OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

[KSUowls]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

2019-2020 Off-Season Review

Spoiler

You don't normally think of a team that is fresh off a world series appearance going through major roster changes, but that's exactly what we saw out of Atlanta this winter. Fans probably shouldn't be surprised to see a major trade by the Braves GM at this point, but what was surprising was that there was more than 1 major acquisition.

Braves go big on pitching:

Johnny Cueto (SP) - The veteran starter was traded to Atlanta in what was clearly a salary dump by San Francisco. Cueto had been on the trade block for a while and the Giants appear to just have taken the best offer available getting veteran C Matt Wieters and C prospect Brett Cumberland in return. This seems like a major steal for Atlanta as Cueto provides stability in the rotation. Cueto's contract will big a big burden on the Atlanta payroll, but the Giants are picking up a portion as part of the deal.

Robbie Ray - The major get this offseason for Atlanta. The former Arizona ace was headed into the final year of his contract and did not seem likely to re-sign with the rebuilding Diamondbacks. Headed to Arizona are SP Mike Foltynewicz (28), RP Jose Ramirez (29), C Zack Soria (26), and RP Denny Kerremans (24). Kerremans was the key piece in the deal for Arizona. The 24 year old reliever is fresh off his first season in the US after signing as an international amateur the prior season and showed electric stuff.

Julio Teheran - In a bit of a surprise move, the Braves traded veteran Brave Julio Teheran to the Oakland A's for minor league SP Carter Stewart (20). Julio had been a mainstay in the Atlanta rotation since 2012, but after the acquisitions of Cueto and Ray there did not appear to be a clear spot for him in the rotation. Also included in the deal are SP Ian Anderson (21), SP Drake Fellows (20). For the Braves, Carter Stewart represents a potential future piece of the rotation and was rated as the #13 overall prospect in all of minor league baseball.

Free Agency
Brian McCann - The fan favorite was re-signed to a 2 year deal. There were few good options on the Free Agent Market and none of the in house options seemed ready so it made since to bring McCann back.

Kurt Suzuki - The 36 year old Suzuki is coming back for his 2nd tour in Atlanta. Suzuki hit .302 in 2019 in 90 games and was in high demand.
The right handed catcher signed a 1 year deal with Atlanta and should pair well with left handed hitting Brian McCann.


Hall of Fame
The class of 2019 had just 2 names. Derek Jeter makes it in on his first attempt, and Todd Helton makes it in his 2nd year on the ballot.

2020 Preseason
The 2020 Braves will look to repeat as National League champions this year with a lineup that looks very similar to the one that led the NL in batting average last year and a revamped rotation that looks much better on paper.

Position Battles:
Don't expect much drama from position battles in the starting 8. The Braves looked to be locked in with last year's starter in 7 of the 8 positions.

3B

Spoiler

The one position which is up for grabs is 3B. Atlanta did not upgrade the position at all in the off-season and will look to Austin Riley, Travis Demeritte, Rio Ruiz and Johan Carmago to compete for the job.

Carmago has been a serviceable fill in at 3B the last 2 years. That consistency could make him a front runner for the position, but the Braves do value him more as a super utility player with his ability to bounce around the infield. That combined with a lack of upside makes it likely that the organization would prefer one of the other guys take the spot from him.

Austin Riley would seem to be the first choice to take the starting job. He hit just .223 in his first full season in the pro's, but an oblique injury did keep him sidelined for much of the year. Riley shows good upside with above average power and defense at just 22 years of age.

Rio Ruiz showed a lot in AAA last year to put him in the mix for the 3B job this year. He hit .260 with 20 home runs and a .437 slugging percentage. The 25 year old Ruiz last saw time in majors in 2017 where he hit below .200 in 150 at-bats. He will have to show an improved maturity in hitting major league ptiching to make the big lead squad this year, especially since he is an average at best defender.

Travis Demeritte is the dark horse candidate for 3B this year. The 25 year old flashed a solid all around performance at the plate in AAA last year going .293/.403/.533 with 13 home runs. He's also seen as a solid defender with a strong arm which can only help his case for the starting job.

SP

Spoiler

A year ago at this time we felt like projecting the starting rotation for the Atlanta Braves was likely picking names out of a very large hat. This year it is a much smaller hat.

Expect new acquisitions Robbie Ray and Johnny Cueto to anchor the rotation at the top with former team ace Michael Fulmer falling comfortably to #3.

Battling for the final 2 spots in the rotation this year will be Kolby Allard, Kyle Wright, Mike Soroka, Luis Gohara and Touki Toussaint.

Allard and Wright should be the early favorites and it could be seen as their jobs to lose. The other names on this list are all still highly thought of though so don't be surprised if one or more of them make a run.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

A New Hope in Carolina? (mini update)

The expansion Carolina Knights have been taking it on the chin and 39 games into their inaugural season, they have a record of 13-26. The offense has been communicating in binary code lately.

Bobby Cox decided to pull the plug on veterans 1B Mitch Moreland (owed $6.5MM in salary this year and next) and 2B Chase Utley (owed $2MM in salary this year and next). This gets Carolina down to about $38MM in player payroll for next season so there will probably be some decent money available for free agents (projected budget is $102MM).

