The MLB's Las Vegas Aces

[BelgianBomber]

06/13/2013

We have a day off today and I'm gonna use the time to get a closer look at a couple of issues that are on my schedule. This way I'm hoping to stay a bit ahead of the curve and keep my boss happy.

Workschedule:
-review prospects
-review MLB roster
-opportunities to improve current roster
-preview 2014 season and preliminary roster planning

-Review MLB roster
It is pretty clear that our team has been playing extremely well so far. The offense has been clicking from the beginning and even with some key players missing time (Longoria, Parra, De Aza), they haven’t skipped a beat. Pujols and Davis should both be in the running as early MVP favorites. Choo is having a stellar season batting at the top or our lineup, as he is pushing towards a big payday. Oscar Taveras looks like the next superstar and should continue to grow. Amarista and Hannahan have thrived with the extended playing time, putting up excellent numbers. I’d rather see Taveras hit second and Tejada near the bottom of the lineup, but that’s not my call. The offense should continue to be a driving force that will make us difficult to beat.

Our starters and bullpen both rank 1st in the league. We have given up the fewest runs, but this is the one area that does give me concerns. The bullpen should be able to keep it up, as I have complete faith in these guys. The starting rotation however worries me. Hamels (early Cy Young favorite) and Scherzer have been dominant, but the bottom 3 have been disappointing. I wouldn’t feel confident going to the playoffs with our rotation as it is. The best internal solution would be to call up Luke Hochevar. He started the season dominating AAA, but has struggled in his last couple of outings. A trade for a number 3 starter is something I must really look into.

-review prospects
While our farm system ranks first in the league, neither of our minor league affiliates has a winning record. I’m not gonna jump to conclusions too quickly, but we need to monitor the situation. We have a ton of talent in our system and we need to do whatever we can to make sure we get the most out of it. The offseason will be used to make changes to the coaching staff, as I feel there are some guys here that don’t really fit with our new organization. I am tempted to demote some of the guys that have been struggling so far, but I feel like everybody is playing at the level they should be playing at. I will postpone this untill the All-Star break. That would give us some more time to evaluate

-opportunities to improve current roster
As already mentioned above, our rotation is in need of an upgrade, if we want to feel good about ourselves heading to the postseason.

-2014 roster planning
There is still a lot of baseball to be played this season, but we have to start looking forward to the 2014 season, or we might find ourselves in a dark place next year. As it stands now (including arbitration estimates), our payroll will be at 116.02 million next season. That is a 10 million increase over our current payroll. This would leave us with little to no flexibility regarding extensions and free agency. We will have 2 notable free agents after the season, as Jason Grilli and Shin-Soo Choo could hit the open market.

-Grilli, 36, is having a nice season so far. He is 0-1 with a 1.65 ERA, 0.99 WHIP in 27.1 innings pitched. He has struck out 31 and only walked 7. He has also collected 4 saves. Grilli is a very good setup-man, but he wants a 4-year extension worth 20 million. We have a couple of youngsters who are ready to step up, so he will most likely not be back.

-Choo has been a beast this season: .306/.382/.554 with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 14 home runs, 41 RBIs, 38 runs scored, 6 stolen bases in 222 AB’s. He has struck out 55 times and took a walk on 24 occasions. So he is putting up a career year at the best possible time. I’ve checked with his agent, as I would obviously love to have him back next season. But the asking price: 7 years at 19 million per. Someone will pay him and I fully expect him to get something close to his asking price. Unfortunately we won’t be able to offer him that. We won’t be able to fit his contract into our budget and even if we could, we could spend the money better in another area.

Who can we move to save some money and how do we fill the holes that would be created?

-Brandon Phillips: Phillips’ contracts runs through the 2016 season and pays him 15 million per year. He is enjoying a solid season so far, hitting .275/.323/.466 with 18 doubles, 9 home runs, 30 RBI and 31 runs scored. As always, he gives Gold Glove-level defense in the middle of the infield.
How would we replace him? The most logical solution would be to put Alexi Amarista in a starting role at second base. This would save us about 14.5 million for next season and beyond. I would prefer to keep Amarista in his super-utility role, but this is an option worth exploring. AAA second baseman Ryan Gennett is another in-house option. He is doing well so far, but needs more seasoning.

-Jeremy Affeldt: he will make 5.6 million next season. He is a key part of our bullpen and is a great setup-man. We have alternatives in AAA that could make him expendable. Moving him could save us 5 million.

-Jose Molina: the 38-year-old will make 5 million next year. That’s a lot of money for a guy who doesn’t hit. But his defense is extraordinary and he works well with his staff. I’d see him as the least likely of these 3 to be moved.

[BelgianBomber]

Chicago White Sox (37-30) @ Las Vegas Aces (51-16)

The White Sox look like a well-rounded team. The offense is build around power hitters Nelson Cruz and Brandon Moss, who should get help from the likes of Jonathan Lucroy, Chase Utley and Mike Moustakas. The rotation looks very promising as it includes youngsters Matt Moore and Dylan Bundy alongside veteran Jorge De La Rosa. The bullpen looks like one of the better units in the league with Greg Holland, Al Alburquerque, J.P. Howell and Bobby Parnell as the late-inning guys. The White Sox have a payroll of 56.4 million, ranking 29th in the league. That should leave them with some nice flexibility going forward. They have the 11th ranked farm system, headlined by pitcher Ryne Stanek and third baseman Andy McGuire. The experts expect to White Sox to finish 3rd in their division with a 78-84 mark. So far, they are exceeding expectations and have been playing solid baseball, winning 8 out of their last 12 games.

06/14/2013
Game 68: vs. Chicago White Sox
The score doesn’t really tell the story of this game, as the White Sox added 5 runs in a, for us, terrible 9th inning. Carter Capps gave up 5 runs (4 earned) and did not record an out. Joe Kelly once again struggled with the longball, giving up 2 more. The continued struggles by Kelly will most likely cost him his spot in our rotation. Pujols added to his home run totals, mashing number 20.
LV 2 – CHA 9 (loss 51-17)

League News:
The Chicago White Sox got some bad news after the game today. They will be without 23-year-old starter Matt Moore for the next 6 months. The young lefty suffered bone chips in his elbow and looks to have surgery to remove them asap.

06/15/2013
Game 69: vs. Chicago White Sox
Both starters brought their A-game today. Jorge De La Rosa (7.0-5-2-2-1-6) and Jeremy Guthrie (8.0-4-1-1-2-9) gave the opposing offenses something to think about. Neither team was able to get much going, but a couple of well-timed hits and a Choo HR (#15) were enough to give us the win. Tejada was 3-4 with a double and a run scored. Craig Kimbrel picked up save #21.
LV 3 – CHA 1 (win 52-17)

06/16/2013
Game 70: vs. Chicago White Sox
Max Scherzer improves to 10-1 on the season as he goes 6.1-4-0-0-3-11 to get the win. ‘Crush’ Davis showed his power, going deep twice (#26) and added 4 RBI and 3 runs scored. Pujols had 3 hits, while Choo and Amarista had two each.
LV 8 – CHA 1 (win 53-17)

06/17/2013
Game 71: vs. Chicago White Sox
Cole Hamels struggled early today, giving up 3 runs in the 1st. He would leave the game with a statline of 6.1-7-5-5-4-4. Certainly not what we are used to seeing from him. The offense would fight it’s way back into the game and things would be tied at 6 after 9 innings. A wild pitch with the bases loaded, in the 13th inning, would get us the win. Chris Davis went deep(#27) and Kimbrel picked up his 3rd win.
LV 7 – CHA 6 (13) (win 54-17)

Weekly Awards:
The AL named it’s Player of the Week, as Kendrys Morales of the Boston Red Sox got the honor. The 1st baseman hit .414 (12-29) with 7 home runs and 12 RBIs.
Veteran right fielder Ichiro Suzuki was voted National League Player of the Week. The 39-year-old had 12 hits in 22 at-bats (.545) with 1 HR and 3 RBIs.

