Has the team gotten better?

[Erick]

Subtractions

 

Cameron Maybin

.BA: .277

HR: 14

RBI: 60

.OBP: .349

.SLG: 424

.OPS: .773

SB: 20

BB%: 9.5%

K%: 26.0%

.wOBA: .344

wRC+: 115

 

Dan Uggla

.BA: .263

HR: 31

RBI: 94

.OBP: .352

.SLG: .483

.OPS: .835

SB: 3

BB%: 11.4%

K%: 26.3%

.wOBA: .362

wRC+: 128

 

Ronny Paulino

.BA: .275

HR: 7

RBI: 43

.OBP: .331

.SLG: .393

.OPS: .724

SB: 1

BB%: 7.7%

K%: 16.3%

.wOBA: .321

wRC+: 100

 

Will Ohman

Games: 57

IP: 39.0

K/9: 8.77

BB/9: 4.38

HR/9: 0.92

FIP: 4.00

ERA: 3.92

 

Jose Veras

Games: 65

IP: 66.0

K/9: 9.41

BB/9: 4.64

HR/9: 0.95

FIP: 4.10

ERA: 3.95

 

Additions

 

Omar Infante

.BA: .295

HR: 7

RBI: 49

.OBP: .342

.SLG: .403

.OPS: .745

SB: 6

BB%: 6.4%

K%: 14.3%

.wOBA: .329

wRC+: 105

 

John Buck

.BA: .248

HR: 17

RBI: 60

.OBP: .302

.SLG: .439

.OPS: .741

SB: 0

BB%: 6.0

K%: 27.1

.wOBA: .319

wRC+: 99

 

Javier Vazquez

Starts: 30

IP: 198.0

K/9: 8.32

BB/9: 2.50

HR/9: 1.23

FIP: 3.94

ERA: 3.73

 

Edward Mujica

Games: 56

IP: 67.0

K/9: 8.06

BB/9: 1.75

HR/9: 1.34

FIP: 3.86

ERA: 3.76

 

Ryan Webb

Games: 52

IP: 55.0

K/9: 6.87

BB/9: 3.11

HR/9: 0.82

FIP: 3.83

ERA: 4.42

 

Mike Dunn

Games: 64

IP: 68.0

K/9: 11.91

BB/9: 6.62

HR/9: 0.53

FIP: 3.49

ERA: 3.84

 

Predictions for all players can be seen on fangraphs, for those interested. Obviously they are just predictions, so they don't really mean all that much; they just provide a fair guess based on past #'s, peripherals, potential, etc. I disagree with some of them (like Ryan Webb), and I'm sure some will disagree on others, etc.

 

Anyway, they seem fair for the most part.

 

Improved team? Thoughts?

 

Obviously some minor additions could still be on the way; I'll add them to the list, if they do happen.

[97marlin]

If Cogs plays a solid center field then offensively he will perform better then Maybin. The three pitchers we got in the trade I believe are better then Veras. So overall, i guess we are faster, and better defensively. Who knows maybe buck will help nolasco have less of those "bad days'. Or better yet keep Volstad looking like he did at the end of last year. I think we aren't going to know anything till opening day.

[Anonymous]

We absolutely got better, IMO.

 

Defensively, we've upgraded. Our infield should be better with Dominguez taking over for Cantu/who ever else was at third, and Infante taking over for Uggla. Ramirez and Sanchez should also be better this season with Hill back on board. And as we all know, Stanton is Stanton. The only concerns I have are Buck, Coghlan and Morrison. They're going to be pretty bad, IMO. But, you can't be perfect everywhere. The Phillies won the WS with Howard and Burrel as their starters, for crying out loud.

 

Pitching wise, we improved a TON. 4 starters are going to be back next season, which helps a lot. Our new addition, Javier Vasquez, should be much better than any Mark Hendrickson/Nate Robertson. The real improvement is in the bullpen, though. We have 7 quality relievers in the bullpen. Some have elite potential, like Dunn and Webb. Also, we have very good depth now, with Sanabia, West, Ceda and Marinez in the minors.

