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AS the Phoenix fans get ready to buy tickets to see their new team perform in Burns Stadium, the big question is whether or not the expansion team put on the field can be competitive in the division. G.M. Shattuck sees his team this way:
We will be lead by our outfield of LF-Hemenway (26)2 previous solid years in the league hitting wise, average defender with ++speed. CF-Moy (24)had a good spring, solid all around player. RF-R.Miller (32) in 2009 went .301/22/101 but in 2010 dropped to .243/8/48. A good defender, we need his 2009 bat.
At catcher, Alfredo Torres has 2 seasons hitting above .300 and is a good defender, hopefully he can help our inexperienced pitching staff.
The infield of 1B-Rios (30), 2b-Kean (23), 3B-Burgess (33), and SS-Rivera will be average to below average defensively. Rios and Burgess should hit, but the only depth in sight is 3b/1b Bonner (27). We need a better range defender @ 2b to help this staff.
As far as on the mound, CL- Ward (35) though aging looks to be a solid ground ball throwing closer. The rest of the bullpen has a shot to be good to above average with set-up men Pugh (30) and Costa (28) both possessing great suff, with control being an issue. Brady (32), Strickland (29), and Allen (25) are average to round out the pen, with Strickland and Allen possessing some potential that has not been lived up to yet.
Then we come to what could be our achilles heel this year. Starting Pitching. Many were tried during spring training without very good results. The rotation to start the season will be: Pedro Arteaga (22), missed most of spring traing with an injury, and is the only starter with any experience (16-20 5.06), Christian Dalmer (30), lit up most of the spring but pitched 4 no-hit no-run innings in his last outing. Jose Rios (28), has 4 pitches and could surprise but he really doesn't like to work at it. Brendon Caldwell (27), has 3 average pitches, and had the best spring of the starters. and Mark Davis (26), he will be an interesting project to watch, as he is a reliever we are turning into a starter (hopefully). He has good stuff and control, but only has 2 pitches, which is not ideal for a starter. Also one to watch will be Bill Schultz and his 101mph fastball as we try to make him a starter in AAA.
In summary, we have some interesting talent, but no depth at all and none of the top 100 prospects, as we are an expansion club. So health will be a key. We will be watching the waiver wire & free agent markets constantly, and come July, we'll see if we can deal some veterans to contenders to start getting some prospects for the future. Hopefully we have 2 or 3 players play above and beyond their abilities and keep us in the hunt, but a realistic prediction for our 1st season would be 75-87.
-George Shattuck/Phoenix
We will be lead by our outfield of LF-Hemenway (26)2 previous solid years in the league hitting wise, average defender with ++speed. CF-Moy (24)had a good spring, solid all around player. RF-R.Miller (32) in 2009 went .301/22/101 but in 2010 dropped to .243/8/48. A good defender, we need his 2009 bat.
At catcher, Alfredo Torres has 2 seasons hitting above .300 and is a good defender, hopefully he can help our inexperienced pitching staff.
The infield of 1B-Rios (30), 2b-Kean (23), 3B-Burgess (33), and SS-Rivera will be average to below average defensively. Rios and Burgess should hit, but the only depth in sight is 3b/1b Bonner (27). We need a better range defender @ 2b to help this staff.
As far as on the mound, CL- Ward (35) though aging looks to be a solid ground ball throwing closer. The rest of the bullpen has a shot to be good to above average with set-up men Pugh (30) and Costa (28) both possessing great suff, with control being an issue. Brady (32), Strickland (29), and Allen (25) are average to round out the pen, with Strickland and Allen possessing some potential that has not been lived up to yet.
Then we come to what could be our achilles heel this year. Starting Pitching. Many were tried during spring training without very good results. The rotation to start the season will be: Pedro Arteaga (22), missed most of spring traing with an injury, and is the only starter with any experience (16-20 5.06), Christian Dalmer (30), lit up most of the spring but pitched 4 no-hit no-run innings in his last outing. Jose Rios (28), has 4 pitches and could surprise but he really doesn't like to work at it. Brendon Caldwell (27), has 3 average pitches, and had the best spring of the starters. and Mark Davis (26), he will be an interesting project to watch, as he is a reliever we are turning into a starter (hopefully). He has good stuff and control, but only has 2 pitches, which is not ideal for a starter. Also one to watch will be Bill Schultz and his 101mph fastball as we try to make him a starter in AAA.
In summary, we have some interesting talent, but no depth at all and none of the top 100 prospects, as we are an expansion club. So health will be a key. We will be watching the waiver wire & free agent markets constantly, and come July, we'll see if we can deal some veterans to contenders to start getting some prospects for the future. Hopefully we have 2 or 3 players play above and beyond their abilities and keep us in the hunt, but a realistic prediction for our 1st season would be 75-87.
-George Shattuck/Phoenix