Power Rankings:
Our score of 142.3 still ranks 1st.

[BelgianBomber]

Milwaukee Brewers (29-40) @ Las Vegas Aces (54-17)

The Brew Crew looks like a dangerous team. They have an offense that should scare just about any opponent. Matt Kemp, Adrian Beltre and David Ortiz should be the guys providing the power, while Andrelton Simmons, Martin Prado, Jason Castro and Dustin Ackley should chip in on a regular basis. I would not like to face those guys. The pitching staff is led by Tim Lincecum and Doug Fister, while Dan Straily, Juan Nicasio and Marco Estrada round out the rotation. That’s a pretty solid group of starters right there. The bullpen is anchored by veteran closer J.J. Putz and also includes Joaquin Benoit and Matt Thornton as the setup-men. The presence of a good number of veteran players means the Brewers have a pretty high payroll. 118.237 million puts them in 8th place. Pitcher Justin Nicolino is their only player in the prospect top 100, which ranks their system in spot number 20. The experts like the Brewers’ chances, as they are expected to finish to season 92-70 and take the NL Central. So far this season, the Brewers haven't been able to live up to those expectations. The pitching looks solid overall, but the offense hasn't been able to give the starters much backing up. However, this is still a very good team, on paper, and we shouldn't take this series lightly.

06/18/2013
Game 72: vs. Milwaukee Brewers
The offense got to Tim Lincecum early, as the first 8 batters reached base. Lincecum would leave the game injured, giving up 6 runs while not retiring a single batter. Patrick Corbin did a solid job, going 8.1-7-3-3-2-5 to get his 9th win of the season. He gave up 2 runs in the 9th,which makes his overall numbers tonight look a bit worse than they actually should have to be. Cardenas had 3 hits and Davis, Choo and Tejada had 2 each. Pulols was 1-4 with a HR (#21), 3 RBI (#67) and a run scored.
LV 7 – MIL 3 (win 55-17)

06/19/2013
Game 73: vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Juan Nicasio (8.1-9-1-1-1-3) and Jeremy Guthrie (6.1-9-3-2-2-5) both did a nice job today. The Brewers’ offense took advantage of some extra-base hits and timely hitting to jump out in front. They got the win and deserved it. Oscar Taveras had 3 hits in the game, including a double.
LV 1 – MIL 5 (loss (55-18)

06/20/2013
Game 74: vs. Milwaukee Brewers
This game was a battle. A battle that lasted almost 4.5 hours. The Brewers had the lead for most of the game, but our guys fought back, scoring 2 runs in the 8th and another in the 9th to tie things up at 5 and send the game to overtime. Both teams scored a run in the 11th. The game finally came to an end in the 15th, when Albert Pujols hit a walk-off home run (#22). Davis (#28) andPhillips (#10) also homered. We got 2-hit games from Choo,Tejada, Pujols, Phillips and Amarista.
LV 7 – MIL 6 (15) (win 56-18)

Team News:
Alex Burgos of the Quad Cities River Bandits (A) threw a no-hitter today against the Kane County Cougars. He walked 3 and struck out 9. For the season Burgos is 4-5 with a 3.55 ERA, 1.15 WHIP in 83.2 innings. He has 85 K’s and gave up 27 walks. He’s 22 years old and isn’t highly regarded as a prospect.

League News:
Kelly Johnson of the Atlanta Braves will be out for at least 8 months. The second baseman has a fractured elbow.

[BelgianBomber]

Las Vegas Aces (56-18) @ Chicago Cubs (33-40)

The Cubbies have an intriguing mix of youngsters and veterans. On offense they will look for Anthony Rizzo to lead the way. Other notable names in their lineup include veterans Derek Jeter, A.J. Pierzynski, Omar Infante and Torii Hunter, alongside youngsters Brett Gardner and Adam Eaton. The rotation features one of the very best young arm in Stephen Strasburg. Edison Volquez and Bartolo Colon are solid veteran contributors. The bullpen looks like a very solid unit with closer Tom Wilhelmsen and setup-men Sergio Santos and Joba Charmberlain. The Cubs have a 97.666 million dollar payroll, which ranks 14th in the league. The team shouldn’t expect much help coming up through the system, as they rank 28th in the league with 0 players in the top 100. The preseason predictions are pretty good for the Cubs, as they are expected to finish with a 84-78 record, which should be good for 2nd place in the division. The Cubs have struggled for most of the first 2 months. Things are finally coming together for them it seems, as they are 13-5 since June 1st.

06/21/2013
Game 75: @ Chicago Cubs
The Cubs’ pitching was great today, as Bartolo Colon and 3 relievers got the shutout. Tejada and Molina had 2 hits each. Max Scherzer gave up 6 hits and 2 earned runs, but got stuck with the loss today. On the season he now sits at 10-2 with a 2.32 ERA.
LV 0 – CHN 3 (loss 56-19)

06/22/2013
Game 76: @ Chicago Cubs
Cole Hamels got hit hard for the 3 outing in a row. He went 3.1-9-8-8-1-3 as his struggles of late seem to continue. The bullpen did a decent job, but gave up 2 more runs to the Cubs’ offense. Jose Molina had a good game, going 3-4 with a HR (#5), 3 RBI, BB and a run scored. Taveras and Phillips had two hits each.
LV 7 – CHN 10 (loss 56-20)

06/23/2013
Game 77: @ Chicago Cubs
Jeremy Guthrie had a good outing today, going 7.2-5-1-1-0-7 to pick up his 9th victory this season. Jeremy Affeldt (H10) and Craig Kimbrel (SV22) got the final 4 outs. Most of our offense came on a Chris Davis 2-run home run (#29). Molina and Amarista each had two hits.
LV 3 – CHN 1 (win 57-20)

Weekly Awards:
Nolan Reimold of the Toronto Blue Jays was named American League Player of the Week. The left fielder had 11 hits in 22 at-bats, 2 home runs and 8 RBIs in 6 games.
The Washington Nationals’ Aramis Ramirez was named NL Player of the Week. The 34-year-old hit .500 (13-26) with 4 home runs, 6 RBIs and 8 runs scored. It’s the 2nd time this season that Ramirez has received the award.

Team News:
Oklahoma City’s Nolan Arenado was voted AC Player of the Week. The 22-year-old third baseman hit .419 (13-31) with 2 home runs and 7RBIs last week. On the season he is batting .285 with 12 home runs.

Power Rankings:
Our score of 136.2 keeps us in 1st place.

[BelgianBomber]

St. Louis Cardinals (41-36) @ Las Vegas Aces (57-20)

The Cardinals lineup is highlighted by sluggers Prince Fielder and Jose Bautista. That’s a pretty nice 3-4 combination to put out on the field. Veterans Coco Crisp, Jimmy Rollins and Aaron Hill are joined by Jesus Montero and Todd Frazier and what looks like a solid lineup. The rotation is led by ace David Price and veteran Andy Pettitte. Wei-Yin Chen and John Lannan are 2 more lefties in this rotation, with Trevor Cahill the only righthanded starter in their rotation. The bullpen includes Tom Gorzelanny as the closer, with Joel Peralta, Jon Rauch and Phil Coke as middle relievers. The Cardinals clearly went the ‘win now’ route and didn’t put any focus on their farm system. It ranks 30th in the league and does not include any top 100 prospects. The 137.948 million dollar payroll, ranking 5th in the league, is another indication that the team is all-in. The predicted 82-80 record, good for 3rd place in the NL Central, would be a disappointment for this team. Their record is pretty good, but still puts them in 3rd place in the division. This is a good team and we will have to bring our best baseball.

