OOTP 20 Franchise Progress Thread

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2032 Foxes

While the Foxes are expected to be a strongly competitive team, there are lingering concerns about the offense, especially after the horrible showing the entire lineup showed during spring training. While spring training games mean only so much, it was still not what anyone in Montreal wanted to see.

As Opening Day dawns, the 'new' lineup will be in full focus. Masyn Winn in particular will be judged for how well he replaces beloved Royce Lewis at the top of the lineup while Salas and Montero will be expected to shoulder much of the run production load.

Harmon and Valverde likely have their heads on swivels as well since their bats are usually the weakest. Both men have insane defensive skills, Valverde especially, so that may continue to save them. In Harmon's case, however, Greg Peachy is getting another, and perhaps his final, chance to stick with the team after beating out the absolutely horrid spring Juan Tejada posted.

Peachy has even better defense, but the bat is always the big issue. If that changes, Peachy could go from bench maybe in the spring to sure starter in the summer.

Fortunately, there's next to no concerns at all about the pitching, other than staying healthy. Injuries have been the only thing to slow the Foxes staff down for a few years now. With Casteles and Matano continuing to grow in support of the McIntyre/Lerma/Kikuchi trio, it looks again like the rotation will be beyond fine.

The bullpen will see the debut of Ignacio Meneses. He will likely play at least until Harker completes a rehab stint in the minors. Assuming no other "strange" injury happens to Harker, that likely give Meneses about 3-5 weeks to show his stuff. Harker will replace him in all likelihood no matter what, but the chance to leave a strong impression is there for the rookie.

On the farm, the Foxes are still in the bottom third of the system rankings, checking in at 21st out of 36. Again, not a surprise as everyone knew Casteles was propping up the rankings for several seasons. Juan Romero remains popular with GMs and scouts alike, and he tops the Foxes farm board. It is entirely possible that he could be fast tracked should his bat continue to impress now that he's in the high minors.

Luis Luna will also begin his climb to the majors. He's slated to start play at Class A Omaha. Luna isn't catching much attention now, but some scouts have praised his upside as a hitter.

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Re: OOTP 20 Franchise Progress Thread

Red Sox Win 19 Straight Games
BoSox Start May with 21-1 Record

"It's a marathon, not a sprint, but it never hurts to be a mile ahead of the rest of the field, " manager Zachary Hammes said.

The Red Sox have put themselves 5 1/2 games ahead of the second place Yankees already, and that's with the Bronx Bombers playing .650 baseball.

Center fielder Luis Castro has been a huge part of the insane start for his team. He already has 12 home runs (on pace for 85) and is batting just shy of .400 to go along with the bombs. He has 2.3 WAR already, putting him on pace for an unbelievable 16 WAR on the season.

"They say 2 WAR is the average season for a starter. Does that mean I can take the rest of the season off?" Castro joked.

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2032 All-Star Break

The Red Sox continue to play excellent baseball though they have "cooled off" a little. That said, they are far ahead of their division, and the rest of them have reverted to more mortal levels of baseball.

The Generals turned around a slow start. At first, it looked like last season was just a fluke, starting with a .450 winning percentage. Since then, they have posted a 44-23 record to put themselves in the forefront in the AL Central.

In the NL East, the division has been hotly contested from the start. The Mets, Foxes, and Marlins have all taken turns on top of the division and they are all playing over .600 baseball. The Phillies are right in the mix as well, just 4 1/2 games back despite being in 4th place.

The positive for the top three NL East teams is that they seem to be in class of the NL, making it likely that all three will make the postseason, should things stay as they are.

Turning to some individual performances, Luis Castro (Red Sox) hasn't taken the rest of the year off, evidently. He could be challenging for the AL Triple Crown if he stays healthy. He's currently leading in home runs and RBI and is just 5 points off the lead in batting average.

However, it's not Castro leading the home run department. Instead, is Tim Baltera of the Phillies. He's racked up 37 home runs already and is on pace to challenge the 70 home run mark. Baltera confounded scouts last season by hitting 52 home runs, and it looks like that's pretty much the minimum he'll hit this year.

