Baseball
The future of the Frontier League – An interview with Manager Phil Warren.
The Frontier League was forced to suspend the 2020 season on June 24th. The longest running independent baseball league in the United States was looking at a banner year. The recent expansion with the Can-Am League in the offseason was not only going to add five new teams to the league but was also going to expand the league into another country. The expansion was going to lead to a new level of exposure for the league that is known more as a midwestern league. The Gateway Grizzlies were going to celebrate their 20th season as a part of the Frontier League. Their manager Phil Warren was going to enter his 14th season with the organization. He was excited to get a chance to see arguably the most talented collection of coaches and players come together during the tenure of the season. He won’t get that chance. I got a chance to talk with him about that and what he thinks about the future of baseball.
With the addition of an unlikely ally the upcoming season was going to have a new look and a new voice helping to guide the Grizzlies. Cross town rivals the River City Rascals closed operations after winning the Frontier League Championship in 2019. Long time Rascal’s skipper Steve Brook signed on to work alongside Warren bringing along a load of talent from the championship squad.
“We anticipated several “hard” releases that would have to be made before opening day, which means we had done a great job this off-season.” -Grizzlies Manager, Phil Warren
Warren will be looking at the first season since he was in 8th grade that baseball wasn’t his main priority. While he is excited for the chance to fish as much as he would like and go on vacation with his family the question of “what if” is going to be on his mind and the minds of the fanbase.
“We now have turned our attention to building on the assembled 2020 roster to ensure that 2021 has the same outlook. The work never stops if you want to ensure a successful future.”
While the coaching staff will work to replenish the roster, there will be plenty of options available in the open market. With professional teams continuing to cut costs at different minor league levels the access of talent will be available. Warren spoke about the continued issues between Major League Baseball and the Player’s Association.
“In terms of the future between the players and the owners, this isn’t anything new. Money will always be the driving force. I think we are simply getting a taste of what’s to come by 2022, they are able to hide the real issues under the smoke screen of COVID-19. Ultimately the fans are the ones that will suffer.”
Unlike the MLB season the Frontier League season was not able to make the finances work heading into 2020. The loss of nearly three months of income along with the limitations of event hosting forced the hand of the ownership groups across the league. Most teams have found ways to supplement their facilities with high school, littel league and other events that can bring in some income but the loss of the season could lead to a lot of different issues down the line for every organization.
The Frontier League will plan to be back in 2021. The question will be what players and staff will return for most of these organizations. With a large portion of the staff being forced to be furloughed alot of these talented employees and players could find themselves working in either a different organization or changing their careers completely. The future is uncertain for the entire league but the Gateway Grizzlies and Phil Warren still see a future in the smallest town in the United States with a professional baseball team in Sauget, Illinois.
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Who should replace Markakis in Atlanta?
The Braves have been hit pretty hard by COVID-19. First it was offseason addition Felix Hernandez opting out and now veteran outfielder Nick Markakis has decided to do the same. Atlanta plans to not only contend in the NL East but they actually see themselves as real candidates to win the NL pennant. They have to find a replacement for Markakis. The in-house options are solid but who should be the man to take over right field?
Austin Riley-
Riley’s power is legit. He is going to have to find consistency on the major league level. Bursting onto the scene in 2019, it looked like the Braves had a future star at 3rd base or outfielder ready to take over for the departing Josh Donaldson. Opposing pitchers were having a problem leaving the ball over the middle of the plate to the power hitting prospect.
Eventually Riley ran into some trouble as pitchers began to figure him out. During his last 123 plate appearances of the season the slash line is not positive, .150/.202/.293. Riley became susceptible to the slider which forced him to try and change his swing to adjust. His hand trigger became slower which is allowing pitchers to take advantage with high hard fastballs.
Austin Riley is still young and his problems can be fixed. If Riley is able to adjust he can fit in nicely in right field and Johan Camargo can take over full time at the hot corner.
Ender Inciarte-
Inciarte’s injuries saw him lose his spot in the starting lineup. Even before the injuries the writing was on the wall for Ender losing his job. The 2017 All-Star saw a decline in his OBP in 2018, falling to just .325.
Ender will have his chance to reclaim his spot in the starting lineup due to his defense. He is a 3-time gold glove award winner will bring his glove but the offense has to show in the lead up to the season. If Inciarte is able to reclaim his form from 2017 he will be a great place holder for some developing stars that will come on this list.
