General Manager Mike Best downplayed that when asked saying, “We don’t look at a general measurement like that. We look at how and where a guy can fit. That said, we do think we improved.”
He may say that personally but his front office has had no hesitation in pushing the narrative to sell tickets, particularly with increased seating at PRTC Stadium this year. And if season tickets continue to sell at the current pace, the diehards will make up more than half of the 56,000 capacity.
Here is a look at how the team shapes up, starting with the outfield. The infield and pitching to follow.
OUTFIELD
There are plenty of outfield options thanks to several off-season moves.
The team’s biggest free agent signee was José Aguilera, a popular-with-the-fans guy who will replace Fudd Martinez in right. Martinez, for three seasons, was the prototype of what the Coqui aim for. He combined on base percentages in the .340s with line drive power and ranked among the league’s top base stealers. Aguilera, who has appeared in three straight all-star games, brings the base stealing and a .293 career batting average but not so much the power, although Martinez’ slugging had dipped last year anyway.
“We are excited about him because we believe he can be an everyday player whereas Fudd struggled against lefties at times,” said General Manager Mike Best.
The team would like to shift Mike Rose (.285, 19 home runs) to DH whenever possible and that will open room for 26-year old Wally Glasser to shine more. Glasser never developed the power scouts thought he might but has been consistent, hitting .287 and stealing 85 bases since being called up in 2030.
Glasser will man center, moving Kelvin McDonald to left full-time. McDonald earned an all-star berth while having the best season of his 11-year career setting career highs in doubles (30), home runs (15), RBI (70), OBP (.348) and stolen bases (34).
While finding himself in the lineup most games last season, McDonald does much of his damage against lefties (.328, .388, .494) so expect the team to give preseason looks to left-handed batters José Cardenas, who hit .353 in a September call-up with West Virginia, and Valentin Nieto, who can steal a base with the best of them, at least when he can finagle a walk to get there. Cardenas is an excellent glove man at all three spots while Nieto is very solid in left or right.
Should the team decide it wants an extra right-handed bat instead, it brought in eight-year veteran John Howe, a low OBP but otherwise solid outfielder who has slugged .486 against lefties in his career. Also in the platoon mix versus lefties is veteran Henry Davis who can play left and right as well as three infield positions.
“We got a few guys this offseason that will give us options and tough lineup choices and that’s a good problem to have,” said Best.
Rose will likely still get spot starts in the field particularly as the other designated hitter, Jorge Pagán (.264, 17 HR), is tough to sit against right handed pitching. There are times though when the two-way Pagán will pick up his pitching glove to start a game so expect Rose to DH then and against most left-handed pitchers. Pagán, who first swung a bat at the AAA level, does not hit against lefties; the team figuring he has enough on his plate as is.
Also in the spring training mix is 25-year old Harry Ritchie, who hit the AAA wall a season after his one famed big league at bat where he doubled and scored the winning run in the PEBA Championship. And 26-year old Todd Davis, who can hit for power, run and field although his rise has been slow in the minors.