Another hitter baffling the projections is Juan Robledo of the Cubs. Most consider him a borderline plus hitter for average...but none have him hitting .350, yet, that's what he's doing so far.

Alvare Casteles (Foxes) is looking to prove his rookie success was no fluke. He's leading the NL in wins with 12 and is second in strikeouts with 136, trailing only the K-master Marc Tatum of the Cardinals.

Of course, the Red Sox have a dominant force on the mound. Mike Jefferies is having a career year so far. He's posting an AL-leading 2.13 ERA and has the pitching WAR to back it up, also leading with a 3.3 mark.

Prospects at the Break

Current top prospect, Josh Weisenberg of the Mariners, has made his way to the majors just before the All-Star break. He's only pitched 1 2/3 innings and is currently in the bullpen. Weisenberg is showing that picks outside the top 5 rounds shouldn't be ignored as he's a former 7th round draft pick.

The top hitting prospect is the Nationals' Josh Merrill, and he's also in the majors. He's starting in center field and has played 63 games. He's hit 16 HR and has a .878 OPS so far this season.

The Phillies will likely be promoting 2B Jonathan Murphy soon. The highly-regarded hitter is so far having some issues in AA, but scouts think he's closing in on major league readiness, if he's not ready now.

One prospect with a still rising stock is the Foxes Juan Romero. He started the year as the #16 prospect, and now, he's currently ranked 8th. He's in AAA and, at least for now, the Foxes have resisted bringing him to the major league level. One knock on him is his .677 OPS, though power is not his game.

SP Jamie Baranski (Angels) has struggled the most out of the prospects that have made it so far this year. He's had 11 starts this season but has posted a 7.30 ERA and averaging less than five innings per start. The long ball has been a big problem as he is allowing them at the rate of 2.2 HR/9.

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Vlad Guerrero Jr Hits #400
Homer was Deciding Factor in Wild 10-9 Win

The Red Sox haven't lost many games, but they lost a wild slugfest in a 10-9 affair against the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays veteran came up in the 7th inning with his team down 9-4. The Jays loaded the bases in front Vlad Jr, and he came up big with a grand slam to pull his team to 9-8.

The Jays would score two more in the 8th to take the lead.

"The most important thing is that we won. That was a crazy game and we beat a top level team to do it. The fact I got my 400th home run is sweet icing on the cake, " Guerrero Jr said.

On the season, Guerrero Jr is batting .334 with 23 HR and 72 RBI.

In addition to the 400 home runs, Guerrero Jr is batting .330, collected 2,181 hits, driven in 1,188 runs and scored 1,150 runs.

Alfredo Alainz Signs Extension

The Phillies signed starting pitcher Alfredo Alainz to a $20 million per year extension that lasts five years.

"We're happy to have him returning to help the top of our rotation as we continue to build our roster, " G.M. Matt Klentak said.

Alainz hasn't been the best pitcher, but has been one of the most dependable for the Phillies, which is probably what makes him attractive. Bell, acting as ace, has a 4.06 ERA and Alainz has a 4.32 ERA. For comparison, the rest of the starters have ERAs of 7.60, 4.99, and 5.65.

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Baltera Hits #60 on Season

The Phillies might be tough-luck losers in the playoff race, but they might be on the verge of a scary offense. Leading that charge is Tim Baltera, who is continuing his dominant season. Baltera stroked his 60th home run on the season, handily passing his career best of 52 set just last season.

Scouts continue to be baffled as to where Baltera's sudden power surge has come from. Baltera himself seems surprised, saying after the game that he "doesn't feel like he's doing anything different" and that "I just do what every good hitter does and that's get the barrel to the ball".

Baltera leads all of baseball in home runs and RBI as well as WAR and OPS. He's also just on the edge of being a .300 hitter, checking in at a .299 average at the moment.

The Phillies may have another hitter reach 60 home runs by the end of the season. Closing in on the mark is Robby Lancaster and his 56 home runs. Lancaster's power surge is as surprising as Baltera's. Last season, Lancaster hit 16 home runs in 192 plate appearances, a pace that would have him at 45 home runs if he matched it this season.