Adam Duvall-
Maybe the most established major league player on this list is Adam Duvall. The long time Red has had spurts of brilliance in 2016 and 2017, hitting 30+ homers over those two seasons. The power Duvall brings comes at a cost as his career OBP is a pedestrian .292. In 41 games last year he showed the Braves what he can bring to the table slugging .567.
The Braves are a team built around a core of power bats already, Duvall seems to fit better in the power off the bench role. While he could win the job, it may be hard to keep the job.
Cristian Pache-
The top outfield prospect in Atlanta will most likely have a legit shot at making the opening day roster. A potential five tool prospect was a late bloomer in terms of power but saw his slugging percentage rise to .462 in 2019 reaching as high as triple-A.
Pache looks the part standing at 6’2” and runs like a gazelle. He has not developed into a legit base stealer but his first to third speed is exceptional. His speed transitioned well into the defensive. Pache has center field skills that will work in the right. With Pache and Ronald Acuna a gap shot in right center field may disappear. The Braves would be gambling on exposing Pache before necessary but he should have an impact on this season before it’s over.
Drew Waters-
Waters had a great 2019 season. Jumping up to compete with Cristian Pache as the #1 outfield prospect in the Braves system, Waters turned some heads last season. The Georgia native led all Braves minor leaguers in hits, doubles and triples. If Waters can find a way to cut down the strikeouts, his hard contact rate is hard to ignore.
Waters had a solid .360 OBP split between triple-A and double-A. He could be a future top of the lineup standout for the Braves but he will have to show an ability to knock down the strikeouts leading up to the first games or he will be relegated to a bench role or not making the team at all.
Who should it be?
Atlanta will allow everyone to have a chance to win the position. In my opinion if Cristian Pache shows an ability to hit he should be the man to be given the chance. Adam Duvall’s skills seem perfect for the power bat off the bench and Ender Inciarte has had problems staying healthy.
While I like Pache, it will most likely be Inciarte getting the first chance.
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90’s MLB All-Stars that had terrible seasons.
Being an all-star is a great honor that not many players get a chance to do. It seems like in the 90’s your resume did not have to be as solid to make the squad. I wanted to highlight players that were able to make the team but their actual seasons were subpar to say the least.
1990- Ozzie Guillen, SS, Chicago White Sox
Ozzie Guillen won the gold glove in 1990. His defense was great but how does a player with a -18 value offensively (Fangraphs) make an all-star team. The numbers don’t lie. Ozzie Guillen was horrible with the bat during the season. Guillen featured a .312 OBP, .062 ISO and a 78 WRC+. These numbers fit more for a late inning defensive replacement rather than an all-star.
Clearly this was a defensive selection during a time where the shortstop pool was not overly talented. Imagine seeing a player with an OPS under .700 making an all-star team in today’s game. Would never happen.
1991- Juan Samuel, Utility, Los Angeles Dodgers
Juan Samuel had a long career in the majors. He had a lot of solid seasons that lead to a total of three all star game appearances. Samuel was a strikeout machine throughout his career and 1991 was no outlier. Samuel struck out 133 times while providing little power, finishing with 12 homers and an OBP of just .328. Samuel was a good utility player in his career but to be an all-star is well…ugh.
1992- Roberto Kelly, OF, New York Yankees
Roberto Kelly played for eight different teams during his 14 years in major league baseball. His best two seasons were 1990 and 1993, sandwiched in between was 1992 when he made his first all star game. Kelly had a decent season but finished with just a 1.4 WAR and an OPS of .706. Kelly didn’t bring much to the table on the defensive end either as he finished with a -10 defensive runs saved.
1993- Scott Copper, 1B/3B, Boston Red Sox
Scott Cooper had a short career in the MLB career. He was able to make it to two all-star games in his career and neither of which resulted in a stellar season. Cooper had the task of taking over for future hall of famer Wade Boggs. He had a solid season in 1993 with an OBP of .355. He however didn’t do much else well. Hitting nine homers and slugging just .397. His OPS of .752 is solid but is very average for a corner infielder on an all-star team. Cooper was good but he was not an all-star.
1994- Scott Cooper, 1B, Boston Red Sox
His 1993 season is basically the same.