Moreland was dealt to the Nationals for AAAA OF Rafael Bautista, who figures to provide some emergency 4th OF depth and is only 25 years old. Clearly the motivation for this deal was shedding money and opening an everyday spot for A.J. Reed at 1B. Reed hit a 3-run homer off of Homer Bailey and also had an RBI ground out in his first game with the Knights.

Utley was dealt back to the Dodgers (LOL), from whom he was expansion drafted away just two months ago. In return, LA sent INF prospect Jake Peter who could end up playing a little of this or a bit of that. This deal also clears money and created a promotion opportunity for switch-hitting contact maven Breyvic Valera, who was batting .340/.421/.387 at AAA Providence. In his first game for Carolina, Valera hit a bases loaded triple and had a 3-hit game.

Needless to say the young kids provided a quick jolt in giving the Knights a 9-2 win over the Reds at GABP.

Other recent roster churn has included a few indy league signings for $250K a pop. Players purchased in this way include: RHP Derek Gordon, RHP Eric Peterson, LHP Shane McCain, LHP Andrew McKirahan, RHP Zach Putnam, 3B Conor Gillaspie, 1B David Washington, and SS Justin Bohn.

Derek Gordon has already paid dividends after being elevated to the MLB club to take awful Matt Andriese's rotation spot. In his big league debut, Gordon pitched 7.2 IP giving up just 3 hits (including a Billy Hamilton HR, lol) and 2 BBs in the team's 9-2 win over the Reds.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

When Billy Hamilton is hitting homers, you know the fates are in your favor.

Lots of activity for baseball's newest franchise. Hope it pans out going forward!

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Spoiler

Just finished my first month with the Rangers, and I must say I am surprised at how well this team is doing. The AL West is tearing itself up right now, and while I was in first for most of the month, I am now in third ahead of the hapless Athletics (who just had another piece of bad news with the retirement of Branden Phillips) and the slow starting Astros. Here are the standings so far:

Spoiler

Funny thing about Houston; so far I am 5-2 against them this year. I hope I can keep it up, but I'm not so sure now that Elvis Andrus has a strained oblique and Rougned Odor has a fractured thumb from an errant pitch from Justin Verlander (who may have been knocked out if that happened in real life).

I started the season with Willie Calhoun in Left Field, and he has been a very good player, being awarded the American League Rookie of the Month for April. IRL, I was wanting Calhoun to start in the big leagues right away, but apparently he has defensive issues. I'm sure once he hits the magic number in service time, he will be in Arlington. In my OOTP world however, he will enjoy the honor:

Spoiler

I don't know if you can see it in my messages, but I also signed a three year extension with RHP Jake Diekman for 3 years/$7m, with a vesting option for $2.4m if he hits 125 IP in the second year. I think this is a fair deal, and to be honest I really like Diekman in real life considering we both have gut issues. He will be 35 by the time this contract is up, but I think I can put a good team on the field by the end of it.

For no real reason, here is a look at the American League leaderboards. Joe Mauer was AL Player of the Month, and as you can see, the Twins are going to be a hard team to beat if this keeps up.

Spoiler

EDIT: Also, Jake Marisnick went on the DL. At first I thought "well, that only makes my job slightly easier. That was until I read the report:

Spoiler

Apparently, he is going to try and correct his vision by undergoing a procedure that has worked on "rats, several pigs, and most recently a Rhesus Monkey." I'm not one to tell my rivals what to do, but I would tell Jake to think twice before heading to Seoul to get this done...

People with "gut issues" have to stick together?

I see that the Mets are off to a fast start here.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Ohtani Moved to Marlins
Budgeting Issues Given as a Reason

No head fakes this time from an interested party. The Angels were serious about wanting to deal.

Announced terms of the trade are the Marlins sending Brinson, Estrada, and Glasnow in return for Ohtani.

"We know this will be hard for Angels fans to understand, but we needed to get things squared away after securing Trout long term. We needed to stay in position to keep a team around Trout so that he can be of the most value, " Angels GM Kevin Hooper spoke during a press conference.

More details surfaced about how and why Ohtani became trade bait. The most notable is that he was entering arbitration years with the Angels short on financial flexibility.

"They basically chose Trout over Ohtani, and perhaps a lot of players, and that's understandable since Trout has been the face of the franchise for years, " one analyst spoke.

Plus, Ohtani's last season raised a lot of flags. The bad batting average and offense production was one thing, but to post an average ERA on top of that and some start wondering if he was oversold to clubs or if he is indeed going to struggle against major league competition, at least as a two-way player.

Marlins head scout Stan Meek remains high on Ohtani but did lower projections for batting average and power significantly, and his pitching scout grades are a notch lower.

"I could see him around an .780-.800 OPS, which would still be great to get along with borderline All-Star level pitching...on the same player, " Stan Meek spoke.

Ohtani had lost his opportunity at the plate, according to some reports, had the Angels retained him.

On the Marlins side, fans were indeed interested in seeing Ohtani play.

"We like the early returns on how the fans feel. Some wanted Glasnow to stay but overall the sentiment has been positive, " a local sportswriter reported.

