2021 Spring Training discussion

[Z]

As I discussed before, I like to use spring training to get players experience at different positions and to get creative with keeping players healthy.

I thought it would be interesting to start a spring training thread and discuss experiments and storylines.

Here's what's up in Maine.

* Voodoo Davila received reps at first base last spring and he'll get even more there this spring. It's unclear how our first base and designated hitter situations will shake out with our in-house options and possible late free agent signings. Trying to get Davila more experience at first because he may be asked to start some games there this season. Smitson and Henderson will share time at first and DH, too.

* Last year's #17 overall pick Sean Gallion will be our primary catching option this spring. OSA now rates him 6/5/4/3/6 at the plate, so he might actually be ready to catch full-time at the BLB level despite playing only nine games above single-A in 2020. He's a key to watch.

* Around the rest of the infield, it's a matter of letting players try their hand at new positions. You never know when you might need more flexibility. So SS Kelsey will play second, 3B Rivera will play short, and 2B Rowles will get some starts at short, too. Linus Robb, a utility option whose bat looks a little better each year, will get many of the starts at 3B as he tries to make the team.

* Steve Suarez will DH as we try to keep him healthy and away from dangerous situations. Oldham and Smith will play each other's normal corner outfield positions for the sake of experience.

* Fernando Hernandez and top prospect Willie Olivas will keep for the #5 starting rotation slot, though it might end up being cosmetic to begin as we could roll with a six-man rotation for a stretch to begin the year. Hernandez is finally fading, but as a 2020 All-Star he deserves a chance to compete and outperform his remaining ratings once again.

* It remains to be seen who wins the closer's job. Dave Haugh, a starting pitcher before last year as well as the closer for much of 2020, insists he wants the job. Steven Kreighbaum, the elder statesman of the pen, is capable but struggled in the role last year. Maine native Tyler Clarke, normally a starter, is also a candidate.

* The Cajun Sensation, Big Game Bill, Toste, and Calligan all compete for the Opening Day start. We'll see. West was our best starter last year.

[Pat]

Good read.

Spring Training for me is three things:

1.) Getting experience at new defensive positions.
2.) Staying healthy as possible
3.) Getting the rust off

I used to buy more into spring stats but I've seen great players hit .150 and scrubs hit .300, so don't over value spring results.

Thoughts on Maine and what to look for in Seattle when I'm not mobile.

[Z]

I used to buy more into spring stats but I've seen great players hit .150 and scrubs hit .300, so don't over value spring results.

I tend to take the pitchers' stats -- at least walks and strikeouts -- moderately seriously and the hitters' stats not at all seriously.

[Carlos]

In Denver we are doing some and a lot of the same as Maine, using Spring Training to teach new positions and give minor leaguers we expect to promote in 2021 a chance to get started early.

I really believe that hitters are slower to get going and if I want to promote a couple guys in May, I want them to be more than 30 days ready.

At catcher we are going to split Katz and Rearden on other days. One will be the starter, the other the backup so they are competing.

Zahn is getting every chance to play 1B as much as possible. He's the ST starter there so he can develop more at the position. It's his to take from Banuelos.

Same with Yantis at second. He doesn't play there well enough yet for me to give him reps elsewhere. I need him to handle second first.

De Arruda will play a ton of short since he's a good defender that's only familiar with second. He needs to learn short to offer depth there.

Meanwhile, newly acquired Edwin Reta can already play short and has decent second base experience, so he will play a lot of third base. He doesn't have the arm I prefer for the left side of the infield but injuries happen and we need more guys that hit to play defense because "OOTP is a cruel game. - Carlos". - Michael Scott.

The outfield is mostly to see if rookie Ian Thomas feels good at right. He is the starter for 2021 so long as he doesn't crumble.

Also an opportunity to give Szymanski more reps at left because it's his job to take.

Sorry Webb and Scott.

And finally, Tyrese Moses is who I want starting at center by May. But I want him to have a ton of reps in the Spring.

The strict bullpen guys are all set to middle relief. Though I expect Jimenez to be our closer and I already know everyone's role, I hate that ST will really bring in a closer to throw the 9th only if you have a lead. So I want to make sure the backend of the pen gets their work in.

Our starters are also on a strict ST first two weeks pitch count. So it's likely they won't go the typical 4 innings. But we have a lot of spot starters in the pen and they will get the long relief early innings work when a starter is pulled.

Things change in the second half of ST when pitch counts go up and we start demoting long relievers with no job so that middle relief gets more work.

