No matter what happens at the Winter Meetings, the draft is where teams are built. While the Springfield Flying Squirrels of Republic had a great Winter Meetings, the draft didn't go nearly as smoothly and while the team should still be a strong contender, the poor performance at the draft has left the Squirrels as just that...contenders. With better drafts in North Texas and Julian, the Squirrels project as a Wild Card team at this point, and that is IF the division doesn't beat each other up too badly.
It was a story of waiting just a touch too long...and it happened again and again and again. An unexpected run on closers left the Squirrels with one legitimate closing option. Waiting around cost the Squirrels a decent catcher and waiting around cost the Squirrels any real depth in the infield. The strengths appear to be in the OF and SP where the Squirrels host a good but not great amount of talent.
Best Case: Jeter comes back in his 2012 form, Valverde and Bell end up closing, the SPing is as stellar as their names suggest, Freeman and Moustakas take another step forward, Trout, Jones, Willingham, and Konerko perform similarly to 2012, and the Squirrels stomp everyone in sight and take the championship.
Worst Case: Jeter hobbles around ending in his retirement, Valverde and Bell inflate team ERA and WHIP, the SPing proves to be nothing but a collection of big names, Freeman, Moustakas, and Trout take a step back, Jones, Willingham, and Konerko regress or stay the same, and the Squirrels miss the playoffs.
Prediction: Jeter is decent, but not great. Valverde closes somewhere, Bell sets up...ERA and WHIP are still inflated. The SPing is good. Freeman and Moustakas improve. Trout regresses, but only slightly. Jones and Konerko hold their numbers. Willingham returns to injury form. Squirrels earn the 4th seed in the playoffs and take 3rd...AGAIN.
Current Depth Chart
C: Jarrod Saltalamacchia
1B: Freddie Freeman
2B: Robinson Cano
3B: Mike Moustakas
SS: Derek Jeter
OF: Mike Trout
OF: Adam Jones
OF: Hunter Pence
OF: Josh Willingham
UTIL: Paul Konerko
SP: Felix Hernandez
SP: Adam Wainwright
SP: Roy Halladay
SP: Dan Haren
SP: Mike Minor
RP: Jason Grilli
RP: Joakim Soria
RP: Eric O'Flaherty
RP: Santiago Casilla
RP: Heath Bell
Bench: OF- Drew Stubbs
Bench: OF- Domonic Brown
Bench: 3B- Lonnie Chisenhall
Bench: 2B- Donovan Solano
Bench: SP- Trevor Cahill
Bench: SP- Wade Davis
Bench: RP- Jose Valverde
Monday, February 11, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
2013 Squirrels Draft Review Rds. 1-8
We're going to take just a brief look into the Squirrels 2013 eMLB draft selections in the first eight rounds. With speculation on how the team is shaping up and perhaps some insight into what GM Adam Anson was thinking with each pick.
Selection 1.12: Felix Hernandez- Felix was clearly the best available player at this spot and solidifies a Hernandez/Wainwright/Halladay triumvirate that should keep the Squirrels in contention week to week in pitching categories. No consideration was given to any other player.
Selection 3.1: Paul Konerko- Konerko continues to put um very solid numbers at 1B and will slide into the UTIL spot for the Squirrels giving them yet another power bat. The Squirrels should be extremely difficult to beat in all the power categories. Consideration was given to Jordan Zimmerman at this spot as well as Wilin Rosario.
Selection 4.12: Derek Jeter- This was a selection that HAD to be made. The Squirrels came into the draft deficient at SS and before trading pick 2.12, were considering taking a SS there. The acquisition of Adam Jones was too much to pass up and the Squirrels watched as Asdrubal Cabrera and Jimmy Rollins slipped off the board. Jeter at 4.12 was the Squirrels' last opportunity to take a known commodity at SS to compliment the rest of the offense. No other players were considered.
Selection 6.13: Mike Minor- This was a bit of a homer Braves fan pick, but Minor would have gone shortly anyway. Minor is coming off a very impressive second half and GM Adam Anson believes that was a sign of things to come. As the Squirrels fifth starter behind Wainwright/Halladay/Hernandez/Haren, Minor should do just fine, and if he builds off his strong second half in 2012, the Squirrels could have one of the best rotations in eMLB to go along with an incredibly stout offense. Consideration was given to Alex Avila and AJ Burnett.