06/25/2013
Game 78: vs. St. Louis Cardinals
David Price (8.0-7-2-2-2-4) kept our offense in check and Patrick Corbin once again suffered from a case of homeritis, giving up 4 home runs. Fielder (#18), Bautista (#11) and Jesus Montero (#3-4) homered for the Cards. Amarista (3 hits) and Phillips (2 hits) were the lone bright spots on offense for us.
LV 2 – STL 5 (loss 57-21)

Team News:
Evan Longoria will rejoin the team tonight and should be back in the lineup tomorrow. Outfielder Travis Buck was send down to AAA to make room on the roster.

06/26/2013
Game 79: vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Both Wei-Yin Chen (7.0-6-3-3-2-5) and Max Scherzer (7.1-4-3-3-3-8) had a quality outing tonight. Neither would figure into the decision however, as the bullpens would settle this one. Affeldt (W2) and Kimbrel (SV23) would get the final 5 outs, while Phil Coke would give up two solo shots. Taveras was 3-4 with a HR (#12), RBI and 2 runs scored. Pujols hit number 23 and the returning Evan Longoria went 2-4 with a home run (#7).
LV 5 – STL 3 (win 58-21)

[BelgianBomber]

06/28/2013

Things got pretty busy on the trade front today. The Dodgers and Tigers were the first teams to announce a deal. The Tigers (37-41, 4th place) traded starting pitcher A.J. Griffin to the Dodgers (34-44, 4th place) in exchange for 19-year-old minor league center fielder Nick Williams and 22-year-old minor league right fielder Michael Crouse. In 16 starts this season Griffin is 6-9 with a 4.45 ERA. He will become the #4 starter in the Dodgers’ rotation. Elias likes Griffin and sees him as a suitable middle-of-the-rotation starter. This is a very good deal for the Dodgers, as both players they gave up are just borderline prospects.

The news of the first trade of the day hadn’t even reached the entire league, when the Cleveland Indians (29-50, 5th place) announced they had traded for 25-year-old left fielder Ben Revere. In exchange for Revere and $515,500 in cash, the San Francisco Giants (33-45, 5th) receive 18-year-old minor league center fielder William Abreu and 19-year-old minor league starting pitcher Chase DeJong. Revere is batting .313 this season in 77 games. He has 23 RBIs and 36 runs scored. This is another questionable trade in my opinion. Revere isn’t a star, but he is a useful MLB player. Both Abreu and DeJong have a lot to prove and Elias sees them as borderline talents at best.

A third trade went down, as the Kansas City Royals (37-41,3rd place) and the Chicago White Sox (41-38, 2nd place) confirmed they made a swap. The White Sox received 34-year-old starting pitcher Jason Marquis and $1,520,000 in cash in exchange for 23-year-old minor league right fielder Brandon Miller and 20-year-old minor league right fielder Jose Osuna. Marquis had been pitching at the AAA-level, posting a 7-2 record to go with a 2.94 ERA. He will give the Sox some depth for their rotation. It’s a good deal for the Royals, as they receive 2 prospects in exchange for a veteran player who didn’t fit in their plans.

And this brings us to the biggest and boldest trade of the day, as the Baltimore Orioles (32-48, 5th) traded 20-year-old starting pitcher Jose Fernandez to the Las Vegas Aces. Yes, that’s right, your Aces couldn’t stay behind and added a potential front-line starter. In exchange for Fernandez, the Orioles will receive a substantial package. Going to Baltimore in the trade are 20-year-old minor league shortstop Trevor Story, 25-year-old starting pitcher Joe Kelly, 18-year-old minor league 1st baseman Dominic Smith and our 2014 2nd round draft pick. Including the 2nd round pick in the deal allowed us to obtain 20-year-old minor league catcher Austin Hedges. He will give us some much needed depth at the catcher position.

This is a blockbuster deal for sure and one that should help both our teams out. Baltimore gets a couple of nice pieces for the future, while we add a young starter who should be ready to contribute straight away and is a huge upgrade to Joe Kelly. Fernandez will report to AAA to make a couple of starts and when we feel he is ready to be brought up, he’ll become part of our rotation. In the meantime we will call up Luke Hochevar to man then umber 5 slot.

[BelgianBomber]

Los Angeles Angels (35-45) @ Las Vegas Aces (58-21)

We go up against our divisional rivals yet again. So far we are 9-1 against them. The Angels have been struggling recently, going 7-16 during the month of June.

06/28/2013
Game 80: vs. Los Angeles Angels
This game featured two of the very best starting pitchers in the game as Cole Hamels (11-2; 2.60) faces Clayton Kershaw (8-4; 2.76). Both guys had a solid outing, but Cole Hamels (8.0-4-1-1-0-7) once again got the best of Kershaw. Albert Pujols would open the score when he doubled home Ruben Tejada in the 1st. The Angels crawled their way back to 2-1 in the 6th on a Xander Bogaerts home run, but our guys would strike back later in the inning, adding 2 more runs. Chris Davis had 2 hits and Oscar Taveras went 1-3 with 2 RBI. Craig Kimbrel tossed a scoreless 9th to pick up save number 24. Albert Pujols left the game in the 1st after injuring himself while running the bases, the diagnosis is pending.
LV 4 – LAA 1 (win 59-21)

League News:
The Chicago Cubs have traded 26-year-old catcher Tyler Flowers to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for 18-year-old minor league starting pticher Stephen Gonsalves and 19-year-old minor league third baseman Dylan LaVelle.
The Milwaukee Brewers have traded for Kansas City’s starting pitcher Alexi Ogando. In exchange for Ogando, the Royals received 21-year-old minor league starting pitcher Justin Nicolino. Another smart trade by the Royals, as they receive a top 100 prospect in exchange for a spare part.
The Royals weren’t done making deals, confirming to trade third baseman Mark Reynolds to the Dodgers in exchange for 23-year-old minor league third baseman Matthew Skole and 22-year-old minor league center fielder Donovan Tate. Reynolds is batting .222 on the season with 20 home runs and 76 K’s in 275 AB’s. He will become the starting 3rd baseman for the Dodgers.

06/29/2013
Game 81: vs. Los Angeles Angels
Our offense backed Jeremy Guthrie tonight, as he picked up his 10th win on the season. Guthrie was outstanding, finishing the game with a statline of 8.2-7-1-1-1-3. His lone earned run came with 2 out in the 9th inning, after Carter Capps gave up a 2-run shot to Lance Berkman. Chris Davis was our lone starter who didn’t get a hit today. Tejada, Brentz and Santos had 2 hits each and Oscar Taveras went deep for the 13th time this year.
LV 7 – LAA 2 (win 60-21)

Team News:
Hector Noesi of the Oklahoma City Redhawks (AAA) will miss the next 10-11 months after tearing his UCL. He will require Tommy John surgery.

06/30/2013
Game 82: vs. Los Angeles Angels
Luke Hochevar got the start today and he did a decent job. However, he did have to leave the game in the 4th inning with an undisclosed injury. Cody Eppley gave up 3 runs in 1.1 innings, but our offense would settle this one. Longoria went 2-4 with a double, triple and 2 runs scored. Jack Hannahan and Jose Molina homered, with Molina’s being a grand slam.
LV 9 – LAA 5 (win 61-21)

League News:
The St. Louis Cardinals will be without Jose Bautista for the next 6 weeks. The slugger suffered a fractured thumb during a game against the A’s. On the season Bautista is hitting .255 with 12 home runs and 37 RBIs.

Team News:
Gerardo Parra has ended his rehab assignment and he will join the team for tomorrow’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Bryce Brentz will be demoted to AAA to make room on the 25-man roster.

