2017 was a difficult year. The Jokers wish to rebound in 2018. The owner target a .500 ball club but management believe the team could win a little bit more games then 82. Will it be enough to going back in playoff, nobody knows but players will try to stay competitive all year long, even if Eureka and K-C are now two powerhouse.
Pitching: The rotation did very well in spring training. Jose Serrano posted a 4-0; 2,25 era in march. Everybody wish he could bring this excellence to the real season. Lou Latulippe will continu to develop but he's already a solid #2. Bob Magee and Derrick Scott will occupy spot #3 and 4 and finally, Buddy Wills will take the last spot. He had some difficult showing in spring trainning but management believe he have more upside then Brent Welsh. So he will start on the rotation and we'll see if he can stay there. Is number one start will be against the reigning champion; Kansas City. A good test. Wills started 3 times in 2017 and did well with a 2.21 era.
In relief, there's a lot of improvement needed. Last year, the team could'nt get the job done in last inning. So with Sixto Lavio and Yamashita, we expect a better ending. Yamashita had a strong training camp with 9 saves and a 2.79 era. Last year, he played yo-yo between starter and closer and that did not help him. This year, he will stay in bullpen, no mather what happen in the starting rotation. He won the job in front of Robinson Fernandez, who did very well but will be back in AAA to gain more experience. But don't be surprise if he's call-up sooner then later. The others relievers, Solis, Hoskins and Fox need to upgrade their play. If they can pitch like they did in spring training, the team could surprise if the relief do a good job.
Infield: Only one change in the infield, the young Valentin Alverado will take the 2B job. He still could improve at bat but his defense will be an upgrade over Sasaki. Philip Smith, Mitch Lyon, Adrian Brown and Veton Zhugli will complete the infield. Management expect a better defense this year, that's why they sacrifice a bit of offense to obtain it.
Outfield: Probably the strenght of the team with Yamamoto and Babi. The two players will hit many homers and drive a lot of run. Each year, Las vegas attack is one of the best in TML. In center field, Bruce Joyner will take #1 spot on the lineup. He need to continu his good work. Finally, Colin St.John will take the DH spot. At 36, he's still one of the best hitter in the league. The management will have to decide if they offer him another contract or not.
So everyone he's ready in Vegas. PLAYBALL!
Las Vegas Jokers ABL team
lundi 24 février 2014
samedi 1 février 2014
Review of a difficult year- part 1
For the second time in their history, the Jokers did not make the playoff. They weren't even close to do it. So the management made a big splash in trading the best player in ABL history Maurice Gould. The decision was tough but with the performance of Latulippe, Baba and Alverado, the decision was a good one. The fans in Vegas still love Gould so they don't cheer when he got hammered by SoCal in the playoff this year. But the Gould trade was not the only move in Vegas, Jose Serrano came in Vegas in a big trade with New-York. Serrano is not Gould but he will provide a number 1 SP in Vegas. Let's look how Vegas players performed this year.
SP
Lou Latulippe: At 22, the Young Latulippe meet the expectation management had in him when they traded Gould to obtain his service. A 12-5 records with a very good 3,73 era was clearly the kind of pitching management expect from him. He still need to develop a bit more and gain experience but he will Anchor the rotation sooner then expected. We give him an A for last season.
Jose Serrano: At the beginning of the year, everyone in Vegas know that the starter position need to be upgraded. In july, the team finally decide to trade a big bat to obtain some good arms. Serrano was the key man of the trade. His arrival in Vegas was not easy. A 3-4 record with a huge 6.05 ERA, not the kind of stats we expect from a number 1 pitcher. But he arrive in a team a bit demotivated by the way the season goes so it will be interresting to see if he could put better number next year. For his stint in Vegas, we gave him a D
Bob Magee: He arrive with a lot of confidence in training camp and everyone expect big thing from the righty. The key word from him is inconstancy. Very good some nights, pretty bad some others. Overall he finished with a 10-11 4.93 record. He need to have more good days next year. C
Derrick Scott: For a number 4 starter, he put reasonable numbers on the table. A 13-13 record with a 4.58 era is exactly what we can expect from a bottom of rotation starter. He will never be a star but he's doing a ok job. We give him a B-
Buddy Wills: The team recall him in september and he did well. He posted a very good 2.21 era with a record of 1-2. Of course, three starts is not enough to get hyper excited but that could be enough to earn him a spot in next year rotation. It will be interesting to see what he could do over a whole year. For he's 3 starts, we give him an A
Brent Welch: The 27 years old southpaw grab the 5th spot in the rotation. He was not the worse pitcher but didn't impress either. So his post is in danger. If Wills have a strong training camp, he will go back in bullpen or in AAA. D
Relief
The relief was a pain in the ... all year long. It seems that every reliever had a bad year in the same time. Many games were lost in the last innings were the pitching staff could'nt do a good job. But there's some ray of light for next year.
Sixto Lavio: Obtain in New-York trade, Lavio was the best pitcher in Vegas in the last two months. He posted an 1.93 Era with a record of 4-1. He trully emerge as the set-up man the team was looking for. For what he did in Vegas, we give him an A.
