Post by ichithekiller on Dec 10, 2017 20:03:19 GMT -4
Catcher (805 total PA)
Yan Gomes (255PA) - Lefty Killer (123wRC+), likely -4 arm
Christian Vazquez (230PA) - playable offensively both ways (93wRC+), likely -4 arm, * base stealer
Chris Herrmann (171PA) - lefty bat, rated at 1B,LF,RF, all but unplayable
Wilson Ramos (149PA) - playable offensively both ways L/R (111/84wRC+), likely + arm
First Base (1,006 total PA)
Brandon Belt (301PA) - unlimited, very good bat vs rhp (133wRC+), rated at LF/RF
Wilmer Flores (241PA) - playable both ways offensively L/R (119/101wRC+) good platoon with Belt, rated at 2B,3B
Second Base (783 total PA)
Jason Kipnis (249PA) - below average both ways offensively L/R (63/93wRC+), rated in CF
Logan Forsythe (293PA) - Lefty Killer (138wRC+), rated at 1B,3B,SS
Third Base (1,035 total PA)
Kyle Seager (433PA) - playable both ways offensively, L/R (105/107wRC+), likely 1 on d
Rafael Devers (160PA) - Lefty Killer (188wRC+), big e rating
Shortstop (1,083 total PA)
Xander Bogaerts (423PA) - unlimited, playable both ways offensively L/R (106/93wRC+), * base stealer
Dansby Swanson (367PA) - unlimited, all but unplayable
Left Field (1,804 total PA)
Andrew Benintendi (439PA) - unlimited, playable vs rhp (111wRC+), * base stealer, good d, rated in CF
Center Field (1,762 total PA)
Lorenzo Cain (430PA) - unlimited, playable both ways offensively L/R (117/114wRC+), * base stealer
Jake Marisnick (173PA) - playable both ways offensively L/R (120/115wRC+), * base stealer, rated in LF/RF
Mallex Smith (188PA) - below average offensively both ways L/R (61/92wRC+), * base stealer, rated in LF/RF
Gregor Blanco (171PA) - good obp vs rhp (368), * base stealer, rated in LF/RF
Alex Gordon (361PA) - unlimited, all but unplayable, rated in LF/RF
Right Field (1,840 total PA)
Mookie Betts (475PA) - unlimited, Lefty Killer (140wRC+), playable both ways, * base stealer, good d
Pitchers (1,032 total IP)
SP Justin Verlander 137.3IP
SP John Lackey (1R) 113.7IP
SP Jordan Zimmermann 106.7IP
SP J.A Happ 97IP
SP Rich Hill 90.3IP
SP Madison Bumgarner 74IP
SP Junior Guerra (5R) 47IP
SP Amir Garrett (1R) 47IP
SP Andrew Triggs 43.7IP
RP Alex Claudio (1S) 55IP
RP Mychal Givens 52.3IP
RP Carlos Torres 48.3IP
RP Alec Asher (4S) 40IP
RP Brandon Maurer 39.7IP
RP Kelvin Herrera 39.7IP
Prospects
Bobby Dalbec
Anderson Espinoza
Cuts
David Ortiz
Tyler Holt
Zach Neal
Kyle Ryan
Picks
4,5,6,6,7,7,9,9,10 (11,12)
Total rostered players (36) + total draft picks (9) = 45 man roster
As the thread's title suggests, this will be my final state of the roster as I am announcing my retirement from the IMBA, effective immediately. I leave behind legal 45 man and 25 man rosters. Entering 2018 the former Leaf lineup will be very good vs left handed pitching, while remaining serviceable if unspectacular vs right handed pitching. The pitching staff is in a bit of a shambles. Recent acquisition Justin Verlander will anchor the staff, while the triumvirate of southpaws (Hill,Happ,Madbum) will fill in ably as matchups dictate. The rest of the staff is decidedly mediocre or worse. With a middle of the road offense, it will be a challenge to guide this team to the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. A good draft would help fill in the gaps and a good manager may well be able to thread the needle and reach the post season once again. That is a challenge I ruefully forgo.
Seven years ago I inherited a roster all but bereft of talent and needing a drastic overhaul in order to effectively and consistently compete. In those seven seasons I cut or traded away 44 of the 45 players that I inherited, with only Madison Bumgarner surviving the purge. My favorite element of the roster make over was scouting and drafting uncarded prospects and watching them grow and mature into all-star major league talent, with Belt, Kipnis, Bogaerts, Devers, Betts and Benintendi being the foremost among those that remain rostered. I am very proud that I was able to consistently field a competitive team while assembling an unabashedly Red Sox heavy roster. Devers, Betts, Bogaerts and Benintendi are all Red Sox starters aged 25 years old or younger. Add in Vazquez and more than half of the Red Sox 2018 opening day starting lineup is on the Leaf roster. That is an unqualified good in my eyes.
After going 73-143 in my first two rebuilding seasons, over the next five playoff seasons I guided the Leaf roster to a 315-222 record for an overall 7 year regular season record of 388-365. While I managed to guide the Leaves to the post season for the last five consecutive seasons, and to the second round of the playoffs in three of those five post seasons, ultimately I wasn't nearly as successful as I had been in the regular season, finishing with a 20-23 playoff record overall. That losing record in the post season and my inability to secure a championship will always remain a source of personal dissatisfaction. I guess we all have our crosses to bear.
After seven years, with all the ups and downs both competitively and collegially, the question still remains:
Does the Falling Leaf Curse the Wind?