Weekly Awards:
Chase Utley of the Chicago White Sox has been named American League Player of the Week. The 34-year-old batted .579 with 1 home run and 2RBIs.
San Francisco’s Carlos ‘Go-Go’ Gomez hit .667 with 1 home run and 4 RBI’s last week, earning him the NL Player of the Week Award.

Team Awards:
Evan Marzilli of the Tri-City ValleyCats was named New York-Peen League Player of the Week. The 22-year-old center fielder hit .448 (13-29) wiht 5 home runs, 13 RBIs and 10 runs scored.

Monthly Awards:
The AL honored Kendrys Morales as the Batter of the Month. The Red Sox’ first baseman hit .322 with 11 home runs, 32 RBIs and scored 22 runs in the month of June.
Matt Holliday of the Atlanta Braves hit .351 with 7 home runs, 23 RBIs and 21 runs scored on his way to winning National League Batter of the Month honors.
Our own Jeremy Guthrie was named AL Pitcher of the Month. In 6 starts he collected 5 wins and one loss, while striking out 32 in 43.2 innings of work. He had a sparkling 2.68 ERA during the past month.
Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey of the Washington Nationals was voted NL Pitcher of the Month. The 38-year-old went 6-0, fanning 50 batters in 52 innings and logging a 1.21 ERA.
Blake Tekotte of the Kansas City Royals received the AL Rookie of the Month award. The 26-year-old right fielder hit .355 with 6 home runs, 21 RBIs and 14 runs. He also walked 9 times for a .416 on-base percentage.
The Chicago Cubs’ Adam Eaton was voted National League Rookie of the Month. The 24-year-old center fielder hit .310 with 1 home run and 9 RBI.

Power Rankings:
The Aces stay on top, with 139.9 points.

[BelgianBomber]

Tampa Bay Rays (50-33) @ Las Vegas Aces (61-21)

The Rays have a great group of players. The offense mightvlack power, but they get on base and can produce runs. Pablo Sandoval and Yonder Alonso are the guys that will be driving in runs in the middle of the order. Other key contributors should be Norichika Aoki, Starling Marte, Ian Desmond and Chris Iannetta. The rotation looks pretty strong with Jeremy Hellickson, Mat Latos and Andrew Cashner as the numbers 1 to 3. The bullpen should also be a strenght. Aroldis Chapman, Joel Hanrahan and Rex Brothers should make one hell of a back end of the bullpen. Their farm system ranks 22nd, but there are a lot of solid players here. Colin Moran, Delino DeShields Jr., Joc Pederson and Jonathan Pettibone are the highest regarded prospects on the team. With under 59 million committed to their payroll, the Rays are keeping some flexibility. They are on top of their division, with a narrow lead over Toronto, but this is a team that looks like a lock for the postseason.

07/01/2013
Game 83: vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Patrick Corbin (8.0-7-1-1-3-6) got more help than he needed today. Corbin brought his best stuff, racking up win number 10 on the season. The offense was led by Chris Davis, who went 3-4 with 3 HR (#32) and 5 RBI. Evan Longoria went 3-5 with 2 doubles, an RBI and 2 runs scored. Choo hit his 16th home run on the season and continues to impress as he is getting closer to a big payday in free agency.
LV 9 – TB 1 (win 62-21)

League News:
Today signals the start of the International Free Agents Signing Period. There are a couple of very talented young players in the pool, but they are all asking for huge bonusses. I’m going to make a couple of offers to some high risk/high reward type of players and see what happens.
The Boston Red Sox (40-44) have traded center fielder Shane Victorino to the Kansas City Royals (39-42). In exchange the Royals are sending 29-year-old starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy to the Red Sox. Victorino is expected to become the regular right fielder for the Royals, while McCarthy will slot into the number 3 starter role for the Red Sox.
This is yet another starter traded away by the Royals, who are expected to call up youngsters Rubby De La Rosa and Simon Castro.
The Clevland Indians (32-50) have traded for Phillies’ starter Cory Luebke. In exchange for Luebke the Phillies (36-47) will receive 20-year-old minor league shortstop Luis Sardinas and $539.000.
The biggest trade of the day came when the Detroit Tigers (37-44) confirmed they had traded first baseman Brandon Belt to the Colorado Rockies (41-42) in exchange for 20-year-old minor league rigth fielder Josh E.Bell and 23-year-old minor league second baseman Zach Babitt. Bell is seen as a solid prospect, while Babitt isn’t nearly as well regarded.

07/02/2013
Game 84: vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Max Scherzer took the mound for us today as we faced Tampa Bay ace Andrew Cashner. The Rays got to Scherzer early on, leading 4-0 after 3 innings. But our guys wouldn’t back down easily, crawling their way back into the game and scoring runs in the 4th and 6th inning. Joel Hanrahan entered the game for the Rays in the 9th, looking to pick up his 10th save of the season. Things would turn into a nightmare for Hanrahan, as he would give up 4 hits and a walk before even retiring a batter. We scored 3 in the 9th and took the win. Jack Hannahan was 3-4 with 2 RBI.
LV 5 – TB 4 (win 63-21)

Team News:
Albert Pujols is set to only miss 1-2 weeks with an intercostal strain. This is good news for us, as we will only have to miss him for a short period of time. Pujols will not be placed on the DL.

League News:
The Seattle Mariners (35-47) and Toronto Blue Jays (48-36) announced a trade. The Blue Jays will receive 25-year-old starting pitcher Vance Worley and $514.500 in cash from the Mariners in exchange for 22-year-old minor league starting pitcher Yordano Ventura and 22-year-old minor league starting pitcher Keyvius Sampson. This is a solid deal for both teams, as Toronto adds a starter for their playoff run and the Mariners add a top 100 talent in Ventura.

07/03/2013
Game 85: vs. Tampa Bay Rays
This game turned out to be a battle between two very good pitchers, as Cole Hamels (8.0-5-1-1-3-5) and Jeremy Hellickson (7.2-5-1-1-2-6) both had an excellent outing. The game was tied after 9 innings and this one would be settled in the 11th, when Jeremy Affeldt and Craig Kimbrel gave up a combined 3 hits and 2 walks, allowing the Rays to score twice and take this one.
LV 1 – TB 3 (loss 63-22)

Team News:
We signed 16-year-old Dominican lefthander José Avila for a $38,000 bonus. Avila is 6’7” and 205 lbs, sits in the mid 80’s with his fastball and has 2 other pitches. He has great stamina and solid intangibles. A low risk/high reward signing.

League News:
Hunter Pence and Mark Buehrle will be suiting up for new teams starting tomorrow. Pence and 22-year-old minor league catcher Bruce Maxwell will join the Dodgers (36-47) and Mark Buehrle will become the number 3 starter for the New York Mets (42-42).
The San Francisco Giants (34-50) have traded 26-year-old starting pitcher Jaime Garcia and $3,000,000 in cash to the Pittsburgh Pirates (47-37) in exchange for 19-year-old minor league shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin and 23-year-old minor league starting pitcher Trevor May. Garcia will become the number 4 starter for the Pirates. On the season he has a 5-8 record to go with a 6.23 ERA.
The Toronto Blue Jays (50-36) have acquired starting pitcher Ivan Nova from the Atlanta Braves (42-42) in exchange for 18-year-old minor league third baseman Cavan Biggio and 23-year-old minor league starting pitcher Angel L. Sanchez. Nova has a 3.30 ERA on the season to go with a 7-5 record.
Yet another starting pitcher was moved today, as the Arizona Diamondbacks (49-36) traded 25-year-old starting pitcher Mike Leake to the St. Louis Cardinals (42-42) in exchange for 27-year-old third baseman Todd Frazier and 20-year-old minor league third baseman Dante Bichette Jr. The Cardinals also receive $1,735,500 in cash. Leake is 7-4 in 17 starts with a 3.08 ERA, while Frazier is batting .232 with 8 home runs.