1995- Steve Ontiveros, P, Oakland Athletics
Steve Ontiveros was coming off of a career season in 1994. He led the league in WHIP and ERA, pitching in 27 games, starting 13. In 1995 Ontiveros was going to be a cornerstone of the Athletics pitching staff. It didn’t really work out that way. Becoming a full time starter Ontiveros pitched in 22 games giving up a WHIP of 1.4 and an ERA of nearly 4.50. This was the time where most teams had to have a representative, but the A’s had Mark McGwire representing them. Ontiveros actually got to pitch in the game and took the loss…Duh.
1996- Roger Pavlik, P, Texas Rangers
Wins can be overrated, according to Brian Kenny they shouldn’t even count. In the case of Roger Pavlik he ended the 1996 season with 16 wins. That sounds great but every other stat was pretty embarrassing. Pavlik had a 5.16 ERA, a 1.50 WHIP and FIP of 5.00. Pavlik was an innings eater with 7 complete games but when he was bad, he was very bad. Pavlik’s ability to eat innings was the lone positive of a season that should have been forgotten. He will always have that all-star game in the record books but it is hard to believe.
1997- Royce Clayton, SS, St. Louis Cardinals
Royce Clayton had the task of replacing hall of famer Ozzie Smith. Clayton had his positives, he was a solid defensive player that was able to steal 30 bases in back to back seasons. The problem was Clayton really didn’t get on base enough to utilize his speed. In 1997 Clayton featured an on-base percentage of just .306. Clayton didn’t walk much and he only hit .206. This was right before the boom of talented shortstops took over the league. Clayton may not even start in today’s game. It’s laughable to think he would be an all-star.
1998- Edgar Renteria, SS, Florida Marlins
Having a historical moment can make your career. In 1997 Edgar Renteria was a part of one of the greatest moments in baseball history, getting the game winning hit in game seven. His historic moment seemed to grab him some legitimacy heading into the 1998 season. Renteria stole 41 bases which was the lone highlight of his statistical season. Edgar’s season finished with a .9 WAR and a WRC+ of 90. His loan highlighted statistics, stolen bases, had an asterisk next to eat as he was actually caught stealing a staggering 22 times.
Edgar Renteria had a few very good seasons but being an all-star in 1998 seems like a big reach.
1999- Ron Coomer, INF, Minnesota Twins
Ron Coomer was a bright spot in a pretty bad stretch for the Minnesota Twins. Coomer was a middle of the order bat that brought more of a look of a power hitter than a real threat. Coomer hit a career high 16 homers in 1999 but that really was the highlight of his season. His .306 OBP along with an OPS+ of just 86. Not much of an impact for a guy that was supposed to be able to help carry the order. Coomer making the all-star game was clearly just a guy that was put in there because every team needed to have a representative.
Five Underrated Sports Moments
1) Joe Carter’s game winner 1993 World Series.
Five time All-Star Joe Carter had a near Hall of Fame career. While his numbers don’t transition well to the analytics world that we know today, he still made an impact with his power and speed through his career. Carter spent a long time in the league making his impact most notably in the 1993 World Series where he not only sent home the Philadelphia Phillies but also gave Toronto their second straight World Series title. Carter’s homer literally won the World Series for the Blue Jays yet it seems to be ignored in history. The fact that this home run was in Toronto also makes it one of the craziest atmospheres in baseball.
2) Lance Berkman’s game tying single, game six 2011 World Series.
David Freese’s game winner will live on in baseball history. We all tend to forget that it was actually Lance Berkman that saved the series for the Cardinals in game six. The Cardinals were down to their final out and final strike when Berkman shot a single up the middle that kept the game going for the Redbirds. While Freese’s homer is obviously the moment that should be played over and over again, it was Berkman that made everything possible. Lance had a great career but this moment was by far the biggest of his career.
https://www.mlb.com/video/berkman-s-game-tying-single-c19955467
3) Derek Fisher’s game winner with .4 seconds left 2004 Western Conference Semifinal.
The Lakers had plenty of guys that took the spotlight in 2004. Shaq and Kobe were in their prime and dominating the league. Big shot Robert Horry was the guy known for hitting the game winners, hence the nickname. However it was a shot in the 2004 Western Conference semi-final that stuck out to me. The Spurs and Lakers were battling for dominance in the Western Conference and this game was the swing that led to the win for Los Angeles. The Lakers seemed done after the Spurs took the lead on a shot from Tim Duncan. This game was over and then out of nowhere the role player Derek Fisher launched a shot with .4 seconds on the clock and sent the fans home, giving the Lakers a 3-2 advantage in the series. If this shot doesn’t happen we likely see the Spurs versus the Pistons in that year’s NBA Finals.
