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2028 - Preview
I journal this from my hotel room in Allentown, PA where the Paris Swingers will be opening the season in a few days.
2027 was a solid year peaking with a playoff game win in the Wild Card Round against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers did lose the NLCS series to the Memphis Cougars. The Memphis Cougars lost the World Series to the Utah Saints.
The new season has more expansion with 32 new teams, meaning 16 in the NL with 2 going to each division including the NL World.
Paris made a big free agent signing with Jarrod Parker coming over from the Texas Rangers. Parker was 119-43 over 8 seasons with Texas, where he won 19 games in 2020. He signed for 6 years at 151 million dollars, so a lot of Peugeot's have to be sold to offset this cost.
Dillon Maples was taken in the Rule 5 Draft from the Cleveland Indians. He appeared in 161 games in AAA ball and never got to the show but will start on the Paris roster in the bullpen.
The only other new face will be outfielder Bob Elliott who also signed as a free agent. Elliott played last year with the Chicago White Sox after spending 5 seasons with the Colorado Rockies. He has 133 career homers with a 140 RBI season in 2023, but has been regressing. He is on a 1 year deal worth 9 million
The roster for 2028
Starting Pitching
1. Bill Gogolewski
2. Jarrod Parker
3. Lee Richmond
4. Paul Thormodsgard
5. Sean Douglass
Comments: It is better with Parker in there and not seeing the names of Collins and Cancino. Douglass as the #5 is shaky as he barely gets out of the 5th inning. Thormodsgard struggled in the 2nd half last season, but closed out with 2 solid games. Richmond is a guy who also can fatigue fast in games. The 1-2 punch looks solid though
Bullpen
Closer - Ben DeMott
Setup - Bob Lee
Setup - Garrett Mock
MR - Don Ferrarese
MR - Michael Tejera
MR - Dillon Maples
LR - John Stuper
Comments - The bullpen has been overtaxed over the years, outside of DeMott there are a lot of question marks. Mock has good stuff. Lee has been good but injures easily. Ferrarese and Tejera have rubbers arms but can get lit up. Maples has never seen a major league park and Stuper is a borderline major leaguer.
Lineup
CF - Richie Ashburn
1B - Gail Hopkins
C - Cal McVey
RF - Steve Evans
3B - Harlond Clift
DH - Bob Elliott
SS - Kevin Nicholson
LF - Sean Lewis
2B - Jack Dawson
Comments: The 2-5 spots are very productive and hope that Evans does not have a sophomore jinx. McVey is a franchise player while Hopkins and Clift have been very consistent. Ashburn is young and will get better, there is a high ceiling for him. Elliott returns to the National League where he was more comfortable. Nicholson was the strange pickup that produced. Lewis was a pickup too and is a solid fielder. Dawson saw a production drop in his 2nd year, and hopes to get back his power numbers
Bench
Tony Piet
Bobby Kielty
Amos Booth
Gene Baker
Lee Richmond
Comments - Solid bench as Piet and Kielty have been very good and get a lot of starts. Booth is the perfect backup catch for McVey and Baker is versatile. Richmond is a good enough bat for a pitcher.
We will have results from Allentown shortly
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