Overall

All hail the champs!

And, it must be said, the surprising champs. Surprising that they pulled away in the Effa Manley Division, surprising they navigated the first 2 playoff rounds so easily, and most of all, surprising they dominated the best team in the regular season in the Whirled Series.

Brooklyn rode a great pitching staff and a solid offense all season, but things really took off when they finalized on a 5 man rotation, replacing Sandy Koufax with Fernando Valenzuela (Don Drysedale‘s improved 2nd half form certainly helped as well).

The postseason also confirmed Mike Piazza‘s status as a superstar capable of carrying his team.

This is a team looking to capitalize on their success, with most of their key parts either just entering or firmly in their prime. Additionally, there are a lot of players who overperformed this season–it would be rational to expect some regression from Jackie Robinson, Ron Cey, John Briggs, Beals Becker, and Duke Snider; Roy White isn’t getting any younger; and pitching is never truly dependable. As such, there is some pressure to make the right moves this offseason.

What Went Right

Ron Cey was, shockingly, perhaps the best 3B in the WBL, slugging 47 homeruns and driving in 105 while slashing 291/381/656. It would be surprising if Cey could replicate this level of performance, but anything close would be more than enough for Brooklyn.

And then there’s Piazza, who took a year to grow accustomed to the WBL. He led the team with 117 RBIs with 48 homeruns (and was still only the 3rd best offensive catcher in the NL). Back to back MVP Awards in the postseason proved the cherry atop his season’s accomplishments.

Dan Brouthers gets little respect, either in Brooklyn or nationally, but he deserves it, posting a .950 OPS as he settled the 1B question for the Royal Giants.

Speaking of little respect … John Briggs was the most common name on pundit’s lips when asked what rookies were most likely to struggle in their initial WBL season. Instead, Briggs posted a .934 OPS with 34 homers in CF, far outpacing predictions and expectations.

Jackie Robinson remains the heart and soul of the team, leading the Royal Giants with 52 steals and 94 runs scored and hitting with surprising power.

Beals Becker, Duke Snider, and Roy White were all good enough, with Snider leading the team with 51 homers, Becker providing both power (39 homeruns) and speed (44 steals), and White a decent bat to go along with gold glove quality defense.

Vern Stephens was excellent after coming over from Memphis, slashing 248/302/503 in a Royal Giants uniform.

And then there was the strength of the team …

Orel Hershiser went 19-5 with a 3.69 ERA. Fernando Valenzuela was dominant out of the pen and then moved into the rotation for 17 starts. Overall, he went 14-5, also with a 3.69 ERA. Don Drysedale bounced back from a rough first half to amass an 11-8 record with decent peripherals despite a 5.66 ERA, and Frank Knauss was as good a 5th starter as there was in the league.

And then there was Smokey Joe Williams, who had to be the unluckiest pitcher in the NL, managing only a 12-13 record despite supporting numbers equal to, if not better than, Hershiser’s.

Sandy Koufax–who Valenzuela replaced–embraced his new role, providing an excellent middle innings arm in the bullpen.

And at the end of the game, Trevor Hildenberger (7 saves and 11 holds) and Terry Forster (2 saves and 16 holds) were dominant getting the ball to the best closer in the league, Eric Gagné.

ALL STARS

Ron Cey
Eric Gagné
Mike Piazza
Fernando Valenzuela

MAJOR AWARDS

Ron Cey: All NL Team; NL 3B Gold Glove; NL 3B Silver Slugger; NL All Star
Eric Gagné: NL Phineas Flint Award; All NL Team; NL All Star
Mike Piazza: NL All Star
Fernando Valenzuela: NL All Star
Roy White: NL LF Gold Glove

RECOGNITIONS

John Briggs: NL All Rookie Team
Terry Forster: All NL 2nd Team; NL 25 & Under Team; NL 23 & Under Team
Jackie Robinson: NL All-Rounder Award, 2nd Place
Orel Hershiser: All NL 3rd Team
Sandy Koufax: NL 21 & Under Team
Mike Piazza: All NL 3rd Team
Smokey Joe Williams: All NL 2nd Team; NL Rookie of the Year, 3rd Place; NL All Rookie Team
Fernando Valenzuela: All NL 2nd Team; NL All Rookie Team

ORGANIZATIONAL AWARDS

Ron Cey, MVP
Orel Hershiser, Pitcher of the Year
Jackie Robinson, Heart & Soul
Roy White, Fan Favorite

Dick Redding, Minor League Pitcher of the Year
Jim Gentile, Minor League Player of the Year

What Went Wrong

There was a lot of hope around Pedro Guerrero that fizzled as he struggled to find a position and, more importantly, struggled to get his OPS over .750.

SS was a mess until Stephens’ acquisition, with Germany Smith and Ray Dandridge each struggling. Dandridge came alive in the postseason, and at 22, his talent is undeniable.