4) DeWayne Wise saved Mark Buehrle’s perfect game.
I watched this game live on WGN when I was in high school. Soft tossing Mark Buehrle had a very underrated career that had a few highlight moments and one was on July 23rd 2009. Buehrle threw a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. That perfect game was nearly taken away by Gabe Kapler leading off the ninth driving a ball deep to center field. Little known DeWayne Wise was playing shallow in center and immediately broke into a full sprint back to the wall jumping up off the wall knocking the ball back into play, juggling it before hauling it in. Wise never did anything else in his career that was noteworthy but this catch was awesome and will stay in my memory forever.
5) Hatteberg’s walk-off for 20 straight.
We all know the story of Moneyball. The real world story of Scott Hatteberg is still hard to believe. The former Red Sox catcher seemed like his career was over after suffering an arm injury that forced him out of the position he had played his whole career. Hatteberg only hit 106 homers in his entire 14-year career. By far his most memorable homer was on Sept 4th 2002 when he took the first pitcher from Royals pitcher Jason Grimsley over the right field wall and gave the A’s their (at the time) record 20th straight win. While the story was made more famous by Hollywood years later, the actual game was as dramatic as it comes. Oakland had blown a massive lead and needed the former catcher to just get on base but he swung his way into history. If you haven’t seen Chris Pratt’s portrayal of the homer you have to watch Moneyball, he absolutely crushes the performance.
AL East Preview and Prediction
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees found themselves back on top in 2019. Holding off the Tampa Bay Rays and winning the American League East for the first time since 2012. I was shocked when I saw that up until last season the Yankees had gone six seasons without taking the division crown. Both the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays had won the division more recently than New York.
The Yankees have a great lineup. The potential injuries of Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are not going to be a problem with the delayed start to the season. Resigning Brett Gardner will cover the injury of Aaron Hicks. New York has a loaded lineup. The move of Gleyber Torres should hurt defensively but the power that Torres brings should overshadow most defensive liabilities. The Yankees will get the return of Miguel Andujar provides a problem that most teams would love to have. Last year’s emergence of Gio Urshela gives the Yankees two serious offensive threats at one position. Andujar has been working to potentially play multiple positions to allow another big bat into the lineup. The Yankees have tons of talent in the lineup and should be ready to jump out as an offensive force.
The Yankees rotation took a big blow before the season started. Injuries to James Paxton, Luis Severino and Domingo German have left the Yankees in a tough position. Behind ace Gerrit Cole is Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ Jordan Montgomery and….. New York’s pickup of Cole will hide some of the injuries for a small time. If Paxton is not able to recover New York will have to find some proven rotation arms to back up their freshly signed stud.
The Yankees bullpen is loaded. Chapman, Britton, Ottavino, Green and Kahnle are just some of the names that make up this ridiculous;y talented pen. They have it all.
Verdict:
This is the Yankees division to win. Their rotation scares me enough to see the possibility of Tampa making a run but the Yankees were able to figure things out last season when they didn’t have Gerrit Cole. It will be tough to bet against them.
Boston Red Sox
Mookie Betts- traded. Chris Sale- Tommy John Surgery. This has not been a great start to the 2020 season for the Boston Red Sox.
The offense is still very solid even without Betts. Boston was able to add Alex Verdugo, a long time prospect that will be given the chance to show whether or not he can live up to the hype. Verdugo is going to join an offense that still has some serious talent. JD Martinez, Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts and Andrew Benintendi will make up the core of the lineup that still make them a serious threat to the division. The addition of Kevin Pillar will add a little more pop to the lineup coming off of a 21 homer season. Boston will need a repeat in production from infielder Michael Chavis who will get opportunities at both second base and first base. The depth of the lineup continues with the addition of veteran Johnathon Lucroy to go along with Christian Vazquez who had a terrific 2019 season. The Red Sox may have lost their best player but this is still a lineup that has serious talent. Martinez, Bogaerts and Devers are still All-Star level talent that can lead this team.
