DL Season Preview - The Pilsner

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Domestic League

Pilsner Division:

Summary: It's a bear market in the Pilsner. Age and injuries two seasons ago has led the dismantling of a decade long power in Indianapolis. Financial burdens has seen a division champion let major contributors (Aten) walk or be traded (Tiscareno/Velasquez) in a massive sell-off in Syracuse. Even in Dallas, recently acquired big names (Cardenas, Garcia) have been jettisoned and replaced by roleplayer signings, picks and prospects. That leaves Denver, emerging from a brutally long rebuild as the only team ready to seize the division in the wake of Syracuse's redirection.

Favorite? Dallas. It's hard to read what Sully has been planning. He's brought in veteran talent the last several seasons in Gamboa, Cardenas, Skinner, Garcia, Gutierrez and others, only to see him try and flip them out of the organization (somewhat successfully) when faced with financial issues. The basis for a playoff team is still here in superstar pitchers David Arce and Zack Reeves and closer Pat Knight. There's also young talent up and down the line-up in Jimmy Rosema, Jamie Wentworth, and RJ Kemp. The question is, do the veterans stay on board and make a push for the playoffs, or do they get shipped out and Dallas begins to build in the shadow of an emerging Denver?

On the Rise: Denver. The Bulls rebranded themselves after a soccer team and an energy drink, but their long rise back up the standings has almost come to fruition. After an ill-advised foray into quick, aging superstar heavy rebuilding, Carlos has assembled a roster stocked with young talent. A loaded OF features 4 emerging stars in McPherson, Perkins, Verba and Rodriques. Toss in another on the way OF in Tom Wright, and the Bulls have unheard of youth and depth in their OF. C Jamie McInturf and 1B Tom Cole anchor an IF waiting on it's middle IFs Eckstein and Wilkinson to come of age. Their pitching is a work-in-progress as Temeike and Melgoza wait for reinforcements to arrive from AAA in Jimmy Schiefelbein, Ron Robertson and Roger Medina.



Player to Watch: Jamie McPherson. The Denver OF has blossomed into one of the best players in baseball, rocketing up the Top Players list to #5 at just 25 years old. The youngster can hit for power and average, get on base and is a growing monster on the basepaths. His rise will determine whether the Bulls are ready to be a contender sooner rather than later.

Power Rankings:
1A.
1B.
3A.
3B.

[funclown]

Another great write up, though the first time I disagree with your divisional winner. I say Carlos finally makes a deal for a pitcher (Yes you can still use one) and wins this division in a walk. Dallas is just too thin to sustain any major injuries.

Great stuff.

[Spear]

The Denver logo looks like there is a tennis ball in it.

It is a great write up and it seems like we have been waiting years for Carlos to be in this position.


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[Delandis]

it seems like we have been waiting years for Carlos to be in this position.

Please be more thoughtful, Spear.

You are going to bring up some bad memories from Carlos' prison days.

[Carlos]

There have been lots of discussions around acquiring a pitcher that would anchor my rotation.

But I'm being cautious - maybe too cautious. A few of the guys will cost me a whole lot of money and I need to weigh that cost with my current budget, my need to continue developing talent because of that budget, and future payroll when these really good youngsters hit arbitration.

Some of these pitchers cost money and are just about as good as the guys I have in my system should be someday. So do I ship them away for the right now guy or wait for them and pay nothing while I pay my hitters?

With my budget and the quick fix ability of my fellow Pilsner GMs, I'm a wrong move away from seeing all this patience come crumbling down.

So far mostly everything has worked out since I focused on development. I made the draft pick trade to move up and nab McPherson. Yeah I could have ended up with Brummett as well, but McPherson is an explosive offensive player.

I made the choice to take Perkins over other names and it has paid off. He developed quickly and has become one of the best hitters in the league.

I've remained patient with my arms and have finally reaped those rewards with Tamieke and Melgoza (the latter a bona-fide mess until finally clicking).

It remains to be seen if Hoffman will be his DVS self but $5 MM a year for my #3 seems reasonable and I'm not in need of the outfielder I surrendered to get him.

I'm hoping for another year of magic out of Leo Garcia but at his cost and age, last year was amazing and a repeat would have me thinking of the days of Ray Winchel throwing his last miracle bullets for Denver.

What hasn't worked hasn't cost me much. Kisselburg was a miss and is likely getting cut. It happens. But at $4.5 MM, I'll survive. Vleugel is a push because acquiring him gave me financial flexibility last year by dumping Duarte. And Vleugel might still be able to help in the pen though his cost is outlandish for such a position.

People still think I need to improve my pen but I will continue to disagree. The kind of arms I want there, are there. For better or for worse.

But the big time arm that eludes me is the greatest weakness here. Could Aten have been that guy? Sure. Could some of these pitchers on the market be that guy? Sure.

I'm here constantly evaluating the weight of those decisions to not offer enough money or refuse to add particular players and prospects.

My window is somewhat large with these hitters. Right now, I've gone with the hope my arms catch up.

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[Carlos]

The Denver logo looks like there is a tennis ball in it.

It is a great write up and it seems like we have been waiting years for Carlos to be in this position.


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Trust me, it has seams.

And yes it looks like New York Red Bull. But you can't say it doesn't mimic the flag. It's like the perfect logo for mixing the two.

Also please stop calling us the Bulls! We are Denver BC and have a winning record since that change. The Bulls were a bad time.

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[Spear]

Trust me, it has seams.

And yes it looks like New York Red Bull. But you can't say it doesn't mimic the flag. It's like the perfect logo for mixing the two.

Also please stop calling us the Bulls! We are Denver BC and have a winning record since that change. The Bulls were a bad time.

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It does mimic the flag, I'll give you that. But it's the yellow baseball that chaps my ass. Looks like one of those big yellow softballs.

[Carlos]

It does mimic the flag, I'll give you that. But it's the yellow baseball that chaps my ass. Looks like one of those big yellow softballs.

True. Probably should have gone with white.

[Sully]

My offense is weaker than last year. The only reason I feel I can compete is because Syracuse dismantled and Denver has no pitching. We will see.

[Ryan]

My offense is weaker than last year. The only reason I feel I can compete is because Syracuse dismantled and Denver has no pitching. We will see.

Hey, I think you forgot to mention us.

[Carlos]

Hey, I think you forgot to mention us.

At least you're only 3B

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