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2021 Minor League Thread

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We are gonna get to see our 2022 rotation in some form over the last month.

Biebs, Civale, Plesac, Quantrill, TMac, Morgan, Allen.

We are in a situation in which we literally can't keep them all as starters.

Minnesota literally does not have a rotation for 2022. Four of their original starters are gone, and the fifth will be a FA.

The Royals are not as bad, but close. Minor is bad and old. The rest of their rotation are very young and have struggled badly..and for the most part, their peripherals don't look that good.

Both the Twins and Royals have ancient rosters, and are gonna have to bite the bullet and play the kids.

Detroit will have a young staff, maybe Boyd, Mize, Skubal, Manning, and Alexander.

Compared to ours, its no contest.

None of the three have an offensive advantage over us. Minnesota has scored 11 more runs in two more games.

Only Detroit is in a financial and development situation in which they could spend significantly. But when looking at that, we add Bieber and Civale. The Tigers will have to spend a lot just to match that.

None of those three are gonna challenge us over a full season in 2022.
 
We are gonna get to see our 2022 rotation in some form over the last month.

Biebs, Civale, Plesac, Quantrill, TMac, Morgan, Allen.

We are in a situation in which we literally can't keep them all as starters.

Minnesota literally does not have a rotation for 2022. Four of their original starters are gone, and the fifth will be a FA.

The Royals are not as bad, but close. Minor is bad and old. The rest of their rotation are very young and have struggled badly..and for the most part, their peripherals don't look that good.

Both the Twins and Royals have ancient rosters, and are gonna have to bite the bullet and play the kids.

Detroit will have a young staff, maybe Boyd, Mize, Skubal, Manning, and Alexander.

Compared to ours, its no contest.

None of the three have an offensive advantage over us. Minnesota has scored 11 more runs in two more games.

Only Detroit is in a financial and development situation in which they could spend significantly. But when looking at that, we add Bieber and Civale. The Tigers will have to spend a lot just to match that.

None of those three are gonna challenge us over a full season in 2022.
I love your optimism and I hope you're right, but I'm not committing to that. Detroit has a few nice, young prospects in the upper levels that could make an impact. We should be significantly better than them, but baseball is a funny game. The same can be said for the Royals. 8 of Minnesota's top 10 prospects are at AA or already making their MLB review. A good portion of them are SP prospects. Yeah, I think we're in a better spot right now, but they're not far off either.
 
There is one thing that Minny, Detroit, and KC have not been able to do...turn promising young pitchers into a viable rotation.

To think that any one of them is going to put four or five of them in a rotation and compete over 162 games is...um...far fetched.

If you look at all of their young pitchers, which one would you trade Quantrill for to make us a better team next year? And Quantrill right now is our #4.
 
Or look at it this way.

Our near MLB ready/near ready SPs are Morris, Pilkington, Battenfield, Espino, Allen Jr, Scott, Morgan, Cantillo, Allen sr, Quantrill, Moss, TMac.

All are in AA or higher.

Which group from any of the other orgs in the division would you trade our group?

And we aren't even talking about Biebs, Civale, and Plesac, who are under control for three (Biebs) or four years.

Everybody wants to talk about all the young talent that the other orgs have that is gonna hit MLB soon, but we are way ahead of the curve in the thing that counts the most in baseball...pitching.

And everybody wants to talk about windows of contention. But as long as we have the advantage in pitching, our window is open.
 
Oh I love where this pitching staff is at CATS. I've posted on it numerous times and I still find it astounding, but I'm not naive enough to think that Cleveland has the only talented young SP, even though our system is likely deeper than just about any other in terms of SP. Unpredictable things happen in a baseball season every year.

Nobody, especially me, is suggesting that our window of contention is closing. You probably shouldn't try to put words in people's mouths. All I'm saying is that if you think Cleveland is the only team in the AL Central that is improving then I think you are mistaken. This team should be in contention for quite some time, but I'm not writing off any other team in the division.
 