On the field, Ohtani will fill both the rotation spot and the outfield spot opened up by the trade. It also gives Alcantara a better chance of sitting in the roster. It also makes the 13-man pitching staff more likely as the Marlins may consider a 6-man rotation to allow another day between mound action for Ohtani.

Estrada's departure puts the Marlins in need of a second baseman. Luis Carpio will be the de facto starter there unless someone else emerges. That will likely not be an ideal situation, assuming his production, if it could be called that, last season is any indication.

And of course, if Ohtani does again struggle, that will put the same situation to the Marlins that the Angels faced.

"This is a risk, but I think we're positioned to where we can take it. We're already in discussions about a long-term deal to kinda see where we're at and we can go from there. But for now, we'll enjoy just having him here and seeing how he impacts the ball club, " K.L. spoke.

Early reports seem to be favorable extension terms will be possible, but no concrete details have been divulged from either party on the matter.

Marlins Flooded With Trade Offers
Suddenly, Everyone Wants to Talk

"Unplug the phones if you have to for a half-day. Can't even hear ourselves think, " K.L. spoke.

Suddenly, teams are calling, wanting to "ask if interested" about their players. The name they want? Well they want to basically do a 3-team deal involving newly acquired Ohtani.

"Not happening. Get that out around the league. He's not being flipped or just used as a bargaining chip. We're going to hold on to him, " K.L. spoke.

Some of the talent being offered is impressive. Most notable is SP Nick Gardenwine of the Rangers. Gardenwine features nasty stuff that came out of nowhere. In 2017, he had a K/9 rate of 3.4. Last season? Over 11. The year before? Over 10.

"It's really amazing what he's done. Whether his actual pitches progressed that rapidly or things just suddenly clicked for him, it's still an amazing rise and I think he can legitimately maintain it going forward.

Still, the Marlins are not budging. They have marked Ohtani as not available.

"If folks were so interested, why didn't they trade with the Angels themselves?" K.L. wondered out loud.

Marlins Sign Vizcaino
Vizcaino Slated to be Closer

The Marlins came to terms with Arodyz Vizcaino on a one-year deal worth around $7 million.

Vizcaino figures to be the closer on a team that struggled to find someone comfortable in the role. Vizcaino had 27 saves with a 2.63 ERA last season for the Braves and has 61 saves with a 3.34 ERA in his career.

Should it not work out, it's only a one-year term. If he does work out, perhaps an extension is discussed.

"This should work for both parties. He'll get the chance to win the role and we'll have someone who is comfortable there as we hope to take another step forward this year, " K.L. commented.

Peralta Stuns With Retirement News

The Diamondbacks got a nasty surprise when David Peralta decided to walk away from the game.

"My heart just isn't in the game any more. I would like to thank my coaches and teammates for supporting me as I tried to make this difficult decision. I wish them and the fans all the best, " Peralta spoke.

Peralta has always spent a lot of time in the religious community and in outreach programs. He has indicated in the past a desire to do more, and that may have been one of the factors weighing on his decision.

His departure leaves a sizable hole in the Diamondbacks' outfield. He had 59 home runs in the last three seasons, batting .290 and above in each of those seasons. His best season of the three was in 2018 where he had a 6.3 WAR and led the league in batting with a .338 average.

[N51_rob]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Welp we "went for broke" and it blew up in my face. At the All-Star break we are 35-40 in the midst of a 2-8 run in our last 10 games. So unlike years past my plan is to burn it down. Try too sell off as many expensive veterans as we can, that list includes Sale, Machado, Pederson and Cisco. The salaries of them are going to make it harder to move them I'd imagine but that is the plan at the moment get out from under these expensive contracts and clear the way for some of the few promising youngsters to get a shot in the majors.

Machado has been struggling at the plate for the longest time he was hitting below .250 I asked for a new lineup to try to jump start things and he was dropped from 2nd to 6th. We had no players voted to the all-star game for the first time in my tenure in Baltimore. Joc Pederson and Ryan Mountcastle have been the driving forces of the offense. Mountcastle has had a strong first half his numbers: .324/.369/.586 20 HR 60 RBI. Similarly Pederson has gotten hot of late and on the year has produced a slash of .274/.429/.492 but hasn't really been a run producer with only 31 RBIs in 78 games.

Pitching wise Chris Sale has been good if unspectacular. In 16 starts he has a 5-1 record and a 2.80 ERA in 90 innings pitched. Behind him the rotation has been nothing short of unimpressive Roniel Raudas is 4-7 with a 5.80 ERA a far cry from his 2020 and 2021 seasons. Dylan Bundy is on the 10 day DL with a dead arm, but he has struggled to a 5-5 record with 5.05 ERA and 3 losses in his last 5 starts.

In the bullpen Torres and Lai continue to be two of the best back end tandems in the league. Lai has 15 saves and Torres' K/9 is an astounding 14.7

So in the vein of moving players I am going to need a new OF, some SP help and of course a few new infielders. We are going young and cheap because I can sense a drastic reduction in operating funds coming especially if I trade away the biggest names in the club and fan interest declines significantly.

