[FantasticPhanatic23]

Hey fellow OOTP Managers and Baseball Fan,

In this update I will touch on some information that was left out in previous posts and provide an overall look at how my season is going thus far.

Season Expectations

Coming into this season, my owner gave me some basic goals to aim for. they are:

1) Don't Suck Completely - 2017
2) Upgrade a position - 2017
3) Build up the team to reach the playoffs - 2021

So far we have a losing record 10-14 (.417) and things do not seem like they will improve anytime soon. This was to be expected as my team is very young and we do not have a "Superstar" per say. However, we do have a very good young core to build around.

Pitching Update

Pitching has been the main reason for our April struggle. We are not out of the league yet but if trends continue, we will be looking at another bad season.

My biggest disappointment thus far is with Aaron Nola. He has the skill set to be a potential superstar. However, he has not pitched to his potential yet this season.

Nola posted a 4.20 ERA and a 5.33 FIP on 30 IP. While this sample size is not large enough, it is definitely a red flag. I will keep an eye on this situation as the season moves forward. However, I do not feel that I need to send him back to AAA yet.

My biggest surprise thus far on Starting Pitching has been Vince Valesquez. Rated by the game to be one of my lesser pitching talents, he has posted a 3.00 ERA and 3.67 FIP on 27 IP. I hope these numbers stay stable as the season progresses. So far he has definitely earned his spot in the lineup.

So far my best Pitcher has been Closer Michael Lorenzen, who posted a 0.00 ERA and a 1.58 FIP, with 7 SVs. He looks to be our long term closer.

Our relief pitching has been much more consistent as our starting pitching. I want to move Clay Buchholz who spent time on the DL and posted ****ty numbers as our one true vet on the starting 5. Nobody seems to be interested.

Hitters/Field Position

Offensively, our team has had decent success. Some players such as Kyle Farmer, Nick Williams, and Chris Merrero have not had enough At-Bats to have a significant sample size. However, they have had some moments of note (see earlier post).

So far Cesar Hernandez and Scooter Gennett have both played very good baseball. If they both continue to play well, and Freddy Galvis continues to struggle, perhaps one can move to Shortstop.

Catcher continues to be a problem. Cameron Rupp career numbers have no been good, and I decided that I want to give prospect Kyle Farmer a chance on the MLB squad as he has a brighter future. Eventually, I see myself fazing out Rupp, however there is no market for him at the moment.

Odubral Cabrerra landing on the DL with a sprained wrist gave OF prospect Nick William a chance to come up and play with the top squad. If Daniel Nava continues to struggle, Nick Williams might earn a spot in LF with the crowded outfield situation. Daniel Nava who is posting a .254 OBP has been a huge disappointed and has no trade value. His contract is set to end after the 2017 season.

Our best offensive player by far is Maikel Franco. Franco has a .354 OBP, created 154 wRC, and has 7 HR after the first month of play. He seems to be the cornerstone of the current franchise. I expect more production out of our Catcher, 1st Base, and OF as the season continues.

League Standings

We are currently 4 1/2 games behind 1st place. However, I do not think that the Miami Marlins or the Atlanta Braves will stay out front. As long as the Nationals and Mets continue to struggle we could still be a player in the league. However, we need to see significant improvement out of young players.