Jack Torrance - contributing reporter
With the AL North covered, let's shift over to the NL North. Home for daubs2334, staeben, oakman310, and ROHockey10!
On repeat before I start, let me preface this with - make sure you review the team before you make your selection. I could have easily missed something that might change your opinion of a team or player. For Arb info, we've make a blanket assumption of 3 ML years = Arb1, 4 = Arb2, 5 = Arb3. This is also one of the few times we'll use OAV when talking about players. If you select a team but realize you picked the wrong one, please let myself or Jordon know via discord. I will likely confirm that you are happy with your selection before giving the password to the next person.
They'll be choosing from:
- TeamID: 7890 - NL Franchise 1
- Draft pick #4
- Average ML age: 30.1
- Average ML OAV: 61.2
- Salary: $38.5M
- Does not include 10 abirritation players.
- Players of interest:
- 88 oav, SS Arquimedes Villanueva - Arb2 - age 26
- Below average defensively but his bat still holds if you shift him to 3B without any concerns.
- 85 oav, RP Bono Gant - Arb3 - age 28
- Should be a shut down ace reliever and just in time to sign a long term deal - or trade him.
- 77 oav, SP Bud Brand - $6.3M - age 32
- The 90+ control, velo, and P1 are great; though you wish the splits were above 74/61.
- 76 oav, LF Raymond Balester - $5.6M - age 33
- Brings plus power and solid contact to the lineup. The speed and defense you'd expect out of a COF.
- 75 oav, CF Eugene Dirks - $5.8M - age 31
- Solid CF glove with great contact and speed...when he can see the ball. Against lefties your best bet is stealing first base.
- 74 oav, SP Bernard Moran - $350k - age 23
- AA - 2 Pro years, and ready for a promotion to the majors.
- 70 oav, 3B Socks Bradford - Arb3 - age 26
- Can he get the job done? He'll be okay against lefties, but struggles against righties.
- 70 oav, P Max Vega - age 20
- AA - 1 Pro year, with numbers already better than a lot of major leaguers. Get your scouts on him and give him a few years - he'll hopefully turn into something special.
- 69 oav, P Pat Hanzawa - age 23
- AAA - 1 Pro year, lining up to be a solid pitcher but will you manage his durability and low pitch count in the rotation or as a setup?
- TeamID: 7891 - NL Franchise 5
- Draft pick #31
- Average ML age: 29.5
- Average ML OAV: 63.3
- Salary: $44.4M
- Does not include 11 abirritation players.
- Players of interest:
- 85 oav, LF Jason Bako - Arb1 - age 26
- AAA - For some reason found himself back in AAA, but has a great eye and handles lefties extremely well. Struggles a bit against righties but hopefully that power and speed comb (85 & 83) will help balance that out.
- 83 oav, SP Magglio Mieses - Arb2 - age 27
- Lots to like about this guy at the front of your rotation. If he faces a lefty, the other manager isn't doing his job (98 vL)
- 83 oav, SP Franchy Rolison - $7.8M - age 31
- 87 control, 91 for both splits, 83 P1, 87 velo - though his P2-P5 drop off at 65 and below.
- 82 oav, C Sammy Kelly - $7.5M - age 30
- Will be one of the best pitching calling catchers in the game. Against lefties there's no questions; righties I like him less but still happy to have him.
- 78 oav, CF Billy Ray Sowders - age 24
- AA - He's done seasoning in the minors, if you want him - let's get him up. 96 speed, 82 power should help carry the lower contact and splits as a CF.
- 77 oav, SS Leo Gwynn - $2.4M - age 29
- Once you move the well below average glove off SS, he's a AAA player in most worlds.
- 76 oav, CF Philip Reed - $55k - age 25
- AAA - Has 1 ML year under his belt, has the glove for it, and great contact and speed; bat works for CF.
- 75 oav, SP Max Cedeno - $5.8M - age 33
- Good middle to back of the rotation arm with great control, well above average velo.
- 75 oav, SP Tony Sheehan - $350k - age 23
- AAA - 1 Pro year. If he develops, that 57 control could change his stock VERY QUICKLY!
- 73 oav, SP Stubby Lowry - $350k - age 21
- AAA - 1 Pro year. See Sheehan above. If these guys develop their control watch out. Especially Stubby. his Splits, velo, and P1 are already tops in the ML.
- 69 oav, CF Mateo Lopez - age 21
- Rookie - 1 Pro year. Get your scouts on him. Plus power, good speed, with improvements in contact and splits; he could be useful in CF.
- 66 oav, SS Reagan Borbon - age 23
- AA - 1 Pro year. Depending on his growth, he's got value. Get your scouts on him!
- 61 oav, SP Miguel Jacquez - age 23
- AA - 1 Pro year. Get your scouts on him but that vL will always remain low. No fixing that problem.
- TeamID: 7892 - NL Franchise 9
- Draft pick #1
- Average ML age: 29.5
- Average ML OAV: 59
- Salary: $45.3M
- Does not include 7 abirritation players.
- Players of interest:
- Didn't find a single ML player that was of interest.
- Some advanced scouting would do this team some good and hey - you get the #1 pick!
- 78 oav, RP Matt Rhodes - age 23
- AA - 1 Pro year. Could this be last year's #1 pick? Even if he doesn't improve on his current stats, he's ML ready and will be solid in the bullpen.
- 76 oav, RP Josias Tatis - age 25
- AAA - Could have better splits to be more useful, his arb years will be pricey for the value he brings.
- 62 oav, CF Wayne Hutton - age 23
- AAA - 1 Pro year. Depending on scouting, his value could climb a bit.
- 60 oav, 1B Hector Gallic - age 22
- Rookie - 1 Pro year. Same story, get your scouts on this guy; could improve into something pretty useful.
- TeamID: 7893 - NL Franchise 13
- Draft pick #28
- Average ML age: 30.5
- Average ML OAV: 64.5
- Salary: $48.7M
- Does not include 9 abirritation players.
- Players of interest:
- 88 oav, SP Harry 'Meet' DaSilva - Arb3 - age 29
- Sign this guy long term and don't look back. 92 control, 100/88 splits, 92 velo. Down side is only 3 pitches and only 1 above 65.
- 80 oav, SP Marcus Carpenter - $1.2M - age 26
- AAA - not sure why he was demoted with 3 years, guess they wanted more years of control. But he's seasoned well and ready to go.
- 78 oav, CF Arodys Esposito - age 25
- AAA - I've noticed there are a lot of these types of CFs in this league so far. Some of them are going to be without a job before too long; but not this guy. His speed and eye should help make his plus range stick around.
- 77 oav, CF Alcides Martin - $6.3M - age 29
- Solid glove for CF, added speed. Bat seems about normal for most CFs, maybe a little low. Shift him elsewhere and he loses all value.
- 75 oav, SP Cristobal Rojas - $5.2M - age 31
- This guy could pitch for days - 99 stam with 29 durability. Though the rest of his starts are just below back of the rotation.
- 73 oav, RF Brian Field - $350k - age 22
- AA - 1 Pro year. Solid speed and power (81 for both), with growth he could be a top bat if the 77 vR continues to improve.
- 72 oav, CF Jonas 'Brothers' Demel - $4.6M - age 33
- No power what so ever. Need help moving your studio apartment, don't call Jonas. But solid power and lays down a mean bunt.
- 70 oav, SP Stan Baldwin - $328k, age 23
- Only 3 Pro years, might have some little growth left and hopefully in his splits.
There we go, the NL North for you ladies and gentlemen!