Finally, and at the risk of being labeled a plagiarist, I close with a familiar admonition:
Roll on fellas.
Yan Gomes (255PA) - Lefty Killer (123wRC+), likely -4 arm
Christian Vazquez (230PA) - playable offensively both ways (93wRC+), likely -4 arm, * base stealer
Chris Herrmann (171PA) - lefty bat, rated at 1B,LF,RF, all but unplayable
Wilson Ramos (149PA) - playable offensively both ways L/R (111/84wRC+), likely + arm
First Base (1,006 total PA)
Brandon Belt (301PA) - unlimited, very good bat vs rhp (133wRC+), rated at LF/RF
Wilmer Flores (241PA) - playable both ways offensively L/R (119/101wRC+) good platoon with Belt, rated at 2B,3B
Second Base (783 total PA)
Jason Kipnis (249PA) - below average both ways offensively L/R (63/93wRC+), rated in CF
Logan Forsythe (293PA) - Lefty Killer (138wRC+), rated at 1B,3B,SS
Third Base (1,035 total PA)
Kyle Seager (433PA) - playable both ways offensively, L/R (105/107wRC+), likely 1 on d
Rafael Devers (160PA) - Lefty Killer (188wRC+), big e rating
Shortstop (1,083 total PA)
Xander Bogaerts (423PA) - unlimited, playable both ways offensively L/R (106/93wRC+), * base stealer
Dansby Swanson (367PA) - unlimited, all but unplayable
Left Field (1,804 total PA)
Andrew Benintendi (439PA) - unlimited, playable vs rhp (111wRC+), * base stealer, good d, rated in CF
Center Field (1,762 total PA)
Lorenzo Cain (430PA) - unlimited, playable both ways offensively L/R (117/114wRC+), * base stealer
Jake Marisnick (173PA) - playable both ways offensively L/R (120/115wRC+), * base stealer, rated in LF/RF
Mallex Smith (188PA) - below average offensively both ways L/R (61/92wRC+), * base stealer, rated in LF/RF
Gregor Blanco (171PA) - good obp vs rhp (368), * base stealer, rated in LF/RF
Alex Gordon (361PA) - unlimited, all but unplayable, rated in LF/RF
Right Field (1,840 total PA)
Mookie Betts (475PA) - unlimited, Lefty Killer (140wRC+), playable both ways, * base stealer, good d
Pitchers (1,032 total IP)
SP Justin Verlander 137.3IP
SP John Lackey (1R) 113.7IP
SP Jordan Zimmermann 106.7IP
SP J.A Happ 97IP
SP Rich Hill 90.3IP
SP Madison Bumgarner 74IP
SP Junior Guerra (5R) 47IP
SP Amir Garrett (1R) 47IP
SP Andrew Triggs 43.7IP
RP Alex Claudio (1S) 55IP
RP Mychal Givens 52.3IP
RP Carlos Torres 48.3IP
RP Alec Asher (4S) 40IP
RP Brandon Maurer 39.7IP
RP Kelvin Herrera 39.7IP
Prospects
Bobby Dalbec
Anderson Espinoza
Cuts
David Ortiz
Tyler Holt
Zach Neal
Kyle Ryan
Picks
4,5,6,6,7,7,9,9,10 (11,12)
Total rostered players (36) + total draft picks (9) = 45 man roster
As the thread's title suggests, this will be my final state of the roster as I am announcing my retirement from the IMBA, effective immediately. I leave behind legal 45 man and 25 man rosters. Entering 2018 the former Leaf lineup will be very good vs left handed pitching, while remaining serviceable if unspectacular vs right handed pitching. The pitching staff is in a bit of a shambles. Recent acquisition Justin Verlander will anchor the staff, while the triumvirate of southpaws (Hill,Happ,Madbum) will fill in ably as matchups dictate. The rest of the staff is decidedly mediocre or worse. With a middle of the road offense, it will be a challenge to guide this team to the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. A good draft would help fill in the gaps and a good manager may well be able to thread the needle and reach the post season once again. That is a challenge I ruefully forgo.
Seven years ago I inherited a roster all but bereft of talent and needing a drastic overhaul in order to effectively and consistently compete. In those seven seasons I cut or traded away 44 of the 45 players that I inherited, with only Madison Bumgarner surviving the purge. My favorite element of the roster make over was scouting and drafting uncarded prospects and watching them grow and mature into all-star major league talent, with Belt, Kipnis, Bogaerts, Devers, Betts and Benintendi being the foremost among those that remain rostered. I am very proud that I was able to consistently field a competitive team while assembling an unabashedly Red Sox heavy roster. Devers, Betts, Bogaerts and Benintendi are all Red Sox starters aged 25 years old or younger. Add in Vazquez and more than half of the Red Sox 2018 opening day starting lineup is on the Leaf roster. That is an unqualified good in my eyes.
After going 73-143 in my first two rebuilding seasons, over the next five playoff seasons I guided the Leaf roster to a 315-222 record for an overall 7 year regular season record of 388-365. While I managed to guide the Leaves to the post season for the last five consecutive seasons, and to the second round of the playoffs in three of those five post seasons, ultimately I wasn't nearly as successful as I had been in the regular season, finishing with a 20-23 playoff record overall. That losing record in the post season and my inability to secure a championship will always remain a source of personal dissatisfaction. I guess we all have our crosses to bear.
After seven years, with all the ups and downs both competitively and collegially, the question still remains:
Does the Falling Leaf Curse the Wind?
Finally, and at the risk of being labeled a plagiarist, I close with a familiar admonition:
Roll on fellas.
