We have too many pitching candidates so I will list only the locks or near-locks:
R Hernandez, 2nd catcher (Rosario? )
Helton, Giambi
2B Scutaro
Tulo
Blake, Pacheco
Fowler, CarGo, Cuddyer, 2 OFs (Blackmon, EY2, Hoffman?)
DLR, Chacin, Hammel
Brothers, Betancourt, Belisle, Lindstrom
Opening Day lineup:
Fowler
Blake
CarGo
Tulo
Cuddyer
Helton
Hernandez
2B
P
I’m not too thrilled about the 2-hole hitter, but Blake has batted 2nd often with the Dodgers if memory serves me. I’m sure Pooter is out somewhere lobbying for EY to be in the lineup so EY and Dex can bat 1-2.
With Helton and Giambi at first, and Blake and Pacheco at third, and the need for a second baseman and a backup who can also play short, does that mean that, if we go with 5 starters and 7 relievers, that we will only carry 4 outfielders? Can one of the infielders (other than EY) also play the outfield and serve as a fifth outfielder?
At this point, are the other relievers M. Reynolds and Escalona with E. Rogers being the long reliever/spot starter? Are we going to have another left handed reliever at spring training to give Reynolds competition? Of course, we have a ton of starters who might get turned into relievers at some point.
Don’t forget Tyler Colvin.
Nelson and Herrera can play SS and 3rd in a pinch.
I’m not an EYJr fan……..I just don’t think he play the outfield (worth a flip).
I think Wilin Rosario is the Spring “surprise” and makes the big league club.
So with all that being said, here’s my offensive roster:
C – Hernandez, Rosario
1st – Helton, Giambi
2nd – Nelson, Herrera
SS – Tulo
3rd – Blake
OF – Cargo, Tulo, Cuddyer, Colvin, Blackmon
I’m holding 5 OFer’s because Cuddyer is destined to play some 1st. Pacheco, LeMahieu, and Arenado see time as the season progress.
Pitchers:
SP – Chacin (R)
SP – Outman (L)
SP – Slowey (R)
SP – Pomeranz (L)
RP – Hammel (R)
C – Bettancourt (R)
RPers – Lindstrom (R), Brothers (L), Belisle (R), Reynolds (L), Moscoso (R), Rogers (R)
Nicasio, Chatwood, and White are waiting in the wings.
I think Pacheco is on OD roster because he was appointed as Wiggy’s replacement when he got traded. Pacheco can play C and 1B as well in emergencies. I did forget about Colvin but I’m not too thrilled about him because striking out too many times in quality AB situations really left me bitter. Colvin struck out way too often. Pacheco has great quality AB stats which is why I have him on the final roster, but of all the “locks” he’s the closest to being left behind when the Rox breaks camp.
Otherwise, I think we are pretty much in agreement with the roster make up except that Hammel will start instead of relieve. I really think he’s due for a major break out season. Slowey and Outman scares me cuz they are fly ball pitchers and they could flop much like Greg Smith. If I was “Dac”, I’m looking for velocity and command or ground ball pitcher with great command. Chatwood (velocity) and Alex White (ground ball pitcher) are the closest matches IMO. I do agree Pomeranz will be in the rotation because he was the centerpiece of the Jimenez trade and it will do him no good to be in Springs at higher altitude with no humidor.
Typo on my part – Hammel should (and will) be a SP.
Edit #2 (#1 was changing the “RP” to “SP” in front of Jason Hammel’s name).
Now Slowey is gone. I’m think Nicasio might move to that slot. In fact. I’m thinking part of the reason DOD felt Slowey was expendable is that Nicasio’s progress has been very good.
Fowler signed avoiding arbitration; everyone on the current 40-man roster now under contract. Nice to have no contracts left to settle with a good one month to spring training.
My personal over/under is probably 15 for number of times I do this between now and opening day. But here is my stab at the opening day 25, with lineup and opinion.
