Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Welcome to the Spring Training Edition of Calzones Corner.  Or should we call this the Winter Makeover Recap version?  We don't know.  Our collective heads are still spinning from the flurry of Calzones offseason activity, and the Dramamine seems to be having little effect.  It's not that any of the offseason activity really surprised us.  After all, this is the Calzones and they still employ a serial trader as their General Manager.

Recapping the specifics of every move would waste way too much time.  Let's just take a look at how the 2010 Calzones shape up heading into Spring Training.  In Part I of this report we will take a look at the offense and defense.  In Part II later this week we will examine the pitching staff (or lack thereof).

A team that was offensively challenged last season has seen a huge makeover in the batting lineup.  In fact, only one full time starter returns from last season: Martin Griffin in CF.  Or is it RF?  Even the Calzones are not sure who will be where yet.  Brock Brett also returns at catcher, though he was a part time player last year and spent the last several months of the season demoted to AAA Joplin.

The 2010 Calzones lineup

3B Barry Murdock – The former Kentucky Thoroughbred, obtained in surprising trade at the Winter Meetings, will bat leadoff.  The Calzones view Murdock as one of the cornerstones to their rebuilding process, and immediately signed Murdock to a 3-year contract extension.  Murdock suffered through an injury plagued season in 2009, but the Calzones feel that Murdock's best baseball lay in front of him.  Murdock has the type of power and speed combination rarely seen of a corner infielder.  His bat will probably serve the Calzones better in the middle part of the lineup in future years, but for now his speed gives the Calzones the type of leadoff hitter they need to jump start a morbid lineup.  The Calzones plan to green light Murdock often and insiders tell Calzones Corner that a 70 steal season out of Murdock would not be a surprise.

2B Jack Cobb – Yes, that Jack Cobb.  The irreverent Cobb has come to Laredo.  Cobb is probably not the ideal number 2 hitter, but at this point he seems to be the only option.  He does handle the bat well and can lay down a bunt.  He'll see enough pitches to give Murdock a chance to run often.  And Cobb has a decent enough eye that he could walk about 70 times and post a .350 OBP.  Despite Cobb's own illusions of grandeur, he won't be asked to carry the offense in Laredo.  He'll just be asked to help set the table, and in that capacity he should be a decent enough solution for the Calzones.  How he reacts to the position change to second base remains to be seen.

RF Yoshina Miyata – A huge and shocking free agent signing.  Not just for Calzones fans or to PEBA fans everywhere but to the Calzones front office itself.  The Calzones were completely shocked when Miyata accepted their offer.  And delighted.  Despite the huge price tag, at age 28 Miyata was clearly one of the most sought after commodities in this season's free agent market.  A tremendous eye at the plate and a terrific defender, he instantly improves the Calzones.  With a career OBP of .445, he should be a great addition and help set the table for the middle of the lineup.

DH Octávio Pexego – He’s back!!!!  Yes, Pexego was re-obtained from the Tempe Knights in a blockbuster trade at the Winter Meetings.  Shortly after his acquisition he was also given a contract extension.  Then his glove was doused in lighter fluid and set afire in what one Calzones official described as a “cleansing ritual”.  Needless to say, Pexego is in Laredo to do one thing, and that is bat cleanup.  Just 27, Pexego is signed through his prime years and the Calzones believe his best baseball is still in front of him.  If Murdock and Miyata perform to capabilities, they combine with Pexego to form a solid nucleus for the next 5 years.

1B Tom Kirkland – Obtained in a late winter deal that sent Brooks Erickson to the Nutmeggers, Kirkland is not the prototypical number 5 hitter.  He lacks true home run power, but will be a solid run producer who averages more than 50 doubles a season.  Kirkland has refused to talk contract extension until next season, but the Calzones would really like to lock him for about 4 more years and keep him as part of the nucleus.  Kirkland has a great glove at first base, and could fill in around the infield in a pinch.

LF Carlos Madrigal – Obtained in a late winter deal that sent Rod Borrell to Manchester, Madrigal is 27 going into the season and another player the Calzones believe may not have played his best ball yet.  A tremendous defensive outfielder with a cannon for an arm, he combines with Miyata and Griffin to form what may be the best defensive outfield in baseball.  They all have great range, good hands, and fantastic arms.  If healthy, Madrigal is a lock for 40+ doubles.  But he'll really be an asset to the Calzones if he can start to reach the home run potential the scouts believe he has and maybe get the home run total up above 20 and the RBI total into the 80s.  He's certainly capable of hitting in the .275 range, but that's probably his high water mark.