Lastly it appears the top prospect in the organization is about ready for his call-up. SS Bobby Witt Jr is the crown jewel of the organization. He was the 4th overall pick in the 2019 draft as a HSer. He is a line drive hitter with plus gap power and a potential gold glove player for the next 12-15 years at only 22 years old. The plan is if we can move Machado then come hell or high water for better or worse he is the opening day SS next year.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Oh nice, you got a line drive hitter. I've been hoping some of my guys would become line drive hitters - but I just get "normal". He looks like a dynamic player.

Good luck with your veteran sale (no pun intended). You have strong pieces so hopefully you'll fetch a nice return for each one.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

So in the vein of moving players I am going to need a new OF, some SP help and of course a few new infielders. We are going young and cheap because I can sense a drastic reduction in operating funds coming especially if I trade away the biggest names in the club and fan interest declines significantly.

Lastly it appears the top prospect in the organization is about ready for his call-up. SS Bobby Witt Jr is the crown jewel of the organization. He was the 4th overall pick in the 2019 draft as a HSer. He is a line drive hitter with plus gap power and a potential gold glove player for the next 12-15 years at only 22 years old. The plan is if we can move Machado then come hell or high water for better or worse he is the opening day SS next year.

Oh, so that's all?

Bobby Witt Jr. looks like a nice player. Those defensive ratings tho...he's basically the 2nd coming of Machado, but you get him for 6 years cheap.

[N51_rob]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

*Lots of Pictures incoming.*

So the great sell of happened rather quickly and I'd say was fairly successful. First fan interest dropped from 71 to 62 with the dealings and moves. Not much I can do about that. It looks like we might keep LF Joc Pederson. None of the deals I was working on were fair enough or prospect rich enough for me to really go for it. But lets get down to it.

C Chance Sisco
27 year old catcher Chance Sisco and his $10 million salary w/arbitration and his .265/.378/.379 4 HR 25 RBI is headed to Houston in exchange for 24 year old SP George Kirby a RHP with mid 90s stuff and three pitches that project to be plus or better and 24 y/o RP LHP Pete Merrill who has the stamina to be a starter, but a well below average change up limits his plus FB and plus plus spliter potential. We also threw in RF Erik Rivera a 21 y/o OF who has power but doesn't project to be much of a pro.

Spoiler

SP Chris Sale
Chris Sale is headed back to....Chicago as the White Sox have traded for the aging ace. We were able to get 24 y/o RF Griffin Conine a decent defender with good gap power and projects to be an everyday RF. In AAA he put up impressive numbers in 69 games .324/.391/.587 with 17 HR and 58 RBIs. Also coming with Conine is 24 y/o LHP [/b]SP Haylen Green[/b], while Green's 3 pitch repertoire projects to be good enough at the MLB level he needs a couple seasons of minor league seasoning before he is ready for an MLB audition. He also needs to improve his command but projects as a back end starter or LR arm in the bullpen.

Spoiler

SS Manny Machado
This was probably the most invovled trade as going with Machado to Cleveland was 28 y/o SP Tom Eshelman, who had fallen out of favor with me (24-20 4.88 ERA in 129 games w/ 40 starts) but still a talented player with Greg Maddux like control (80/80) and a throw away SP Spencer Jones for 22 y/o 2B Tyler Freeman who has the tools to be a very good defensive 2B teamed with Witt up the middle and enough skill with the bat to be an above average hitter with some extra base hit potential. Our scouts really like Freeman. 24 y/o SP Nick Storz a big hard throwing right with a plus fastball and an out pitch in his slider that should be hard for hitters from both sides to get a piece off rounded out with a developing change. Rounding out the deal was LHP Matthew Turner a 22 y/o hard throwing lefty with a good fastball, curve combination and a developing change.

Spoiler

So we manged to move three of the four players on the list, we cut about $52 million off our payroll this year. Some of the guys still have to develop but the plan is for a few of them to see some time in September (probably in the last two weeks) and see what they look like next spring. Many of the players we got back will be 24-25 years old next year and the plan is to let the youngsters come together at the big league level and see what kinda trouble they can make.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Spring Training 2020
All Eyes on Ohtani, Position Battles

As expected, many are eagerly awaiting the performance of Ohtani as Spring Training begins. The Marlins will use him fully as a two-way player right out of the gate to let him get into his routine. The team will also see how a 6-man rotation might work out for all the pitchers, see if they can get comfortable with the extra day.

As always, there's also some new faces hoping to make a good impression. While this year's crop of new invites and non-roster invites isn't the most impressive, there's some select opportunities for players to make a name fort themselves.

SS Richard Urena - He will be trying to stick on a roster this time. He was exposed to the Rule 5 draft and selected by Houston, who then returned him to Toronto. He was allowed to leave via minor league free agency. He got picked up by the Marlins and he'll hope to impress his new club enough for at least a utility role, which he will be trying aggressively to earn this spring.

2B Jose Devers - Jose presents a dilemma to talent evaluators. He would appear unready by the way his approach looks by the eye test and his pitch selection at the plate. However, he scorched AAA pitching for a .349 batting average in 100 PA. He probably won't make the club, but he can help cement the fact that he's not as far away as was previously thought.

3B James Nelson - James may have taken too long to get ready as third base is now in control of Isan Diaz, who hit 34 HR and was a key cog in the offense. Fortunately, James might have a new opportunity at second base, thanks to the surprise Ohtani deal. The Marlins have been cautious about bringing him through the organization (for whatever reason), so a strong spring might propel him to the high minors.