I still consider this team a rebuilding club that has plenty of prospects to fill gaps. So we are focused on development of our youth over making sure Banuelos gets the rust off.

I'm positive the guy doesn't need a lot of it.

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[Z]

Meanwhile, newly acquired Edwin Reta can already play short and has decent second base experience, so he will play a lot of third base. He doesn't have the arm I prefer for the left side of the infield but injuries happen and we need more guys that hit to play defense because "OOTP is a cruel game. - Carlos". - Michael Scott.

Your explanation aligns with my thinking on Reta when he was here. His best long-term position is second base. He can be above average at short and competent at third. Combined with a solid left-handed bat, he's a nice infield option.

[umd]

We are pretty much set across the starting rotation, back end of the bullpen and lineup:

C Vinny Flores
1B John Cardona
2B Willie de Leon
SS Erik Jackson
3B RJ Marshall
LF Bobby Marrero
CF Rod Sedivec
RF Brandon Lanoie

Bench:
3B JD Harper
LF/1B Zach Lawrence
OF Ron Dennehy

Dennehy is interesting- he got a rating bump from our scout and he looks like a potential starter in 2 years.

Competition:

Backup C:
Dusty McKay vs Ed Lehnhoff vs Tony Womack

Utility IF:
Jimmy Centofanti vs Jimmy Wiskow

Injury Replacement:
2B Tom Ragosta
OF Jarrod Brown

Disabled List:
OF JP Knappe
1B Dave Kendrick

Starting Rotation:
1-Ron Robertson
2-Mel Reyes
3-Jimmy Stough
4-Dave Calvert
5-Dante Vigueras
6-Jimmy Maggio

Stough will debut in the rotation, Vigueras was the star of our run last season, Reyes is back and we moved Baldwin with the hope Jimmy Maggio continues to rise with experience.

Bullpen:
CL BJ Swisher
CL/SU Robby Scriber
SU David Rodriguez
LSU Franklin Ramirez
MR Jon Jones

Backend is locked - hoping Scriber likes Vegas better than PIT. Definitely more pitcher friendly. He'll give more days off to Swisher & Rodriguez

Competition:
LSP/LMR Aiden Gay
LMR Ian Van Gorder

Both are trade candidates, though I'm reluctant to deal Gay since he'll have value as a swing starter. Waiting to see what Van Gorder can do... he'll get until June to prove himself in the bullpen finally if he's not dealt beforehand.

Overall I'm liking the makeup of this team. It'll be tough to threepeat as a Brewser (Brew Loser) but I expect us to be in shouting distance of the division as long as my expectations for Stough, Vigueras and Maggio are close to correct. I've always be comfortable in my assessment of pitching, though this version I'm not as confident as in the past.

[Z]

Starting Rotation:
1-Ron Robertson
2-Mel Reyes
3-Jimmy Stough
4-Dave Calvert
5-Dante Vigueras
6-Jimmy Maggio.

I don't know what to make of your rotation with all the new faces. Calvert and Maggio are the only two who started more than 20 games for the Scorpions in 2020. There's an argument for this group being quite good and yet I don't quite know what to expect from them all.

[umd]

I don't know what to make of your rotation with all the new faces. Calvert and Maggio are the only two who started more than 20 games for the Scorpions in 2020. There's an argument for this group being quite good and yet I don't quite know what to expect from them all.

It was a tough (and patient) decision to move on from Fajardo and Baldwin. I think Robertson could lighten the blow of dealing Fajardo. Reyes has been quietly terrific since we signed him under the radar 2 years ago.

Aiden Gay is waiting in the wings if we stumble a bit. I also think Jimmy Knutson (1.9) may be ready after the all star break and could slot as a #6 this season. There's some options if I'm wrong. Or, I'll make a big trade move since I have the picks to do it.

[liquidcrash]

There isn't a whole lot of competition as we enter camp for my team. We're pretty much set with most of our positions, so it's all about getting some guys playing time and staying healthy.

-With Jamie Urmson back in DC, we'll move Tom Roseboom to RF most days. He did a decent job in center last season, but profiles better in a corner spot. Roseboom has gotten a big bump and is listed as the #13 hitter in the league, so we're hoping for big things from him in his second year.

-Ron Robertson was a big loss for our rotation when he declined his personal option. In his place is his former teammate, Dave Honea. He should do fine as our 4th starter.

-The lineup returns intact - no starters were lost there and some depth was brought in.


