|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Apr 3, 2019 10:33:43 GMT -5
Expectations remain high in San Diego entering the 2050 season (with the exception of the owner who just reminded me he expects us to have a record better than .500 ). Fan interest is the highest it's been in 14 years! Here's a little primer on what we will be putting on the field in 2050: Staring Rotation - RH Jim King, RH Angel Solis, RH Dave Badenho, RH Miquel Geerloff, and RH Manny SanchezNew to the rotation are Dave Badenho and Manny Sanchez, out are Miguel Cruz and Jorge Costa. Badenho was a FA signing to add some more innings to the rotation and to provide some veteran support. Sanchez has made relief stints in SD for the past two years, but his stuff and stamina warrant giving him a chance in the rotation. Poor Jorge Costa has not been able to capture the magic that was the 2048 season. August 2048 saw him go down with shoulder inflammation (and injure it again in 2049) and he has never been the same. The Padres will retain an option on him in the hopes that he finds his old rhythm. Miguel Cruz, sigh, the guy that will make $20M and not need to throw a single pitch for it. Resigning him prior to the '49 season was still the right things to do, but he tore his UCL early in spring training. Healthy for '50, but shedding his stamina rating means no more starting slot for him and now he sits on the waiver wire to allow younger, maybe more talented guys, have their shots out of the pen. Bullpen - RH Pepe de Jesus, LH Roland Farmer, LH Carlos Acevedo, RH Johnathan Lehman, LH Noud Vlasbloom, RH Dougie Pickett, RH Aaron Vernon, LH Randy RojasNot much different here this season. Farmer, Acevado and Vlasbloom round out the left side which will be closely watched as this tends to be our home field's weakness (advantage in the bottom half). de Jesus, Lehman and Pickett will hopefully eat innings with Vernon and Rojas shutting down opposition at the end. Catcher - LH Antonio Lopez, S Mark HernandezLopez returns for his 8th season with the Padres. All signs point to another solid season and he will bat somewhere near the middle of the lineup. Backup catchers have been a revolving door, but Hernandez (a better hitter from the right side) showed signs of promise late in the '49 season and will spell Lopez from time to time. First Base - LH Nelson Parker, RH Ken HutchisonParker is our number 1 1B, but enters the season on the DL for another 3 weeks. Although Parker had a weak rookie season last year, his ratings indicate a 30+ HR season and a much improved on batting average (from .211). Hutchison left the team at the end of the season, only to re-sign early for much less then he was demanding in an extension. Hutch has been a solid contributor, but is starting to slide in his ratings. Look for both Parker and Hutch to bat somewhere in the back half of the middle of the lineup. Second Base - RH Bruce BoyerMr. See ball, hit ball. With a contact rating of 9 and avoid K's at 10, the defense better be ready when Boyer comes to bat. A decent glove and a sparkplug on the team and there is little to dislike about this guy. Expect to see him batting 1 or 2 in the lineup. Third Base - RH Roberto LimonNew to the team in 2050. Limon replaces the oft injured Nick Stuart who was not re-signed. While Petco Park will not be as friendly to him as the Great American Ballpark, Padres management hopes that Limon provides a solid bat from the right side and the occasional stolen base. Limon will bat near the bottom of the batting order. Shortstop - RH Haleem MuthomiMuthomi's strengths are his ability to draw walks, steal bases and excel at SS. However, contact has never been his thing. Muthomi will enter arbitration after this season and management will be watching carefully to see if any long term deals will be offered. Muthomi will bat near the bottom of the batting order. Left Field - LH Jack MacGruderMacGruder is building on a meh rookie season and then an excellent sophomore season that saw him finish 3rd in the NL MVP vote. Expectations remain high and he will bat in the middle of the lineup. Center Field - S Yoshitsune OharaHmmm, Ohara, shares a lot of similarities with Muthomi. He's got an excellent eye, steals bases and plays a very good CF. But, with a contact rating of 5, his average has been declining for 3 straight seasons. However, it should be noted that if you miss the live sims, you are missing some of his better moments as he tends to show up for them! This is year 2 of arbitration for him and a very important one as his position is the most up for grabs this year (see below). Will likely bat at the top of the order against righties, but at the bottom against lefties. Right Field - RH John HoweOur last big trade was adding Howe to the team prior to the '49 season. A gold glove fielder and our biggest threat from the right side of the plate. Management expects much of him on the field while upstairs, after our success in signing Lopez and Solis to long term deals, they will be focusing much of their effort on securing a long term deal for Mr. Howe. Howe will bat 3, 4, or 5 in the lineup. Designated Hitter - LH Kata OkadaOkada, who is this Okada guy? Sure, he won rookie of the year, only to be booted out of right field by a better right fielder and sees his WAR drop 2.3. Bah, but wait...you mean his power isn't fully developed? Even after hitting 39 and 44 HRs the last two years? Ahh, well, is there even any more room in the middle of the lineup for him??? Utility Players - RH Justin Mills, RH Juan FloresMills is your quintessential utility player. The guy can play any position with ease but can't hit for his life. Sure he's had some flashes of ability, but expect him to more of a glove than a bat on this team. I like Flores, but he can't start on this team. Prior to Boyer, Flores complimented Muthomi well in the middle infield and will now back up both 2B and SS. Not on the opening roster, but will join the team in 2050 - CF Jorge BecerraBecerra is rated as the #56 prospect in the PBL and is just waiting for Ohara to slip up. Virtually fully developed, Becerra projects to be the hitter that Ohara is not. The drawback though, is his weakness in CF, a position I would rather prefer having a rating better than 6. Becerra will almost assuredly join the team within a month or two.
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Jul 5, 2019 11:57:14 GMT -5
I ran across my season preview from last year and thought I'd add to it and keep a written record of season previews and reviews. 2050 Season Review:How we finished:107-55 (.660 Win PCT). 1st place in the NL West. NL Champs Entered the playoffs as the #1 seed and earned a first round bye. In the 2nd round the Padres faced the Montreal Expos. Although the Expos surprised many by winning the NL East over the Mets and Pirates, they were beaten 3-0. In the NL Championships, the Padres faced the Washington Nationals looking to avenge their 2048 NLCS loss to the same team. This time, the Padres emerged victorious 4-1. In the World Series, the Padres ran into the Rangers who were firing on all cylinders and dominated the series by defeating the Padres 4-1. All in all is was a successful season. After 3 years in a row of being in the playoffs, and losing the last 2 NLCS, we made the hurdle to the World Series, only to disappoint our fan base with a thud. The owner indicated that he wanted a better than .500 record, and that wasn't a problem. Personally, considering the vagaries of the playoffs, I was very happy with the season. Awards:
- Manny Sanchez wins the National League Cy Young Award.
- Jorge Becerra (CF) wins the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
- Platinum Stick Award Winners: Antonio Lopez (C), Nelson Parker (1B)
- Gold Glove Award Winners: John Howe (RF)
What went right:- Manny Sanchez's breakout season. Prior to 2050, Sanchez was an ok reliever with ok stuff and control. Improving on both in the offseason, he went on to have a 16-3 record with an ERA of 2.58.
- Yoshitsune Ohara's struggles early at the plate made calling up Jorge Becerra easy in May. Becerra would go on to hit .297, 30 HRs, and 94 RBI's, winning 2 player of the week awards, 1 batter of the month award, 2 rookie of the month awards and Rookie of the Year.
- As a team, the Padres improved on their batting average slightly and reduced their team ERA by just over half a run. Attendance was up and the financial situation remains stable as players either received an extension or were retained through arbitration. Not many changes are expected going into the 2051 season.
