With the 2056 regular season drawing to a close, it’s a good time to look over the league and see what teams are heading in what directions and what steps they need to take in my opinion to get there. This is by no means the gospel truth when it comes to each team but its pretty close to the gospel truth. So without further ado…
Western Conference Heartland
Houston Red Bulls
Positives: Farm is top 3 in the RLB, youngsters are making their way to the majors and the core of the RLB squad is still early 30s, late 20s. Farm looks to have a lot of positions covered with loads of pitching depth. Fan Interest is still very high in the surrounding community. Player:Jose Ramos showed he can mash the ball with the big boys.
Negatives: One or two holes as an organization, very competitive conference, most of prospects are right-handed hitters and pitchers. Funding may dry up and budget may collapse with it. Player: Mario Canseco out with long term arm injury. The farm’s #1 SP prospect and possible ace. Who knows how he comes back after a 12-13 month layoff while in the prime of his development.
Dire Need: C and 3B
Indianapolis Yetis
Positives: Alex Shafer is probably legit. The team has no longer term contracts to hurt them financially and the farm has been left relatively untouched due to lack of trades for the past 3-4 seasons. Player: Alex Shafer looks to be a legit starting pitcher and maybe even a staff ace. Now Indy needs to build around him.
Negatives: 95% of the RLB roster is near 30 and, besides Shafer and Marquez, no young talent on the roster while the minors are loaded with 1B/DH bats and a sprinkle of decent defenders. Player: Joe Hyde was only a second round pick but for a franchise that was supposed to be ramping up he encapsulates the problem. Indy is not drafting effectively and stocking their farm while rebuilding. So they sit in no man’s land.
Dire Need: Depth and talent. Everywhere.
New Orleans Crawdads
Positives: Team turned it around and looks to be coming out of their rebuild. A lot of their contributing players this year were under 30 in the pitching department and they have 3-5 good arms on the farm. Player: Leonardo Hernandez and Wilson Rubio both are the future of this organization for the next 4-5 years, Rubio especially, and both need to repeat their success next year.
Negatives: Only 2 of their top 9 hitters were under 25 and 5 were over 30. Most right on the cusp but still a concern. No real difference maker with the bat in the majors currently and not seeing one in the minors. NO needs to make a big trade and get an impact bat or splash in FA. Player: Tyson Kramer had a decent year but not a “paid 17m” kind of year. Even taking into consideration his injury, he’s overpaid for a 750 ops player good for 20ish dongs in a good year.
Dire Need: Impact Bat
Oklahoma City Capitols
Positives: This is OKC’s twilight. Pitching is decent, hitting is elite, players are peaking. Stevens is a monster. 5 hitters over 4 war. 5 hitters over 20 dongs. 5 hitters over 340 obp. The hitting is great and their contracts get cheaper. Player: John Stevens showed he can fit in with the core of monster hitters. 400 obp hitting in front of the likes of Wass and Glush paid dividends.
Negatives: Pitching staff. Flacco, Martinez, Watkins and Weeks all posted FIPs above 4. Espinoza is the only bright spot on an otherwise dastardly pitching staff. Hopefully some of the youngins can help out because this team could’ve been a hurt a lot worse by their pitching. Player: Mason Flacco and Marvin Weeks should be pitching more like the #2 and 3 SPs they are or else it could really hurt this team going forward, especially in the playoffs.
Dire Need: An Ace.
St. Louis Outlaws
Positives: Daniel Medina is elite and Andrew McMahan showed he can be Medina’s huckleberry. Both are under 27 and have another 10+ years ahead of themselves. The farm looks to be decently stocked as well but the pieces don’t look quite as good as they need to be in this division going forward. Player: Andrew McMahan showed he can pitch with the big boys and he’s a lefty so that an extra dunk considering their division competition.
Negatives: One everyday starter had an ops over 800 and one additional everyday starter with an ops over 700. This is concerning. The lack of a major bat on this team continues to be more obvious and the prospects off the farm that were considered to fill that role haven’t panned out. Only one player with over 20 dongs and he hit 24? Not good. Player: Orlando Trujillo had an awful year for his talent level and he needs to carry this batting order on his back.
Dire Need: Impact Bat(s). Now. Thanks.
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