[Elendil]

2017 Team Overviews (cont.)

Offseason Moves

* Allowed 26-year-old free agent SP Russell Carriere to sign with Sitka (see below)
* Allowed 24-year-old free agent CF Nathan Sginn to sign with Sitka (see below)
* Allowed 28-year-old free agent OF Davis Osborn to sign with the Glacier Pilots (see above)
* Allowed 26-year-old free agent OF Dave Squires to sign with Fairbanks (this is a pretty big loss; he hit .331/.404/.672 last year)
* Signed 35-year-old OF Elvis O'Halloran (career .278/.381/.478) away from North Pole to a 1-year contract at $11.7K
* Signed 27-year-old 1B Dale Eteldrum (career .293/.360/.411, 54-22 SB-CS) away from Mat-Su to a 1-year contract worth $10K
* Signed a nearly washed-up Vincent Robinson to an amateur contract (career stats below)

2017 Forecast

Despite their offseason losses, Peninsula has a decent all-around team, but it's not clear that it will be enough to make a serious run at Kodiak and the Glacier Pilots. On offense they have catcher Bob Russo, age 31 (career .270/.346/.439, great defense), second baseman Zander Sabin, age 32 (career .269/.348/.432), left fielder Phil Elliott, age 25 (career .315/.398/.477), and center fielder Phil Livingston, age 27 (career .293/.337/.385).

Their pitching rotation is stocked with grizzled vets. The youngest of the bunch is the #1 starter, Harvey Romanov, age 27 (career 5.14, 34-55 but long touted for his potential). Following him are Ryan Dye, age 32 (career 3.76, 73-55), Louis Mays, age 33 (career 3.49, 96-54), Newt Langille, age 36 (career 4.53, 60-78), and Vincent Robinson, age 33 (career 4.51, 63-55). Closer Braedon MacDonald, 27, had a pretty good year with 28 K's, 11 BB's, and 3 HR's in 38 IP, but it was not reflected in his ERA (4.74).

Despite the veteran leadership, most observers expect them to fall short. Predicted finish: 3rd in the Seward.



Offseason moves

* Allowed 28-year-old free agent SP Warren Turner to sign with North Pole (see above)
* Signed 24-year-old free agent CF Nathan Sginn (career .251/.310/.319, 93-17 SB-CS) away from Peninsula to a 1-year deal at $10.3K
* Signed 32-year-old free agent OF Bill O'Farrell (career .248/.335/.367) away from Kodiak to a 1-year deal at $11.8K
* Signed 23-year-old free agent SP Dwayne Smith (career 4.09 ERA, 26-32) away from Fairbanks to a 3-year deal, $22K per (major coup for the Sentinels!)
* Signed 38-year-old free agent SP Bryan Kendall (career 3.73, 101-89) away from Chugiak to a 3-year deal, $20.6K per (I personally doubt he will be worth it, although he really hasn't shown signs of decline yet)
* Signed 37-year-old free agent CF Jimmy Williams (career .286/.358/.540) away from Mat-Su to a 1-year deal, $11.9K (may have one more comeback left in him?)
* Signed 30-year-old OF John Fox (career .252/.312/.374, 175-42 SB-CS) away from Whitehorse to a 1-year deal, $8.7K
* Allowed Fairbanks to claim 33-year-old SP Leif Morris off waivers (since when does Fairbanks need to claim pitchers off waivers from Sitka?!)
* Signed 26-year-old SP Russell Carriere (career 4.15 ERA, 24-27) away from Peninsula to a 1-year deal, $13.2K (not expected to be great, but maybe an interim solution)

2017 Forecast

Despite all the offseason movement, the Sentinels really didn't improve the team all that much and are still in rebuilding mode. Their lone hitting star is, of course, Hustle, Jack Hussey, still just 25 years old and boasting a career line of .325/.413/.450.

In the rotation they have Smith at #1, followed by Kendall. 22-year-old pitching prospect Shane Kodo is highly touted and will be in the rotation to start the 2017 season as a rookie.

Prediction: 4th in the Denali.



Offseason moves

* Saw third baseman Sloan Starr retire at age 38. Starr put up a .248/.339/.419 career line with 885 hits, 140 doubles, 137 home runs, and 181 stolen bases in ten seasons with Fairbanks, North Pole, the Anchorage Bucs, and Whitehorse. He was a three-time All-Star (2007, 2011, 2013) and was the MVP of the 2008 ACS, which he won with North Pole.
* Allowed 35-year-old free agent 1B-2B Charley Logan to sign with Chugiak (see above)
* Allowed 30-year-old free agent OF John Fox to sign with Sitka (see above)
* Allowed 36-year-old free agent SP Ron Yuke to leave the AKL for the Canadian League's Regina Monarchs (BIG LOSS!)
* Allowed 25-year-old free agent RP Augustin Beaudoin to sign with Chugiak (saved 16 games for Whitehorse last year)
* Allowed 28-year-old free agent OF John Dugles to sign with Fairbanks (see above, pretty big loss)
* Allowed 27-year-old free agent defensive catcher Jerry Searle to sign with Mat-Su
* Traded 32-year-old SP Rick Sonier (career 4.10, 67-88) to Mat-Su for 24-year-old SP Charles-Antoine Smith (career 7-4, 3.36 in the ATL) (ANALYSIS: Classic rebuilding move for Whitehorse. They lose salary and get a half-decent prospect who probably won't amount to much - but might. Sonier had spent his whole career with the King Salmon/Yukoners.)

2017 Forecast

The Yukoners weren't good to begin with, and they have regressed over the offseason due to financial troubles. Fans are beginning to lose interest as the only really recognizable player this year will be the aging (35) John Mack (career 3.61 ERA, 89-104).

However, they do have some prospects. 25-year-old SP Steve Oakes has stunk it up so far in the AKL but is supposed to be good eventually, if he can improve his control. 24-year-old rookie catcher Henry Waugh will get a chance to play, but observers fear that he is still too green (he hit a paltry .191 in the ATL last year).

The team's best hitter is likely to be 29-year-old right fielder Celestin Routhier, who hit .304/.349/.474 in 2016, his first year in the league. On the bright side, the team should make some money this year unless attendance totally collapses.

Predicted finish: 6th in the Denali.