What went wrong:- Angel Solis' injury (5 weeks in the beginning of the season) caused some worry in SD as his ratings took a hit and his overall performance by the end of the season saw some regression. Hope was renewed after some time in the bullpen and going into 2051, Solis actually saw a boost to his movement rating since 2050.
- This was before the season even began, but SP Alberto Ramirez, a solid LH arm in the rotation suffered a season ending injury and did not see action in 2050. Further disappointment came when, in spring training 2051, his stamina rating dropped from 7 to 4.
Highlights:- Bruce Boyer leads the NL in hits with 221
- Kata Okada leads the NL in runs with 118
- Bruce Boyer puts together 2 impressive hitting streaks: 21 & 20 games
- Antonio Lopez hits 3 HRs on 6/28/50
- Dave Badenho pitches a no-hitter on 7/5/50
- Kata Okada hits 3 HRs on 10/2/50, the last day of the season
Notable Players leaving:
- Dave Badenho - 1 season w/SDN. 12-8, 4.46 ERA, 1.6 WAR.
- Pepe de Jesus - 5 seasons w/SDN. 26-16. 4.61 ERA, 2.2 WAR.
- Ken Hutchison - 8 seasons w/SDN. .269/.317/.459, 148 HR, 557 RBI, 455 R, 9.8 WAR
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Jul 9, 2019 13:17:44 GMT -5
2051: It's time to move on from how we ended the 2050 season and concentrate on making it back to the World Series. Nothing less will be a disappointment! And at least our owner has upgraded his expectations for the team, wanting us to make the playoffs! Here's the opening day lineup (since I'm a sim late, thankfully there weren't any injuries):
Staring Rotation - RH Manny Sanchez, RH Jim King, RH Angel Solis, LH Alberto Ramirez, and LH Franklin Jones Welcome to the #1 slot Manny Sanchez, your Cy Young propelled you to the top of the rotation after starting #5 last season! Jim King, welcome back, good to see you, we know what to expect from you. Angel Solis, it was a tough first half, but let's build on the 2nd half and have a solid year. Alberto Ramirez, don't you have a doctor's appointment? Franklin Jones, fingers crossed, but hey, at least you're a lefty.
Bullpen - RH Johnathan Lehman, RH Jorge Costa, LH Cesar Cabral, RH Juan Lopez, RH Miquel Geerloff, RH Aaron Vernon, LH Randy Rojas This is where I have the most apprehension this season. A lot of moves were made last year and they filter over to this year. Out are de Jesus, Farmer, Acevado, Vlasbloom and Pickett. In are a bunch of good pitchers, but no one I have a great deal of confidence in outside of Vernon and Rojas who will still be our late innings guys. Lehman had a decent year against righties and will probably have some more shots against lefties in blowout games. Costa and Geerloff will be our innings eaters and emergency starters. Cabral was a trade deadline pickup and needs to do better than last year's second half. And rookie Juan Lopez makes the team, solely on his ratings (and lack of option years).
Catcher - LH Antonio Lopez, S Mark Hernandez No change here. Lopez will bat 2nd in the order and Hernandez will come in more against lefties.
First Base - LH Nelson Parker Lopez's projection of 30+ HRs came true (+12) and he won a platinum stick. Worries still abound about his abilities against lefties, but this time he has no regular RH backup to step in. Pressure will be high on Parker as he will bat later in the batting order.
Second Base - RH Bruce Boyer Fan favorite Boyer is poised to lead off the lineup for a 3rd year. Coming off his first All-Star appearance, Boyer will be looking to keep fielders on their toes and scorch up the basepaths once again.
Third Base - RH Roberto Limon, RH Edwin Valstar After exercising his player option, Limon re-signed with the Padres in the off-season for more money in one season than he was set to get in two. Limon was our #1 choice at 3B through most of spring training after having a successful 2050. However, the acquisition of Valstar means there's a bit of competition for him. More of a long term solution at 3B, Valstar will get most of the at bats to begin the season and prove himself. Still, this will be a fight for who plays more as the season goes on, and Limon's future as a Padre greatly depends on his performance.
Shortstop - RH Haleem Muthomi Muthomi's 2048 rookie season still stands out as his best at the plate and in the field. After earning his first arbitration paycheck in the off-season, all eyes will be on Muthomi's ability to maintain his performance at a minimum. Still an above average fielder and a batter with an excellent eye. A long term solution at SS may be on the team's wishlist though Mr. Muthomi...
Left Field - LH Jack MacGruder 2049 may be a disappointment for MacGruder, but his abilities with the bat still squarely sits him in the middle of the lineup.
Center Field - LH Jorge Becerra ROY Becerra comes into the season riding a wave after unseating Ohara last May. A troublesome glove in CF is made up for his ability to produce at the plate and run the bases. Becerra will bat in the latter half of the order.
Right Field - RH John Howe Our 2050 goal of signing Howe to a long term contract was accomplished and he rewarded the team with his 3rd straight season of declining WAR, but another gold glove. Watching him on a daily basis, it is easy to overlook him when his teammates might have better single game performances. Still, Howe is our strongest bat from the right side and will bat in the middle of the lineup.
Designated Hitter - LH Kata Okada Since last opening day, Okada fully developed into his potential ratings of 8 contact and 9 power. Earning $10M in arbitration, this could be his best year yet and Okada will look to solidify his name as one of the premier players in the PBL.
Utility Players - RH Justin Mills, RH Juan Flores Copy and paste, yup: Mills is your quintessential utility player. The guy can play any position with ease but can't hit for his life. Sure he's had some flashes of ability, but expect him to more of a glove than a bat on this team. I like Flores, but he can't start on this team.
Prospects that may make an appearance this year: None There may be some arms that make an appearance through the course of the year, or maybe Luis Manual Nieto gets some ABs, but 3B is already crowded so probably not. 2051 is not a year for prospects, but 2052 is more promising.
Preseason Prediction: 100+ wins, 1st place in the NL West. The playoffs are always a crap shoot, but I fully expect to at least make it to the NL Championship and hopefully a chance at the World Series again.
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Sept 10, 2019 13:51:23 GMT -5
2051 Season Review:
How we finished:114 - 48 (.704 Win PCT). 1st place in the NL West. NL Champs. The 114 wins was the most in franchise history to date. Entered the playoffs as the #1 seed and earned a first round bye. Faced the Phillies in the LDS who went up 2-1, but a couple of extra inning wins gave the Padres the series win. Next up in the LCS were the wild card Carolina Warhounds who beat division winners Cardinals and Nationals. Another series that went pushed our team to the max, but in game 7, the Padres prevailed on the back of Jim King's pitching performance. Returning to the World Series for the 2nd year in a row, the Padres were hoping this was their year. However, they ran into the AL's most prolific offense in the Colorado Rockies. In the end, it was the Rockies offense that beat the Padres in 6 games. In game 4, Rockies DH Duane Hansen broke the post-season record for HRs with 9. A solid season atop many of the leaderboards came up short once again in the World Series. Playing the Rockies was the one opponent I wanted to play for many seasons in the championship and they did not disappoint! Awards:- Manny Sanchez wins his 2nd (in a row) National League Cy Young Award
- Platinum Stick Award Winners: Nelson Parker (1B), Kata Okada (DH)
- Gold Glove Award Winners: John Howe (RF)
- All Stars: Manny Sanchez, Jim King, Franklin Jones, Miquel Geerloff, Alberto Ramirez, Antonio Lopez, Jack MacGruder, and Kata Okada.
What went right:- Manny Sanchez continued his dominance on the mound going 15-5 with a 2.38 ERA, a WHIP of 0.90 and 252 Ks, better than his 2050 season.