The biggest issue for Boston will be the starting staff. With Chris Sale missing the entire 2020 season an already weak rotation will have to hope veterans Martin Perez and Colin McHugh can step up and show the potential they both had many years ago. Eduardo Rodriguez will have to step into the role of #1 starter coming off of a career season. Rodriguez’s 19 wins and 3.7 WAR headlined a huge 2019 season for the 27 year old. The Red Sox will have to value their veterans as there is no clear relief coming from the minor league system. The Red Sox top rated prospects are mainly positional players. The highest rated pitcher in the system is Bryan Mata who had pitched in the future’s game in 2018. Mata is still just in Double-A and will not likely make the strides to get to the majors in 2020.
The bullpen dug themselves out of a hole in the second half of 2019. Brandon Workman worked his way into the closer role and will enter the season in that role. Matt Barnes, Josh Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez have all progressed into a strong set up man crew but they will need more arms to step up to make it through the whole season.
Verdict:
Boston’s pitching is going to be a problem. Losing Chris Sale and trading away David Price has put them in a tough situation. They are in the process of rebuilding what was once a vaunted farm system. They have a strong lineup that doesn’t have a lot of depth but the starters are as good as any in the division. If Boston can get any sort of support from the rotation they have enough offense to be a threat in the division. This is going to be a rebuild but the talent is still very young and should be competitive.
Tampa Bay Rays
It is impossible to question the moves made by the Tampa Bay Rays. They have proven that they are ahead of the curve analytically. The Rays were active in the offseason adding Jose Martinez, Hunter Renfroe, Manuel Margot and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo to an already deep roster. To try and have an idea of what the lineup is going to be is a waste of time. The Rays are built better than ever to utilize the platoon lineups. Their mix of power, speed and on-base ability throughout the roster makes them unique and adaptable to any game. The Rays have the advantage of not leaning on a core of players so no injury should really determine the season. If Austin Meadows, Joey Wendle, Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz can take the next step in their development this team is going to be tough to handle. The eventual call up of Wander Franco and Vidal Brujan will make another impact in the lineup if they need a jolt at any point.
The Rays rotation is highlighted by the top three. Blake Snell, Charlie Morton and Tyler Glasnow can match up with any team’s top three. If Snell and Glasnow can stay healthy in 2020 a team that is so well known for utilizing their bullpen may have one of the strongest rotations in all of baseball. Yonny Chirinos took steps in the right direction last season finding mixed success in the bullpen and the rotation. Tampa Bay has a few interesting prospects that could find their way into the rotation. Two-way player Brendan McKay and prospect Brent Honeywell could both find themselves in the majors this season.
The bullpen is similar to the rotation. Nick Anderson stands out is the potential closer but there are multiple arms that are ready in any situation. Jose Alavardo, Diego Castillo, Oliver Drake, Colin Poche and Chaz Roe all have nasty stuff. This team is unpredictable and that makes them tough to handle.
Verdict:
My head says this is the Yankees division. New York is more fragile than Tampa Bay. The Rays could easily win this division if the starting pitching stays healthy.
Baltimore Orioles
There is a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s just a really long tunnel. The Orioles were able to rebuild what was a horrific farm system. They are currently ranked 13th overall by MLB.com heading into the season. This ranking includes four players in the top 100 overall, headlined by the #4 overall prospect Adley Rutschmann. The future looks bright for the Orioles but the 2020 season will not be the first year of the turnaround.
Baltimore’s offense doesn’t have a particular player to build their lineup around. Veteran Trey Mancini is the closest thing to a star player with a 135 OPS+, but he may be trade bait for a contender as the year goes on. Anthony Santander was a nice surprise in 2019 blasting 20 homers in limited at bats. He will be looked upon to garner more playing time in 2020. Another surprise was the play of Hanser Alberto. Alberto led the Orioles in BA (.305), adding some pop with 13 home runs. OF Austin Hays found his way to the majors last season and will be looked upon as the first hope of what’s to come.
John Means came out of nowhere in 2020 making it to the All-Star game. Means will be looked upon to carry the load for a rotation full of journeyman veterans. Tommy Milone, Alex Cobb and Wade LeBlanc are going to be holdovers as the organization waits for their young starters to take the next step. Grayson Rodriguez and DJ Hall headline the upcoming starters that will soon be mainstays in the rotation. Both starters are still considered at least one year away from being ready for the majors.