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Foxes Lose Division on Final Day
Mets Win, Foxes Loss Settles Division Race

Going into the final day of the season, the Mets took a one-game lead in the division. The Mets and Foxes would not play head-to-head. Instead, the Mets would play the Marlins and the Foxes face the Nats.

The Mets won 4-1 while the Foxes got destroyed 17-2.

The outcomes put the Mets on top with 100 wins while the Foxes had 98. The Mets win snapped the Foxes six-season streak of winning the NL East. They would enter the playoffs as a Wild Card team for the first time since 2025.

Many will point to injuries, of which the Foxes suffered several, including long-term injuries to Salas, his second on the season, and Matano. In addition, Cabo and Mitchell went down with injuries down the stretch.

"There's a lot of things we could point to, but we didn't get it done in the end. Losing like we did on the final day, there's no excuses for that nonsense. We stunk on the last day, we stunk all September. We have to do better, be better, " catcher Reese McGuire said after the game.

Injuries certainly did have an impact, especially once Cabo and Mitchell went down. The offense clearly could not endure losing them along with Salas as well. As a result, the team went just 12-15 in the final month and the runs scored ranking dropped from 4th to 6th in the NL in just a couple weeks.

The Foxes will have to shake it off as they will be tested again in a one-game Wild Card game where will face the Marlins.

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2032 Season Report

The Foxes missed the division crown for the first time in six seasons, and that long injury list did not help.

Some of the injuries are especially worrisome. Juan Salas' back injury is perhaps the biggest concern. Not only can back injuries be difficult to treat, the baseball impact of the injury is currently unknown. Considering he is one of the bigger, and most expensive, bats in the lineup, the entire organization will be hoping for a full recovery.

Also suffering major injuries were relievers Alfredo Pacheco and Josh Anderson. Pacheco tore up his knee around midseason and could be back in a few weeks. However, Anderson's UCL was completely torn after a pitch, and there's doubt about how well, or if, he'll recover. The timeline is at 15 months for the time being.

Matano and Mojica's injuries isn't quite as bad, but is still serious. Both are tending to wounded shoulders, always a concern for pitchers.

On the positive side, Alvare Casteles indeed maintained his strong form that he showed in his debut season. He lead the NL in wins, BABIP allowed, and WHIP. He posted 5.4 WAR on the season and a 2.44 ERA.

Perhaps the most surprising season came from reliever Eric Lavache. Pitching in a variety of roles, he picked up 118 innings of work, striking out 171 hitters in the process and earning an impress 4.5 WAR. Only Casteles had more WAR on the team among pitchers.

And for all the attention Casteles is getting and about Lerma's rise...there's McIntyre and his consistency still leading the way. His ERA isn't particularly awe-striking, and he had just 7 wins despite 33 starts. However, he led NL pitchers in WAR with 6.1 and had the lowest HR/9 and BB/9 rates among qualified pitchers.

On the offensive side, a full season of Sean Mitchell was productive. He picked up 32 home runs and 4.8 WAR on the campaign. His defense was solid too, saving almost four runs above average.

Ajani DeBouse also had a fine season in his first full-time season of work. He hit 42 home runs and racked up 3.8 WAR. Alfredo Montero led all hitters in WAR with 5.6 and also led in OPS with a .921 mark. His transition to third base was adequate, checking in slightly below average.

On the farm, Juan Romero likely cleared all the hurdles and should be making his debut next season. He rebounded from a slowish start to the AAA season and ended up with a .281/.346/.363 batting line. He ramped up his production in July and August, hitting .300 with a .400 OBP in both months.

Jorge Rivera, another solid young hitter, played well at the High-A level, batting .296 with a .460 slugging percentage. That could be enough to earn him a spot in the high minors next season.

Luis Luna, a 17-year-old from Venezuela, had a successful start to his minor league career. He batted .282 with a .456 slugging percentage at Class A Omaha. Luna's been well-received by scouts that have taken a look at him, so this good first taste is encouraging.

