1 innings. His ERA+ was 119, with a .153 BABIP. He posted a 8.7 K/9, a .6 HR/9 and a 5.8 BB/9. He’s a decent option out of the pen.

RHP Junichi Tazawa

The Marlins signed Tazawa to a two year deal this past offseason. He’s making $5 million this year and $7 million next season. He has good stuff and control but he has below average movement. His pitches are all above average and his slider is his best option. He has spent 7 seasons in the MLB, all with the Red Sox. Last year, he only appeared in 53 games, putting up a 4.17 ERA, his worst since 2011. His 9 HR tied a career high. His HR/9 jumped to 1.6, his BB/9 increased but his K/9 also jumped to 9.8. He posted a .292 BABIP and 102 ERA+. He has a good track record but he’s coming off a down year.

RHP Dustin McGowan

(spot starter)

McGowan is 34 and a free agent after this year. He has plus movement but below average control. His slider is above average. He has been in the MLB for 9 seasons. Last year with the Marlins, he posted a 2.82 ERA, his best since 2013. He pitched 67 innings in 55 games. His WHIP fell to 1.22. His HR/9 dropped to 1.9 and his BB/9 dropped to 4.4. His K/9 jumped to 8.5 A .241 BABIP could signal impending regression.


RHP David Phelps

(spot starter)

He’s making $4.6 million, so he’ll have to earn his paycheck to stick around. He has good stuff and movement but below average control. His cutter is above average and it’s his best pitch. 2017 marks his third year with the Marlins. Last year, he posted a career best 2.28 ERA in a career high 64 games. He gave up a career low 6 HR while striking out a career high 114. His 1.14 WHIP was also a career low, as was his 0.6 HR/9. His K/9 was 11.8, a career high. His 183 ERA+ and 2.2 WAR marked career highs. He is a good option in the pen and could take a starting spot.

RHP Brad Ziegler

The Marlins signed the 37 year old to a $16 million contract this past offseason. He’s making $7 million this year and $9 million next season. He’s been in the MLB for nine seasons. He split last year between Arizona and Boston, posting a 2.25 ERA (1.52 in 33 games with Boston.) He pitched 68 innings and struck out a career high 58 batters. His 0.3 HR/9 marked a slight increase, but his K/9 jumped to 7.7. A .401 BABIP signals likely regression. But, hthe Marlins liked what they saw in his Boston tenure and hopes carries over.

RHP Kyle Barraclough

Barraclough is the biggest star waiting to shine in this bullpen. He’s a 4 star RP and he’s just 26 years old. He has plus plus movement and stuff but below average control. His slider, changeup and fastball (his only pitches) are all plus plus. He has only spent two years in the pros, both with Miami. Let year, his ERA jumped to 2.85 (2.59 ERA in 2015.) But he tripled his games (25 in 2015, 75 in 2016.) He went from 24 innings to 72.2. He struck out 113 batters. His whip dropped a point to 1.22. His HR/9 dropped to 0.1, his BB/9 dropped, his K/9 jumped to an incredible 14.0. He had a .306 BABIP and 147 ERA+. I’m excited to see how his career goes.


RHP A.J. Ramos

(2016 All Star)

Ramos will be our closer to start the year. Barraclough could overtake him, though. Ramos is still in arbitration, making $6.5 million. He has great stuff, good movement but below average control. His slider is nasty good. He’s coming off his first All Star season; 67 games, 64 innings, career high 40 saves, 2.81 ERA, only one HR allowed, 0.1 HR/9, 10.3 K/9, .313 BABIP, and 1.2 WAR.

Pre-2017 Notable Players on DL

SP Jeff Locke
(2013 All Star)

Locke is still in arbitration, and he’s making just over $3 million. He’s out five weeks with biceps tendinitis. He has below average stuff but he has decent movement. He’s considered a greedy player. His ERA has increased for three straight seasons, and it jumped to 5.44 last year. He seems to be a player on the decline but, once he’s healthy, he will probably get a chance to prove that he still has “it.”

3B Martin Prado

(2010 All Star)

Prado should be healthy by the start of the season, as he is only out for two weeks with a hamstring strain. He’s an above average contact hitter and he’s great at avoiding Ks. He’s not a power threat, though. 3B is his best position but he can also play 2B and SS. He expects to be a starter but he faces stiff competition at 3B (Dietrich) and SS (Hecchavaria.)

This past offseason, the Marlins signed Prado to a 3 year, $40 million extension. All three years are guaranteed. He’s making $11.5 million this season. He’s 32 years old, so he will likely start declining soon.

He is coming off a good 2016, though. 153 GP, 147 starts; 183 hits, most since 2012; 75 RBI, most since 2013; 49 walks, most since 2012; .305 average, highest since 2014, and the third straight year with an increase. The same is true of his OBP. He was a three win player last season. He’s a solid player and we hope he sees plenty of action.

[Gronk4M13]

2017 Goals

Here’s what Loria wants us to do before he leaves.

-Play close to .500 ball

This is a fair goal. We have a decently talented team. However, I don’t think we currently have the pieces to win more than 84 games. We shouldn’t lose many more than 75 games. In other words, we should be right around .500. We don’t have the farm pieces to add contributors through a trade, so any acquisitions will likely be internal, off the waiver wire or FA. If we’re sellers, we do have some pieces that should be desirable and that could net us some decent prospects.

-Upgrade at SS this season

I’ll have to disagree with this (for now.) Given how much he’s making and his defensive skills, we’re going to give Hecchavaria every chance to prove himself.

-Sign Ichiro Suzuki to an extension

I definitely want to keep Ichiro around. I want him to retire a Marlin.

-Acquire an MVP Award Winner

This one’s very unlikely. Conceivably, we might be able to bring in Josh Hamilton to satisfy the request, but I’ll only do that if we can sign him to a minor league deal. Ditto Justin Morneau. I might give Ryan Howard a similar call. Or we could take a flier on Jimmy Rollins. Otherwise, we won’t be meeting this goal this season.

-Keep building your team up to reach the playoffs in the next 5 seasons

This is reasonable. It’ll be very tough to make the playoffs right now. The Mets and Nats are very good teams. Looking at other WC contenders, the Cardinals/Pirates could bounce back. The 2nd place NL West team will probably lock up one WC spot. The Rockies or Diamondbacks could break through and take a WC spot, too. I think we could make the postseason sometime in the next five years, though.

My personal goals, other than the ones above:

Improve the rotation.

Yikes.

If we are out of the hunt by mid-July, start selling some pieces to decrease the payroll.