The Orioles bullpen has rising star Hunter Harvey to go along with Mychal Givens, their most proven arm in the back end. The pen will feature a litany of other young arms trying to establish themselves in the majors.
Verdict:
The Baltimore Orioles are at least a few years away from any sort of contention but the work they have done on their farm system has been impressive. Moving on from Trey Mancini and Mychal Givens in order to continue to bolster their farm system is the best choice for the organization. The problem Baltimore has is they are going to be very low balled by any team interested in Givens and Mancini. Another tough year is ahead for the Orioles and their fans.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays believe in their young talent. The second generation stars Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio and Vlad Guerrero Jr make up a young core that will be the backbone of the organization. These young stars are flanked by the power of Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Rowdy Tellez and Teoscar Hernandez. The Blue Jays have built a lineup that will be nightmares for opposing pitchers for years to come.
The Blue Jays needed the arms to compete with the elite in the American League and they worked hard to find those arms in the offseason adding Chase Anderson, Tanner Roark, Shun Yamaguchi and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Toronto added some veteran arms to give them stability as they await the incoming talent Nate Pearson and Anthony Kay. Pearson ranks 7th overall prospect in all of baseball while Kay is 67th. They will soon be joined in the top 100 by another drafted arm Alek Monoah the former #11 overall pick is an imposing 6’6” 260lbs and he brings serious strikeout stuff. In his first 17 innings in low-A he Monoah struck out 27 hitters and dominated. He is still far from MLB ready but when he is it will be impactful.
The Blue Jays have a very formidable closer in Ken Giles. He propelled them to a mid-level ranked bullpen. He will be backed up in 2020 by AJ Cole, WIlmer Font and potentially Shun Yamaguchi if he doesn’t end up in the rotation. If Toronto is able to get the innings they expect from their new veteran rotation the back end of the pen should be able to solidify victories.
Verdict:
Toronto is still a few years away from being serious competitors but they have a lineup with very real potential for explosion. If the rotation is able to provide them with any sort of support this team has the real ability to compete for third place in the division. The playoffs are unlikely but watch out for Toronto they are making waves.
2020 Season Standings
- Tampa Bay Rays
- New York Yankees
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Boston Red Sox
- Baltimore Orioles
A look at Yelich
The reports are that Christian Yelich has signed a 9-year extension with the Milwaukee Brewers worth around $215 million. This contract is a slam dunk, homerun, touchdown and every other possible success pun you can possibly think of. The 2018 MVP is now the face of Brewers baseball for the foreseeable future and Milwaukee got him at a discount in today’s market.
Let’s look at what got us to this point. The Brewers had to make a move to compete with the 2018 off-season that saw the St. Louis Cardinals add Marcel Ozuna and a Cubs team that had been in control of the central division for two years. Milwaukee gave up a handful of prospects highlighted by Lewis Brinson (#13 overall at the time). The group also included Monte Harrison, Isan Diaz and Jordan Yamamoto. Brinson has been below average, Yamamoto is nothing special and Isan Diaz is still TBD. The Brewers gave up a core of mediocre prospects to get a guy that could be the best player in baseball behind Mike Trout for the next ten years.
We look back at the three headed monster that was once the Florida Marlins outfield and we all knew that there was a historically great player there, we just didn’t pick the right one. No one was listening when Team USA manager Jim Leyland was telling everyone that on this team of great players Christian Yelich was going to be the future batting champion. We laughed when he was put into the leadoff spot. It was a look into the future, Yelich was quietly proclaimed the next big thing. The world just seemed to ignore it.
Yelich is the player of the analytics era combined with the classic tools. Yelich has a 14.7 offensive WAR over the last two seasons. He has led the league in OPS the last two seasons. He was the fourth best base runner in the league last season. He has the classic power numbers and stolen base numbers. Yelich is 28 years old, this contract will take him into the decline of his career. Milwaukee is a small market team that made this move because they have seen how quickly things can change in Major League Baseball. Prince Fielder left them for free agency, Ryan Braun stopped juicing and went into immediate decline. Players like Yelich are not found every day. In the case of the Brewers they made a smart move and got the diamond in the rough known as Miami. Despite still having three years of control over Yelich making this move allows the Brewers to build for the future around him and their young second baseman Keston Hiura.
Milwaukee may not like this contract in six years. Contracts like Joey Votto, Miggy Cabrera and Albert Pujols are examples of guys cashing in during the prime of their careers. Yelich deserved this money. The Brewers fans deserve to have this guy be the face of their franchise. It is a good move for the organization right now.