3B Brody Wofford - Unfortunately for James, his 3B rival will join him as a non-roster invite and will attempt to leapfrog his fellow resident of the hot corner. The same opportunity at second base exists for Brody, and he's fully aware of that.

1B K.J. Woods - The Marlins are in no rush to push Bour out the door, but the team also knows Bour can't do it forever. K.J. was purchased from an independent league last July and got 134 PA at high-A Jupiter, posting an .820 OPS. Woods' power grades came down after Marlins scouts got a closer look at him, but still could play above average. Woods is expected to get a lot of playing time as Bour just needs a little to knock the rust off, being an established veteran with no real competition for his job.

SP Tyler Kolek - Tyler is on the roster, but this will be his first Spring Training with the major league club. Tyler's progress has been disappointing, perhaps even non-existent as he's 24 and still struggling in the low minors...his stats getting worse as he (slowly) climbs, not a good sign. This could be his last decent chance to show he's still a prospect worth investing in.

2B Jose Pastrano - The final contender for the second base job. This young 19-year-old will try to show he's got the chops to play at the major league level. Jose's main offering is defense as he has quick feet, a quick release, and has courage around the bag for the double play.

Jorge Guzman Injures Back

A scary scene unfolded when Guzman suddenly fell off the mound after a pitch and laid motionless. The only movement was a face twisted in pain and slight movement in his legs. Fortunately, he started showing more movement as time went on, but he was clearly in immense pain.

After being carted off the field and examined, the diagnosis came back as a herniated disc in his back. He could be back before Opening Day, but he will be observed closely for signs of further damage as he rehabs.

White Sox Lose Reliever

RP Jose Ruiz will be out for the entire season, and then some, as he tore his rotator cuff in spring action. He's one of the team's better bullpen prospects, so they will hope he will be able to return in good shape.

A.J Reed, Aaron Sanchez Swapped

The Astros dealt A.J. Reed to the Blue Jays in return for Aaron Sanchez. Reed was unable to break through to the majors despite grading as above average in power and plate discipline. He'll likely get that chance in Toronto. On the other side, Aaron Sanchez has been a dependable starter, but his upcoming free agency status may have prompted the move.

Soroka Out for a Year

The Braves lost a promising young pitcher to injury as Mike Soroka partly tore his UCL while throwing a pitch. Soroka had a solid 2018 campaign before falling back significantly last season. He was having a nice spring, allowing just 4 hits in his two starts to this point.

Opening Day Rosters Set
Marlins Expected to be Wild Card Contenders

The Marlins have been projected to win 83 games. While that would be just an improvement of two wins, the important part of that projection is that the NL Wild Card will be won with those 83 games. Both the Marlins and the Diamondbacks are the projected Wild Card teams, both one game over the Pirates.

The roster is set and here's how it will break camp for Opening Day:

Starting Lineup
1. SS Royce Lewis
2. CF Monte Harrison
3. 1B Justin Bour
4. LF Jose Siri
5. 3B Isan Diaz
6. RF Shohei Ohtani
7. C J.T. Realmuto
8. 2B Richard Urena

Starting Rotation
1. Se-woong Park
2. Chishou Saotome
3. Shohei Ohtani
4. Jorge Guzman
5. Zach Eflin
6. Sandy Alcantara

Jared Dixon Still #1

Things are still going well for Jared Dixon, according to BNN. Last year's 1st overall pick was named the top prospect in baseball.

However, the best "right now" talent goes to the #2 man on the list, Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. In fact, it's hard to understand what more the Blue Jays need to see before giving him his hacks at the majors.

"He screams everyday contributor to me. Maybe they didn't like his spring performance quite enough or they want to see a little more in AAA. I don't know, but it's hard to imagine AAA has anything left to teach him, " one analyst commented.

[N51_rob]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

So the season ended with a thud not surprisingly. We finished 70-92 which wasn't as bad as I thought we would be. The biggest surprise was that Angelos didn't really mess with my budget he left it at $156 million. That left about $32 million in free money after the roster dump. While there wasn't a lot to be excited about in free agency, we did still manage to make a splash.

Arbitration
Our biggest hit in Arbitration came when 3B Ryan Mountcastle fresh off winning the Silver Slugger award and finishing 2nd in the AL MVP race was awarded $10 million an increase in his $545,000 salary. In addition Closer Yin-Tou Lai was awarded $11 million as well.

Departing Free Agents
With a goal to improve at 1B over Trey Mancini (who I liked) and his career slash .255/.303/.462 180 HRs 566 RBIs in 905 games. I decided to let him walk to test free agency along with 3x Gold Glove winning CF Billy Hamilton after watching his OBP dip below .300 we felt it was time to move on.

Free Agent Signings
With a hole at Catcher and still wanting to improve the offensive production at 2B we were aggressive in addressing both of those positions. We singed former Yankee backstop Gary Sanchez to an 8 year $172.5 million contract. He also brings leadership to the clubhouse. After Sanchez agreed to terms we went after the 2B position...and got our #1 target. Former Nationals 2B Trey Turner is moving up 495 to Camden Yards after agreeing to a 10 year $120 million dollar deal is actually very team friendly.