- Franklin Jones was signed in the offseason as a lefty arm only and fingers were crossed. Instead he goes on to win 19 games with an ERA of 2.79 and a WHIP of 1.12. A complete surprise, Jones contributed greatly to the success of the Padres pitching staff.
- With Jones in the rotation, this allowed Miquel Geerloff to pitch from the bullpen. Given opportunities throughout the season in high risk spots, Geerloff shut down opposing rallies before they got started. Geerloff pitched 143.2 innings in relief and struck out 204.
- Home runs - Padres hitters were fed a hearty breakfast of Wheaties that resulted in an increase in homers. Howe hit 37, Becarra 42 (and another 7 in the playoffs), but nothing was more exciting than Okada and Parker's competition for team leader throughout the season. In the end, Okada hit 54 and Parker 52. Okada got the last laugh too with 140 RBIs against Parker's 139.
- Finished 1st in team WAR (71.88), 1st in Batter WAR (39.17) and 1st in Pitcher WAR (32.72).
What went wrong:- Playoff conditioning: After a long season and the first two playoff rounds going the distance, injuries finally caught up to the team. With the exception of Ramirez, the Padres were not really affected by missed time by any of its other players during the season. However, in the playoffs, injuries started to pile up. In game 2 of the LDS, Antonio Lopez suffers a DTD that will plague him throughout the playoffs. In game 2 of the LCS, Kata Okada is injured that takes him out of the rest of the playoffs. In the same game Bruce Boyer suffers a DTD. Game 6 sees SS Haleem Muthomi taken out of the rest of the playoffs and then in game 4 of the WS, his replacement, Juan Flores, is out for the playoffs. If there was an option to evaluate or change trainers in OOTP, this would have been the place to do it.
- Alberto Ramirez pitches well, but after only 53.1 innings, another season ending injury sidelines the pitcher. This was his 5th injury of longer than 4 months.
Highlights:- Jack MacGruder leads the NL (tie) in doubles with 50
- Kata Okada leads the PBL in HRs with 54
- Kata Okada leads the PBL (tie) in RBIs with 140
- Manny Sanchez leads the PBL in pitcher's WAR with 6.97
- Manny Sanchez leads the NL in Ks with 252
- Jack Macgruder has a hitting streak of 24 games
- Manny Sanchez pitches a complete game shutout in Game 2 of the LCS
Notable Players leaving:
- Roberto Limon - 2 year career w/SDN. .252/.325/.388. 2.1 WAR.
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Oct 5, 2019 19:57:32 GMT -5
2052: The mantra for this year is 3rd time's a charm. I know these are long so if you prefer a TLDR, it's that this team is virtually the same and pretty damn good, so it's a championship or bust!
Staring Rotation - RH Manny Sanchez, RH Jim King, RH Angel Solis, RH Jorge Costa, and LH Franklin Jones Its back to back Cy Youngs for Sanchez so it's another year as the #1 starter. King actually picked up another control point. Solis is back after a pretty rough year, but he's a guy that won't walk many. Costa is put back into the rotation after picking up Alberto Ramirez's slack last year, starting in 24 games. And Franklin Jones anchors the rotation after a pretty amazing and surprising 2051 season.
Bullpen - RH Johnathan Lehman, RH Juan Lopez, RH Miquel Geerloff, LH Alberto Ramirez, RH Aaron Rine, RH Aaron Vernon, LH Randy Rojas Cesar Cabral makes his exit from the ML roster after failing, but Ramirez is back after another injury filled season. Not many changes here. Geerloff was a monster innings eater, Lopez and Lehman great situational pitchers and Vernon and Rojas to lock down the late innings. Aaron Rine is the new guy on the roster this year after impressing in spring training and AAA before that.
Catcher - LH Antonio Lopez, S Mark Hernandez No change. Lopez has seen a decline in his batting average each of the last 3 seasons. Is his aging catching up? Regardless, he's an All-Star catcher, but will bat in the lower third of the order this year. Mark Hernandez once again backs up and will get more at bats against righties.
First Base - LH Nelson Parker, RH Robby Ellis Parker kept pace with Kata Okada all year hitting 52 Hrs and driving in 139. Still, he doesn't bat well against lefties, and that's why Ellis makes the ML roster as a right handed back-up. Parker will hit in the middle of the lineup.
Second Base - RH Bruce Boyer Fan favorite Boyer is poised to lead off the lineup for a 4th year. Dude's a hitting machine.
Third Base - RH Edwin Valstar The Valstar - Limon battle for 3rd base was decided pretty early in 2051 and Valstar won. While not all that we could hope for at 3B, Valstar had some flashes of brilliance and is our best option at 3B. Valstar will bat in the bottom of the order.
Shortstop - RH Haleem Muthomi I can't say that I am completely happy with Muthomi at SS every year. His poor average and meh fielding at SS is pretty frustrating, but he's got a good eye. The Padres will be watching his and prospect Darrell Whaley's progress in AAA for potential changes in 2052... Fortunately his arbitration paychecks have been cheap. Muthomi will bat last.
Left Field - LH Jack MacGruder MacGruder might be our best all around left handed hitter and its a wonder he's been overshadowed by guys like Okada and Parker. His ability to make contact in the gaps and get on base means he'll start in the lineup at #2.
Center Field - LH Jorge Becerra Becerra's hits may have declined in more ABs, but he made up for it in HRs, runs driven in and a WAR of 5. A solid fielder, Becerra will hit in the middle of the lineup.
Right Field - RH John Howe Our star right hander and perennial gold glover, Howe has been a solid contributor to the team. When his teammates starting dropping like flies in the playoffs, Howe carried the team to the World Series. Howe will bat in the middle of the lineup.
Designated Hitter - LH Kata Okada Coming up so slightly short of the MVP, Okada has proven to be one of the best bats in the league. 2051 was his best year yet, leading the league in HRs, RBIs, slugging and ops. Watch out for Okada when you come to San Diego! He will bat (obviously) in the middle of the lineup.
Utility Players - RH Justin Mills, RH Juan Flores, S Yoshitsune Ohara, RH Robby Ellis Mills can't hit but will catch anything hit his way, at any position. Flores is great option to backup the middle of the infield and will actually see more playing time at SS when Muthomi disappoints. The expanded active roster means Ohara is back in the pros, backing up in the OF.
Prospects that may make an appearance this year: SS Darrell Whaley, SP Chris Hansen, SP Paco Montes, SP Ken Wright Whaley is the future at SS, but not a blue chip spec. Muthomi's failings will not be tolerated for much longer. The future of starting pitchers are near, but not wholly developed. They will each likely see an entire year in AAA, but an injury (or two) means the sun could be rising for the next generation of SD pitchers.
Preseason Prediction: 100+ wins, 1st place in the NL West. Very little has changed from last year. The only new face to team is really rookie RP Rine. I have to imagine, barring any crazy injuries, this team could be slightly better than last years, especially as we have a few more options at what were trouble spots in the past. It's WS or bust once again in SD!
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Dec 13, 2019 12:12:55 GMT -5
2052 Season Review:How we finished:112 - 50 (.691 Win PCT). 1st place in the NL West. Entered the playoffs as the #1 seed and earned a first round bye. Faced the Nationals in the LDS and lost in 4 games. Another great regular season stopped short in the playoffs. Awards:- John Howe wins the National League Most Valuable Player Award
- Manny Sanchez wins his 3rd (in a row) National League Cy Young Award
- Platinum Stick Award Winners: Nelson Parker (1B), Bruce Boyer (2B), Jack Macgruder (LF), John Howe (RF), Kata Okada (DH)
- Gold Glove Award Winners: None
- All Stars: Manny Sanchez, Jim King, Alberto Ramirez, Jorge Becerra, John Howe and Kata Okada.
