<capngroovy DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1103238560.435841.36310@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>I know you're probably reeling from the loss of Sexson, particularly
> because of all you let go to get him. In reality, you only had him for
> a cup of coffee anyhow.
AZ dumped two bad contracts on the Brewers (one of which they're still
trying to digest), along with sending them a guy who flopped big-time with
the DBacks, with the only likely upside for Milwaukee being a couple of
rookie-pitcher maybes. For a multi-time All-Star with no long-term financial
entanglements in place. Not too shabby.
> If the rumors are correct and Shawn Green is
> going to Arizona, that means you have in place a pretty solid team.
With a rotation consisting of a 3 (OK, a damned good 3), two 4s, and a whole
lotta question marks (but no Mysterians of note). Thankfully, the
organization has lots of depth in the non-Harry-Potter-reading portion of
its bullpen, but it'd take eight solid relief arms to handle the workload
this starting staff would toss onto the backs of its 'pen. (And that's
assuming Penny can work without any physical restrictions.)
Besides, even =with= Green, the line-up doesn't really scare anyone (aside
from the locals):
CF Terrero/McCracken
2B Counsell
LF/1B Gonzalez (depending on arm health)
3B/1B Glaus (depending on arm health)
RF/1B Green (depending on arm health)
1B/3B/LF/RF Tracy (depending on everyone else's arm health)
SS Clayton
C Hill/Snyder/Brito/Hammock/Stinnett/Cast Of Thousands
(2 and 7 holes subject to flip-flopping)
The bench isn't much better: either Kata or Cintron (or possibly Jerry Gil)
as primary IF reserve and Scottie Hairston doing super-utility duty as a
spot guy in left and occasional platoon help for Counsell. (And maybe
another middle-IF defensive specialist if we carry only seven relievers.
Which might not be such a wise move....)
> Meanwhile, my Dodgers have volunteered for the 100-loss club with
> Beltre and Green taking off and Ricky Ledee and Jeff Kent coming on
> board. Last year the Sidewinders made their major league debut, this
> year looks like the Las Vegas 51's will make theirs.
You guys'll have solid players everywhere except behind the plate as of
right now (and if you can get someone to limit David Ross' exposure to
300-350 ABs, even that might not be so bad). Around the horn: Kent, Cora,
Izturis, Valentin. From left to right: Jayson Werth, Milton Bradley,
ummmm.... OK, maybe not =every= position shakes down as solid right now
(pending FA acquisitions and/or further trades). But your reserves are
talented guys who could easily start and/or platoon in a number of other
cities: Choi, Saenz, Ledee.
Not to say that either club is the front-runner in the division (the Giants'
having not lost anyone of note beyond Deivi Cruz while picking up Matheny,
Vizquel and Benitez puts =that= mantle squarely on the
not-quite-so-broad-anymore shoulders of Bonds, et al), but the Dodgers will
hardly be the massive underdog going into 2005 that Jim Tracy and company
would love for you to believe.
> So, the Suns are the class of the Pacific division, the D-backs will
> field a competitive team in 2005--man, you have scoreboard over LA.
> Congrats, you deserve it.
Last year's club had the deepest run of poor luck with injuries I've seen
since the '85 Cubs (the year that saw all five starters go down within a few
weeks of one another -- one from injuries incurred while riding a stationary
bike! -- while losing all three up-the-middle defenders for long stretches
and a 3B for half the season, and being so short in catching talent anywhere
near the top of the organization that the starting RF had to serve as the
backup backstop). It would be nearly impossible =not= to field a far more
competitive team than last year's.
Whether it's enough to post, say, 80 wins...... another question entirely.
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