The Story of Marcell Ozuna and the St. Louis Cardinals
Marcell Ozuna signe a 1-year $18 million dollar “prove it” contract with the Atlanta Braves officially ending his two-year relationship with the St. Louis Cardinals. The St. Louis Cardinals were in need of an impact bat in the middle of their order. Long gone were the days of Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday anchoring the middle of the order striking fear into the opposing pitching staff. Ozuna had two years left on his contract when he was picked up in 2017. Those two years were supposed to be a showcase of his excellency, forcing the Cardinals to make him a huge offer cementing him as the new face of baseball in the gateway to the west. Ozuna was going to cash in and both the player and the team will live happily ever after. That would have been a great story unfortunately professional sports is not a fairy tale.
The Cardinals picked up a 27-year old, two-time all-star coming off of a breakout season where he posted a .312/.376/.548 slash line to go along with 37 homers, 128 RBI and a gold glove. It wasn’t former teammate Christian Yelich that was the future MVP, Ozuna was considered as the prized piece. The Cardinals gave three pitching prospects Daniel Castano, Zac Gallen, Sandy Alcantara and outfielder Magneuris Sierra for Ozuna. Alcantara was named an all-star in 2019 giving him one more than Ozuna in his time with St. Louis while Zac Gallen has become a part of the rotation for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
When the acquisition was made the Cardinals looked like the clear winner adding the power that was going to take them out of the dreaded middle pack of the central division. The days of Jhonny Peralta, Jedd Gyroko and Randal Grichuck batting cleanup were over. Finally a power bat to accommodate the on-base prowess of Matt Carpenter and Dexter Fowler. The 2017 Cardinals needed this bat.
2017 Team Stats (Non-Pitcher)
ISO: 176
Slug: .439
WRC+: 107
Entering 2018 was exciting with their new power bat the Cardinals had to improve their offense…right?
2018 Team Stats (Non-Pitcher)
ISO: .169
Slug: .419
WRC+: 100
Ozuna’s first season in St. Louis was marred by a shoulder injury, limiting his production. His slash line .243/.330/.435 was not nearly as productive as his final year with Miami. Coming into the 2019 season the team added Paul Goldschmidt to go along with Ozuna, that should have helped…right?
2019 Team Stats (Non Pitcher)
ISO: .177
Slug: .428
WRC+: 105
The Cardinal offense continued to be mediocre in 2019 even though Ozuna was electric to begin the season hitting ten homers in his first 27 games, he floundered down the stretch, hitting just .219 in the second half. Ozuna had a chance to erase two years of sub-par production and looked to be on the right track in the NLDS, hitting two homers with a slash line of .429/.478/.857 in five games against his new team. Continuing that production could have changed the opinion of the public on Ozuna, unfortunately the NLCS wiped away any memory of dominance at the plate. The numbers are literally not worth typing at this point.
Two years with Marcell Ozuna did not change the offense for the St. Louis Cardinals. Ozuna provided the fanbase with some mathom shots that showed the potential he brings to any lineup but he came into the 2018 season out of shape and injured. His swing produced long home runs but resembled a cleanup hitter at your local slow pitch softball league. Those guys can hit the ball pretty far to, doesn’t make them major league All-Stars. Both the Cardinals and Ozuna have found themselves in a place that they could have never imagined.
St. Louis is currently looking at a potential outfield of Tyler O’Neil, Dexter Fowler and Harrison Bader. Banking on a bounce back season from Bader and a breakout season from O’Neil are large questions marks for a team that is always looking to compete. With super prospect Dylan Carlson on his way there is some hope for the future of the Cardinals outfield but if Ozuna could have been the player the Cardinals thought they traded for it you could have the building blocks of a great outfield for years to come.
Ozuna was supposed to be that building block entering his age 29 season, this offseason was supposed to be the one that paid off in the long run of his career. Whether it was the Cardinals or someone else this was the time that the “Big Bear” was supposed to get his contract that could allow him to find a permanent spot to hibernate for the rest of his career. Accepting a one-year deal was the worst case outcome for him. If he is not able to pick up his production this could be a trend that follows him for years to come.
