Scott Diamond – The Whirled League https://wbl.dmlco.com/wp Baseball The Way It Never Was Thu, 23 Jul 2020 03:15:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 178681366 Spring Training Preview: Ottawa https://wbl.dmlco.com/wp/2020/06/20/spring-training-preview-ottawa/ Sat, 20 Jun 2020 06:57:37 +0000 https://wbl.dmlco.com/wp/?p=266
  • The starting rotation is set, but the bullpen is still up in the air. Questions abound about Karl Spooner as a closer, and the group of Greg Holland, Ryan Dempster, and Chris Leroux needs to sort itself out.
    • Old Hoss Radbourn and Roy Halladay have struggled, opening some room in the rotation behind Gary Peters, Clark Griffith, and Bob Brown. Randy Johnson looks the most likely to take advantage.
      • Peters, Griffith, and Brown seem set, but the Mounties still need to sort out the final 3 slots. Johnson’s talent is undeniable, but he and Felix Hernandez have been hit quite hard, leaving Halladay, Dempster, and Radbourn in the lead.
    • Spooner, Leroux, and Scott Diamond have struggled mightily, throwing the bullpen into a bit of chaos. Holland and Ted Bowsfield have been excellent.
      • It just got worse, to the point where Diamond, Leroux, and Spooner were all sent down to AAA. Monk Dubiel and Tom Henke were recalled.
      • Bowsfield is the closer, with Gary Lavelle and Steve Howe in front of him.
  • 1B is a bit of a logjam, with John Olerud leading the way, but being pushed by John Mayberry, Carlos Delgado, and Roy Sievers.
    • The best performer at 1B has been Steve Garvey, who is really more of a 3B at this point in his career. Beyond that, the logjam remains even more closely packed as Olerud and Sievers have both had problems.
      • Garvey and Delgado are doing well, with Mayberry and Sievers heading to AAA.
  • Tim Raines may be the best option at 2B, but he’s not long for the infield, and Roberto Alomar, Bernie Allen, and George Cutshaw aren’t far behind Raines.
  • At 3B, Josh Donaldson and Anthony Rendon are clearly both on the roster, but the starer is yet to be determined. Same thing at SS with Freddy Parent and Alex Rodriguez.
    • Parent is ahead of A-Rod at the moment. Henry Easterday has been added to the roster for some flexibility, but has little chance of making the final roster.
  • The OF is totally open: Brant Alyea and Jackie Jensen look solid, but behind them George Van Haltren, Larry Walker, Phil Bradley, Rick Monday, and Terry Puhl haven’t really separated themselves from each other, and Ken Griffey, Jr. has a shot as well.
    • Ah, Spring. Alyea and Jensen have been the worst of the lot, with Puhl, Bradley, and Monday leading the way.
      • Alyea, Van Haltren, and Jensen would all start at AAA if the season started now.
  • Kirt Manwaring is great defensively, but given he has yet to get a single hit, he’s not likely to make the opening day roster.
    • Near DefiniteLikelyPossibleLong Shot
    Starting PitchersClark Griffith
    Gary Peters
    Bob Brown    		Old Hoss Radbourn
    Roy Halladay
    Ryan Dempster    		Randy Johnson
    Feliz Hernandez
    Middle RelieversGreg Holland
    Reggie Cleveland
    		Tom Henke
    Monk Dubiel
    SetupGary Lavelle
    Steve Howe
    CloserTed Bowsfield
    CGary CarterEmil GrossKirt Manwaring
    1BCarlos Delgado
    John Olerud
    2BTim Raines
    George Cutshaw    		Bernie Allen
    Roberto Alomar
    3BJosh Donaldson
    Anthony Rendon    		Steve Garvey
    SSFreddy Parent
    Alex Rodriguez    		Henry Easterday
    OFPhil Bradley
    Terry Puhl    		Ken Griffey, Jr.
    Larry Walker
    Rick Monday    		Brant Alyea
    Jackie Jensen
    George Van Haltren
    ]]>     266