Dick Bertell won’t be back as Piazza’s backup.

There were a few bad showings on the mound, most notably the attempts to use Dutch Leonard, Darren Dreifort, and Juan Mateo in middle inning roles, but really very little went bad on the mound for Brooklyn.

Transactions

March

P Watty Clark, OF Matt Holliday to SFS for OF Pedro Guerrero.

Right now, nobody won, although perhaps Clark has shown a bit more promise?

July

4th Round Pick to MEM for IF Vern Stephens.

Turned out far better than anticipated, as Stephens’ performance over the last couple months of the season alone is probably worth the pick.

August

3rd Round Pick to PHI for OF George Hendrick.

Similar to the Stephens trade, Hendrick pounded the ball down the stretch, and should see a reserve role next season.

Positional Overview

C

Piazza should be here for a while, as he’s just entering his prime.

Beyond him, though, it’s not great. Look for veteran Al López to be favored for the backup role, with some pressure from Kelly Shoppach.

1B

I have no idea why Brooklyn refuses to just hand this over to Dan Brouthers, who posted a .950 OPS as a 25 year old. I think this is his spot, and he has a big year.

Jim Gentile had a monster year in the minors this season and Eric Karros was excellent in a brief WBL stint, so look for those two to get a look in the Spring as well.

2B

There really aren’t any natural 2B here. Jackie Robinson can play wherever he wants, Dandridge is more suited to the left side of the infield, and even young Ed Delahanty looks more like an eventual OFer. Maybe young Tim Foli at A ball evolves enough to take over at some point.

None of that really matters as long as Robinson is around, though, and next year looks like more of Jackie, with Dandridge filling in.

SS

Vern Stephens really seized this, although Dandridge’s performance in the postseason may open it back up as a competition.

There is some talent behind them in case either falter: Sonny Jackson is still too young, but Dickie Thon and Maury Wills are both available.

3B

I don’t think anyone believes Ron Cey will be a perennial S-Tier 3B, but it was a great ride, and Cey is certainly good enough to hold on here. This may be Dandridge’s best position as well, and while there aren’t many pure 3B in the system, Jim Delahanty and the ageless Tony Fernandez are both available, along with Guerrero.

LF/RF

Roy White and Beals Becker keep chugging along here, and neither are under a lot of pressure, although the Royal Giants would love Guerrero or Raúl Mondesi to make some noise.

Mondesi is out of options, and is hence likely to make the WBL roster or move on. Chicken Wolf and George Selkirk keep pressing for a shot as well, but Al Simmons may have the highest ceiling of this group.

CF

John Briggs has this locked down after proving his doubters very, very wrong and George Hendrick‘s performance after coming over late in the season makes him the favorite for the backup spot.

It is possible that Duke Snider sees more time in the field this year–his arm is stronger than Briggs’ for sure.

DH

If Briggs continues to develop, he and Becker may share a lot of time here; otherwise, some mixture of Snider and Guerrero seems likely.

SP

I don’t think there’s another team in the WBL as set in the rotation and swing starters as Brooklyn: Drysdale, Hershiser, Williams, Valenzuela, and Frank Knauss are the top 5, with Sandy Koufax and young phenom Dick Redding also getting occasional starting opportunities.

With Jim Bunning, John Denny, Jordan Zimmerman, and Walker Buehler all in the minors, the Royal Giants are one of the few teams with enough surplus starting to make a splash.

RP

There may be an open spot in the bullpen, with Zach Britton likely to get a long look in the Spring.

Otherwise, it’s Trevor Hildenberger, Terry Forster, and Dave Von Ohlen getting the ball to Eric Gagné.

Rick Aguilera and Ron Perranoski are the most likely support candidates.

Draft Outlook

DRAFT PICKS

1st Round: 1
2nd Round: 1
3rd Round: 0
4th Round: 0
5th Round: 0

We’ll see if anything changes before the draft, but if not, some offensive talent would be welcome.

Improvement, meaning again being in the playoff hunt at the end, but perhaps it being far less of a longshot/surprise.

Best Case

The juggling of the pitching staff works perfectly, with Smokey Joe Williams and Watty Clark Orel Hershiser joining Don Drysedale and Frank Knauss to provide a dependable, top of the league rotation helped by a continually improving Sandy Koufax. This implies that Eric Gagne‘s conversion to closer goes well.

The offense finds its soul, helped by the acquisition of Pedro Guerrero.

Worst Case

Knauss, Clark, and Koufax regress and Williams doesn’t step up, leaving only Drysedale as a dependable starter and the offense continues to just meander along without any real oomph. The acquisition of Guerrero fails to deliver.