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Foxes Win Tight Wild Card Game
Montero Hits Home Run in the 8th

The Foxes and Marlins were locked in a low scoring affair. McIntyre got the start for the Foxes and he gave up a solo home run to Desean Bethea, the team leader in HR, in the 2nd to give the Marlins a lead.

The Foxes fought back in the bottom half. Gamez and Valverde reached first and second and then advanced on a successful double steal. Reese McGuire hit a run-scoring single to right field. Gamez scored, but Valverde was cut down at the plate trying to score, leaving the game tied at 1.

After that, both pitchers went into domination mode. McIntyre, not known for strikeouts, racked up 10 in just five innings of work. While Castro scattered 8 hits in 6 1/3 innings and worked out of a few jams to keep his team tied.

This continued until the 8th when Montero hit a 2-run bomb to right off closer Danny Caradine. The Foxes then took a 3-1 lead.

"I'm glad I could come through, " Montero said, "I missed a chance earlier to give us the lead. I'm glad I got another chance and made something of it."

Montero's home run was his only hit in the contest.

Dill left Dixon on to start the 9th, and immediately, that proved to be a mistake. Nick Ames ripped a flyball into the right-center gap. Carillo tried to track it down but it rolled up against the wall. Ames raced around the bases. The Foxes assumed Ames, not fast by any means, would pull up at third, but Ames was waved around. The aggressive move paid off and Ames circled the bases to make the score 3-2. Dixon then hit the next batter, getting cheers from the crowd for some reason.

Lavanche was called on to protect the one run lead, and he came through once again by picking up a strikeout and then rolling up a 6-4-3 double play to send the Foxes to the NL Division Series.

Foxes manager Casey Dill took several risks in the game and when asked about it he said, "It's a one-game playoff. You go all out. Even if you lose, you can say you tried everything you can and used your roster to it's fullest. You can't just be safe and manage scared out there. I mean, you saw them go for an in-the-park home run in the 9th. My opponent knew you can't just sit back when it's literally win or go home."

The Foxes will face the Mets, who had a bye. The Foxes were 6-8 against the Mets during the regular season.

It's fitting, if we want to get to the NLCS and beyond, we have to go through our two division rivals we've been battling with all year long, " manager Dill said.

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Outfoxed in NLDS
Foxes Ousted by Rival Mets 3-1

"We weren't good enough. Simple as that. We didn't play like we are capable, and against a tough team like theirs, we won't win very many games playing like we did, " Reese McGuire said.

Indeed, the Foxes looked some combination of flat and outmatched against the Mets, including a 14-7 drubbing, at home no less, in game three. The pitching was the biggest problem, coughing up at least four runs in every game and averaging seven runs allowed per game.

The Mets overcame a 7-4 defeat at home in game one. After that, they won the next three games.

"Not gonna lie, I was a bit scared after we lost game one. We know how tough they are to play in their house, but we got it done, " Mets shortstop Marco Luciano said.

Luciano swung the biggest bat in the series, driving two home runs, batting .429 (.500 on-base percentage), and posting a staggering 1.429 OPS in the series.

The Mets will move on the play the Rockies, who are the defending champions.

"Want to be the best, we have to beat the best. We're playing the champs next. Time for us to rise up, " Mets first baseman Luis Acevado said.

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Rocky Mountain Repeat
Rockies Defend Championship, Defeat Generals 4-1

Once again, Denver, Colorado will be the site of the biggest baseball party. The city will welcome their team as World Series Champions once again, ousting the Generals in five games.

"We proved that we are the best. People might have laughed us off as a fluke last season. Now they can just be ready to fear us next season, " Rockies outfield Chris Kellum said after the game.

The Rockies again won less than 90 games during the regular season. They were the "cool little story", as Kellum put it, last season. The spunky team that lucked into a title. They did it again this year, defeating the Mets and their 100 wins and the Generals and their 95 along the way.