What went right:- Manny Sanchez's 3rd Cy Young, but maybe more importantly he was signed to a 10 year contract extension totally $175M.
- The offense continued to click as the team batting average increased to .286 for the year.
- No major injuries.
- Finished 1st in team WAR (67.38), 1st in Batter WAR (42.6) and 3rd in Pitcher WAR (24.78).
What went wrong:- Randy Rojas' may have lost his closer's role, blowing 7 saves during the season, including the clinching game in the playoffs that sent the team home.
- Pitching overall wasn't as dominate, but that was to be expected especially considering Franklin Jones' impressive 2051 season.
Highlights:- Manny Sanchez wins the triple crown, with 17 wins, 243 strikeouts, and a 2.74 ERA. He also had a WAR of 6.0
- John Howe leads the NL in WAR with 9.1
- John Howe leads the NL in runs with 129
- John Howe leads the NL in stolen bases with 35 (teammates Boyer and Muthomi come in 2nd with 30 each)
- Bruce Boyer ties for the PBL lead in hits with 228
- Bruce Boyer leads the PBL in triples with 15
- Haleem Muthomi leads the NL in walks with 115
- Angel Solis pitches a no-hitter on 5/6/52 against the Braves
- Bruce Boyer has a hitting streak of 24 games
- John Howe has a hitting streak of 20 games
Notable Players leaving:- Jorge Costa - 6 year career w/SDN. 46-30, 3.80 ERA, 13.1 WAR
- Franklin Jones - 2 year career w/SDN. 33-8, 3.51 ERA, 6.6 WAR
- Justin Mills - 8 year career w/SDN. .249/.343/.352, 23 HR, 173 RBI, 241 R, 6.3 WAR
- Yoshitsune Ohara - 6 year career w/SDN. .241/.364/.337, 19 HR, 184 RBI, 325 R, 136 SB, 9.2 WAR
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Jan 3, 2020 11:43:19 GMT -5
2053: OK, let's not jinx ourselves and get straight to it:
Starting Rotation - RH Manny Sanchez, RH Jim King, RH Angel Solis, RH Miquel Geerloff, and LH Rurik Unichenko 3 time Cy Young award winner Manny Sanchez leads us off after signing a long term contract extension. King was floated on the trade block with no takers, so the goal here is to see if we can sign him up to a long term contract next to Sanchez. Solis sits in at his usual #3 spot. And then this is where things get a bit different. Not ready to start a couple of rookies to start the season, Geerloff, an excellent reliever, but ok starter will get some reps to start the season and decent Unichenko anchors the rotation. Honestly, neither of these two guys should be in the starting rotation, but they will do until Hansen and Wright make their big league appearances this year.
Bullpen - RH Johnathan Lehman, RH Aaron Rine, RH Aaron Vernon, LH Randy Rojas, RH Doug Kline, RH Hirokazu Okada, RH Charlie Arenas, CL Alberto Ramirez Some new faces join the bullpen in Okada (from COL) and Arenas (from MON), but the big news is the demotion of former star closer Randy Rojas to just a middle relief role. 2052 wasn't particularly terrible, but was his career worse in ERA and K/9. On top of that, his ratings took a serious slide to the point of almost irrelevancy (7-7-6). Former starter, and oft injured, Alberto Ramirez will start the season as closer after his first ever full season not on the DL.
Catcher - LH Antonio Lopez, RH Larry Harper Is Lopez getting too old to play catcher anymore? This is the last season before he has a player opt out and some are wondering if it would be better if he opted out after 2053. Lopez will bat in the bottom third of the order. Larry Harper was signed in the offseason to back Lopez up. His ability as a team leader and right handed option has us thinking an improvement has been made here.
First Base - LH Nelson Parker, RH Greg Harper Parker will anchor the middle third of the lineup as he looks to continue hitting 40+ HR a season. Greg Harper is another captain and that's about it for him.
Second Base - RH Bruce Boyer Boyer is coming off his best season yet, narrowly missing being the batting champ last season. Expect to see him leading off.
Third Base - RH Edwin Valstar Man I wish we had a better option at 3B, but he will do. Luis Manuel Nieto almost usurped him on the starting roster, but he's not flashy either so we will hope that Valstar performs at another 2+ WAR this season. Valstar will hit at the bottom of the order.
Shortstop - RH Haleem Muthomi The left side of the infield is our weakness, but Muthomi gets the job done and had his best season last year. Muthomi is a free agent after this year so his future is uncertain. Muthomi will bat again at the bottom of the order or near the top depending on the situation.
Left Field - LH Jack MacGruder Steady and reliable MacGruder will bat 2nd again this year. He is the face of consistency on the team and would be "the star" on many other teams.
Center Field - LH Jorge Becerra Another solid LH bat in the lineup. Becerra has averaged 5 WAR in his 3 season career. Becerra will hit in the middle of the lineup.
Right Field - RH John Howe Howe might have missed the gold glove award last year, but he won the MVP with an outstanding 2052. Management was worried he might have already hit his peak, but now hopes remain high for Howe as he again hits in the middle of the lineup.
Designated Hitter - LH Kata Okada Power hitting Okada will bat 3rd or 4th, anchoring a very solid lineup for the Padres. Coming in at 5+ WAR as a DH, Okada should rake.
Utility Players - RH Juan Flores, RH Don Bray Out are veteran Padres Mills and Ohara and in is Rule 5 pickup Don Bray. Hopes are that Bray spells the regulars at a multitude of positions. Flores returns as the backup middle infielder. Both will also see some time pitch running as we look to be another high SB team in 2053.
Prospects that may make an appearance this year: SS Darrell Whaley, SP Chris Hansen, P Ken Wright I mentioned the same guys last year. Whaley had a good year in AAA and if we can't agree to terms with Muthomi, then Whaley will get some shots at SS to try him out. Hansen and Wright are planned to be slotted in at #4 & #5 of the rotation at some point this season.
Preseason Prediction: When I look at this team and the competition in the NL West, I can tell that our time atop the West will be harder and harder to maintain. The Dodgers continue to add key pieces and the Giants have used their rebuilding years well. Combine that with the fact that the stars on the Padres need to get paid or move along, and there can be some changes to the dynamic sooner than later. I'm not going to make any specific predictions, because that just gets our hopes up, but this team should once again win the NL West (but probably decline in wins).
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Mar 17, 2020 13:59:38 GMT -5
2053 Season Review:
How we finished:
109 - 53 (.673 Win PCT). 1st place in the NL West. Entered the playoffs as the #1 seed and earned a first round bye. Faced the Phillies in the LDS and lost in 4 games.
Awards:
Bruce Boyer wins the National League Most Valuable Player Award and NL Batting title Platinum Stick Award Winners: Bruce Boyer (2B), Jack Macgruder (LF) Gold Glove Award Winners: Bruce Boyer (2B), John Howe (RF) All Stars: Manny Sanchez, Alberto Ramirez, Nelson Parker, Bruce Boyer, and Jorge Becerra.
What went right:
The regular season, although the Dodgers made it close coming within 3 games in July. Finished 1st in team WAR (65.68), 1st in Batter WAR (40.02) and 2nd in Pitcher WAR (25.66). Jim King signs a 7 year extension. Jack MacGruder signs a 6 year extension.
What went wrong:
The postseason, as that is now 2 years in a row where we managed just 1 win before being eliminated.
Highlights:
Bruce Boyer wins the NL Batting Title with an AVG of .349 Bruce Boyer lead the NL in WAR at 7.6 Bruce Boyer lead the NL in hits with 230 Nelson Parker lead the NL in RBI with 126 Nelson Parker lead the NL in total bases with 356 Manny Sanchez lead the PBL in WHIP with a 0.94
Henry Alexander pitches a perfect game on 7/2/53 against his former team, the Cardinals, just 2 weeks after being traded. Kata Okada gets 6 hits on 5/13/53.