Key Questions

• In addition to the pitching staff changes mentioned above, the rest of the roster is very much in flux.
• Can John Briggs continue to set the world on fire?
• Will Mike Piazza finally take hold of the starting C role?

Trade Bait

Unsure? There is a bit of a logjam in the OF right now, maybe that could be solved.

Instead, the Royal Giants doubled down on the logjam, adding Guerrero to the mix. It’s unlikely Clark’s value is ever higher than it is right now, so it’s not a bad moment to make the move.

Roster Evaluation

Very middle of the road imo. There is a lot of uncertainty on the mound, with a bunch of new faces and others whose ability to replicate their success from last season remains firmly in doubt.

Talent Ratings

Best In The Minors

Williams, Briggs, and Valenzuela all break camp with the WBL team. Given the scarcity of offense in the system, both Delahanty and Simmons may see time this season.

A couple spots in the bullpen are open, but most of the attention will be on the position players, where in addition to the bench, starting roles at C and 1B are unsettled.

Ed Delahanty and Al Simmons (Brooklyn’s first and second round draft picks) are probably a year away, but either could make a strong push in Spring Training.

Injuries

Trevor Hildenberger is likely to miss the start of the season with a back injury, opening up another spot in the Royal Giants’ bullpen and SS Germany Smith–the early favorite to start at that position–will be out until very close to opening day with a broken bone in his foot.

First Cuts

Both Doc Newton and Tom Sullivan were longshots to make the team, and neither showed enough to stay in camp past the first round of reassignments; nor did Ted Blankenship, Lew Krausse Jr., Nap Rucker, or Dustin McGowan. Dave Van Ohlen has pitched as poorly as the rest of them, but being an established WBL arm has its privileges.

Likewise, Al López and Mike Piazza have both struggled, but it’s Al Todd and Jeff Torborg who are reassigned. The axe also fell for Tommy Everidge, Marco Hernández, Hank Majeski, and Ken McMullen. These moves preserve spots for Ray Dandridge and Ed Delahanty, despite their mighty struggles so far.

The OF remains an incredibly tangled puzzle. Assumed starters Duke Snider and Beals Becker have combined for only 2 hits, while Matt Holliday, Ron Fairly, George Selkirk, and Jermaine Dye–all considered relative long shots to make the team–are pounding the ball with OPS’ over 1.000. Even Morrie Arnovich and Raúl Mondesi, who have not hit well, remain in camp, largely based on their performances in the minors last year.

Clearly, figuring out the OF spots is the major concern of the next week or so for Brooklyn.

Second Cuts

Walker Buehler and Jordan Zimmerman head to minor league camp, as do Ron Fairly and Dan Brouthers. Phenom Ed Delahanty heads to minor league camp for at least a year of seasoning while only Germany Smith‘s injury keeps Tim Foli in camp. In the OF, Raúl Mondesi heads down along with veteran Jermaine Dye.

Third Cuts

Rick Aguilera, Tim Foli, George Selkirk, Davey Lopes, and, perhaps most surprisingly, Al López were all sent down.

This means that the catching duties will fall to some mixture of Mike Piazza and Duke Farrell (assuming Dick Bertell cools off at some point), and indicates that the Royal Giants are looking to play Ray Dandridge at 2B with Maury Wills earning a strong look at SS in Germany Smith‘s absence.

Final Cuts

The Royal Giants have some very hard decisions. Their first cut comes from the outfield, where 20 year old Al Simmons has hit well, but clearly needs to spend some time as a fulltime player, something he’ll be able to do at AA. Morrie Arnovich follows Simmons, clearing up some space in the OF.

Part of Duke Farrell‘s value was his ability to fill in at 3B as well; with Pedro Guerrero‘s arrival, that means a bit less. Combine that with Farrell’s struggles and Dick Bertell‘s excellent Spring, and Farrell becomes expendable, off to start the year at AAA. Some see this as a clear sign that the Royal Giants are going to go with Mike Piazza behind the plate; others insist that Bertell still has a shot to seize the starting role.

Jim Gentile is the only true 1B on the roster. And he’s posted an OPS over .800 this Spring. But roster space is scarce, and Gentile only plays 1B, so off he goes to AAA.

Trevor Hildenberger had struggled mightily before being shut down with back spasms. The Royal Giants got to 30 players by placing Hildenberger on the DL–he may be off by opening day, but a rehab stint in the minors to regain his form is needed regardless.

This is so hard at the end. Two or three more arms have to be sent down from Burleigh Grimes, Orel Hershiser, Juan Mateo, Dick Redding, Fernando Valenzuela, and Dutch Leonard. The problem is none of them have pitched badly. Leonard has struggled the most, so he’s the first, followed by young Dick Redding, who was solid last year, but gave up a lot of hits this Spring.

Germany Smith was placed on the DL.

