BACK . . . TO THE FUTURE

With the 2013 BARB season almost underway and with Opening Day rosters set, it is tempting to analyze them in depth....not just with an eye to this year, but the next.   At some point, a question popped into my mind: "Based on the present rosters, what is the likely future core for each club:  what might they look like on Opening Day, 2015?"

Filled with an active imagination and no shortage of opinions about the likely future careers of both veterans and the unestablished, I share with you the results of my musings.   These are not real prophecies, of course.   The unanticipated shocks of injury and the predictable addition and subtraction of players in the next two years will no doubt lead in many cases to rosters wildly different from the ones I consider now.   Think of this not as a prediction or even a projection, but a way of expressing my views as to which players are likely to be key contributors to whatever club possesses them down the road.   Presently-unestablished players have been highlighted in bold.

Respectfully submitted,

Scott "Don't Call Me Seer" Hatfield




Brooklyn Moabs:

C  Derek Norris
1B Wil Myers
2B Nick Franklin
SS Troy Tulowitzki
3B Mike Moustakas
LF Christian Yelich
CF Jacoby Ellsbury
RF Oscar Taveras
DH Nick Castellanos

SP Jon Lester
SP Kevin Gaussman
SP Jameson Taillon
SP Jared Parker
SP Trevor Bauer

CL Taijuan Walker

An amazing amount of new talent coming down the road.   Yes, I think "Tulo" is the rare Cal Ripken type who can remain a full-time offensive SS into his 30's.  Myers is a good hitter, but with so many OF coming up, he and Castellanos are going to have a hard time winning a spot.

Brownsville Cutters:

C  Matt Wieters
1B Anthony Rizzo
2B Dustin Ackley
SS Elvis Andrus
3B Brett Lawrie
LF Logan Morrison
CF Chris Young
RF Courtney Hawkins
DH Chris Davis

SP Jose Fernandez
SP Carlos Martinez
SP Kyle Zimmer
SP Gavin Floyd
SP John Danks

CL Brad Boxberger  

Actually, neither Floyd or Danks are likely to be with the club in 2014 because they are clearly in a rebuilding program, but there isn't enough pitching depth in the organization yet to predict who the 4-5 starters would be.   Chris Young is also a very long reach. 

Casselton Horned Toads:

C  Chris Iannetta
1B Mike Napoli
2B Brandon Phillips
SS Jed Lowrie
3B Adrian Beltre
LF Carlos Gonzalez
CF Gregory Polanco
RF Jay Bruce
DH Jason Kubel

SP Cliff Lee
SP Jon Niese
SP Ryan Vogelsong
SP A.J. Griffin
SP J.A. Happ

CL Kelvin Herrera

I'm higher on Polanco than some scouts are.  It could happen that Cargo remains in CF.  It could happen that Beltre declines.  I'm guessing neither happens.  Rotation is a long-term concern.

Frostbite Falls Flying Squirrels:

C  Wilson Ramos
1B Wilin Rosario
2B Jason Kipnis
SS Manny Machado
3B Evan Longoria
LF Bryan Harper
CF Austin Jackson
RF Mike Trout
DH Albert Pujols

SP Cole Hamels
SP Felix Hernandez
SP Mark Appel
SP Jhoulys Chacin
SP James Paxton

CL Tim Lincecum

Yes, I think the Freak will move to the pen, where he can be very effective for a very long time with reduced velocity.  Yes, Pujols will retire with the Squirrels.   Scouts believe in Rosario's bat, but they don't think he'll last behind the plate.

Los Angeles Isotopes:

C  Devin Mesoraco
1B Eric Hosmer
2B Jose Altuve
SS Starlin Castro
3B Nolan Arenado
LF Yasuil Puig
CF Curtis Granderson
RF Giancarlo Stanton
DH Carlos Santana

SP Jordan Zimmerman
SP Homer Bailey
SP Hyun-Jin Ryu
SP Michael Pineda
SP Bud Horris

CL Rubby de la Rosa

This could really be a hell of a team in 2015, especially if a healthy Granderson remains a productive Yankee at age 34.   Scouts say de la Rosa is a born closer, and that Joel Hanrahan is just a placeholder.

New England Yankee Stompers:

C  Miguel Montero
1B Corey Hart
2B Jed Gyorko
SS Jose Iglesias
3B Will Middlebrooks
LF Tyler Colvin
CF Michael Choice
RF Andre Ethier
DH Miguel Cabrera

SP Gio Gonzalez
SP Daniel Hudson
SP R.A. Dickey
SP Matt Barnes
SP Alan Webster

CL Jonathan Papelbon will be 35 two years from now, but he seems to have kept his velocity and I'm betting he will.   Iglesias, a free agent signing, has as good a chance of being a big-league regular by 2015 as anyone.  The outfield situation is problematic, though.

Papelbon will be 

New York Rebels:

C  Travis D'Arnaud
1B Paul Goldschmidt
2B Neil Walker
SS Jean Segura
3B Lonnie Chisenhall
LF Martin Prado
CF Adam Eaton
RF Colby Rasmus
DH Joe Mauer

SP Ian Kennedy
SP Mike Minor
SP Trevor Cahill
SP Doug Fister
SP Anibal Sanchez

CL Joba Chamberlain

For obvious reasons, this is the one set of predictions that are the least likely to come about.