That said, the Rockies have made the playoffs each of the last six seasons, so it's hard to say anyone is particularly surprised, given recent performance. Also, according to their Pythagorean record, the Rockies run differential was worthy of 95 wins.

The pitching, not the offense, was the story of the World Series. The Rockies arms rose to the challenge of facing the AL's top pitching staff. Most of the games in the World Series were lower scoring, and game five was a three-hitter in favor of the Rockies. Zach Armour scattered three hits in five innings and reliever Kevin Salaam pitched four perfect innings to close the deal.

As for the Generals, they can take some solace and pride in bringing the team so close. It was the first time since 1959 (as the White Sox) that the franchise tasted World Series action.

On their path to the World Series, the Generals defeated the Angels, who won the AL West with 90 wins, and the O's, who won "the race for second" in the AL East after getting buried with the rest of the division by the Red Sox in the first few months.

Phillies Get New Owner

The Phillies will continue their improvements under new management as Jeremy Thompson takes over as the new owner.

Reports are that Thompson will not be shy about spending money if it improves the team. It will be interesting to see how he uses his money to bolster what's been an improving roster the last few seasons.

And just in time for free agency, which is right around corner.

Kings Get a New King

The Indianapolis Kings have been in existence for exactly one season and they already are changing hands. Glen Dickson will be the new owner of the newest franchise on the block, still trying to figure things as an expansion team.

On the plus side, Dickson, like the new head huncho in Philly, as said that he'd have no problems spending cash.

Aaron Boone Ousted
15-year Tenure with Yankees Ends

In a bit of a surprise move, Aaron Boone was given his notice after the season, ending a stretch of 15 seasons that Boone has been the skipper. He departs with 1,312 wins against 1,119 losses and nine playoff appearances on his record. Recently, the Yankees won the AL East in 2030 and 2031.

Boone has said that he will continue being open to managing and that his time with the Yankees was enjoyable.

Reaction in New York is largely disappointment with the players themselves disapproving.


"We loved him as our manager. We could talk to him about anything and he really cared about us as people, not just baseball players, " shortstop Juan Maldonado said.

The fans also weighed in.


"Sure, blame the nice guy who relates to everyone, including the fans. Maybe if we got some guy who can pitch in here, we'd win a World Series, " a fan named Sally commented.

"I'm already expecting the worst. Best they can do is get someone as good. Maybe Hal [Steinbrenner] is starting to get senile, " Jerry, another fan, commented.

The Yankees already have a replacement, bringing in Shamar Animashaun to be the new manager. It will be a whole new dugout staff as the pitching coach, hitting coach, and bench coach are all vacant at this time.

Last season, Animashaun worked as bench coach for the Tigers.

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Foxes Trade Mitchell
Cardinals Give Brenes in Return

The Foxes, concerned about maintaining payroll flexibility, made a move to give them some future cost certainty while also adding something to the lineup.

The Foxes traded Sean Mitchell, picked up a couple seasons ago from the Padres for Luis Brenes a walk-taking slugger.

Mitchell was a capable performer for the Foxes, but he's arbitration eligible and already over $11 million. That portends an even high number next season, let alone when he become full free agency eligible.

Brenes brings a rare skill in the current Foxes lineup: the ability to take walks. He has drawn 100 walks two of the last three seasons with the other season being 91 walks. The other advantage is that Brenes might be a prolific home run hitter.

"The Foxes want some more thunder in the lineup, and Brenes should provide plenty. He's a lot like DeBouse, a pure power type hitter. A lot like when they had Devers and he hit 50 home runs for the team, " one sportswriter commented.

Also moving in the deal is a swap of prospects. The Foxes send prospect pitcher Ignacio Meneses and get shortstop Luis Berber in exchange.

Cubs Land AL Hits Leader in Trade
Rodolfo Marrufo Trade for Trio of Prospects

In a move making some waves around baseball, the Indians dealt the AL leader in hits for the last three seasons to the Cubs for a trio of mid-level, at best, prospects. At least, that's what the consensus thinks.

"I don't get this move at all. What are we gaining here?" one Indians fan said.

