Kentucky Thoroughbreds 2039 Season Preview

[Thoroughbreds]

The season is here! The 2039 season promises to be an interesting one for the Thoroughbreds - they are still favorites to make the playoffs but it might not be a slam dunk as it has been in past years. The roster is a little older and the loss of top starter Rory Soutar will be a challenge to overcome and undoubtedly mean other starters will need to step up. Kentucky has won over 100 games in each of the past 3 seasons and the goal is to crack it for a 4th time in a row. Despite not adding anyone in the offseason and losing Soutar and Canseco, most experts feel this team has enough talent to be near the top of the league.

Catcher

Antonio Mesegue (.255 10 51) Is back for his fourth full season with Kentucky. After 2 excellent seasons in which he was named to the IL all-star team, Mesegue struggled a little last season. Will he bounce back or at age 32 and almost a decade of catching is he starting to decline? He still is great in the clubhouse and is above average defensively so he will be valuable either way. His contract runs out at the end of the season, so it will be interesting to see if Kentucky brings him back. Mesegue will most likely hit at the bottom of the order. Tony Gonzalez (.218 5 19) will be the back-up again this season.

First Base

35 year old Antonio Santos (.268 41 87) had a monster season last year at first base with 175 OPS +. He earned 121 free passes and for the 7th time in his career he lead the league in them. He hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, so Kentucky will be looking for another big year from him.

2nd Base

At 32, Luke Kossan {.283 12 55) was an all-star for the first time in his career last season. He came over as an free agent last season and was on fire to start before he was slowed by injuries in the last half of the year. Kossan will most likely hit in the bottom half of the order - expect similar numbers from him this season. Kossan may get some time at shortstop to spell off Honma.

Third Baseman

Juan Carlos Cruz (.267 3 45) won the starting spot over Kanai Aliimalu (.234 6 19) in spring training this year. Cruz had a bit of a struggle last season as his OBP dipped to .294. WIth his top level speed the Kentucky staff would like to see him on base more often. Both Aliimalu and Cruz are good defensively at the hot corner. Cruz will hit near the bottom of the order but he could get some opportunities near the top.

Shortstop

Naomi Honma (.247 16 55) had another elite level defensive season at shortstop last season. The 6 time all-star is a valuable piece of the team since the pitching staff is full of groundball pitchers. From the bottom of the order he did chip in with 16 homers and 55 RBI - but really everything he adds offensively is gravy as his real value to the team is the runs he prevents with his glove. As he turns 33 this season will he be able to continue with his defensive prowess?

Left field

Left field maybe the most interesting position for Kentucky this season. Longtime starter Antonio Canseco has moved on. Kentucky is hoping that the trio of Kyle Ferguson, Sergio Blanco and Yatoro Takaki will be able to outproduce what Canseco did last season. Early in the season, Ferguson should get most of the at bats against right handers - Ferguson is below average defensively, but his bat should more than make up for that. Blanco, was a bit of a surprise this spring training, adds more speed to the lineup and it will be interesting to see if he can stick with the club. Takaki was great last season, flirting with .400 in a back up role, he should get plenty of starts in the OF and at firstbase.

Centerfield -

Pedro Bermudez (.284 21 66) Is in the prime of his career and will most likely hit in the number 3 spot. A true 5 tool player, Bermudez is arguably their most valuable position player and he will need to have another great season in order for Kentucky to be successful. Last season was his first all-star appearance.

Rightfield

She-De Mu (.267 21 68) returns for his 10th season with Kentucky. He has had a WAR or 5 or above in each of the past 4 seasons and has stolen 130 bases over the past 2 seasons. Due to his speed and ability to get on base Mu will be the team's leadoff man - He has scored over 110 runs in each of the past 3 years. He has a player option on his contract at the end of the year so it will be interesting to see what happens.

Designated Hitter
He can't play defense but he can sure hit. Dan Gore (.289 40 136) has burst onto the scene over the past 2 seasons. He set a Kentucky record for RBI and total bases last season and he should be a fixture in the #4 spot, hitting behind Mu, Santos and Bermudez. That should provide him plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.

Starting rotation

Dong Hak-Yi (21-6 2.93) was all world last season and was rewarded with the Golden Arm award. The undisputed #1 starter on the team, can he reproduce a similar season to last year?

Ruben Rivera (11-10 3.72) was just ok last season, he has the talented to put up much better. He will be one of the guys that will need to step up in Soutar's absence. Can he stay healthy for a 2nd year in a row?

Luis Jimenez (5-3 2.89) was the Golden Arm runner up 2 years ago, but he fell out of the rotation last season. He has looked good in Spring Training, he should be able to put up some solid numbers and is primed for a bounce back year.

Valke Petiet {11-4 3.42) is a groundball pitcher and a very solid guy to have in the number 4 spot. He has a great fastball and an elite curveball, he struck out 168 batters last season - expect similar numbers from him the season.

After 8 years in the minors Edward Anderson finally gets his chance in the rotation. He has never excelled in the minors and will most likely be on a short leash this season, especially with a couple of pitchers waiting in the wings.

Bullpen

There are lots of good young arms in the pen and it should be a strength of the team. The reliable Matt Brown and his 421 saves enters his free agent season. Brown had a career high 47 saves last year. Mike Travis was one of the biggest surprises last season as he was almost unhittable. He had a 0.79 ERA in 45 innings pitched. Travis and newcomer Odmar Bickford will be the team's 2 setup men. Kentucky gave up a 2nd round pick to acquire Bickford this offseason. Rookie Declan McLean highlights a trio of middle relievers that include Ramiro Perez and Esteban Benitez.

[Thoroughbreds]

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