07/04/2013
Game 86: vs. Tampa Bay Rays
This game was locked up untill the top of the 6th, when the Rays scored two runs on a Yonder Alonso home run. Those would be the only two runs Jeremy Guthrie (7.2-8-2-2-2-5) would give up today. His counterpart, James McDonald, was even better, as he would finish the game 8.0-7-0-0-0-3. McDonald would however not be the winner of this game as our guys were once again able to get this one in the bottom of the 9th. Kelvin Herrera wasn’t able to close it out for the Rays and our guys were able to make him pay. Alexi Amarista came in as a pinchhitter for Hannahan and doubled in the winning runs. Parra and Taveras had two hits each. Carter Capps got his 2nd win on the season.
LV 3 – TB 2 (win 64-22)

[BelgianBomber]

Las Vegas Aces (64-22) @ Texas Rangers (48-38)

We are 4-2 against our division rival Rangers on the season. We look to keep that winning trend going, but it might not be easy against a team coming off a clean sweep against the Mariners.

07/05/2013
Game 87: @ Texas Rangers
Luke Hochevar got his second start, but he struggled in a big way today. He would leave the game with a statline of 4.2-8-4-4-2-3, while having thrown 92 pitches. The bullpen did a decent job, as Grilli (1 earned run), Capps and Kimbrel kept the Rangers’ offense in check. Homer Bailey didn’t have his best stuff tonight and was pulled after going 3.1-8-5-5-1-5. We scored the winning run in the top of the 9th and won yet another close game. Chris Davis hit home run number 33, while also adding 2 RBI (#71).
LV 6 – TEX 5 (win 65-22)

League News:
It was a great day for Andy Pettitte today at Busch Stadium. He picked up victory number 250 to join the great pitchers of the past in the exclusive 250 Club. The Cardinals’ starter has a career record of 250-149, 3230 innings, 2397 strikeouts and a 3.83 ERA. On the season he is 5-7 with a 3.08 ERA.
Martin Prado of the Milwaukee Brewers will miss the next 4 months after he suffered a concussion. On the season he was hitting .324 with 5 home runs in 185 AB’s.

07/06/2013
Game 88: @ Texas Rangers
The trend continues for Patrick Corbin, as our talented lefty gave up 2 more home runs. Outside of those 2 mistakes, he was pretty solid, finishing the night 5.1-7-4-4-0-6. On offense we got two-hit games from Parra, Phillips, Tejada and Santos. Longoria was 1-4 with a double, a walk and 4 RBI. Craig Kimbrel finished the game, collecting his league-leading 26th save.
LV 6 – TEX 5 (win 66-22)

Team News:
We failed to sign our 5th round pick, José Valdez, so we will be awarded a compensation pick next year. All our other draft picks were signed to contracts.
-Ryan Lyons: $1.5 million
-Artie Cotton: $1.3 million
-Cisco Lopez: $850k
-Dave Wallace: $485k
We signed another 16-year-old Dominican, as we reached agreement with lefty Leonardo Carbajal. The 6’1” youngster agreed to a $101,000 signing bonus. Carbajal has great stamina, 3 above average pitches, mid 80’s fastball and excellent intangibles. Another low risk/high reward signing.

League News:
The New York Yankees received some bad news today. They will be without starting pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma for the next 12-13 months. Iwakuma tore the flexor tendon in his elbow a couple of days ago and will require surgery to have it repaired.

07/07/2013
Game 89: @ Texas Rangers
Max Scherzer was the winning pitcher today, even if this wasn’t his best outing. Scherzer gave up only 3 hits over 5.1 innings, but also walked 6. He would leave the game with a 4-3 lead and the bullpen was able to protect the lead. Edgin (H5), Capps (H9), Affeldt (H12) and Williams (SV1) allowed only 3 more hits. The offense was powered by Chris Davis’ 2-home run night. Gerardo Parra chipped in with his 3rd home run of the year.
LV 5 – TEX 3 (win 67-22)

Weekly Awards:
Adrian Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers was voted AL Player of the Week. The first baseman hit .483 with 4 home runs and 8 RBIs. On the year he is hitting .305 with 25 home runs and 65 RBIs.
The Cincinnati Reds’ Jason Heyward deserved National League Player of the Week honors. The 23-year-old right fielder went 12-27 (.444) with 4 home runs, 9 RBIs and 6 runs scored.
Isael Henriquez of the Kissimmee Astros (R) was named GCL Player of the Week. The 19-year-old second baseman hit .556 (15-27) with 2 home runs, 11 RBIs and 11 runs scored. We took Henriquez in the 154th round of the draft, he is not considered a prospect.

Power Rankings:
Our reign continues as we stay on top of things with a scoreof 147.5.

[BelgianBomber]

Las Vegas Aces (67-22) @ St. Louis Cardinals (45-43)

We played the Cardinals just 2 weeks ago and split the series. They will once again look at their great pitching to carry them in this matchup.

07/09/2013
Game 90: @ St. Louis Cardinals
The sooner our guys can forget this game, the better. We had nothing going for us today. Cole Hamels had a rough outing, going 4.0-8-5-5-0-3, while giving up 2 home runs. The offense couldn’t get anything going against Wei-Yin Chen, who pitched a complete game shutout. Chen gave up 7 hits, walked 2 and struck out one. On the season he is 9-5 with a 2.23 ERA. Evan Longoria was 3-3, with a walk.
LV 0 – STL 6 (loss 67-23)

League News:
The Baltimore Orioles (39-52) received some very bad news today. They will be without Josh Johnson for the next 11 months. Johnson has a stretched elbow ligament, that will most likely require surgery.
The New York Mets (46-44) added Jonathon Niese to their rotation today. They acquired the 26-year-old starter from the Detroit Tigers (39-51) in exchange for 19-year-old minor league starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and 22-year-old minor league catcher Carlos E. Perez. McCullers is a top 100 prospect, so that is not a bad return for the Tigers, who are clearly looking towards the future.

07/10/2013
Game 91: @ St. Louis Cardinals
Jeremy Guthrie delivered his 6th straight quality start, finishing the night 8.0-6-1-1-2-1 and picking up his 11th win on the season. Our offense only got 5 hits all night, but was able to produce 2 runs, enough to back up the excellent outing from Guthrie. Craig Kimbrel pitched a perfect 9th to collect his league-leading 27th save.
LV 2 – STL 1 (win 68-23)

[BelgianBomber]

Las Vegas Aces (68-23) @ Tampa Bay Rays (54-40)

We took 3 out of 4 against the Rays last week. We will look to build on that when we visit them in Tampa Bay for the final series before the All-Star break. I hope we can keep our momentum going against a good team.

07/12/2013
Game 92: @ Tampa Bay Rays
This game was headed to extra innings, as neither starting pitcher would figure into the decision. Both Max Scherzer (6.1-7-4-3-1-8) and Andrew Cashner (5.1-8-4-4-2-4) will be a bit disappointed with their outing today. In the end, the Rays would take this one, as Craig Kimbrel would give up a game-winning single to Yonder Alonso in the 10th. Choo was 2-4 with a home run, 3 RBI and a walk. Phillips had 3 hits, while Amarista had two.
LV 4 – TB 5 (loss 68-24)

07/13/2013
Game 93: @ Tampa Bay Rays
This one was over before it even really started. Patrick Corbin just stunk today, giving up 5 earned runs before even retiring a single batter. He would leave the game with a statline of 2.2-7-6-6-2-3, that just won’t cut it. The offense battled all game long, trying to get back into it and even making it close on a couple of occasions. But two more runs given up by the bullpen put this one away. Choo was 3-4 with 3 doubles and 2 runs scored. Parra had 3 hits of his own, including a double and added 2 RBI. Chris Davis homered.
LV 7 – TB 8 (loss 68-25)

07/14/2013
Game 94: @ Tampa Bay Rays
Luke Hochevar had his best outing yet, going 5.1-7-3-2-2-2. It would not get him anything, as James McDonald was outstanding, finishing his night 7.0-4-1-1-1-11 and picking up his 8th win. When you are only able to get 4 hits all game long, there aren’t many chances to score runs. The Rays complete the sweep as we head into the All-Star break.
LV 1 – TB 4 (loss 68-26)

Team news:
Outfielder Alejandro De Aza is eligible to come off the DL today. He will begin a rehab assignment and we hope to have him back in the bigs soon.