Notable Players leaving:
Randy Rojas (released & retires) - 8 year career w/SDN. 41-32, 260 saves, 2.64 ERA, 741 K, 17 WAR. Alberto Ramirez (FA) - 6 year career w/SDN. 23-13, 3.02 ERA, 9.0 WAR. Tremendous upside, but was constantly hampered by injuries. In those 6 years he was injured 27 times of varying lengths. Haleem Muthomi (FA) - 7 year career w/SDN. .235/.364/.347, 45 HR, 290 RBI, 451 R, 148 SB, 16.9 WAR Juan Flores (FA)- 9 year career w/SDN. .257/ .302/.380, 31 HR, 269 RBI, 317 R, 5.4 WAR Henry Alexander (FA)- only 4 months with the team, but pitched a perfect game. 9-4 3.12 ERA, 2.3 WAR Antonio Lopez opts out of his contract, but resigns as a FA
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Mar 29, 2020 13:40:06 GMT -5
2054: Our favorite time of the year, the regular season!
Starting Rotation - RH Manny Sanchez, RH Jim King, RH Angel Solis, LH Chris Hansen, and LH Rurik Unichenko. The top 3 are the same as last year, with the big news being that King was signed to a hefty 7 year contract and will be a Padre mainstay. Coming in at the 4th rotation spot is Chris Hansen who had a subpar rookie season last year. This year he slips into the starting rotation thanks to a little boost to his control and we'll see how it goes. Rurik Unichenko continued to impress in 2053, posting a 2.7 WAR so he was a no-brainer for the final rotation spot. Miquel Geerloff stands ready as our emergency SP should any falter. About the same as last year, but we will miss Henry Alexander.
Bullpen - RH Miquel Geerloff, LH Cecil Jones, RH Al King, RH Roberto Quintero, RH Aaron Vernon, RH Charlie Arenas, CL Melvin Wells Now this is a very different bullpen compared to last year's opening day roster. Only Geerloff, Vernon and Arenas return. Many changes were made mid-season leading with the acquisition of Cecil Jones from the Brewers to be our left handed specialist. Then came Melvin Wells as our top notch closer to replace the retiring Randy Rojas. Called up during the year was Al King and Roberto Quintero was acquired in the offseason with his nasty circle change and command of the strike zone. Dissatisfaction led to so many changes during the 2053 bullpen, so hopefully we are fielding a better bunch of guys we can have confidence in.
Catcher - LH Antonio Lopez, RH Larry Harper Lopez left the team in the lurch at the end of the season opting out of his last 2 years, but that's ok, because it wasn't long before he signed back up for another 4 seasons with SD. His age is becoming a factor, and his ratings aren't what they used to be, but he's always hit above his ratings and the fans love seeing him behind the plate. Harper's admirable backup role and team captain ability earned him another year with the team. However, a rising crop of RH catchers are making their way through the minors, while Harper enters the first week of the season taking a hit to his contact rating. Lopez (and Harper) will bat in the lower third of the order.
First Base - LH Nelson Parker Nelson Parker just signed a 7 year extension, adding another long term commitment to this team. 40+ HRs and 120+ RBIs are expected once again has he will hit in the middle of the lineup.
Second Base - RH Bruce Boyer The reigning MVP, See Ball-Hit Ball Boyer will bat in the lead off spot once again. The question this year, is will Boyer return to the team next year or enter free agency. Only 26 entering the season, Boyer could be the most sought after second baseman.
Third Base - RH Edwin Valstar, RH Luis Manual Nieto 2053 will be another competition at 3B. Valstar has been the starting 3B for the last 2 years, but Nieto will make the opening day roster to give him a run at his money. Both are pretty comparable in terms of ratings and will bat in the last half of the order.
Shortstop - RH Darell Whaley When Haleem Muthomi went down with an injury mid-season, it was Whaley's opportunity to show what's he's got. Whaley's ability to make contact and nearly hit .300 for the last half of the season meant Muthomi wouldn't be offered a long term contract. Whaley might not be a team's first choice at SS, but he's cheap, young, and had a fine rookie campaign. A pleasant surprise. Whaley will hit near the bottom of the order.
Left Field - LH Jack MacGruder Most of his stat lines are down each year, but you can't argue against starting him, despite his poor defense. His good gap ability and eye means he'll be batting second behind Boyer.
Center Field - LH Jorge Becerra, RH Karl Barton Becerra starts the season in the injured list for at least 4 weeks. A blow to the position as his 5 WAR will be missed for that time. In his place, Karl Barton will start the season in CF. Barton was signed in the offseason as the 4th OF due to his glove and average bat. How quickly that 4th OF spot moves up. Barton will start near the bottom of the lineup and when Becerra returns, hell hit in the middle of the lineup.
Right Field - RH John Howe Howe wins another gold glove, but returned to his low batting average in 2053. Still he's good for 30+ HRs and 100+ RBIs. He's also our best RH bat and will bat in the middle of the lineup.
Designated Hitter - LH Kata Okada Man, what happened to Okada in 2053? Many career lows hopefully aren't a reflection of things to come. Hopefully Okada is up for another HR and RBI competition with Parker this year. Okada will bat in the middle of the lineup.
Utility Players - RH Jimmy Martinez, RH Germaine Lee, LH Denny Dunham Each will be making their SD debut. Martinez was picked up as a FA from the Angels and will backup many positions, while Germaine Lee was a waiver wire pick up from the Rays. Both of these guys overlap in their abilities and it may just come down usefulness/ability for who makes it to the end of the season. Denny Dunham is a career minor leaguer, but he's got some leadership ability and if it wasn't for Becerra's injury, he wouldn't be playing in the bigs.
Prospects that may make an appearance this year: RH Sancho Fernandez, RH Carlos Rodriguez Call-ups of potential big leaguers might be limited to the bullpen this year. Fernandez was a September call-up last year and could probably pitch in the bigs soon. Rodriguez too. There are other pitchers that could make an appearance if the need arises, but 2054 isn't a flashy year for prospects.
Preseason Prediction: It's a NL West championship and more than 1 win in the playoffs (fingers crossed). The roster is little changed from prior years and our bullpen should be better. The Padres may look for upgrades at SS or 3B this year as areas of improvement.
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Jun 1, 2020 12:39:27 GMT -5
2054 Season Review:
After 8 straight seasons in the playoffs, the Padres are the 2054 World Series Champions!!!
How we finished:
92 - 70 (.568 Win PCT). 1st place in the NL West. Entered the playoffs as the #3 seed, tying the Phillies with the 2nd best record in the league, but missing out on the bye due to relative intra-division records.
Wild Card Round - Beat the Warhounds 2 - 0 Division Round - Beat the Phillies 3 - 0 LCS - Beat the Brewers 4 - 1 World Series - Beat the White Sox 4 - 1
Awards:
Jim King wins the National League Cy Young Award Platinum Stick Award Winners: Darrell Whaley (SS), John Howe (RF) Gold Glove Award Winners: Jim King (P) All Stars: Jim King, Nelson Parker, Jack MacGruder, Kata Okada
What went right:
After 8 straight seasons, the Padres finally put together their best run of the season to win the World Series, finishing with a 13-2 record in the playoffs. In fact, the playoffs began with 7 straight wins, where in the regular season, the team could only manage 5 straight wins.
Acquiring Mike Aitkenhead, Jorge Molina and Tommy Worsham in June to bolster a lackluster performance by the team. By this point, the team had fallen out of first place and would remain there until near the end of the season. At the lowest the Giants led the division by 5 games. It’s hard to imagine if that hurdle could have been made without the contributions of these players.