Rule 5 Draft
As is becoming our custom we looked to see if we could find bench depth better than what was at AAA in the rule 5 draft this year, we snagged a back-up catcher and potential everyday CF. C Bryce Jordan is a dynamic player who can play 4 positions and DH if needed. Following him was CF Jonathan Capellan who given the chance could be every bit the defender that Hamilton was and has the potential to be more productive at the plate. Both will be given a long look in spring training.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Marlins in Wild Card Dogfight
Marlins, D-Backs, Pirates in Duel as First Half Ends

The first half is playing out a lot like projections expected in the NL Wild Card hunt. The Marlins and Diamondbacks are currently tied for the second berth with the Pirates one game behind them. The surprise is the Nationals in the Wild Card hunt. They were expected to be the division leaders, but the Braves have taken surprise control of the division.

Unfortunately for the Marlins, the offense remains inconsistent. Part of that can be laid at the feet of Ohtani, who has again struggled at the plate. The Marlins are remaining patient, however.

"Chili's [Chili Davis] is working on him. Seems like Ohtani's trying to evolve into a gap hitter since trying to hit home runs has not worked out for whatever reason. Maybe what folks were saying about the quality of pitching is getting to him, but he's trying to make adjustments, " K.L. spoke.

Of course, what the Marlins get offensively from Ohtani could be considered pure bonus because on the mound, there's been no question of his contribution. He's 7-3 with a 2.33 ERA in 88 2/3 innings of work. He's struck out eight batters per nine innings and that insanely low HR allowed rate returns, again at 0.5 HR/9.

He'll have to adjust to another change - the end of the six-man rotation. Ohtani will pitch every 5th day as per the usual major league rotation.

"We didn't have six strong arms. Alcantara is still up-and-down, this year Eflin has been more hittable than last year, so we just couldn't do it. If they improve or we find another rotation arm, then maybe we can start it again, " K.L. spoke.

Ohtani is also not the only problem for the offense. Isan Diaz has dropped off significantly from his strong year in 2019. He was expected to be part of the little power the Marlins do have, but it's not worked out in the first half. Justin Bour is continuing to struggle, so much so that the Marlins pulled the trigger on a trade for his replacement, and J.T. Realmuto is also going in the wrong direction.

"If the Marlins can find offense, they will be a scary bunch. The rotation has three front-line starters and the bullpen is much more stable and improved. The bats wake up, and this team could be one to be reckoned with, " analyst Harold Reynolds commented.

Prospects on the Move

SP Jared Dixon is on a mission to destroy every level of the minors he's on. He's moved up to AA-Jacksonville and all he's done there in his first five starts is post a 1.61 ERA with a 0.67 WHIP and 11 strikeouts per nine innings.

"I mean, I think I have the stuff for the majors. They don't see it or just want to move me slowly I guess, so all I can do is make minor league hitters cry and hopefully their tears will fuel me up the ladder, " Dixon commented.

1B Jack Shannon, the team's 14th round selection in 2018, suddenly saw his grades bumped up and he was promoted from High-A to AAA. However, he's since struggled in AAA and will be moved back to AA-Greensboro for the time being.

3B James Nelson is making the move up to AA and has begun playing everyday at second base to learn the position.

"Trying to give myself every advantage. They won't wait for me, so if the quickest path is second base right now, I'm going to try it, " Nelson spoke.

Is SP Bryan Hoeing finally putting it together? Maybe so, according to team scouts. They have deemed him as AA-ready and will finally make a forward step in the system. Of course, he also had to have a set back of some kind...this time developing a severe blister that has landed him on the DL.

CF Max Marusak might be on the move soon as his contact style is finally starting to translate into more base hits. He's got his average just over the .300 mark at Greensboro. He's also gained some experience on the infield and corner outfield as the organization explores his utility potential.

Injury Happenings

SS Cal Conley has torn a muscle in his back and will be out for several more months.

P Jorge Alvarez had his back injury flare up again, putting him on the DL for a few weeks. He's since returned, but it's starting to get the team medical staff worried.

"We might have to limit him to be a reliever if only to lower the strain on his back, " team officials commented.

P Arodys Vizcaino has not worked out and part of that has been a two-month long injury to his abdominal muscles that has only recently allowed him to return to action.

Marlins Trade In-Demand P Dillon Peters to Astros
and Get 1B Yordan Alvarez

With Bour continuing to decline, the Marlins decided to try bolstering the first base ranks.

"Everyone was calling about Dillon Peters. Since he wasn't high on our plans and we have some starting pitching depth, we decided to explore his trade market, " K.L. spoke.

Peters was seeing little time at the majors, and what time he did get wasn't very impressive. However, the Astros were very much interested in him, offering up 23-year-old first baseman Yordan Alvarez.

Both sides seem happy with the move. The Astros wanted to improve their rotation as the bottom of their rotation has been disappointing for a team with deep playoff aspirations. Meanwhile, the Marlins will hope Alvarez can help the offense get going and provide some output at 1B.

Buyers for a Change?

The Marlins being this close to playoff contention might have them making some more moves to add talent to the roster. The team doesn't have many glaring weaknesses, but outside of the top of the rotation, they don't necessarily excel anywhere. Royce Lewis might be the closest to "excellent" and the most consistent by far.

