The Mudcats always seem to fluctuate in and out of contention. After a disappointing 2007 season, the Cats were hoping for more in 2008, but instead finished just 2 games out of last place overall.What went right: Well... not that much really. Dustin Pedroia had a great year as the number one overall draft pick and won the Listach Award. The Mudcat bullpen was solid, at least until the trade deadline, when much of the roster was jettisoned.
What went wrong: Just about everything. The offense sputtered and finished near last in OPS. Barry Zito, Brian Bannister, and Mike Pelfrey were disasters in the rotation, and reliever/closer Brian Fuentes threw as much gasoline on the fire as he could find. The team led the league in blown saves (11 by Fuentes alone) - this despite the fact that the team was tied for fourth in quality starts.
2009 Outlook: Things don't look much better at the moment for the Mudcats. They'll need an extremely strong draft and some good keepers to get back in contention next season. The rotation looks to be decent for next year, but the team needs major help on offense.
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