Finished 6th in team WAR (54.81), 6th in Batter WAR (30.92) and 3rd in Pitcher WAR (23.89)
What went wrong:
Outside of the playoffs and the award winners, the season was lackluster and inconsistent. Of the last 8 seasons, this was by far the most stressful as players didn’t meet expectations and it showed by the lack of winning streaks.
Games could be categorized by how well the bats did. Throughout the year pitchers could be counted on to limit the other team, but it was a crapshoot if the offense would come through with 1 run or 8.
Jorge Beccerra’s injury in the beginning of the season effectively ended his career with the Padres. Despite his previous 4 seasons averaging 5 WAR a season, when he returned in May, he was a totally different player with a -1.5 WAR, a demotion to the minors and the team refusing to offer arbitration that would have figured to cost about $10M next season. In ways, his failures led to the acquisition of Aitkenhead in June, so there was a very silver lining.
Highlights:
Jack MacGruder leads the NL in doubles with 50 Jorge Molina leads the NL in stolen bases with 33 Jim King leads the PBL with a WAR of 6.6 And a FIP of 2.47 Angel Solis leads the PBL with a K/BB of 7.2 Manny Sanchez leads the NL with 254 strikeouts
Kata Okada hits his 300th HR on October 1st, 2054
Notable Players leaving:
Bruce Boyer (FA) - 7 year career w/SDN. .330/.374/.731, 23 HR, 408 RBI, 661 R, 167 SB, 31.5 WAR. 1 MVP, 1 Gold Glove, 2 All Star appearances, 2 Silver Slugger Awards, 1 World Series Championship. Mr. See-Ball-Hit-Ball. Jorge Becerra (Denied Arbitration) - 5 year career w/SDN. .271/.345/.851, 132 HR, 414 RBI, 398 R, 18.7 WAR. 2050 Rookie of the Year, 2 All Star appearances. Miquel Geerloff (FA) - 8 year career w/SDN. 62 - 35, 3.88 ERA, 1003 K, 11.6 WAR. 1 All Star Appearance, 1 World Series Championship. Fantastic reliever, just don’t start him too much.
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Jun 24, 2020 11:14:43 GMT -5
2055: Battlecry of the year - Let's do it again!
Starting Rotation - RH Manny Sanchez, RH Jim King, LH Chris Hansen, RH Angel Solis, and LH Rurik Unichenko.
This is the same exact rotation as the last year. Sanchez is dominant like very few and King is off a Cy Young win. Hansen will be our new #3 after is sophomore outing and a very good spring training. I picture Solis as our rock. He's been with the team for 11 years now! 2054 was his best year since 2048, so there's no slowing down for this career pitcher. In the #5 spot is Rurik Unichenko. Unichenko regressed quite a bit last year in terms of his ERA, but improved on his BB/9 and K/9 lines. Much of his regression can probably be traced to a BABIP of .356 in '54, so we anticipate an even better year for Unichecnko in '55.
Bullpen - RH Sancho Fernandez, LH Art Owens, RH Yoshimatsu Koizumi, LH Cecil Jones, RH Carlos Rodriguez (injured), RH Aaron Vernon, RH Charlie Arenas, CL Melvin Wells
I look at this bullpen and, for an opening day, I am pretty happy. It's tough to lose Miquel Geerloff, but the current crop is a nice mixture of veteran players and young arms. Sancho Fernandez and Yoshimatsu Koizumi headline the future arms. Fernandez enters his second year after an impressive rookie season. Koizumi at 24 is a true rookie with nasty stuff. AAA last year was a bit rough, so he may see some back and forth to the minors this year. Art Owens was a Rule V pickup from the Rangers and gives us another left handed option that is equally effective against righties and lefties. Cecil Jones is once again our left handed specialist. Then we've got the veterans Vernon, Arenas and Wells. Vernon signed on for another 3 years at the end of last season. His control actually jumped to 10 at the age of 33. Arenas was our setup guy last year. His 2.61 ERA was his best since 2048. Wells looks to return to form after missing 2 months of the season last year. Still, he managed to save 25 games and celebrated with a 3 year extension.
Catcher - LH Antonio Lopez, RH Brett Thompson Lopez is another veteran on the team, entering his 13th season with the Padres! While every indicator says that he will regress every season for the remainder of his 3 years in SD, he's been good for 2+ WAR and a solid glove behind the plate. Thompson was picked up in free agency as a right handed option to compliment Lopez's left hand. In retrospect, I feel that I overpaid on him, but at least he's got ok power and a good eye against lefties. Lopez and Thompson will bat in the bottom third of the lineup.
First Base - LH Nelson Parker
Looking at Parker's ratings doesn't inspire one with a whole lot of confidence, but he's been solid year in and out. Will he regress? Probably after losing a point in contact and HRs being down for the 3rd straight year. Man this team is getting old. Parker figures to hit in the middle of the lineup.
Second Base - SH Taro Takahashi Wait, where's Bruce Boyer? No seriously, has anyone seen him, I'm getting worried... When Boyer started asking for $30M+ for 7/8 years, it just wasn't going to fit with the team's books to keep him on. So, via a trade with Diamondbacks, Takahashi comes in to fill the role of our ball mashing second baseman. Takahashi and Boyer are pretty similar on the offensive side of the ball, with Takahashi maybe finding more success with his gap power. Trouble is Taro's glove which might be trouble for the Padres... Taro will hit in Boyer's old leadoff spot.
Third Base - SH Jorge Molina, RH Luis Manual Nieto
Molina was picked up early in the season and split time with Nieto at 3B. The nice thing about this platoon is they complement each other from opposite sides of the plate, but I figure Molina will get the bulk of starts to start the season and Nieto some more against lefties if the need arises. Molina and Nieto will bat in various spots.
Shortstop - RH Darell Whaley
All hail the reigning silver slugger at SS and World Series MVP! Now there's two awards I didn't expect Whaley to ever earn, much less in the same season. Whaley fills the SS role admirably and will bat in the bottom half of the order.
Left Field - LH Jack MacGruder
Another regresser in his late 20's, a theme me thinks... Still, his dynamite bat and wonderful eye combine to make the perfect #2 hitter.
Center Field - RH John Howe Yup, gold glove right fielder John Howe moves to center field after the team's acquisition of Mike Aitkenhead last season and the team running Jorge Becerra out of town. Howe needed to learn the position a bit and ended with a negative zone rating, but he put in the extra work and his CF rating is now a respectable 7. Howe, as usual, will bat in the middle of the lineup.
Right Field - LH Mike Aitkenhead Aitkenhead was acquired about the same time as Molina and I've given these transactions a lot of the credit for turning the season around and saving it. Mike's got a big bat and the Padres are happy to give him a home where hopefully he can help bring another championship to SD soon. Aitkenhead will bat right in the middle of the lineup.
Designated Hitter - LH Kata Okada
Okada is Aitkenhead with a better eye at the cost of an ability with the glove. Trouble is Okada missed 6 weeks of the season last year and is now an injury status of fragile. Why must we age??? Okada figures to hit in a crowded middle of the lineup.
Utility Players - SH Roger Hamilton, RH Tim Malone, RH Tommy Worsham, LH Kelly Cain (injured) The Padre bench has been in flux for a few years now after the departures of Ohara and Mills. This year we are trying something a bit different. Kelly Cain was picked up in a trade with the Giants to add his left hand batting ability to a predominately right handed infield. Roger Hamilton gets a big league debut since Cain starts the season on the injured list. Hamilton is interesting because he's a very solid glove at 3 positions, can run, and can actually hit against righties. I'm ok with this little experiment. In the outfield, Tommy Worsham returns to the team after a nice little run in '54 and Rule V pickup Tim Malone gets a shot at the bigs and even some starts in the corners against left handed pitching.