Weekly Awards:
Lonnie Chisenhall of the Cleveland Indians was named American League Player of the Week. The 24-year-old third baseman hit .440 with 3 home runs and 8 RBIs during the past 6 games.
Catcher J.R. Towles of the Chicago Cubs earned NL Player of the Week honors. He went 10-19 with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs.
Bryce Brentz (AAA) was named American Conference Player of the Week. The 24-year-old right fielder hit .370 with 5 home runs, 13 RBIs and 10 runs scored. On the season he is hitting .307 with 24 home runs.
Ryan Lyons of the Greeneville Astros (R) was named Appalachian League Player of the Week. The 22-year-old hit .414 (12-29) with 5 home runs and 9 RBIs. Certainly a great start for our 2nd round draft pick.

Power Rankings:
With a total of 127.2 points, we remain on top of the Power Rankings.

[BelgianBomber]

07/14/2013

It is not an easy task to pick the best players for the annual baseball classic -- the All-Star Game. It is not possible to please everybody. Whether we agree or not, they have been chosen... and here they are. The rosters for this year's Major League All-Star Game have been announced.

For the American League, the roster includes:

SP Brett Anderson (MIN) 10-2, 3.21 ERA
SP Jeremy Guthrie (LV) 11-3, 3.51 ERA
SP Cole Hamels (LV) 12-3, 2.73 ERA
SP Clayton Kershaw (LAA) 10-5, 2.76 ERA
SP Max Scherzer (LV) 11-2, 2.72 ERA
SP Jered Weaver (MIN) 11-7, 2.90 ERA
CL Aroldis Chapman (TBA) 4-2, 19 SV, 1.50 ERA
CL Josh Collmenter (KC) 3-4, 21 SV, 2.09 ERA
CL Craig Kimbrel (LV) 4-2, 27 SV, 1.46 ERA
CL Jake McGee (NYA) 5-1, 16 SV, 2.28 ERA
CL Mariano Rivera (TEX) 4-2, 16 SV, 2.04 ERA
CL Tom Wilhelmsen (LAA) 0-2, 23 SV, 1.66 ERA
C Wilson Ramos (CLE) .269/.339/.448, 11 HR, 37 RBI
C Carlos Ruiz (BAL) .302/.353/.508, 11 HR, 40 RBI
1B Edwin Encarnacion (OAK) .279/.359/.497, 21 HR, 60 RBI
1B Lance Berkman (LAA) .287/.394/.498, 17 HR, 50 RBI
1B Adrian Gonzalez (TEX) .310/.395/.580, 27 HR, 70 RBI
1B Albert Pujols (LV) .318/.413/.625, 23 HR, 70 RBI
1B Chris Davis (LV) .271/.355/.609, 36 HR, 76 RBI
2B Neil Walker (TOR) .310/.363/.503, 13 HR, 41 RBI
3B David Wright (BOS) .292/.406/.538, 20 HR, 75 RBI
SS Starlin Castro (MIN) .329/.372/.474, 5 HR, 46 RBI
LF Angel Pagan (DET) .343/.403/.538, 4 HR, 22 RBI
LF Desmond Jennings (NYA) .276/.361/.438, 10 HR, 45 RBI
CF B.J. Upton (NYA) .309/.387/.543, 15 HR, 48 RBI
CF Andrew McCutchen (KC) .300/.385/.506, 12 HR, 42 RBI
CF Carlos Beltran (NYA) .299/.377/.544, 18 HR, 50 RBI
RF Shin-Soo Choo (LV) .294/.369/.529, 17 HR, 52 RBI

For the National League these players have been selected:
SP R.A. Dickey (WAS) 12-4, 2.61 ERA
SP Gio Gonzalez (MIA) 11-5, 2.76 ERA
SP Roy Halladay (COL) 11-4, 2.47 ERA
SP Matt Harvey (CIN) 11-4, 2.65 ERA
SP Brandon Morrow (LAN) 11-3, 2.57 ERA
SP Stephen Strasburg (CHN) 11-5, 2.19 ERA
CL Antonio Bastardo (MIA) 8-3, 21 SV, 2.86 ERA
CL Jonathan Broxton (PIT) 4-0, 26 SV, 1.41 ERA
CL Tom Gorzelanny (STL) 3-2, 22 SV, 4.08 ERA
CL Jonathan Papelbon (CIN) 2-4, 33 SV, 1.83 ERA
CL Addison Reed (ARI) 5-1, 15 SV, 1.75 ERA
CL Drew Storen (WAS) 2-3, 25 SV, 1.42 ERA
C A.J. Ellis (ATL) .324/.420/.498, 8 HR, 31 RBI
C Joe Mauer (PIT) .314/.414/.471, 9 HR, 35 RBI
1B Billy Butler (NYN) .296/.358/.517, 18 HR, 55 RBI
1B Prince Fielder (STL) .273/.385/.518, 22 HR, 59 RBI
1B Miguel Cabrera (NYN) .320/.408/.518, 17 RBI, 69 RBI
2B Ben Zobrist (PIT) .280/.379/.467, 10 HR, 30 RBI
2B Ian Kinsler (CIN) .287/.363/.434, 10 HR, 46 RBI
2B Dustin Pedroia (COL) .294/.349/.486, 12 HR, 52 RBI
3B Aramis Ramirez (WAS) .318/.377/.542, 18 HR, 56 RBI
SS Jimmy Rollins (STL) .302/.367/.444, 5 HR, 32 RBI
LF Yoenis Cespedes (SD) .271/.347/.463, 16 HR, 52 RBI
LF Matt Holliday (ATL) .300/.349/.526, 19 HR, 65 RBI
CF Dexter Fowler (WAS) .297/.368/.446, 9 HR, 32 RBI
CF Mike Trout (ATL) .304/.364/.456, 8 HR, 44 RBI
RF Jason Heyward (CIN) .301/.380/.569, 19 HR, 55 RBI
RF Matt Joyce (ARI) .291/.373/.574, 17 HR, 47 RBI

[BelgianBomber]

Now that we have reached the All-Star break, I feel it’s time to make an evaluation of our team. With 94 games in the books, I should be able to get a clearer idea of the areas that we need to improve and figure out how to do that.
Mr. Wynn has been following things from a distance so far, as he is focused on the construction of our new ballpark. I’m certain he will be more envolved with the team after we move to Las Vegas. That being said, I need to make sure that our team can sustain it’s current level of play, especially after we move into our new home.
I think the best way to do this is to look at every position individually.

