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California Kodiaks: 2022 Year in Review
California Kodiaks (96-66; Lost in Divisional Round)
WHAT WENT RIGHT:
- Free Agency - Tom Wright (5.8 WAR/46 HR/122 RBI), Norm Deiwert (4.6 WAR/30 HR/93 RBI), Sonny Mason (1.5 WAR/15 HR/58 RBI) Xavier Garnett (1.1 WAR/utility infielder) all played well above the bargain basement contracts they were given
- Mike Morla - in what is becoming a very average season for The Kodiak's best player, he led the league in WAR (9.9 WAR) for the third straight year and finished in the top 10 in 15 other categories which just may put him in line for his second Stout Slugger
- Dan Bradford - the former #3 overall pick followed up a 17-5 regular season by being the starting pitcher in all three of our playoff wins, fashioning a 1.59 ERA in 22 2/3 innings.
WHAT WENT WRONG:
- Offence - not enough power when it mattered and way to many runners left on base... perhaps one of the drawbacks of a team with a bunch of players with high eye and contact, but limited power
OUTLOOK FOR 2023
We will be utilizing the same strategy as the last few years... Continue to develop the young pitchers and try to find bargain FAs to round out a line-up anchored by perennial Stout Slugger candidate Mike Morla. At some point the young guys will need to be paid, then the questions will really start.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A third really strong season in California... We are close, but with the strength of the rest of the division, I'm not sure that we have the horses to actually pull a championship out of this squad.
California Kodiaks (96-66; Lost in Divisional Round)
WHAT WENT RIGHT:
- Free Agency - Tom Wright (5.8 WAR/46 HR/122 RBI), Norm Deiwert (4.6 WAR/30 HR/93 RBI), Sonny Mason (1.5 WAR/15 HR/58 RBI) Xavier Garnett (1.1 WAR/utility infielder) all played well above the bargain basement contracts they were given
- Mike Morla - in what is becoming a very average season for The Kodiak's best player, he led the league in WAR (9.9 WAR) for the third straight year and finished in the top 10 in 15 other categories which just may put him in line for his second Stout Slugger
- Dan Bradford - the former #3 overall pick followed up a 17-5 regular season by being the starting pitcher in all three of our playoff wins, fashioning a 1.59 ERA in 22 2/3 innings.
WHAT WENT WRONG:
- Offence - not enough power when it mattered and way to many runners left on base... perhaps one of the drawbacks of a team with a bunch of players with high eye and contact, but limited power
OUTLOOK FOR 2023
We will be utilizing the same strategy as the last few years... Continue to develop the young pitchers and try to find bargain FAs to round out a line-up anchored by perennial Stout Slugger candidate Mike Morla. At some point the young guys will need to be paid, then the questions will really start.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A third really strong season in California... We are close, but with the strength of the rest of the division, I'm not sure that we have the horses to actually pull a championship out of this squad.