Everybody else hit really well all Spring, making these final two choices very difficult. The Royal Giants sort of fell in love with Maury Wills and in the end, despite almost equal production, Dickie Thon‘s in ability to play other positions sends Thon to AAA. Finally, Matty Alou had a strong Spring, but it’s all just too crowded, to the veteran heads to the minors.

Brooklyn sits in 2nd place in the Marvin Miller Division, only 3.5 games behind Portland, despite a general sense they’ve underperformed on the season. So, I guess that’s good?

What’s Gone Right

The pitching. Don Drysedale has been among the better starters in the league, and Frank Knauss has emerged as a quality #2 starter. Don Sutton, Dutch Leonard, and Sandy Koufax have been solid behind them with Koufax occasionally spectacular (including the only 1-hitter in the league). Add to that a back-end trio in the bullpen of Dave Von Ohlen and Trevor Hildenberger setting up Watty Clark, and the Royal Giants have everything they need on the mound.

The AAA Shuttle. The Royal Giants have been quite successful in their call-ups.

• Orel Hershiser and Smokey Joe Williams started the year in the WBL, but struggled. Their replacements–Tommy Hanson, Knauss, and Von Ohlen–have been excellent.
• The original duo behind the plate–Mike Piazza and Steve Yeager–were horrible. Their replacements, Al López and Duke Farrell, look OK so far.
• Raúl Mondesí, who earned a spot on the roster out of spring training, struggled, but Jermaine Dye looks to be the real deal as his replacement.

The Running Game. Five players (Duke Snider, Beals Becker, Jackie Robinson, Davey Lopes, and Dickie Thon) have more than 10 steals each.

What’s Gone Wrong

Power. Only Snider and Ron Cey have more than 10 homeruns (although, to be fair, both Becker and Robinson have 9). Still, some more pop would be a welcome addition.

Catching. As referenced above, Piazza was especially a disappointment, as he was expected to add some power to a lineup that really needs it.

The Infield. Cey is set at 3B, and Robinson clearly has a role. But the rest has been … unsettled at best. Dan Brouthers has been miserable at 1B, and may be on his way out of town, and neither Lopes (2B) nor Thon (SS) have really convinced. Ray Dandridge has been excellent in a limited opportunity, and should be an everyday starter from here on out.

Key Storylines

The Royal Giants have managed their AAA movement very well, as detailed above. Probably the key storyline here is their ability to remain competitive while still searching for their identity.

Koufax is a bit of an enigma, and his continued development bears watching–and the thought of what he and Smokey Joe Williams could be is quite enticing.

What to do with Robinson remains a challenge: he doesn’t field well enough to play 2B a ton, and doesn’t hit well enough to play 1B.

Trading Outlook

BUYING.

OFs Dye, Hi Myers, and Matt Holliday have some value. If the right opportunity came along, some of their SP surplus could be on the trading block: Hershiser, Leonard, Knauss.

AAA Shuttle

Piazza and Yeager have both done well at AAA, and may be due for a recall if López or Farrell falter. Likewise, Hershiser has been dominant in the minors and he, along with Darren Dreifort, are ready should they be needed.

Midseason Changes

Infield changes a-plenty. Robinson becomes the everyday 1B, with Brouthers being sent to AAA (Eric Karros was recalled to backup Robinson). 2B/SS is trickier: Dandridge becomes the starter at one of those, but there’s just nobody in the system arguing for playing time. So Dandridge will start, with a bit of rotation between Thon and Lopes, if no other moves are made.

Hildenberger moves into the setup role, demoting Eric Gagne.

Awards

All Stars: Don Drysedale (P).

Pitcher of the Month: Don Drysedale (April)

Offensive MVP: Duke Snider (CF)
Pitching MVP: Don Drysedale (SP)

Down on the Farm

AAA: Queens Kings

Next to the Show: OFs Matt Holliday & Curt Flood, RP Darren Dreifort.

Prospects: P Ralph Branca (22), P Tim Stauffer (26).

Projects: There are a ton, but let’s just focus on the 24 year-olds: P Smokey Joe Williams, C Mike Piazza, OF Raúl Mondesí, OF Curt Flood, and 1B Dan Brouthers.

Suspects: Ron Perranoski (25), Jordan Zimmerman (26), IFs Todd Walker and Manny Trillo (both 33), SS Germany Smith (28).

AA: Jersey City Skeeters

Prospects: CF John Briggs (20), P Lou Marone (23), 3B Hank Majeski (23).

Projects: P Chris Short (21), P Fernando Valenzuela (23), P Dustin McGowan (23), OF Morrie Arnovich (25), C Phil Lombardi (23), SS Sonny Jackson (19).

Suspects: P Ben Hendrickson (23), 1B Kevin Maas (30), IFs Don Heffner (33) and César Izturis (27). P Johnny Ryan (22).