https://wbl.dmlco.com/wp Baseball The Way It Never Was Mon, 22 Nov 2021 15:32:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 178681366 https://wbl.dmlco.com/wp/2020/06/20/spring-training-preview-brooklyn/ Sun, 21 Jun 2020 03:57:21 +0000 https://wbl.dmlco.com/wp/?p=304

The back end of the rotation is up for grabs, with Frank Knauss and Fernando Valenzuela having the inside track on the #3 and #4 spots, with 1 out of Don Sutton, Jordan Zimmerman, and Smokey Joe Williams likely to hold the final slot.

• Only Dutch Leonard and perhaps Orel Hershiser have been solid as SP, with Knauss and Valenzuela being downright horrible. It’s early, but look for Sutton, Dick Redding, and Brickyard Kennedy to get looks as well.
  • Four slots are set, with Sutton, Don Drysdale, Leonard, and Hershiser earning starting slots. Kennedy, Redding, and Williams are vying for the last spot, with Valenzuela heading to AAA.

Dave Von Ohlen, Trevor Hildenberger, Darren Dreifort, and Terry Forster are battling for the middle of the bullpen.

• The bullpen has been very strong through 10 games, with only Watty Clark‘s role as closer settled.

There’s no question Jackie Robinson can contribute, the question is at what position. 1B is blocked by Dan Brouthers, leaving the challenge of Hobe Ferris at 2B.

• Robinson has performed well, for sure. Davey Lopes, called up when Sandy Koufax went down injured, hasn’t done much to change the situation at 2B, where Ferris’ glove still probably gives him the edge.
  • Lopes–and Tommy Corcoran–have hit better than any other middle infielders, so it’s pretty unsettled up the middle, especially since neither Dickie Thon nor Pee Wee Reese have been able to crack the Mendoza line..

It’s possible that 1 of Michael Brantley, Matt Holliday, Jeffrey Leonard, Curt Flood, and Art Griggs forces their way onto the roster.

• Flood, Brantley, Hi Myers, and Griggs have been totally overmatched in the early going, with Holliday and the surprising Jermaine Dye moving up the roster.
  • Griggs, Flood, Myers, and Brantley have all headed down to AAA (along with C Hank Gowdy). Todd Walker, Morrie Arnovich, and Raul Mondesi have been recalled for some OF flexibility.

	Near Definite	Likely	Possible	Long Shot
Starting Pitchers		Dutch Leonard Orel Hershiser Don Sutton Don Drysedale	Dick Redding Smokey Joe Williams Brickyard Kennedy	Sandy Koufax Frank Knauss Jordan Zimmerman
Middle Relievers		Dave Von Ohlen Darren Dreifort		Kyle McPherson
Setup		Erig Gagne Trevor Hildenberger Terry Forster
Closer	Watty Clark
C	Mike Piazza		Steve Yeager Duke Farrell
1B	Dan Brouthers		Jackie Robinson	Todd Walker
2B		Hobe Ferris	Davey Lopes
3B		Ron Cey	Jim Delahanty
SS			Dickie Thon Pee Wee Reese Tommy Corcoran
OF		Roy White Duke Snider Matt Holliday	Jermaine Dye John Briggs Beals Becker Jeffrey Leonard	Morrie Arnovich Raul Mondesi

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