Prospects that may make an appearance this year: LH Naoki Gato The Padres don't have a farm system, let's get that out of the way first. But, Gato is an interesting starting pitcher who can throw until the cows come home. He might give up too many homers, so maybe we will look to limit his starts to home cooking when, and if, he makes his big league debut.
Preseason Prediction:
I have to look at this team still as the favorite to win the NL West. It's true that we are getting older while the rest of the division has used the last few years to better themselves. 2054 was the first year in a long time that the Padres were not in first place for the majority of the season and it will only get harder from here on out. Once in the playoffs, I know this team is more than equipped for a playoff run after going 13-2 last year. It's our goal to win it all every year and a back to back run will be pretty sweet.
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Sept 2, 2020 9:58:11 GMT -5
2055 Season Review: I am continuing to document some of the team's history that is not readily accessible in game for future reference.
How we finished:
94 - 68 (.580 Win PCT). 1st place in the NL West. Entered the playoffs as the #3 seed.
Wild Card Round - Beat the Marlins 2 - 1 Division Round - Beat the Braves 3 - 1 LCS - Beat the Nationals 4 - 2 World Series - Lost to the Indians 4 - 2; Padres pitching was good all season long, but the Indians were better holding the team to only 2 runs in 3 of the 4 losses.
Awards:
Manny Sanchez wins the National League Cy Young Award (#4) Gold Glove Award Winners: Nelson Parker (1B) All Stars: Manny Sanchez, Melvin Wells, Mike Aitkenhead
Highlights:
Jorge Molina leads the NL in triples with 11 Melvin Wells leads the NL in saves with 44 Manny Sanchez leads the PBL in WAR with 7.7 Manny Sanchez leads the NL in Ks with 278 Manny Sanchez leads the NL in K/BB ration with 5.6 Manny Sanchez leads the NL in WHIP with 0.97 Manny Sanchez leads the PBL in FIP with 2.57 Manny Sanchez leads the NL in Opponents AVG with .205 Manny Sanchez leads the PBL in Quality Starts with 25 Jim King leads the NL in Win PCT with .857 Angel Solis leads the NL in BB/9 with 1.7
Melvin Wells saves his 300th game on June 12, 2055
Notable Players leaving:
None, with the exceptions of Tommy Worsham and Andrew Sodowsky who retired and had very short stints with the Padres.
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Sept 19, 2020 10:19:26 GMT -5
2056: It's Year 9 of of a 10 year plan, is the sun setting yet?
Starting Rotation - RH Manny Sanchez, RH Jim King, LH Chris Hansen, RH Angel Solis, and LH Rurik Unichenko.
For the 3rd year in a row, the starting rotation is exactly the same. 2055 was another strong year for the rotation with Sanchez picking up his 4th Cy Young award. King could be a #1 on any other team. Interestingly enough, as he gets older, he's crept closer to the 200 IP mark. Chris Hansen will slot 3rd, a solid pitcher and a lefty to boot. Angel Solis, along with Antonio Lopez, is the grand-pappy of the team, entering his 13th season with the Padres! Over the course of that time, he has been as solid as ever and '55 was his best in terms of ERA+ since '49. Rurik Unichenko continues to hold down the 5th rotation spot. Nothing fancy about him, but his ability to keep the ball on the ground serves him well in Petco Park.
Bullpen - RH Sancho Fernandez, RH Sotan Kono, Jr., LH Vincente Rivera, RH Kaz Ishida, LH Cecil Jones, RH Aaron Vernon, CL Melvin Wells
Last year's optimism in the bullpen was a disaster and was clearly the weak spot on the team. This year, we've made some changes. Out is the declining arm of Charlie Arenas and Yoshi Koizumi's bad attitude. In are son of legendary Sotan Kono, who's arm should strikeout many and left hander Vincente Rivera who's flyball rate should serve him well in SD. Fernandez and Jones return, along with veteran Aaron Vernon, another grand-pappy (year 10). Kaz Ishida had a good rookie year and will get some more opportunities in '56. At the back end of the rotation is stud Melvin Wells.
Catcher - LH Antonio Lopez, RH Lorenzo Hernandez Antonio Lopez gets top billing here out of respect for what he has done, but management feels that Hernandez will get the bulk of starts against opposing pitchers this year. Lopez will start about 50% of games against righties. Hopefully there's still a couple of years left in the bank for Lopez. Hernandez comes over from Carolina to provide his much needed bat against lefties, another weakness last year. Hernandez was actually traded away to acquire John Howe prior to the '49 season. His total ABs this year may be down, but if we can extend the shelf life of a catcher, much less two, over the course of the next few years, we should be pretty solid at a premium position. Between the two catchers, SD aims for a 5 minimum WAR at the catcher position.
First Base - LH Nelson Parker Uhoh, declining stats for 3 years straight, both in terms of HR and RBIs. There's a recurring theme in SD, don't fix it if it's not broken, but if Parker didn't have his glove at 1B and a long term extension signed, we'd be looking for a new 1B soon.
Second Base - SH Taro Takahashi Taro's first year in SD was a roller coaster, one that goes up the peak and goes down the other side and that's it. Management was willing to endure his less than stellar glove at 2B if he was able to hit .320+. He wasn't able to do that and lost a number of starts to veteran Jorge Molina. Taro needs to make a turnaround in '56 and perform to his abilities, otherwise, fans are going to start chanting "BOYER" at him.
Third Base - SH Jorge Molina, RH Luis Manual Nieto Molina figures to start against righties and Nieto against lefties. This platoon served us well and was a glimmer of hope against lefties last year. Can't go wrong here, but could still be improved. On top of that, Nieto is up for arbitration at the end of the year, and I'm not yet confident he's worth nearly $4M a year.
Shortstop - RH Darell Whaley A rough sophomore season at the plate and in the field. SS is a major weakpoint on this team and will be upgraded in the next couple of years. In the meantime, Whaley's speed makes him a decent OBP guy to bat 9th.
Left Field - LH Jack MacGruder MacGruder could be a star on any other team, but instead, he's a steady bat in the middle of the lineup. He won't hit a ton of HRs, but his ability to get on base and avoid the strikeout is outstanding. In the field, he's a liability and will likely be a good candidate for a defensive replacement.
Center Field - RH John Howe John Howe is probably the most popular player on the team to outside GMs, always garnering attention, even at 34. Making the transition to CF was not a problem for Howe and while he's not as good there as he was in RF, he still manages to pull off a positive zone rating. Add his ability to crush left handed pitching and you've got a perennial contender for awards.
Right Field - LH Mike Aitkenhead If Aitkenhead can make contact, he's going to hit it far. Not a guy to take many pitches means a bunch of strikeouts, but if he can knock another 35+ HRs in, we'll be happy.
Designated Hitter - LH Kata Okada Okada had a hugely disappointing '55, regressing in almost every stat line. I mean, the guy only got 74 RBIs. This has got to be an anomaly for Okada, so all expectations are for a better year in '56.
Utility Players - RH Alex Cisneros, RH Will Hogan, RH Walt Woodland Each of these guys serves a specific purpose and that purpose is to balance the heavily dominated starting lineup that features lefties. In come the righties when needed with some very good gloves to quell any late inning rallies. Cisneros is a rule 5 pickup and will almost exclusively be used for his glove and speed. Hogan and Woodland are a bit redundant, but we see Hogan as a good 2nd choice to Woodland, who should have a very good season against lefties.
Prospects that may make an appearance this year: LH Naoki Gato Most likely the answer is none, but Gato, who threw only a pitch in September last year is the main contender here. There could be other guys called up to replace injuries, but none have that excitement factor.