Catcher:
Jose Molina: .223/.285/.317, 6 HR, 6 Doubles, 29 RBI, 27 Runs scored in 278 AB’s. WAR: -1.0
Omir Santos: .302/.343/.413, 7 Doubles, 11 RBI, 7 Runs scored in 63 AB’s. WAR: 0.1
I knew going into the season that we wouldn’t have to expect much offense coming from the catcher position. Molina started out strong, but has faded at the plate over the course of the past couple of weeks. He has done a good job working with our pitching staff, but it’s clear that at age 38 he isn’t the longterm answer. Santos has been decent in a backup role, actually outperforming Molina. However he is more suited for a backup role.
We have a couple of talented catchers in our minor league system, but these guys are still a couple of years away.
Austin Hedges: .256/.330/.378, 9 HR, 12 Doubles, 39 RBI, 42 Runs scored in 320 AB’s at the A level. WAR: 0.8
Gary Sanchez: .236/.311/.395, 9 HR, 17 Doubles, 43 RBI, 43 Runs scored in 314 AB’s at the AA level. WAR: 0.3
Molina has 1 year and 5 million left on his contract. This certainly is an area we could look to upgrade from outside of the organisation.

First base:
Albert Pujols: .318/.413/.625, 23 HR, 17 Doubles, 70 RBI, 55 Runs scored in 280 AB’s. WAR: 4.5
Chris Davis: .268/.352/.603, 36 HR, 12 Doubles, 76 RBI, 72 Runs scored in 365 AB’s: WAR: 3.7
This is clearly an area of strenght for our team, as we have two of the best hitters in the game to man first base for us. Davis will play most of his games as our DH, as Albert is clearly the better defender. Both are locked up for the next couple of years. (Davis untill 2018 and Pujols untill 2016)
D.J. Peterson: .333/.443/.500, 2 HR, 11 Doubles, 25 RBI, 17 Runs scored in 102 AB’s at the R level. WAR: 1.2
Daniel Vogelbach: .284/.339/.432, 12 HR, 16 Doubles, 41 RBI, 43 Runs scored in 380 AB’s at the A level. WAR: 1.0
Justin Bour: .298/.359/.469, 16 HR, 8 Doubles, 63 RBI, 45 Runs scored in 339 AB’s at the AAA level. WAR: 1.4
Are the guys who could come help the team down the road. The youngsters will get every chance to move up one level at a time and make the most out of their potential. Bour, who isn’t considered as a top prospect but has hit at every level so far, could be called up in case of an injury.

Second base:
Brandon Phillips: .278/.321/.444, 10 HR, 21 Doubles, 37 RBI, 42 Runs scored in 342 AB’s. WAR: 2.4
Phillips has been productive on offense, while giving us a stud defensive force in the middle infield. He has clearly been an asset for us, but the problem is his 15 million price tag for the next couple of years. At age 32 he is likely to start declining a bit and might not be worth that money anymore. While I really like him (and his glove), Phillips could be one of the easiest players to move in order to create some salary space.
A look at our internal options:
Cory Spangenberg: .243/.304/.404, 10 HR, 12 Doubles, 29 RBI, 38 Runs scored in 272 AB’s at AA level. WAR: 0.7
Ryan Gennett: .301/.361/.469, 13 HR, 21 Doubles, 57 RBI, 77 Runs scored in 392 AB’s at AAA level. WAR: 2.0
Gennett could give us a decent in-house option to replace Phillips. He might not be the defender that Phillips is, but so far, he has proven to be an asset in the field. If he is able to follow up his strong first half with an equal second half of the season, he could be in the mix to make our roster next season.

Shortstop:
Ruben Tejada: .253/.302/.322, 3 HR, 14 Doubles, 26 RBI, 35 Runs scored in 332 AB’s. WAR: 0.8
I have to admit that I have been a bit disappointed with the offensive production that Ruben has brought so far. I’m not expecting him to be an All-Star level hitter, but he certainly should be capable of putting up a higher BA and OBP. His defense has been solid, which I also value at his position. I’m hoping he can have a better second half, more along the lines of his career numbers (around .285/.345)
We are very deep at the position, so Tejada really has to prove himself sooner rather than later.
Javier Baez: .250/.307/.445, 13 HR, 23 Doubles, 55 RBI, 47 Runs scored in 328 AB’s at AA level. WAR: 0.9
Ryan Lyons: .258/.384/.505, 6 HR, 5 Doubles, 18 RBI, 19 Runs scored in 93 AB’s at R level. WAR: 1.1
Lyons is a superior defensive player, even at this youngage. If his bat can develop as hoped, he might be a future star.

Third base:
Evan Longoria: .229/.320/.443, 7 HR, 5 Doubles, 24 RBI, 18 Runs scored in 131 AB’s. WAR: 1.0
Jack Hannahan: .256/.333/.436, 7 HR, 13 Doubles, 28 RBI, 29 Runs scored in 211 AB’s. WAR: 1.0
Longoria has been plagued by injuries, much like the past couple of seasons with Tampa Bay. Hannahan has done a solid job while on the field, but he isn’t an every day player. I’m being cautious with Longoria, as I’m not yet willing to commit to him longterm. The injuries and the lack of production so far have to be taken into consideration.
Add that to the fact that we have a top prospect waiting to step in and a couple more guys down in the minors, this is a position to think about.
Miguel Sano: .240/.357/.436, 13 HR, 22 Doubles, 64 RBI, 51 Runs scored (66 BB, 101 K) in 342 AB’s at AA level. WAR: 1.8
Kris Bryant: .333/.431/.615, 7 HR, 6 Doubles, 23 RBI, 21 Runs scored in 96 AB’s at R level. WAR: 1.4
Nolan Arenado: .281/.309/.448, 14 HR, 25 Doubles, 60 RBI, 56 Runs scored in 413 AB’s at AAA level. WAR: 1.0
Sano and Bryant are big time prospects, but still a couple of years (at least) away. Arenado has been hitting at every level and has shown he is ready to take the next step. Depending on what the decision on Longoria is, he could get a look soon. (having him ready will most likely be an influence on the decision regarding Longoria)

Right field:
Shin-Soo Choo: .290/.365/.523, 17 HR, 22 Doubles, 52 RBI, 53 Runs scored in 331 AB’s. WAR: 1.9.
As I’ve said before, Choo has been outstanding for us so far this season. He has been hitting, getting on base and has made some excellent defensive plays. He has been a key part of our success, but his run with the team will most likely come to an end in the offseason. As things stand now, there is no way we can afford to sign him to an extension. At the moment he is asking for a 7 year deal, worth 18 million per.
We are already looking at possible in-house options to replace him next season. Shifting Oscar Taveras to right field, while Alejandro De Aza mans center field could be an option.
Other inhouse options include:
Bryce Brentz: .307/.366/.656, 24 HR, 18 Doubles, 68 RBI, 55 Runs scored in 270 AB’s at AAA level. WAR: 3.2
Jorge Soler: .291/.370/.474, 12 HR, 24 Doubles, 54 RBI, 54 Runs scored in 361 AB’s at A level. WAR: 3.3
Yasiel Puig: .277/.369/.413, 9 HR, 20 Doubles, 46 RBI, 67 Runs scored in 361 AB’s at AA level. WAR: 2.9
Puig seems to be the best guess as the longterm option. Brentz will most likely get first crack at the job, as he is further along in his development. If he would falter, Puig will be right there to step up if needed. Soler gives us another great option, but he will get all the time he needs to develop.

Center field:
Oscar Taveras: .287/.328/.459, 13 HR, 10 Doubles, 51 RBI, 48 Runs scored in 355 AB’s. WAR 2.4
Alejandro De Aza: .272/.341/.333, 1 HR, 5 Doubles, 10 RBI, 20 Runs scored in 162 AB’s. WAR 0.0
Taveras is clearly the better player of the two. His defense makes him more suited for a corner spot, but he is adequate in center. With the production De Aza has given us so far this season, I see him more as a 4th outfielder. He will have to improve in order to have a starting job next season.
If Taveras makes the switch to right field, De Aza is still the most likely candidate to take over in center for the time being. In-house options would be:
Byron Buxton: .314/.357/.543, 9 HR, 15 Doubles, 32 RBI, 30 Runs scored, 13 SB in 210 AB’s at A level. WAR: 1.7
Albert Almora: .242/.330/.368, 3 HR, 3 Doubles, 14 RBI, 16 Runs scored in 95 AB’s at R level. WAR: 0.1
George Springer: .268/.361/.473, 15 HR, 19 Doubles, 49 RBI, 55 Runs scored in 351 AB’s at AA level. WAR: 2.2
The youngsters are still a bit too far away to make the jump next season, so we might have to look for a stopgap solution for this position.