Projected Starters

C- Tristan Moody
1B - CJ Turnbow
2B - Geoff Yonke
SS- Seth Herrington
3B- Bruce Gonzalez
LF- Dave Schneider
CF- Jamie Urmson
RF- Tom Roseboom

Bench- JD Burrell (C), Rogelio Padilla (IF), Jarrod Sanders (IF), Jamie Roberts (OF), Nick McLaughlin (OF)

- In the lineup, I'm hoping for a bounce back season from Turnbow. I contemplated bringing in someone else there, but I think he can still hit, so the job is his for now.

Pitching

1- Jaylen Mitchell
2- Ed Carroll
3- Roger Villasenor
4- Dave Honea
5- Dave Koehler
6- Ed Knasel

-OSA thinks this is the best rotation in the BLB, so hopefully we'll get those results. Only competition here is for the 6th spot. FA signee Ed Knasel will battle with Ivan Sepulveda and some younger options Dave Smith and Tom Mackey.

Bullpen

CL Israel Rodriguez
SU Tom RIco
MR/SU JP Lawrence
MR Ron Wallen
MR Alex Vallejos
MR/LR Ivan Sepulveda
MR/LR Jalen Lafargue

-The back of the bullpen is in good hands- Rodriguez, Rico and Lawrence are all very good. The rest of the pen isn't quite as good, but I think they should be fine. A lefty would be a nice addition, but for now that task goes to Lafargue and Wallen.

Overall - I think we're pretty good. We have the reigning Stout Slugger and Pale Ale winners, with plenty of help around them. We probably won't have the luck we had with injuries last season, but I like how this team looks going into Spring Training.

[Carlos]

Your explanation aligns with my thinking on Reta when he was here. His best long-term position is second base. He can be above average at short and competent at third. Combined with a solid left-handed bat, he's a nice infield option.

Yep. His future is at second- assuming his future is here considering we have Ichikawa, De Arruda and Yantis. All players we like as well.

I'm nervous we don't have many shortstops we trust. I like Farmer as a call up guy. But he's not ready and the closest after him are Averett and Marques. Eek!

I could move Healey over in an emergency but I don't like moving must-need guys to more demanding positions in the middle of the season. Worries me they are more likely to get injured or struggle.




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[Sharkn20]

37 Sharks will hit the field for the Spring training.

J.J. Williams
T.J. Leiden
Dave Murphy

New faces that hopefully will contribute since day 1, Murphy still needs development but I want to have a look on him against real competition.

Some young arms will have to show us what they can do from the mound.

Looking forward to watch the new homegrown Sharks taking the filed.

And special attention will fall on recently acquired as a future star from Pittsburgh. We expect a lot of things from Rhoads, letīs see how the young power hitter responds during this ST!

[nelmsm]

Our spring training will be a competition between some of the older guys and the newer to see which way we go. Leaning towards new guys at the start.

[Pat]

Finally got a chance to read up on these posts. Holy shit Washington is loaded.

[Z]

I tend to take the pitchers' stats -- at least walks and strikeouts -- moderately seriously and the hitters' stats not at all seriously.

I hate to say it, but Fernando Hernandez might not make the Guides roster. In six and one-third innings this spring, he's allowed nine earned runs on 13 hits and five walks. He's yet to strike out a batter.

He will get to make his last two spring starts and demonstrate something else.

Perhaps no baseball player came closer to besting Father Time than Fernando Hernandez, but the victory was always and inevitably ephemeral.

[Carlos]

I hate to say it, but Fernando Hernandez might not make the Guides roster. In six and one-third innings this spring, he's allowed nine earned runs on 13 hits and five walks. He's yet to strike out a batter.

He will get to make his last two spring starts and demonstrate something else.

Perhaps no baseball player came closer to besting Father Time than Fernando Hernandez, but the victory was always and inevitably ephemeral.

I have a long time reliever in another league that's 45 and "still going." He's been on my roster since he was 20. He spent one year in rookie ball. Dominating. Then threw 22 innings in AAA the following season before being promoted and making 58 appearances before he could drink.

While he lost a lot of his ability years ago, he didn't have a really bad season until he was 42. Then he bounced back decently at 43 and 44. Now at 45 he was terrible and sadly went down for 2 months with a week to go in the season, which also means he's going to miss the post season.

He signed an extension. I hope he comes back.

I bring this all up because Hernandez hasn't had his truly horrible season yet and you're going to be sad you didn't wait to see when it happens.



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