This team is a bit of a conundrum. If all goes well, there is a lot of talent here, but they could also be quite mediocre. A lot depends on whether Eustaquio Pedroso can really emerge as a front-of-the-rotation starter behind Rube Waddell. Aroldis Chapman is lights out in the bullpen, and the offense should be respectable, although it’s hard to find a truly standout talent at this point.
Final Roster
SP: Rube Waddell, Eustaquio Pedroso, Ramon Martinez, Camilo Pascual, Tommy Bridges.
RP: Dontrelle Willis & Don Newcombe; Ed Bauta & Ryota Igarashi; Sandy Conseugra & Bill Landrum; Aroldis Chapman.
C: John Munyan; Charlie Bennett
1B: Joe Adcock
2B: Cookie Rojas; Martin Dihigo
3B: Manny Machado
SS: Robin Yount
LF: Tony Gonzalez & Ryan Braun
CF: Jose Cardenal
RF: Jose Canseco; Alejandro Oms
DH: Yonder Alonso
Notes
As expected, Jose Mendez heads to AAA to try to develop his immense potential … Tommy Bridges and Dontrelle Willis were neck-and-neck for the final rotation slot, with Bridges veteran status giving him the edge over the 24 year old Willis … John Munyan and defensive whiz Charlie Bennett will split the duties at C, with Bennett’s glove edging out Andy Ashby‘s utility as a switch hitter … the final cut was quite complicated: 17 year old Martin Dihigo is a defensive whiz across the spectrum and Alejandro Oms provides that same ability in the OF. But neither really hit all that well, although Oms certainly has the tools to do so. Still, they allow the Cuban Giants such flexibility that keeping them is highly attractive. That makes the choice boil down to Ryan Braun and Willie Kamm. Kamm’s roller coaster of a Spring–from the hottest player in the league to a deathly cold finish–sends him off to the minors … Jose Canseco, Oms, and Yonder Alonso form a platoon trio, with Alonso playing v LHP and Oms v RHP and Canseco moving between RF and DH.
1B Joe Adcock is winding down his career at 38 and SP Tommy Bridges at 36 is no spring chicken. At the other end is Dihigo at 17 and 2 SP–Eustaquio Pedroso and Ramon Martinez–at 21.
Mendez should be the 1st starter recalled from AAA, while Gary Sheffield, Yasiel Puig, and Evan Longoria are also all waiting there for their opportunity. At AA, the brightest lights are a pair of 2B, 18 year old Clete Boyer and 24 year old Tony Taylor.