"I could see them maybe trying to grab one big bat at LF, move Siri to RF and either moving Ohtani to 1B or just stopping the two-way attempt. If they don't want to do that, then perhaps playing blood and upgrading catcher or SS and move Lewis to 2B. It would be a big risk but they might need to go for it to get into the playoffs, " MLBN analyst Mark Derosa commented.

So far, K.L. has really avoided making that risky big-splash trade, at least until Ohtani, but that also was a unique situation. The rest of his trades have been with the long term in mind and developing the young players on the farm.

Will that change as the trading deadline approaches?

"I think if someone comes with a sure-fire upgrade bat, he'll pull the trigger. I know he's been patient and sticking to raising the youth in the organization, but the right bat comes along and I think he'll make a move, " MLBN analyst Dan Pleasac spoke.

Draft Results
Marlins Top 5 Draft Picks

1st round: RP Andy Moss - Moss is a very well-developed reliever that might be in the majors soon as next year, making him a pretty safe pick. He features a hard two-seam fastball that comes in around 98 MPH, which he uses to set up his preferred pitch out pitch, a sharp-breaking splitter. Both pitches have great vertical depth and that helps him induce a ton of ground balls. Lifting the ball against Moss will be difficult indeed.

2nd round: SP/OF Alex Greene - Alex lists as a two-way player but the team is mostly using him in that regard to see which way he develops. Most scouts lean towards his hitting being what develops fastest and most project him to be a corner outfielder as he moves up the system. For now, though, the Marlins are going to let things play out before steering him down a path.

3rd round: OF Chris Halbur - This kid knows how to control the bat. That much is very clear. He should be a tough out, a tough at-bat, and very difficult to whiff. This is already showing up in the rookie leagues as he's struck out just 9 times in 93 PA, about a 10% strikeout rate. I think this will translate into a steady, consistent batting average on him and he should provide gap shots as well. Walks aren't his thing, though, and that will limit his OBP and top-of-the-order potential.

4th round: 2B Sergio Becarra - I think this pick is this biggest gamble we took in the early rounds. I know our GM loves line drive rates and line drive hitters, but I don't know if it will work out for Sergio. It's not that he's a poor hitter, I just don't think he'll impress enough to ever land a starting job, and that's what you expect in the early rounds, I think. I'm not sure about his defense either, he'll have a lot to prove.

5th round: RP Bob Pullom - Bob is pretty much like Andy Wood but not as refined. Stuff-wise, he profiles the same. I can basically cut-and-paste it. Power two-seamer around 98 MPH, hard splitter, both pitches fall off the table in the last 10 feet, both are ground ball machines. Bob needs more work on his mechanics and to develop a repeatable delivery and consistent arm slot. He does that and I see no reason why he won't land in a big league relief role.

Marlins Sign Japanese Amateur Koichi Ono

The Marlins grabbed just one international free agent this year, but they like who they came home with.

"He's just a ball of energy. He should keep a clubhouse excited and loose and just be a good guy as well as a good player, " a team scout commented.

His name is Koichi Ono and as a hitter, he's a slashing, aggressive hitter that likes to drive the ball into gaps and down the lines and run. He doesn't have the speed to beat out many infield hits, but he can turn some doubles into triples depending on where the ball is and how the fielders play it.

Of course, being just 16 years old leaves a lot of room for things to change in either direction. The Marlins will have to hope that their newest teen hitter can eventually develop into a professional hitter.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

So the season ended with a thud not surprisingly. We finished 70-92 which wasn't as bad as I thought we would be. The biggest surprise was that Angelos didn't really mess with my budget he left it at $156 million. That left about $32 million in free money after the roster dump. While there wasn't a lot to be excited about in free agency, we did still manage to make a splash.

Not bad. Turning $32MM into Gary Sanchez and Trea Turner. Should be an interesting team next season with Bobby Witt Jr.'s first full season and some high impact vets around him.

Hopefully not using that cash on pitchers doesn't come back to bite you...but it's very realistic for the O's. lol

[N51_rob]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Not bad. Turning $32MM into Gary Sanchez and Trea Turner. Should be an interesting team next season with Bobby Witt Jr.'s first full season and some high impact vets around him.

Hopefully not using that cash on pitchers doesn't come back to bite you...but it's very realistic for the O's. lol

I tried to find some pitching in FA it just wasn't really there. Jose Barrios and Luis Severino were the only two SP of any real quality out there and Severino wasn't interested in us and I wasn't prepared to overpay.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Playoff Chase Excites Fans
Marlins in Control, Barely

September will be a total dogfight. Almost the entire NL East in contention for something and that Giants and Diamondbacks are not going away either. The Pirates have fallen off, so it looks like they might not factor...but there's still plenty of time left if they get hot.

As it stands, the NL East would send three to the post season. The Braves and Nationals have jockeyed a bit for the division lead, but the Braves are back in relatively firm control and in the lead. The Nationals have the first Wild Card spot, so they are relatively secure. The Marlins hold a tiny 1/2 game lead over the Diamondbacks for the second berth. Then there's the Phillies, who decided in August that they, too, want to be in the September conversation and are just 4 games back.

