League Talk: A prolonged rebuild looms

FYI readers: this is another fine article by Bob Gordon but from now on, I won’t be putting his name in the title above. You can figure it out who the author is. If you’re unclear, check the byline at the bottom. -Tom

The UAL is getting ready for the waiver draft and the start of the season with the 2023 cards.  My team, the Kerry Highlanders is in for an awful season. 

I was planning on rebuilding for next year.  With that cunning plan in mind, I traded Julio Rodriguez for a first and second pick in next year’s draft.  Its never too early to look ahead.  So I have.  Here I go, projecting my this season’s roster in to next season.  Now follow along in your manly manuals, page 346, as I discover next year is a bigger disaster. 

Outfield/DH

With JRod gone, I’ll need to pick up a couple outfielders in the waiver draft. With my luck, expect Julio to hit 450 over the next couple months.)  If I’m lucky, I’ll find  a couple .220 hitters.  And they won’t hit for power either.  The other outfielders?  Suwinski, Rosario, Cowser, McCutcheon and McKenna.  McKenna and Rosario have both been DFA’d.  When they did play, they both made Mario Mendoza look like Babe Ruth.  Cutch is on the IL again as I write this.  Suwinski has struggled and is playing in Indianapolis.  Last check, Indy was not in the majors.  Cowser is serviceable. 

Great, I have one position covered out of four.

Infield

I traded for Freddie Freeman.  So naturally, he has spent time away this year.  And now is playing through a broken finger.  That won’t affect his hitting (in my dreams).  Andres Gimenez mans second base and that works.  Two Oriole third basemen hold down the hot corner, Urias and Westburg.  Westburg was my first pick in the rookie draft.  I’m like the old Sports Illustrated jinx.  Westburg is on an extended stay on the IL.  I just hope he comes back in ’25.  My shortstops are Masyn Winn (wonder how long until he needs Tommy John) and Tim Anderson. 

Andy Ibanez and Jean Segura make up my back up infielders.  Anderson is yet another Highlander that has been DFA’d.   Segura just signed a minor league contract with the Orioles.  Anderson, McKenna, Segura and Rosario won’t be playing for the Highlanders next year, but should make a fearsome bridge foursome.

Catchers

I spent two draft picks on catchers.  Patrick Bailey and Henry Davis.  Henry is a true Highlander.  He isn’t in the majors.  Maybe he and Suwinski are roommates.  Stallings is having a decent year, but doesn’t play much. 

Still, backstop won’t be on my priority list.

’23 No Cards

The UAL allows you to carry as many players with no cards as you want, as long as you are under the salary cap.  No card players carry half of their salary.  I have four no card position players.  I shrewdly traded for two of them.  Kyle Stowers, who went from the O’s to the Marlins and is currently getting some playing time.  Enough to cover some games for me?  Crossing my fingers. 

I also went for Jose Miranda, cleverly buying high after he reached base safely like 13 times in a row.  He should help at DH or the hot corner.  I also have perennial Cub prospect David Bote.  His 34 games played sounds like a card.  Last, but not least (ok, least) is Anthony Rendon.  I check on a regular basis just to see if he is on the 10, 15 or 60 day IL.  (Wonder what the odds are on Fanatics.)  He has 41 games played so far this year and is day to day.  Sigh.

Starting Pitching

Let’s start with Jordan Lyles…  Moving on. 

How about Hunter Greene?  His next start is, uh, dunno.  He is on the IL.  Jon Gray?  Groin injury, IL.  Bryce Miller?  I must be getting ready to  trade him since he has been healthy so far.  Minnesota’s Joe Ryan and KC’s Brady Singer round out my starters.  I guess I can’t complain.  Three guys who seldom miss a turn, plus two reasonably reliable guys. 

I’ll need a starter (or two), but the situation isn’t nearly as bad as my outfield. 

Relief Pitching

What do Miguel Castro, Danny Colombe. Jake Diekman, and Keynan Middleton all have in common?  Yes, they are all on Kerry’s roster this year.  If you are smarter than Captain Obvious, you guessed that none of them are currently pitching in the majors right now. 

I may need another reliever (or six) to help out Mark Leiter, Hector Neris and Ryne Stanek. 

Reserve Pitchers

What a mish mash.  I would be better off using position players (No, we don’t allow that.  Unless your last name is Ohtani).  Can you name a position player that won a game?  I’ll wait.  (Jeopardy music playing….). If you guessed Chris Davis, Rocky Colavito, Luis Torrens, John Baker, Brent Mayne or Wilson Valdez, you’ve won a free one year subscription to the APBA Blog.  (you’re welcome.) 

This year’s no cards were Andrew Belatti, Josh Fleming, Elieser Hernandez (with that first name, it sounds like he was an elf in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings), Daniel Hudson,  Joely Rodriguez, Justus Sheffield and Dillon Tate.  In yet another brilliant move, I traded for Tate when he was trending as an A* for the Orioles.  The only guy worth anything is Hudson.

Should be a challenging draft.  Anyone who wants to help, raise your hand.  (Thanks, Tom.  Anyone else?)  I hadn’t counted on having quite so many holes to fill next year.  I didn’t expect to be competitive, but I didn’t expect to need a ton of quality picks either. 

I would like to hear some opinions on draft needs.  Thoughts?