One thing is salary relief. Marrufo is set to earn $19 million this coming season and is potentially (and likely) free agency eligible next offseason. There was some concern about signability to an extension or a deal on the open market for the 26-year-old. Marrufo is said to have a "very aggressive" agent, and the Indians didn't want to deal with it.

Marrufo has hit .320 or higher in each of the last four seasons, winning the AL batting title in 2030 and 2031 in the process. It's been with some damage as well as he's posted 4 or 5 WAR in the last four seasons and can be penciled in for 30+ doubles and 20-30 home runs.

Marrufo is speculated to be a replacement for current left fielder Baek-ko Kang, who hit under the Mendoza line last season.

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Braves Boost Offense as Well
O's Ship LF Shun Horikawa

No one for the Braves would comment about whether or not this move was "inspired" by the Foxes bringing in a potentially big bat a couple weeks ago. However, it would seem reasonable that they are trying to keep up in an increasingly competitive NL East division.

Regardless of the reasons, Shun Horikawa, who posted a .934 OPS last season, will join the Braves lineup.

What the Braves gave up...well that depends on who you ask.

The Braves traded SP Dan Tidwell. He features a nasty change up to go with a 96 MPH fastball and is said to keep the ball on the ground.

So what's the red flag? Tidwell's performance has been anything but remarkable. Last season, he posted a 5.06 ERA. The year before was a 4.18 ERA. WAR has him as an average-ish pitcher, but the scouting report says he should be a plus pitcher at the least.

But it has not happened to this point. That least some to believe that the O's may have gotten duped.

That said, Tidwell is at least easy on the pocket book. He will make the league minimum, and even average performance for the league minimum has some value. And if Tidwell plays up to his scouting report, it's an even better deal.

As for Horikawa, he's got the better numbers, but he'll have to show last season was the start of trend instead of a sign of a fluke.

Yankees Land Star Catcher
Luis Vega Signs for $182 Million

The Yankees acquired a big upgrade to their catcher situation when they signed Luis Vega to a big contract. The contract, if carried to term, will last five years and earn Vega $182 million. Vega can opt out after two seasons.

The 30-year-old hit 34 home runs for the Reds last season, posting a 130 OPS+ and 4.8 WAR on the season. The home runs were a career high, though he hit 30 in 2030.

"We're happy we were able to land him, "G.M. Steinbrenner commented, "He was in high demand and we were able to pull off a deal. It's not an ideal contract, but he'll help us get back on top for sure."

Brewers Dump Salary, Sending Quintanar to Mariners

In what seems like this offseason's trend, the Brewers also made a move to lower their salary burden. They will send LF Juan Quintanar to the Mariners in exchange for prospects.

Unlike the Indians trade, the Brewers did get a prospect scouts have some respect for. In this case, that prospect is SP Joel Crane. Scouts like what the 21-year-old could become. His sinker might be starting to develop as he made improvements and the change up is coming.

As for Quintanar, his performance may be in some decline, or at least his stats are showing that trend of late. As recently as 2030, he was a 7 WAR player and in 2028, he led the NL in WAR with an even 8.0 mark. However, the last couple seasons, have been around 3 to 4 WAR, hardly bad, but perhaps not worth what his $22 million contract might suggest. He will likely hit free agency as well next offseason.

Cavan Biggio Heads to Nationals

The Jacksonville Jet Hawks made a move to lower their own salary. They will send the capable 37-year-old bat of Cavan Biggio in return for a couple prospect pitchers.

The Jet Hawks are firmly in rebuilding mode, increasing the impetus to remove Biggio's $22 million from the books, especially given his age.

Biggio probably represents an upgrade to the Nats' second base situation, though for how long and at what price going forward are details that are up in the air. Biggio maintaining his ability at 37 is also anything but a guarantee.

Rockies Land Star Outfielder
Juan Moancada Inks $314 Million Pact

The repeat World Series champions are not standing still. They decided to explode on the offseason scene with the biggest signing of the winter so far.