C – Relatively solid. Hernandez, Rosario, Pacheco
1B – No real worries. Helton, Giambi, Hernandez, Pacheco, Cuddyer
2B – Many are worried, but I am fine with whoever wins.Lemahieu, Nelson
3B – Papered over gigantic, inexcusable hole. Blake, Pacheco, Nelson
SS – MVP Caliber. Tulo, Nelson, Lemahieu
LF – MVP Caliber. Cargo, Blackmon
CF – Hopefully AllStar Caliber. Fowler, Blackmon, Cargo
RF – Solid. Cuddyer, Blackmon
Fowler (S)
Blake (R)
Cargo (L)
Tulo (R)
Helton (L)
Cuddyer (R)
Hernandez (R)
Lemahieu (R)
Giambi (L)
Pacheco (R)
Rosario (R)
Blackmon (L)
Nelson (R)
SP1 – Weak. Chacin (R)
SP2 – Weak. Pomeranz (L)
SP3 – Breakout? Hammel (R)
SP4 – Very Good? Nicasio (R)
SP5 – Solid? Outman (L)
BP1 – ? Roenicke (R)
BP2 – ? Rogers (R)
BP3 – Solid. Reynolds (L)
BP4 – Very Good. Belisle (R)
Setup1 – Shaky. LIndstrom (R)
Setup2 – Sold. Brothers (L)
Closer – Solid. Betancourt (R)
Anybody check out the FSTA mock draft result (link below)?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ArmGKrK0BcyidHdfeTJDdE5QNFRTWW5oQVYzQ1JOQ1E&hl=en_US#gid=0
I know fantasy doesn’t really translate, but its January so I thought I’d glean some things that I found marginally fun:
Tulo 1st overall
Cargo 9th overall
Iannetta 17th round. Hernandez 21st round
Street two picks after Betancourt
Cuddyer 7th round. Smith 23rd round
Chacin, Nicasio and Pomeranz all taken abliet late. Chacin did go before Jurrgens.
Thanks for the link. Starting to think a bit about the draft in the league I play. We can keep up to 7 guys. I have JP Arencibia and Wilson Ramos each for $1. Given how absolutely crappy the C position is…….I think I might keep both of those guys. They went remarkably close to each other in the draft you linked.
I’m of the opinion that two tasks remain for DOD to accomplish this offseason. I’ll accept the signing of Blake as an acceptable fill-in at 3rd. However, I question the available options at 2nd, and I still feel that the Rox need a solid #2 (anyway) starter. Use a couple of the excess number of pitchers, EYJ, an outfield prospect, etc. to go out and land a piece at each of these positions, and I think that it will put the 2012 team in a better place.
I have hope for the returns of DLR and Nicasio, but significant contributions should not be counted on.
Time for the update after the Scutaro move which is the final piece we need for now. Maybe one more for a veteran pitcher – Jeff Francis or Kevin Millwood?
Scutaro 2B
Fowler CF
CarGo LF
Tulo SS
Cuddy RF
Helton 1B
Blake 3B
Hernandez C
Rotation is anybody’s guess til ST sorts it out but here’s my rotation
Chacin
Hammel
Pomeranz
White
Nicasio or Chatwood
Betancourt
Brothers
Belisle
Lindstrom
Putman
Rogers
Reynolds
Thanks for this update – you sould go in and update the actual post so it is the most current possible and then have your comment be something like, “i updated the info above”, etc…up to you…i just love having you contribute.
thanks for letting me know. But I had difficulty editing. Need some self training on how to edit my article (or tell me where I can read the how to)
I know no one else fits as the number two starter but seeing Hammel there is a little disturbing.
Why is Hammel in particular so disturbing? I can make a case that the entire rotation is disburbing if all SPs produce below their talent level. Chacin as #1 is even more disturbing than Hammel at #2.
It is of my opinion that we only need to pitch deep into the games (six IP or more per start) to have a quality rotation. The one thing that I do like about the SPs is that all of them have high ceilings. If the SPs behaves like a stock market, one will pitch very well, three will be productive enough to give a team a chance to win, and one will pitch awful.
Good news: Nicasio has already been cleared to pitch without screen protection. So now we can write Nicasio into the rotation unless he pitch himself out of it in ST.
My dark horse candidate for a starting rotation spot by mid-season: Chad Bettis. I was just looking at some of the other projection systems, and (although overly optimistic I think), some of them show Bettis as right now (without pitching above High A ball yet) being just a little below average as a starter, and better than Tyler Chatwood for example.
I could see him being this year’s Juan Nicasio or Jhoulys Chacin, coming out of nowhere to make a big impression and impact on the rotation. In fact, Arenado, Bettis, and Wheeler (we’ve already talked about Rosario) are 3 guys who could be up as soon as mid-June or so if they adjust well to the next level. If I were a betting man I’d say Bettis and Arenado make it by the All Star Break, Wheeler takes a small step back this year.
JT had interesting comments on the ST this past Tue. As in he has no clue. When asked he said if he had to he *could* write a ST but said he wouldn’t.