Oakland Blaze:

C  Jorge Alfaro
1B Freddie Freeman                         
2B Danny Espinosa
SS Alcides Escobar
3B Matt Dominguez
LF Alex Gordon
CF Adam Jones
RF Byron Buxton
DH Matt Holliday

SP C.J. Wilson
SP Wily Peralta
SP Jared Weaver
SP Tyler Skaggs
SP Jesse Biddle

CL Edward Mujica

Alfaro starting by 2015 is a stretch, but more probable than any of the other candidates on their roster being a regular catcher.   Pablo Sandoval would have to both lose weight and stay healthy to be worth the long-term investment at third, and I don't see that happening.  There doesn't seem to be a potential #1 starter on the roster.

Pottsylvania Creepers:

C  Tyler Flowers
1B Josh Reddick
2B Erick Aybar
SS Carlos Correa
3B Jordan Pacheco
LF Desmond Jennings
CF Matt Kemp
RF Anthony Gose
DH Allan Craig

SP Stephen Strasburg
SP Jaime Garcia
SP Chris Archer
SP Aroldis Chapman
SP Jeremy Hellickson

CL Tanner Scheppers

Some major future holes are looming.   Pacheco is unlikely to beat out Nolan Arenado long-term, but Aramis Ramirez is making a lot of money.  Another question: will Chapman move into the rotation before or after his heater begins to fade? If you say 'yes', then Scheppers has a chance to be a closer.

Riverside Rum Runners:

C  Yadier Molina
1B Mark Trumbo
2B Howie Kendrick
SS Jiovanny Mier
3B Miguel Sano
LF Josh Hamilton
CF Peter Bourjos
RF Melky Cabrera
DH David Ortiz

SP Clayton Kershaw
SP Wade Davis
SP Zack Grienke
SP Garrett Richards
SP Cory Luebke

CL Ryan Cook

Jiovanny Mier is the only IF in their system who might conceivably play short in the big leagues one day.   Miguel Sano can really hit, but having the glove for the hot corner may be a stretch.   Cook has the stuff to close, if given an opportunity.

Sin City Aces:

C  Mike Zunino
1B Prince Fielder
2B Ian Desmond
SS Brandon Crawford
3B David Wright
LF Ian Kinsler
CF Yoenis Cespedes
RF Alexis Rios
DH Jayson Werth

SP Matt Moore
SP Yu Darvish
SP Adam Wainwright
SP Madison Bumgarner
SP James Shields

CL Yordano Ventura

Zunino is the only position player in their minor league system likely to win a starting role by 2015.  Kinsler could stay at 2B, but he has more value as an offensive player and could easily move to the OF to keep his bat in the lineup.  Scouts think that Ventura could close right now, and many seem to think that this is where he'll end up.

St. Francis Friars:

C  Salvador Perez
1B Ike Davis
2B Aaron Hill
SS Xavier Boegarts
3B Kaleb Cowart
LF Javier Baez
CF Clint Frazier
RF Jose Bautista
DH Todd Frazier

SP Dylan Bundy
SP Matt Harvey
SP Shelby Miller
SP Derek Holland
SP Clay Buchholz

CL Michael Wacha

Actually, the most likely scenario is that St. Francis will have such a glut of 3B (Baez, Boegarts and Cowart) they will be forced to trade one or more of those guys.  Notably, a still-young Pedro Alvarez seems unlikely to stick at his current performance level, despite socking 30-plus HR last year.  Wacha could be a starter rather than in relief.

Worcester Eliminators:

C  Jonathan Lucroy
1B Mike Morse
2B Robinson Cano
SS Josh Rutledge
3B Juan Francisco
LF Brandon Moss
CF Michael Saunders
RF Justin Upton
DH Billy Butler

SP Matt Cain
SP Yovani Gallardo
SP Johnny Cueto
SP Brandon Morrow
SP Lance Lynn

CL Craig Kimbrel

The big wild card here is Hanley Ramirez, whether he can resurrect his career as an offense-minded SS or else have to move to 3B or even the outfield.  Moss could also be the affordable long-term answer at 1B, rather than Morse.  Francisco's emerging bat will have to play somewhere.  Bottom line, is that this team is built to win now, and doesn't have any unestablished players likely to form part of their 2015 core.

Yuma Firebirds:

C  Buster Posey
1B Joey Votto
2B Jurickson Profar
SS Andrelton Simmons
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Ryan Braun
CF Andrew McCutcheon
RF Ben Zobrist
DH Corey Seager

SP David Price
SP Justin Verlander
SP Gerrit Cole
SP Kris Medlen
SP Mat Latos

CL Addison Reed

I see Zobrist as having a long career as an OF: always versatile, always undervalued and thus affordable.   Yuma likes the bullpen-by-committee approach more than other BARB owners, but Reed seems the best long-term closing candidate. Zimmerman's back issues could eventually dictate a move to first.