RealGM

After a pretty quiet offseason (outside of the Yo trade), Pitchers and Catchers are reporting on February 20th.

I'm going into this season woefully uninspired about the direction of the team right now.

I'm going in cautiously optimistic for a change. I think the farm system is slowly getting better and if the MLB team can stay healthy they can make a run at the Wild Card. At least with MLB, you get in and you have a shot. I think offensively we need Braun/Segura to bounce back to truly be a contender. I think our pitching will be fine.

humanrefutation wrote:After a pretty quiet offseason (outside of the Yo trade), Pitchers and Catchers are reporting on February 20th.

I'm going into this season woefully uninspired about the direction of the team right now.

With the new platoon at first and a talented young pitching staff I believe we can contend, but the key will always be Braun. Which Braun are we going to get this year? Also, I'm looking for a break out year for Khris Davis. I'm thinking .285 BA with 27 HR and 95 RBI to go with a .345 OBP (last year's OBP was a statistical anomaly).

I agree with you on Davis. He always seemed to get on base and take walks in the minors but he seemed rather undisciplined last year. I hope and think he will turn it around in 2015. I think you are right on Braun as well, if they get a MVP caliber player again that would be pretty impressive to have three MVP type players in Braun, Lucroy and Gomez. If he is stuck being the player he was the second half of last year then it is going to be a long few years with him on the team.

Braun is hard to gauge b/c of the PED stuff. He isn't necessarily a proven commodity post-PED and hard to say how much of the injuries and/or drop-off is in part to that. Truly is an X-Factor. I'd love to see someone emerge in LF, whether it is Davis or Parra. It should be interesting. At least I feel there is hope with guys that can still ascending (e.g. Davis, Scooter) and there are strong bounce back opportunities (e.g. Segura, Braun). I think we can count on Gomez, Lucroy to be solid if not even more. Lind in an improvement at 1B, we lack a platoon though. I like the pitching staff, especially if Nelson lives up to the hype.

Lucroy out 4-6 weeks (hamstring). Hope that doesn't become a linger issue.

It's a bit of a delay to his start but if he comes back at 4 weeks he'll still get plenty of practice at 1st before the season. If it's closer to 6 weeks, I don't know.

Hate to see hamstring injuries, especially in those early cold spring regular season games. Hopefully its healed within a month and by time season comes around he's good to go.

Vegas win totals for our division

Saint Louis Cardinals 88.5
Pittsburgh Pirates 83.5
Chicago Cubs 82.5
Milwaukee Brewers 78.5
Cincinnati Reds 78

Higher
Higher
Lower
Lower
Lower

MickeyDavis wrote:Vegas win totals for our division

Saint Louis Cardinals 88.5
Pittsburgh Pirates 83.5
Chicago Cubs 82.5
Milwaukee Brewers 78.5
Cincinnati Reds 78

Pirates I feel higher and would have the most confidence in. Cards have been 88 or high the last 4 years, so kind of have to lean that way as I don't think they got any worse. Cubs are a wild card, but I would go lower thinking their # is boosted by the fan hype. Brewers/Reds I could see going either way. I think the safer play is lower on both.

Ramirez is saying 2015 is his last year. Brewers have nothing at 3B for next year.

Is this Taylor Williams legit? Sounds like he tore up Low-A ball last year and has good stuff. Saw a quote that RR was raving about him. He appears to have been a 4th rd pick in 2013.

Thunder Muscle wrote:Is this Taylor Williams legit? Sounds like he tore up Low-A ball last year and has good stuff. Saw a quote that RR was raving about him. He appears to have been a 4th rd pick in 2013.

Mid-rotation starter legit, yes.

He's a decent prospect. Probably should make AA by the end of the year if they choose to be aggressive and he continues to perform.

trwi7 wrote:

Thunder Muscle wrote:Is this Taylor Williams legit? Sounds like he tore up Low-A ball last year and has good stuff. Saw a quote that RR was raving about him. He appears to have been a 4th rd pick in 2013.

Mid-rotation starter legit, yes.

Sadly that's better than some our recent top picks have been, lol. Maybe we can peddle him for a rental of a 35 yr old 3B next year.

Would love to see Jungmann have a dominant spring and steal the 5th spot in the rotation.

DanoMac wrote:Would love to see Jungmann have a dominant spring and steal the 5th spot in the rotation.

Most definitely. Would love to see some of these top picks develop. With that said, I don't know how he breaks the rotation unless Nelson struggles and/or injury. Garza, Lohse, Peralta are locks. I have to think barring a terrible spring that Fiers has the 4th spot locked down assuming he's healthy. If Nelson is remotely decent in spring, think it is his job.

DanoMac wrote:Would love to see Jungmann have a dominant spring and steal the 5th spot in the rotation.

Thornburg also is being stretched out. I highly douby Jungmann has really any shot to make the opening day roster.

Good to have baseball back on the air on FSN today. I don't know why they would telecast todays game but not tomorrow though.