C Brock Brett – Back as the starting catcher this season, Brett spent the first 2/3rds of 2009 in San Antonio and struggled mightily before being sent down to AAA to finish the season and get his head together.  Brett should be somewhat improved this season, but is still probably a year or two away from really breaking out.  The Calzones would be happy for Brett to just show some improvement this season and continue on a course that should have the young catcher as a mainstay in Laredo for years to come.

SS José Morán – Obtained in the Rule 5 draft, Morán has a very good glove and completes what should be an at least above average defensive infield.  A little long in the tooth at age 32, Morán is not considered a long term solution, but he handles the bat well enough that he should be a huge improvement over the collection of castoffs and misfits who played in the middle of the diamond last season.  A solid eye at the plate and very tough to strike out, he won't scare many pitchers, but he will shorten their outings by driving up their pitch counts.

CF Martin Griffin – Griffin did not commit a single error all last season, but missed out on the all-leather award to his new teammate Miyata.  With both Griffin and Miyata in the same outfield, and talented glove man Madrigal taking over in left, this is simply a fantastic defensive outfield.  Griffin batted leadoff last season, but a greatly improved lineup this season has Griffin moving to the bottom of the lineup.  His speed on the base paths should make him an asset when the lineup turns over.

Bench

C Alfredo Gutiérrez – Signed as a minor league free agent early in spring training, Gutiérrez brings great defensive skills behind the plate.  Solid numbers in winter ball this past season, but scouts view that is more of an aberration than what one could realistically expect at the PEBA level.  What the Calzones expect is a solid defensive catcher who can spell Brett several times a week and act as a veteran tutor for the talented young catcher.  Gutiérrez also has enough skill to fill in at a corner infield spot without embarrassing himself if the need arises.

Utility Infielder Jiro Heida – Another minor league free agent signing, Heida has good defensive skills in the middle of the diamond.  Should see plenty of playing time around the infield.

LF José Trujillo – The Calzones elder statesman at 36 years old, Trujillo was brought in to provide a little left handed pop off the bench.  Suffered through a tough season in Kentucky last year, but was signed at a bargain basement price and should be a capable producer off the bench.

RF Fernando Garza – Rumored to be on the trading block, Garza was a pleasant surprise in a platoon role last year.  Relegated to the bench by the acquisitions of Miyata and Madrigal, Garza could still see some time in RF if Griffin were to struggle.  But at the moment, the Calzones would prefer to trade Garza and give the younger Scott Moss the last spot on the bench.

CF Scott Moss – It remains to be seen if Moss will actually make the final squad, with that decision likely to be determined by whether or not the Calzones are successful in trading Fernando Garza.  Moss has spent parts of three seasons at AAA, and despite his young age has nothing else to prove at the minor league level.  The Calzones would love to have Moss's right handed bat on the bench on Opening Day to complement Trujillo from the left side.  There is the outside possibility that Moss could get traded if the offer is right, but for now the Calzones would prefer to get a look at him at the PEBA level to try to determine exactly what they have with the youngster.

Outlook – A much improved offense from last season.  But that wasn't hard for the Calzones to accomplish considering how putrid the offense was last season.  But the Calzones offense has almost overnight gone from one of the worst in the league, to at least being potentially in the top third of the league.  They have brought in players mostly just entering their prime years, and locked up most of them to long term deals that insures a nucleus that should be around for years to come.  Or at least that's the party line coming from the Calzones front office.  (We won't hold our breath, now will we Calzones fans?

There are still question marks in the offense, no doubt.  Will Pexego stay healthy and finally deliver that big season?  Will Murdock and Madrigal finally realize their full potential?  Will Brock show improvement?  How will Jack Cobb handle the transition to second base?  A lot could go wrong here still, but even if it all went wrong, this will still be a better Calzones offense than last season.

You have to like the youth here.  Most of these guys are just entering their prime.  And there is a solid group of clubhouse guys, and the roster is littered with guys who have a reputation as hard workers.

Defensively, what's not to like?  As long as they keep Pexego from donning the leather, all is good.  The infield defense is well above average.  Murdock and Kirkland have the ability to win all leather awards at their respective positions.  Morán is very good.  Cobb is well more than competent, but he might be the biggest question mark as he learns a new position.  Both catchers are excellent behind the plate.  And it's hard to think of any PEBA outfield that is as skilled defensively as the starting outfield the Calzones will pencil into the lineup every day.

That was the good Calzones fan.  Next we will be back with the bad (the bullpen) and the ugly (the rotation).