Expectations
Pretty hard question: nobody expected a playoff run last season, now the fans will demand a repeat, but if the Black Barons can’t address some core offensive issues, that may be unlikely.
Best Case
The pitching continues to dominate, Juan Rincón holds down the closer spot, and either Sam Streeter or Warren Spahn step up to seize the 5th starting spot. On the other side, Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews move into the elite of the league and someone–anyone–steps up to support them.
Worst Case
The pitching falls apart, with Andy Pettitte and Alejandro Peña becoming solid, but no longer world-beaters and the bullpen collapses while the offense continues to be far too slapdash to be dependable.
Key Questions
- How will some key pieces for last season–Pettitte, Rincón, Adrián González, Cupid Childs, Jim Pagliaroni–perform over the course of a full year.
- With Andy Pettitte traded, how does the rotation respond and does Albert Belle perform at a level that makes it worthwhile.
- Who will fill out the roster.
Trade Bait
The Black Barons would happily welcome an offensive star, but would have to mortgage their farm system to get one. Or, mortgage their best starter … which in a bit of a shock, is exactly what they ended up doing. It’s an interesting gambit: a true top of rotation star gone in exchange for a “win-now” bat (but Belle is aging) and a few arms for the future in Lefty Gomez and Frank Viola. We’ll see.
Roster Evaluation
| POS | Elite | Strong | Solid | Meh | Weak | Unknown |
| C | Pagliaroni Tenace | |||||
| 1B | González | McCormick | Beckley | |||
| 2B | Childs | |||||
| 3B | Mathews | |||||
| SS | Long | Tulowitzki | ||||
| LF/ RF | Aaron Belle | Nieman | Barbour Pafko | |||
| CF | Granderson | |||||
| SP | Peña | Maddux Willis | Streeter | Malarkey | ||
| End | Bedrosian Rincón | |||||
| RP | Benton Chen | Gomez Whitney |
Doesn’t look like a strong playoff contender to me. Now, if 3 to 4 players shift left one column … there’s just so much uncertainty. Six new faces, plus Belle, and while most of them are in reserve roles, it feels like a lot to ask for the Black Barons to repeat last year’s success.
Talent Ratings
| WBL | Minors | |
| Raw Power | 3B Eddie Mathews | 1B Nate Colbert |
| Batting Eye | 3B Eddie Mathews | OF John Titus |
| Contact | OF Hank Aaron | 3B Pie Traynor |
| Running Speed | SS Herman Long | OF Rajai Davis |
| Base Stealing | SS Herman Long | OF Rajai Davis |
| IF Defense | SS Herman Long | 3B Pie Traynor |
| OF Defense | OF Andy Pafko | OF Billy Southworth |
| Stuff | SP Sam Streeter | RP Bill James |
| Control | SP Jim Whitney | RP Johnny Ryan |
| Velocity | RP Juan Rincón | RP Kerry Ligtenberg |
Best In The Minors
| Rank | Age | POS | Name |
| 1 (32) | 24 | P | Jim Whitney |
| 2 (36) | 20 | C | Joe Torre |
| 3 (43) | 20 | U | Jess Barbour |
| 4 (54) | 20 | 2B | Trea Turner |
| 5 (58) | 25 | OF | Curt Flood |
| 6 (62) | 21 | P | Cozy Dolan |
| 7 (63) | 26 | P | Rube Melton |
| 8 (151) | 22 | P | Alex Malloy |
| 9 (156) | 19 | 2B | Marcus Giles |
| 10 (173) | 21 | P | Jonathan Pettibone |
Whitney, Dolan, Malloy, and Barbour start the season in the WBL (Malloy on the DL, but still). This is very much a make or break year for Flood.
| Most | Least | |
| Age | OF Sam Rice, 37 | SP Steve Avery, 18 |
| Height | P Dustin Nippert, 6’8″ | OF Al Schweitzer, 5’6″ |
| OPS | OF Max Kepler, 1.233 (—) | IF Gerry Jestadt, .604 (—) |
| HR | OF Max Kepler, 61 (—) | IF George McBride, 1 (AAA) OF Rajai Davis, 1 (AAA/AA) OF Brock Davis 1 (AA) |
| SB | OF Billy Southworth, 26 (WBL/AAA) | Many with 0 |
| WAR | 1B Nate Colbert, 4.4 (WBL/AAA/AA) | IF Gerry Jestadt, -2.0 (—) |
| W | Bill Phyle, 17 (—) | Harry Matuzak, 1 (—) |
| SV | Juan Rincón, 26 (WBL) | |
| ERA | Aaron Sanchez, 1.98 (—) | Johnny Ryan, 6.90 (AA) |
| WAR | Aaron Sanchez, 7.3 (—) | Fred Fussell, -0.8 (WBL/AAA) |