First, congratulations to the Cubs on their World Series win, their first title since 2014.
In my mind I had a goal of getting to .500 this year, so I can't be much happier with our performance. Winning 90 games was more than expected, and reaching the playoffs was a nice bonus. It would have been nice to do a little better in the playoffs, maybe win a game, but I'm still very happy.
Our owner was very happy too, and our fan loyalty increased to Below Average. Our owner reviewed our goals with me for next year (and beyond):
1) Reach the playoffs in 2037
2) Improve team batting average in 2037
3) Increase attendance to 45,000 per game by 2039 (Current 41,319)
4) Improve draft record by 2038 (Progress - 5 drafted players, 5.4 WAR total)
5) Reach the World Series by 2042
Our budget increased by $10 million as well, so we have about $22 million to spend in free agency.
As we head into the offseason I'm going to target the following areas:
1) 3B - Jack Dunlap was worth 1.7 WAR last year thanks to his defense primarily. He's 37 so we need to get younger.
2) 2B - I need to decide if Matt Smalls is the answer, or if he should shift back to the outfield.
3) LF - At a minimum I'd like a veteran to fill Marvin Williams role
4) 5th starter - I really liked Edward Blake, but a 6-13 record and 4.22 ERA give me pause. He's under contract for one more year with a team option.
5) Backup 1B - I'd love nothing more than seeing Howard McDonald break out next year, but just in case I want a guy like Augusto Rodriguez, a veteran who can step in as needed
6) Two relievers, one to replace the outgoing James Numbers, and one to replace Jack Ford, who I will non-tender
Now, on to the offseason…
Montreal Expos - 66-96 (.407) 31 GB
2035 - Montreal Expos - 62-100 (.383) 33 GB (Season Score - 1)
2036 - Montreal Expos - 90-72 (.556) - GB (Lost to Cincinnati Reds 4-0 in Division Series, Season Score - 59)