Nobuhisa Yamashita: The Young pitcher was at time a starter, at time the closer. This yo-yo between the two affectations did not pay. It seems to have mixed-up the young pitcher. So next year, he will be in the bullpen and it will be interesting to see what he could do all year in a closer role. He finished the year with 11 saves, even if he started 17 times. So he have a lot to give and we didn't see the best right now. C-
Nick Fox: The righty had an off year. In fact, the problem seem to be the homer he concede. He allowed 10 more then his previous years. If Vegas saw him in a closer role at the beginning of the year, it seem quite clear now that he won't be the permanent answer here. He really need to cut the number of bomb he concede to be back on a important role in relief. D
Javier Solis: The vet obtain in Serrano trade seems to be on a steady decline. The last two years was very difficult for him and like Fox, he conceed to many homers. A problem that could become a huge handicap in a hitter friendly park. Solis was not effective in the last two months, posting a huge 7.20 era. It will be interesting to see if management will void the last year of his contract. E
Weldon Hoskins: Habitually a steady middle man in relief, Hoskins was innefective last year. A 6.26 era was quite the double of what he gave habitually. I don't think management give-up in his case but he will need to be back on track quickly. If not, he could be on the move. D-
Matt Messer: After having a very good 2016 season, Messer dissapoint in 2017. A 2-4, 5.13 era was not what management expected from him. He seem to have lost a little something during the last year. So he's clearly in danger to be demoted. He need to be better. D
Tom Wagner: A mop-up or a long relief specialist. He had a difficult year but expectation were very low in his case. He had a good 2016 years but it could be more luck then anything else. D-
Prospect
Of course, Robinson Fernandez is a huge prospect. He could have seen some time in major if not a big injury late in the season. For sure, he will compete for a job in the bullpen.
SP
Lou Latulippe: At 22, the Young Latulippe meet the expectation management had in him when they traded Gould to obtain his service. A 12-5 records with a very good 3,73 era was clearly the kind of pitching management expect from him. He still need to develop a bit more and gain experience but he will Anchor the rotation sooner then expected. We give him an A for last season.
Jose Serrano: At the beginning of the year, everyone in Vegas know that the starter position need to be upgraded. In july, the team finally decide to trade a big bat to obtain some good arms. Serrano was the key man of the trade. His arrival in Vegas was not easy. A 3-4 record with a huge 6.05 ERA, not the kind of stats we expect from a number 1 pitcher. But he arrive in a team a bit demotivated by the way the season goes so it will be interresting to see if he could put better number next year. For his stint in Vegas, we gave him a D
Bob Magee: He arrive with a lot of confidence in training camp and everyone expect big thing from the righty. The key word from him is inconstancy. Very good some nights, pretty bad some others. Overall he finished with a 10-11 4.93 record. He need to have more good days next year. C
Derrick Scott: For a number 4 starter, he put reasonable numbers on the table. A 13-13 record with a 4.58 era is exactly what we can expect from a bottom of rotation starter. He will never be a star but he's doing a ok job. We give him a B-
Buddy Wills: The team recall him in september and he did well. He posted a very good 2.21 era with a record of 1-2. Of course, three starts is not enough to get hyper excited but that could be enough to earn him a spot in next year rotation. It will be interesting to see what he could do over a whole year. For he's 3 starts, we give him an A
Brent Welch: The 27 years old southpaw grab the 5th spot in the rotation. He was not the worse pitcher but didn't impress either. So his post is in danger. If Wills have a strong training camp, he will go back in bullpen or in AAA. D
Relief
The relief was a pain in the ... all year long. It seems that every reliever had a bad year in the same time. Many games were lost in the last innings were the pitching staff could'nt do a good job. But there's some ray of light for next year.
Sixto Lavio: Obtain in New-York trade, Lavio was the best pitcher in Vegas in the last two months. He posted an 1.93 Era with a record of 4-1. He trully emerge as the set-up man the team was looking for. For what he did in Vegas, we give him an A.
Nobuhisa Yamashita: The Young pitcher was at time a starter, at time the closer. This yo-yo between the two affectations did not pay. It seems to have mixed-up the young pitcher. So next year, he will be in the bullpen and it will be interesting to see what he could do all year in a closer role. He finished the year with 11 saves, even if he started 17 times. So he have a lot to give and we didn't see the best right now. C-
Nick Fox: The righty had an off year. In fact, the problem seem to be the homer he concede. He allowed 10 more then his previous years. If Vegas saw him in a closer role at the beginning of the year, it seem quite clear now that he won't be the permanent answer here. He really need to cut the number of bomb he concede to be back on a important role in relief. D
Javier Solis: The vet obtain in Serrano trade seems to be on a steady decline. The last two years was very difficult for him and like Fox, he conceed to many homers. A problem that could become a huge handicap in a hitter friendly park. Solis was not effective in the last two months, posting a huge 7.20 era. It will be interesting to see if management will void the last year of his contract. E
Weldon Hoskins: Habitually a steady middle man in relief, Hoskins was innefective last year. A 6.26 era was quite the double of what he gave habitually. I don't think management give-up in his case but he will need to be back on track quickly. If not, he could be on the move. D-
Matt Messer: After having a very good 2016 season, Messer dissapoint in 2017. A 2-4, 5.13 era was not what management expected from him. He seem to have lost a little something during the last year. So he's clearly in danger to be demoted. He need to be better. D
Tom Wagner: A mop-up or a long relief specialist. He had a difficult year but expectation were very low in his case. He had a good 2016 years but it could be more luck then anything else. D-
Prospect
Of course, Robinson Fernandez is a huge prospect. He could have seen some time in major if not a big injury late in the season. For sure, he will compete for a job in the bullpen.
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