Biggest Spring Training story line on your team?
How much does Yogi have left? The Scottish signed
Francisco Robles to a one-year, $15 million contract so he could have one last hurrah and not got out on the shoulder injury that ended his 2028 season 3 months early.
His skill ratings are a pretty pedestrian 5-5-9 (91-93 mph), and he got lit up in his first outing this spring (5 hits, 4 runs in 2 IP). Still, that’s his first game back after a serious shoulder injury and he was on a tight (40) pitch count.
There are pitching options already on staff should Robles be finished, but everyone’s hoping Yogi can put together one last decent season before riding off into retirement.
The X-Factor to your own season?
Gee, only one? Well, if I have to pick, I’d say it’s whether we can make the “stopper” concept work in the bullpen. Assuming Robles can stay in the rotation,
Roger Keller will become one of three stoppers in the pen.
William Talley is tabbed for the 7th inning/close game role; Keller for the 8th inning/close game role; and
Ken Fisher for the 8th or later and lead role.
Early on in Spring Training, so far, so good ... sorta. Talley and Keller have done well, Fisher got rocked in his first outing against London, and touched up a bit against West Virginia. That’s hardly cause for panic. We like the stopper concept, and think we have guys who can pull it off. But we’ll see.
X-factor 1(b) – I know, I’m cheating – is whether
Pat Barry can pick up where
Don Mercer left off. This doesn’t seem a particularly risky bet: Barry’s an excellent player, maybe a notch below Mercer, but seems capable of filling much of the void left by Jasper’s departure.
Personal Goals you met and failed this off-season?
Goals met: plug the Mercer hole (did so with Barry); add a top-of-the-rotation pitcher (did so with
Clark Snow, who looks good so far in Spring Training); upgrade third base (did so with the accidental signing of
Eric Jacobs, who’s better offensively than
Bob Swift and way better defensively.
Goals unmet: nab a difference-maker for the bullpen.
Manuel Hernandez should be a decent addition, but he’s not a difference-maker. It’s possible Keller can be that for us, but who knows? Made bids for some relief arms, but didn’t get it done.
I’m concerned, too, about our lack of draft choices. The minor league system is a vast wasteland at this point, and it looks like 2030 will be the earliest we can look to start restocking with prospects. Need to stop trading draft choices!
Other than your team, who or what other team are you watching this season?
West Virginia, for one. I think Greg has put together a roster that’s likely to mow through the IL like he’s a Toro riding mower and the rest of us are straggly blades of crab grass.
Duluth for another. Drew’s made a number of canny moves, and I think his team might end up being sneaky good.
Who (team or player) will burst onto the scene this season?
Luis Bonilla of San Juan. I think he’ll be a difference-maker for the Coqui, and as Mike wrote in his awesome profile, he has home run power that can activate dormant volcanoes.
Bonus prediction:
West Virginia challenges Aurora’s all-time victory total of 125, set in 2009.