Preseason Prediction: The easy answer is a 10th straight postseason berth. We won 94 games last year and that is entirely possible again this year. The bullpen is better and our bats against lefties will be better. Absent any other unforeseen hiccups, I expect a 96 win season and another NL West championship. Another NL Pennant or even a World Series title would be nice too!
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Nov 17, 2020 12:01:57 GMT -5
2056 Season Review:
An improved regular season record results in an early exit from the playoffs. So it goes.
How we finished:
105 - 57 (.648 Win PCT). 1st place in the NL West. Entered the playoffs as the #2 seed, tying the Brewers with the best record in the league, but missing out on the bye due to relative intra-division records.
Wild Card Round - Bye Division Round - Lost to the Giants 3 - 2
Awards:
Platinum Stick Award Winners: Mike Aitkenhead (RF) Gold Glove Award Winners: Alex Cisneros (SS) Reliever of the Year: Melvin Wells (CL) All Stars: Melvin Wells, Mike Aitkenhead, Kata Okada
What went right:
One of our main weaknesses in '55 was out hitting against lefties. That improved this year with the addition of Lorenzo Hernandez behind the plate to split time with Antonio Lopez. Pedrag Milkovic was acquired in June to platoon with Nelson Parker at 1B. Lorenzo hit better than .320 against lefties and Pedrag was 80 points better than Parker. The team's record against lefties improved to 18-11.
Rule V pickup Alex Cisneros: Cisneros' glove and speed are ML superb, but his bat, meh. However, put him in the lineup and for more than a few games, his ability to get big hits in tight spots made him a constant highlight. The better than expected hitting earned him the starting SS spot and a gold glove. His production waned by the end of the season, but I couldn't be happier with a Rule V pickup.
Mike Aitkenhead's incredible season finishing with his best ever WAR (8.1), HRs (54), RBI (138), and slugging (.682).
Another career year for team veteran Angel Solis with his best ever ERA (3.10).
Finished 3rd in team WAR (58.05), 5th in Batter WAR (30.15) and 2nd in Pitcher WAR (27.91)
What went wrong:
As the team gets older, injuries are to be expected. The two biggest this year were to John Howe, who missed the last two months of the season with a fractured ankle, and Manny Sanchez, who went down three times this year for a total of ten weeks, including the playoffs. Most troubling about Sanchez's injuries were they took a toll on his ratings, dropping his stuff rating by two points.
Our ballpark turned on us this season. Known to be a pitcher's park, Petco instead let every ball drop in an empty space, though our outfielder's range may have had something to do with it. In the first month of the season, our pitcher's were rocking BABIP north of .400 and opponents were hitting well above .300. This would level out as the season went on, but we still finished in the bottom 3 of BABIP against. Fortunately, most of these hits were of the small variety, as the team as a whole finished 2nd in ERA.
Melvin Wells, wait, why would the Reliever of the year be here? For one reason and one game, Game 5 of the LDS. In that game, he entered with a 2 run lead and the plane's engines were warming for a trip to Milwaukee, but that was not meant to be when Wells' gave up 3 runs in the 9th inning and another in the 10th! Wells finished the season with a 1.75 ERA and only once in the entire season did he give up 4 runs. So it goes.
Highlights:
Mike Aitkenhead leads the PBL in slugging with .682, extra base hits with 106, ISO of .370 Angel Solis leads the PBL in BB/9 with 1.0 Melvin Wells leads the PBL in save % with .978
Alex Cisneros gets 5 hits on 5/16/56 Mike Aitkenhead hits 3 HRs on 6/24/56 Nelson Parker hits his 300th HR on 8/17/56 Antonio Lopez collects his 2000th hit on 8/25/56
Notable Players leaving:
RP Aaron Vernon (Released/Retired) - 10 year career w/SDN. 58-48, 3.52 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 10.1 WAR. 1 World Series Championship. Vernon was a solid presence in the pen for many years.
|
|
|
Post by Rich - Former GM on Dec 12, 2020 12:20:08 GMT -5
2057: Squeeze them dry!
Starting Rotation - RH Jim, King, RH Armando Gonzalez, LH Chris Hansen, RH Manny Sanchez, RH Angel Solis
Not much different here, except for the order. Armando Gonzalez enters the rotation after getting picked up mid-season and had an excellent spring training, so he'll be our #2 this year. The big news (and question of the season), though is Manny Sanchez's arm. In 2056, he suffered 3 separate arm injuries. His ratings are down; could this be the beginning of the end for him?
Bullpen - RH Sancho Fernandez, RH Sotan Kono, Jr., LH Vincente Rivera, LH Cecil Jones, RH Diego Jimenez, RH Rurik Unichenko, CL Melvin Wells
A decent bullpen gives us hope once again at the beginning of the season. Fernandez, Kono and Wells form a lockdown combination that trailing teams will struggle with. Rivera and Jones are excellent against lefties and Jimenez against righties. Finally, Unichenko gives us a versatile arm in the pen to eat up the innings and start in a jiffy.
Catcher - LH Antonio Lopez, RH Lorenzo Hernandez It's tough to find good catchers these days are we are lucky to have two, one from each side of the plate. Lopez, at the age of 36, has lost a touch of his talent, but has performed admirably for 14 seasons now. And then when he struggles and against all lefties, Lorenzo is there to balance the position.
First Base - LH Nelson Parker, RH Pedrag Milkovic If it wasn't for an injury in '56, Parker may have posted his best year in a while. Milkovic was picked up mid-season and will platoon against lefties.
Second Base - SH Taro Takahashi '56 was a better year with the bat, but he's still got the range of tortoise at 2B. At least he doesn't make a whole lot of errors.
Third Base - SH Jorge Molina, RH Dave Finley Nieto's out and Finley in at a constantly revolving 3B. Similar to Nieto's ratings, Finley will get the at bats against against lefties and split time with Molina against righties.
Shortstop - RH Darell Whaley, RH Alex Cisneros Give Cisneros a lot of credit, the guy won a gold glove and wasn't as bad at the plate as I thought he could be. Whaley returns for another season as our offensive SS.
Left Field - LH Jack MacGruder Macgruder enters his 10th season in LF. Although other teams expressed some interest in MacGruder during the offseason, there was no deal to be made. Gotta be happy with his bat, just close your eyes when a ball is hit out his way.
Center Field - RH John Howe. RH Augusto Flores Howe will start the first 3 weeks on the injury list, so last season's "closer" in CF, Augusto Flores gets the opening day start. Flores was a star in the minor leagues, but couldn't translate that success to the big leagues. He'll get another audition in '57, but will be a quick demotion when Howe comes back and he hasn't done much. Howe is also entering the last season of his contract with the Padres and much of the future direction of the team hangs on whether or not he will return.
Right Field - LH Mike Aitkenhead Another free agent at the end of the season, is there enough money in the bank to resign both Howe and Aitkenhead before the end of the season?
Designated Hitter - LH Kata Okada 9 seasons in and Okada has the lock on the DH spot in SD, even though many others could claim this spot on the team.
Utility Players - RH Alex Cisneros, RH Amghar Sumait Easy fills here, Cisneros has the glove and Sumait is a better hitter against lefties than the corner outfielders.
Prospects that may make an appearance this year: Myung-Chor Chong was the leading contender here but a torn UCL means he won't be seen at the big league level for at least 15 months, if at all.
Preseason Prediction: Best in the west, but a win total less than last year's 105. That's because the west is getting better, namely the Giants and DBacks, so its going to be a bit tougher to win convincingly. In fact, I would not be surprised if we were a wild card team rather than division champs. Don't get me wrong, I think we'll still win the division.
|
|