 

Offensively, we have not downgraded at all, IMO. If you think about it, a full season of Stanton and Hanley Ramirez bouncing back could replace Uggla's production. We just have to hope that Stanton, Morrison, Coghlan and Sanchez hit well enough to compliment our pitching. Our offense doesn't have to win games anymore.

 

We still have a few holes on this team that I see this FO addressing, like trading Nunez for a LHP and acquiring a Left handed bat for the bench(don't believe they start the season with Baker), but man, I'm loving the look of this team. Great pitching, improved defense, and effective offense.

[floridafly]

If Cameron Maybin puts up that stat line, I will cry.

[gizmo]

If Cameron Maybin puts up that stat line, I will cry.

 

 

I'll laugh, and then cry....

[watertown_kid]

If Webb, Mujica and Dunn put up those numbers then the team will be no better.

[fishfan46]

I like the moves. But I think Hanley and Cogs performance will be the determining factor on whether this team puts up a better record than last year.

[poptart]

Hanley will be fine. this season's completely on Nolasco+Anibal+Vazquez+Dunn as far as i'm concerned. i feel like we know what we're getting from everyone else already.

 

i think the team's gotten MUCH better.

[pb1300]

Defensively, we are better. Perry Hill alone makes our infield defense better. The difference between when he was here, and when he left, is night and day. As long as this team is committed to that side of the game, then we will be fine. The biggest concern for me is the defensive play of Buck, Cogs, and Sanchez. I will take the average defense from them, but if we dont see improvement from them over the course of the season, its going to be a big problem for us, because all three are key positions for a teams defense.

 

Offensively, we are better. Yes, we lost Uggs pop, but we should see a better HR output this year. We get Stanton for a full season, LoMo as well, and a catcher with some pop. We should hit for a better team average, and as long as we can stay disciplined at the plate, our SOs should go down as well. We are also a faster team as well.

 

The biggest improvement is obviously the pen. No longer do we have to worry about our starters going late into games because our pen is questionable.

 

As long as this team can stay relatively healthy, they should compete for the WC. Most of the pieces is there, and Im sure if we are in contention come the deadline, Beinfest will make that move, or two, to get us over the top.

[Erick]

If Webb, Mujica and Dunn put up those numbers then the team will be no better.

 

 

 

I wouldn't pay too much attention to the bullpen projections.

 

They don't seem to take into account how the manager is going to mix and match, etc.

 

Webb's projections aren't great because he's not a strikeout pitcher, and groundball pitchers are undervalued. If you look at his FIP, it's fine. I also don't see him allowing 0.82 HR/9, especially if Edwin has him facing right-handed hitters most of the time.

 

I think the Mujica projection is fair (probably with some more total games); 68 quality innings from Dunn (James' projection for him) would be fantastic.

[Schnellders]

Can't take the projections seriously when they predict Maybin to be a near .280 hitter with 14 dingers and 60 rbi. Seen nothing so far to suggest he can produce to that relatively decent level over a season.

[floridafly]

Can't take the projections seriously when they predict Maybin to be a near .280 hitter with 14 dingers and 60 rbi. Seen nothing so far to suggest he can produce to that relatively decent level over a season.

 

 

Maybin has the power potential, but the avg is absolutely crazy. I don't see him hitting higher than .260 at best. With a .320 OBP.

[I Love Me Some Fish]

Soooo, Maybin's #'s will increase ridiculously by moving into a hitter's hell.

[mystikol87]

If Webb, Mujica and Dunn put up those numbers then the team will be no better.

 

 

The thing is, we are 6-7 deep with quality guys, plus Javy Vazquez will eat tons of innings and should be better than our worst starter last year.

So those 50-100 innings of horrible bullpen/starting pitching efforts, like Jorge Sosa, Andrew Miller, Tim Wood, Adalberto Mendez, Jay Buente (he could be good but wasn't ready) and Taylor Tankersley shouldn't happen.

That was 140+ IP of garbage, and ~110 IP even if you exclude Miller, who was mostly starting. Those guys average out to a ~5.50 ERA or so. Knock that down to even a 4 ERA X 110 IP, and you save 18 runs, or ~2 wins right there, just from the bullpen additions, even if they only perform at that level.

And yet, their ceilings are much higher, so it could be even more improvement.