Juan Moancada has been one of the best young hitter in the game ever since he was called up in 2028 with the Diamondbacks. The very next season, he led the NL in slugging percentage at .599. Then, this past season, hit posted a .345 batting average with 31 home runs and a .683 slugging percentage.

"Oh yeah! We just got even more scary. No one wants to see us coming now, " outfielder Chris Kellum said.

The Rockies, already boosting the NL's most prolific offense, should score even more runs with Moancada in the mix.

"You can't rest, " G.M. Dusty Jensen spoke, "You have to keep improving and pushing, grinding, because the league can catch up to you in a hurry."

Moancada seems happy as well, saying, "It's nice to go where you're appreciated and where no one is trying to get you for cheap. Too many teams tried to play around with me, but the Rockies just got down to it, and now I'm wearing their jersey."

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Foxes Trade Winn, Peachy to Indians
Continue Cost-Trimming Moves

Masyn Winn's time in Montreal came to an end as the two-way player was moved along to the Indians. Winn's promise again went largely unfulfilled, especially on the mound where he was marginal at best in his performance.

There is a lot of speculation around why the Foxes are trimming so much payroll. On the surface, it seems somewhat unnecessary in the present since the team does not appear to be in financial difficulty.

There are some contracts coming down the line that could lead to big extensions. McIntyre, Lerma, and Montero will come due in 2036 at the latest with McIntyre possible eligible next season if his option year doesn't vest.

It could also be just what a small-market team has to do. Montreal and the surrounding area is still considered a very small baseball market. While the team payroll probably could still support the salaries that are departing, having flexibility will only help, especially if the team wants to keep the team together as much as possible.

"The fans themselves have really supported the team, including financially by coming to games and buy merchandise. That's been a big help to the team, offsetting the smaller local media contract, " one analyst said.

The flexibility will also help keep the pipelines for talent open to the organization. This can be especially important because the franchise is considered small-market.

Juan Piaz Signs with Giants

Left fielder Juan Piaz was one of the bigger name free agents in this year's class. Early on, it was thought he'd be baseball's newest $40 million man, and Piaz probably thought so as well.

However, as teams have seemingly shifted to cost savings being priority, Piaz came back to the table with several teams. In the end, the Giants signed him for what might be a "cheap" $243.5 million contract that lasts over 8 years.

Or perhaps just two years. Piaz has the right to opt out that early in the deal, which might work for the Giants in terms of payroll. Of course, Piaz is hoping to do well and bond with the fans to make the Giants willing to come after him when he opts out. We say "when" because it's unlikely that he'll be happy even when the pay escalates a bit after the opt out year. He'll probably try for his $40 million again.

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2033 Foxes

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The Foxes will feature a different, and perhaps less effective offense. Different in the sense that it will be dependent on four bats, Brenes, DeBouse, Montero, and the called-up Romero.

Juan Romero, named the 7th best prospect in baseball before the season, will make his debut. Should he play to the scouts' opinions, he will be a classic lead-off man, get hits, take walks, not much power, wreak havoc on the bases.

Following Romero will be another rookie, Luis Berber, who was picked up in the Sean Mitchell trade with the Cardinals. Berber looks a lot like the old-school #2 hitter - put the bat on the ball and pick up some hits along the way. He, too, could cause problems on the bases if he gets on.

DeBouse, not a rookie but still a young hitter entering his third major league season, still has some proving, and improving, to do. Should the proving go well and he improves on what was a solid 42 HR campaign last season, he will quickly become a core member of the lineup.

Juan Salas should be back around June, and there's some concern he won't be the same after two severe injuries in the space of about 8 months. If that's the case, the Foxes will have a hard decision to make on what to do with him, and that contract, going forward.

On the mound, there's a lot of stability, something that's been true more often than not. Casteles was elevated to ace and will be the Opening Day starter. The 22-year-old continues to rapidly improve into one of the game's most feared hurlers.

The strength of the rotation could lead the way to some trades. Should the Foxes feel so inclined, any of the arms in the rotation would likely fetch some quality talent on the offensive side.