Trades don’t always work out for most teams. This one didn’t set the organization back, but it leaves them in a vulnerable place as we see the progression of the prospects. Marcell Ozuna and the St. Louis Cardinals was supposed to work. Sports stories don’t always have happy endings…luckily for both their stories continue, this was just a crappy chapter.
MLB DFS Lineup July 19 (Draftkings)
P: Jacob DeGrom, New York Mets, $10,600
The Giants have been hot up until their matchup against Thor last night. The Giants team total is set at a pedestrian three runs tonight in San Francisco, a very pitcher friendly park. DeGrom is not the highest priced pitcher on the slate, which means you will save some money. San Francisco is still striking out at over 26% as a team even with their recent hot streak.
P: Tyler Mahle, Cincinnati Reds, $6,000
The Cardinals are hot, but they still feature a watered-down lineup with a lot of strikeouts. Tyler Mahle is way better against righties than lefties and the Cardinals will feature only a few lefties that are not overly scary DFS players Dexter Fowler, Matt Wieters and Tommy Edman.
C: Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees, $4,600
Kyle Freeland has given up five earned runs or more in six straight starts. Sanchez’s price has come down due to recent struggles but a matchup with the homer happy Kyle Freeland is a great play.
1B: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds, $3,400
Adam Wainwright has troubles versus lefties. With multiple options in the Cincinnati lineup. I have chosen Joey Votto who over 49 at-bats versus Wainwright has hit him to a tune of a .995OPS. Votto has been a disappointment all season but at this cost against a pitcher getting killed by lefties he makes almost too much sense.
2B: Cavan Biggio, Toronto Blue Jays, $3,900
Stacking against Kyle Freeland and Jordan Zimmerman are a theme for today’s lineup. Biggio has been put in the middle of the order for the Blue Jays since his call up. All six of Biggio’s homers have come against righties. I am looking for him to go yard tonight.
3B: Vlad Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays, $3,700
Power. Power. Power. Vlad brings ridiculous power to the table against Zimmerman. End of story.
SS: Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers, $3,900
Seager has not returned to his rookie year form after a litany of injuries has slowed him down. His struggles have forced a lower cost at a prime position on a big slate. Seager will face rookie Zac Gallen who
OF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees, $5,300
Judge may be the chalkiest of chalk plays in a Yankee stack. Freeland has a real issue with giving up bombs and Judge will happily oblige him. Look for a double dinger day.
OF: Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Toronto Blue Jays, $4,900
Lourdes is the light to our firecracker Blue Jays stack. Gurriel hits in bunches and an already juicy matchup with Jordan Zimmerman should be a great showcase of one of the hotter hitters in baseball over the last few weeks. He is the highest price Blue Jay for good reason, and he will show it tonight.
OF: Matt Beaty, Los Angeles Dodgers, $3,600
Beaty is coming off one of his best games of the year posting 26 fantasy points against the Phillies including a homer and three runs scored. Beaty has a low price tag and high upside against Zac Gallen. Check the starting lineup before you finish your lineup. If he is in it, he is a must start at just $3.6K.
Stackable Teams:
Blue Jays
Yankees
Brewers
Sneaky Stack:
Pirates
Angels
DFS Picks Day Slate
I Talk Sports DFS Lineup (Day Slate) September 12 2018-
P: Carlos Carrasco, Ross Stripling
C: Martin Maldonado, Astros
1B: Edwin Encarnacion, Indians
2B: Brian Dozier, Dodgers
3B: Matt Carpenter, Cardinals
SS: Alex Bregman, Astros
OF: Corey Dickerson, Pirates
OF: Marcell Ozuna, Cardinals
OF: Joc Pederson, Dodgers
Looking at the day slate you have multiple options at pitcher. Carrasco has the best matchup at a more affordable price. The Rays can be a tricky to understand at times but they strike out a lot. Gerrit Cole is an obvious choice vs the Tigers but his cost will leave you will little to know room to stack some potentials stud hitters. Save yourself almost 2K for some hitters.
For potential lineup stacks the obvious choice is the Astros going against Daniel Norris. The Astros middle of the order can feast of of Norris. Alex Bregman and red hot Tyler White are potential bats that can bring you some power. White was a little to pricey so I decided to go with the upside of a cheap Edwin Encarnacion. I also like the Dodgers in a . must win spot against the pesky Reds and Anthony Desclafani. Brian Dozier and Joc Pederson were affordable options that have homerun potential in Great American SmallPark.
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