The Straphangers made major strides in their second season. Despite only improving by 11 wins and finishing 10th overall, the Straphangers were in the playoff race for a good portion of the season, even flirting with a .500 record at one point. The Calvosa brothers knew that the team had little hope of advancing in the playoffs should the stars align, so they ended up trading away a some of their spare parts before the deadline. However, things look very good for the Straphangers in 2009...What went right: B.J. Upton and Ryan Braun blossomed into stars on the offensive side, while Fausto Carmona and Cole Hamels did well in the rotation. Akinori Otsuka was an anchor in a shaky bullpen before being traded away.
What went wrong: The Calvosas had no pretense of their team's abilities - there were some smoke and mirrors involved in the team's improbably playoff run. Daisuke Matsuzaka showed signs of life but ultimately lost 19 games with a 5.22 ERA. Most of the bullpen was inconsistent. The team got subpar production from Kevin Youkilis, Ken Griffey, and Raul Ibanez.
2009 Outlook: The Sardines look like they might make the first step toward becoming a contender this season. With a real shot to make the playoffs, it will be interesting to see what strategy the Calvosas employ in their draft. The club has high expectations of youngsters Braun, Youkilis, Evan Longoria, and Carlos Quentin. The pitching staff may require a bit of tinkering, but Hamels and rookie Joba Chamberlain should be a good start.
2 comments :
Umm, we have no expectations for Youkilis in 2009. Conor Jackosn and Brendan Morrow might be another story. MAR might have some for Youkilis.
Greg
Oops, see what happens when I go by the stupid mirror league site!
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