Selection 7.12: Jason Grilli- This was a run based selection. Unfortunately the Squirrels came into the closer run a bit too late and had to settle for Jason Grilli. Grilli posted outstanding K:9 ratios last year and has already been declared the Pirates' closer. Grilli should perform well, this was just not a selection the Squirrels' GM was pleased to be forced into. Consideration was given to Brandon League, Grant Balfour, and Reed Addison.
Selection 8.12: Drew Stubbs- The Squirrels added a proven SB commodity that also hits a few HR in Drew Stubbs as their fifth OFer. Stubbs may see a boost in HR output in his new Cleveland home and while his average will still likely be an issue, he is an excellent fifth OFer and presented value with a pick that GM Anson would like to have used on a closer...but the run killed those options before the pick came due.
Current Depth Chart
C:
1B: Freddie Freeman
2B: Robinson Cano
3B: Mike Moustakas
SS: Derek Jeter
OF: Mike Trout
OF: Adam Jones
OF: Hunter Pence
OF: Josh Willingham
UTIL: Paul Konerko
SP: Felix Hernandez
SP: Adam Wainwright
SP: Roy Halladay
SP: Dan Haren
SP: Mike Minor
RP: Jason Grilli
RP:
RP:
RP:
RP:
Bench: Drew Stubbs
Selection 1.12: Felix Hernandez- Felix was clearly the best available player at this spot and solidifies a Hernandez/Wainwright/Halladay triumvirate that should keep the Squirrels in contention week to week in pitching categories. No consideration was given to any other player.
Selection 3.1: Paul Konerko- Konerko continues to put um very solid numbers at 1B and will slide into the UTIL spot for the Squirrels giving them yet another power bat. The Squirrels should be extremely difficult to beat in all the power categories. Consideration was given to Jordan Zimmerman at this spot as well as Wilin Rosario.
Selection 4.12: Derek Jeter- This was a selection that HAD to be made. The Squirrels came into the draft deficient at SS and before trading pick 2.12, were considering taking a SS there. The acquisition of Adam Jones was too much to pass up and the Squirrels watched as Asdrubal Cabrera and Jimmy Rollins slipped off the board. Jeter at 4.12 was the Squirrels' last opportunity to take a known commodity at SS to compliment the rest of the offense. No other players were considered.
Selection 6.13: Mike Minor- This was a bit of a homer Braves fan pick, but Minor would have gone shortly anyway. Minor is coming off a very impressive second half and GM Adam Anson believes that was a sign of things to come. As the Squirrels fifth starter behind Wainwright/Halladay/Hernandez/Haren, Minor should do just fine, and if he builds off his strong second half in 2012, the Squirrels could have one of the best rotations in eMLB to go along with an incredibly stout offense. Consideration was given to Alex Avila and AJ Burnett.
Selection 7.12: Jason Grilli- This was a run based selection. Unfortunately the Squirrels came into the closer run a bit too late and had to settle for Jason Grilli. Grilli posted outstanding K:9 ratios last year and has already been declared the Pirates' closer. Grilli should perform well, this was just not a selection the Squirrels' GM was pleased to be forced into. Consideration was given to Brandon League, Grant Balfour, and Reed Addison.
Selection 8.12: Drew Stubbs- The Squirrels added a proven SB commodity that also hits a few HR in Drew Stubbs as their fifth OFer. Stubbs may see a boost in HR output in his new Cleveland home and while his average will still likely be an issue, he is an excellent fifth OFer and presented value with a pick that GM Anson would like to have used on a closer...but the run killed those options before the pick came due.
Current Depth Chart
C:
1B: Freddie Freeman
2B: Robinson Cano
3B: Mike Moustakas
SS: Derek Jeter
OF: Mike Trout
OF: Adam Jones
OF: Hunter Pence
OF: Josh Willingham
UTIL: Paul Konerko
SP: Felix Hernandez
SP: Adam Wainwright
SP: Roy Halladay
SP: Dan Haren
SP: Mike Minor
RP: Jason Grilli
RP:
RP:
RP:
RP:
Bench: Drew Stubbs
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