Left field:
Gerardo Parra: .295/.359/.422, 3 HR, 8 Doubles, 17 RBI, 25 Runs scored in 166 AB’s. WAR 1.2
Parra hasn’t played all that much this season, but he has shown that he has what it takes to be a regular in the Majors. His defense is an asset and he does a solid job of getting on base.
Parra will however have to deal with a solid prospect named Gregory Polanco in a couple of years.
Gregory Polanco: .268/.324/.384, 7 HR, 14 Doubles, 46 RBI, 54 Runs scored, 22 SB’s in 385 AB’s at AA level. WAR -0.4
While Polanco doesn’t have the defensive skills that Parra has, he is the superior offensive player. He will be brought along slowly, one step at a time.

Super utility:
Alexi Amarista: .295/.327/.425, 4 HR, 15 Doubles, 26 RBI, 29 Runs scored in 254 AB’s. WAR: 1.0
So far this season Amarista has logged time at 2B (63.0 IP), SS (123.0 IP), LF (228.1 IP), CF (106.0 IP) and RF (76.0 IP). While his glove plays best at second or left field, he has done a solid job all over the field. He has been a solid contributor on offense and should be able to push for an every day job with most teams. He’s good enough to play every day for our team and given his versatily, he will probably be on the field often. I do see him more as a super utility player, stepping in where needed, than as an every day starter at one particular position. If he keeps up this level of play, I will look into signing him longterm.

[BelgianBomber]

Rotation:

Cole Hamels: 12-3, 2.73 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 26BB/117K in 142.0 IP. WAR: 3.9
Max Scherzer: 11-2, 2.72 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 41BB/157K in 135.2 IP. WAR: 3.5
Jeremy Guthrie: 11-3, 3.51 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 35BB/87K in 130.2 IP. WAR: 3.4
Patrick Corbin: 10-4, 4.73 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 26BB/102K in 118.0 IP. WAR: 1.4

It’s pretty clear that the top of our rotation is as good as it gets. Hamels and Scherzer are an excellent lefty/righty combination. Guthrie has been stellar as our number 3 starter. Corbin has had a couple of good outings, but his problems with the home run have been well documented. If he would be able to keep the ball down a bit more, he would be an excellent number 4 starter. The door is now wide open for Jose Fernandez to step in and take his spot in the rotation. Luke Hochevar has struggled in his 3 starts, so he isn’t the answer here. Fernandez will most likely be called up right after the All-Star Break. Our rotation seems pretty set for the next couple of years. Hamels is signed for 3 more years, Guthrie signed a 2 year extension earlier this season and Fernandez and Corbin aren’t yet eligible for arbitration. That leaves Scherzer, who could hit the open market after the season. Exploring an extension could be an option for the offseason.

We have some great young arms in our system, but the numbers have been a bit disappointing so far.

Tyler Skaggs: 11-8, 5.60 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 31BB/106K in 128.2 IP at AAA level. WAR: 1.6
Jameson Taillon: 6-6, 3.98 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 53BB/96K in 115.1 IP at AA level. WAR: 2.2
Kyle Zimmer: 6-9, 5.50 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 53BB/83K in 113.0 IP at A level. WAR: 1.9
Archie Bradley: 4-9, 9.35 ERA, 2.04 WHIP, 62BB/57K in 93.1 IP at AA level: WAR: 0.2

With our rotation pretty much set for atleast the next season or two, we can take things slow with our young pitchers.

Bullpen:

Craig Kimbrel: 4-2, 27 SV, 1.46 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 7BB/74K in 49.1 IP. WAR: 1.7
Jeremy Affeldt: 2-1, 1.59 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 10BB/38K in 34.0 IP. WAR: 0.9
Carter Capps: 3-0, 2 SV, 2.61 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 8BB/61K in 41.1 IP. WAR: 1.0
Jason Grilli: 0-1, 5 SV, 2.39 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 10BB/45K in 37.2 IP. WAR: 0.6
Josh Edgin: 7-3, 2 SV, 2.81 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 20BB/80K in 48.0 IP. WAR: 1.4
Cody Eppley: 2-0, 6.60 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 5BB/15K in 15.0 IP. WAR: -0.3
Jerome Williams: 2-0, 1 SV, 4.02 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 5BB/10K in 15.2 IP. WAR: 0.2
Our bullpen has been stellar so far and leads the league in ERA (2.58). Grilli is set to become a free agent, but we have a couple of youngsters ready to step in. Most of these guys are still pretty cheap, but could get expensive if they keep performing like this. Locking up Kimbrel longterm will not come cheap.

In-house options who could help within the next couple of years:

Bruce Rondon: 4-4, 12 SV, 4.78 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 13BB/46K in 37.2 IP at AAA level. WAR: 0.7
Mark Montgomery: 2-2, 4 SV, 3.18 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 24BB/67K in 51 IP at AAA level. WAR: 1.3
Shawn Tolleson: 2-3, 1 SV, 3.63 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 24BB/50K in 62 IP at AAA level. WAR: 1.2

[BelgianBomber]

07/17/2013

We were able to get a couple more International Free Agents signed today.
16-year-old Venezuelan righty Pio ‘Heavy’ Mourisca agreed on a $1,760,000 bonus. Mourisca is 6’2”, has 3 good pitches, solid intangibles and the makings of a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher.
Pedro ‘Old Nick’ Lopez, a 17-year-old Nicaraguan righthander signed for $202,000. He has 4 pitches, a good makeup and work ethic. Expectations aren’t all that high, but this move could pay off in a big way down the road.

The biggest trade of the season was made today and we were right in the middle of it. I got a call from Kevin Towers, GM of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He had been showing an interest in Evan Longoria for a while now. He offered us Buster Posey in exchange for Evan Longoria, 22-year-old minor league closer Eddie Butler and 19-year-old center fielder Albert Almora.
Towers must have been reading my mind somehow, as this trade would settle two issues for me. On one side we have Longoria, who has struggled this season. He is hitting only .229 with 7 home runs in 131 AB’s and he has missed significant time due to injuries. Longoria is eligible for arbitration after the season and his estimate is around 10 million. We have Nolan Arenado ready to step in when needed. On the season Arenado is hitting .281/.309/.448 with 14 home runs, 25 doubles, 60 RBI and 56 runs scored in 413 AB’s for AAA Oklahoma City. He has shown that he is ready to take the next step and moving Longoria would open his path to the Majors.
Posey would present us with a huge upgrade over Jose Molina,who has been hitting just .223/.285/.317 as our primary catcher. Posey, a former Rookie of the Year and MVP, is hitting .286/.386/.460 with 10 home runs in 252 AB’s. Posey is a stellar backstop and at age 26, gives us a force behind the plate for year to come. That is if we are able to sign him to a longterm deal.

So this deal would settle 2 areas of ‘concern’ for me. But the price, including Almora in the deal, would be a bit too much. We went back and forth a bit, finally agreeing on a deal that would bring Buster Posey over, while sending a nice package in return to Arizona. What Arizona obtains in this deal:
3B Evan Longoria
21-year-old minor league first baseman Nick Delmonico
22-year-old minor league closer Eddie Butler
19-year-old minor league starting pitcher Brian Nelson
2014 14th round pick
2014 15th round pick