Shing Liu is the addition to the bullpen, signed as an international free agent from Taiwan. Scouts rave about his sinker-slider combination and deceptive sidearm delivery, and they feel he should be a capable late-innings reliever.


Overall, the Foxes should be in the midst of another dogfight in the NL East. Depending on who you ask, the Foxes will either win the division in a tight race or come in second in that tight race. Either way, the Foxes are expected to secure a playoff berth, just a matter of if it will be as Wild Card or NL East champion.

"It going to be up to that offense. If the bats work, I think they'll win the division. If the bats falter, it could be a bit of an uphill climb. It's unlikely, but if things go really south, the Foxes might actually miss the postseason entirely, " one MLBN analyst said, "But if that looks like a possibility, I'd expect them to aggressively seek help on the trade market."


The farm is still a work in progress. Romero is #7, but he should fall off the list season season due to MLB playing time limits. Luis Luna is starting to get a little attention, but he's just #143 on the list. The Foxes believe he's being sold short, but time will tell. Romero wasn't immediately noticed until he hit the high minors after all.

Outfielder Jorge Rivera is looking more promising. He's rounding out his hitting tools nicely, but not necessarily excelling in any area. His defense is also lacking, so it's harder to see where he'll break through other than maybe as DH if the glove doesn't improve.

If there's a dark horse candidate that could make a rapid ascension, it's SP Luis Maldonado. Scouts think his ability to keep the ball down and avoid barrels will be the basis for his pitching future. Right now, the rest of his skills are a question mark, but if they solidify, he could look more promising very quickly.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 20 Franchise Progress Thread

Foxes Land Two Solid Arms in Disappointing Draft
No Infield Prospects of Note Acquired

The Foxes wanted one thing out of the 2033 draft - infield help.

Instead, it was basically a pitchers and outfielders draft. While the team picked up a couple easy-to-project arms in the first and second rounds, the team didn't get any infield help and only "okay" level bats from what they did bring in.

"It happens, we just have to keep going and looking for talent. The international period is coming up, and while it's always a chaotic affair, it's our next opportunity, " G.M. Ander Lyle said.

The pitchers the Foxes selected at least fit into the "finesse first" philosophy the Foxes have adopted for pitcher selection.

Their first round choice brought in SP Jimmy Barnhill, a slower-throwing sidearm lefty. His fastball is only around 90 MPH but it gets some movement in part because of the arm angle. However, his best two pitches appear to be his slider and circle-change. Both pitches also get added tilt from his arm angle, and that alone could make them effective.

The rough spots for Barnhill are also derived from his arm angle - command and location. Part of this is also the function of his best pitches. Sliders and change-ups that don't bite are usually bad news for pitchers.

"Jimmy will have to learn two things: One, he can't fool every hitter, even though he'll fool many of them with his movement. And two, he needs to use better, less risky locations so that when he doesn't fool the hitter, he doesn't give up a bomb, " one team scout commented.

The other arm the Foxes brought in, acquired in the second round, is Juan Contreras, also a southpaw. Juan is a more the usual type pitcher in both his pitch selection and velocity. His fastball is around 95 MPH and he works a fastball/change-up combination with the majority of his pitches, with his change-up looking to be the best of the two right now. He'll work in a slider and his curve is mostly a show-me pitch so far.

His command is already looking solid and should be one of the factors in his path to the majors. He doesn't do anything unusual or deceptive, so he'll probably miss an average number of bats.

"I think Juan will be easier for coaches to mold and refine. He's a by-the-book starter in a lot of ways, so it will be easier to evaluate him in the video room and easier to eyeball any flaws in his mechanics, " a team official said.

As far as hitters go, the best hitter the team drafted, 3B Chad Murray in the fourth round, won't sign with the team. After Murray, there's a lot of question marks and "center fielders" that won't be there in all likelihood at the majors, if they get there at all.

"We could be surprised, of course. But, based on what we know right now, it's going to be tough going for the hitters and most of the pitchers for that matter. It was just a tough draft this year, " Foxes head scout Kenji Matsumura said.