The Giants came out of nowhere as well. In July, they were assumed to be sellers as they were in 4th place and going down. Now, they are near.500 and in the mix.

"We'll have to play harder than we have if we want to make it. This is the first real pennant chase these young guys have been a part of, and probably the few veterans too, given the franchise's history. We'll have to stay focus, pick each other up, and push hard, " manager Don Mattingly spoke in the clubhouse, "No mistakes, no excuses. We have to fight. No one will shed a tear if we lose and we won't be shedding any for ourselves either. Get mad, not sad, and fight that much harder."

The reversion back to a 5-man rotation might be having an adverse effect on Ohtani on the mound. He's posted ERA's in the 4's in August and so far in early September.

"We're keeping an eye on it, " pitching coach Ken Howell commented, "It's something we're watching and discussing."

No Trades, But Two Extensions

The Marlins didn't make any trades at the deadline. There were rumors of the Marlins being linked to Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, who snubbed them in the offseason, and Ketel Marte was supposedly open for talks despite the Diamondbacks being deadlocked with the Marlins.

In the end, nothing materialized. The Red Sox weren't keen on dealing Betts and the Marlins were loathe to send anything of meaningful value to the Diamondbacks. As for Bogaerts, the White Sox were "being ridiculous and unreasonable" so nothing happened there.

"Yeah, no, we're not trading Jared Dixon for Bogaerts, " K.L. remarked.

The Marlins did sign a pair of extensions. J.T. Realmuto will be back for two more seasons on a lesser contract. He signed a $9 million extension over 2 years.

The other extension was for Derek Dietrich. His deal is worth $7.6 million over 2 years. Dietrich, despite wanting to start, has made no waves about his "sub anywhere" role on the team. He's often been the right fielder when Ohtani needs a break, and he's basically just done whatever Mattingly asks of him day after day.

"He's a great guy. He goes with the flow and just wants to help us win. I'm glad the front office thought it nice to have Derek around because he's been really helpful...real nice guy to just pencil in when someone asks for a breather, " Mattingly commented.

The notable name absent is Justin Bour. Rumors are that the team did send out a request to talk, but the terms may have been unacceptable.

"I haven't heard anything about negotations broken off, but the sense I got from the team is that it wasn't going in the right direction and it's been tabled for now before things got too heated, " analyst Mike Lowell commented.

Tyler Kolek Called in Roster Expansion

Kolek was moved to relief, and suddenly he is performing better. Perhaps they have found a way to get the most out of the big power right handed pitcher.

However, Kolek wants to start and probably should be slated for a rotation role given his stuff. He has three well-developed pitches and a big, durable body.

As starter at AAA-New Orleans, he's posted a 4.12 ERA in 56 innings. As a reliever, he's tossed a 1.29 ERA in 35 innings. His strike out rate as a reliever shot up to 10 batters per nine innings and his BABIP allowed plummeted to .237 vs .288 as a starter.

"All signs point to him being better in relief for whatever reason. Maybe it's his pitch selection, his power arm being a bigger differential when he's coming in, who knows, baseball is funny like that sometimes. Thing is convincing the kid [Kolek] of it, " AAA manager Joe Girardi commented.

Either way, Tyler Kolek should treat this call up as an opportunity. Suddenly, the Marlins may need a six-man rotation, and the closer door is still open. Vizcaino probably won't return since he was something of a let down. Kolek has two paths open to him if he can put good things on video and make a strong impression.

Dixon, Marusek to AAA

The Marlins heard Dixon's bit of cheeky talk and have decided to say "challenge accepted, kid."

"We're bringing him to AAA. He'll finish out the AAA season and start there next year. Maybe even a non-roster invite. We decided to keep pushing him since he's so confident. Either he just keeps succeeding, or he suffers a taste of adversity and maybe that will cool him off a bit, " K.L. spoke.

Dixon has done nothing but succeed since being taken first overall in 2019. His swagger and somewhat cocky style is starting to earn him some fans already, including Joe Girardi.

"I like the young man's style. You got to have some of that 'I dare you to beat me' in you if you want to make it. I don't see it as negative. He works hard, takes nothing for granted, he just has a game face, a game persona, to help him compete and win, " Girardi spoke.

As for Marusek, he will be given the shot at AAA starting next season after scouts thing this uptick in batting average is a sign of his swing getting locked in.

"He looks more fluid at the plate, like he's figured out his style, his swing, and is ready to hit, " Stan Meek commented.

Should he do well, he could be on the cusp of being the first Marlins draftee to make the journey from the draft to the majors.

Attendance Skyrockets at Marlins Park

The average attendance at Marlins home games this year is up 64%. That is not a misprint.

"Maybe fans here do like baseball still. Perhaps they are daring to believe again, " K.L. spoke.

The fans even sold out some of the August games during the last home stand, in which the team faced a crucial stretch against the Phillies and Braves and saw the Marlins hold ground with a 3-3 mark.

The low ticket prices are helping as well. The team has maintained the slashed prices put in place when K.L. took over the front office.

"No reason to raise them. Might as well make it easier for fans to come to the park and watch some baseball. We might have to raise them eventually, but right now, not needed. We're fine financially, " K.L. spoke.