Or look at it this way.

Our near MLB ready/near ready SPs are Morris, Pilkington, Battenfield, Espino, Allen Jr, Scott, Morgan, Cantillo, Allen sr, Quantrill, Moss, TMac.

All are in AA or higher.

Which group from any of the other orgs in the division would you trade our group?

And we aren't even talking about Biebs, Civale, and Plesac, who are under control for three (Biebs) or four years.

Everybody wants to talk about all the young talent that the other orgs have that is gonna hit MLB soon, but we are way ahead of the curve in the thing that counts the most in baseball...pitching.

And everybody wants to talk about windows of contention. But as long as we have the advantage in pitching, our window is open.
The rotation in Akron is collectively better than half the major league rosters. Plenty of ammo available to solve the corner outfield conundrum moving forward. The team is on the cusp of competing with the big boys. Corner outfielders and the bullpen need upgrades.
 
Oh I love where this pitching staff is at CATS. I've posted on it numerous times and I still find it astounding, but I'm not naive enough to think that Cleveland has the only talented young SP, even though our system is likely deeper than just about any other in terms of SP. Unpredictable things happen in a baseball season every year.

Nobody, especially me, is suggesting that our window of contention is closing. You probably shouldn't try to put words in people's mouths. All I'm saying is that if you think Cleveland is the only team in the AL Central that is improving then I think you are mistaken. This team should be in contention for quite some time, but I'm not writing off any other team in the division.
KC and Detroit are getting better and better. The Twins on the other hand have a lot of work to do.

The pitching depth in the organization is in fact miles ahead of other teams...and that's exciting to say the very least.
 
Yes, I think that nobody within are division can come close to equaling our young pitching. Not today, not next year, not in the next four years.

If you disagree, somebody please give me a list of young starters from another division rival that matches what we have for the next four years.

Detroit overall is getting better.

KC is not. Since winning the WS in 2015, they have won 81-80-58-59-70 (pro rated) games, and are gonna end up between 70-73 wins this year. Instead of taking a step back and rebuilding/retooling with youngsters, they have kept recycling older players. Their roster is just now beginning to get younger, but its still older than ours. Sure they have some good looking prospects ready to hit MLB. But bringing up a bunch of kids means taking a step back.

Anyone of a mind that anybody is gaining on us should reconsider, because it means that we are about to take a step back...and with our rotation in front of such a young roster, that is highly unlikely.

Name one core player on our team that looks to be due a major regression. Then name the ones that are due to trend up.

Without making one move in the offseason, just the return of Bieber-Civale-Plesac to go with the emergence of Quantrill makes us an improved team.
 
Yes, I think that nobody within are division can come close to equaling our young pitching. Not today, not next year, not in the next four years.

If you disagree, somebody please give me a list of young starters from another division rival that matches what we have for the next four years.

Detroit overall is getting better.

KC is not. Since winning the WS in 2015, they have won 81-80-58-59-70 (pro rated) games, and are gonna end up between 70-73 wins this year. Instead of taking a step back and rebuilding/retooling with youngsters, they have kept recycling older players. Their roster is just now beginning to get younger, but its still older than ours. Sure they have some good looking prospects ready to hit MLB. But bringing up a bunch of kids means taking a step back.

Anyone of a mind that anybody is gaining on us should reconsider, because it means that we are about to take a step back...and with our rotation in front of such a young roster, that is highly unlikely.

Name one core player on our team that looks to be due a major regression. Then name the ones that are due to trend up.

Without making one move in the offseason, just the return of Bieber-Civale-Plesac to go with the emergence of Quantrill makes us an improved team.
Bieber's last start was June 13. Plesac was out from May 23 to July 8. Civale from June 21 to September 7.

Quantrill started in the pen and it took him a few starts to stretch out and find his groove. His first good start was on July 7.

McKenzie got sent down, came up and sputtered, and finally started pitching well on Aug. 5 when his ERA was 6.11.

So basically we have not had any of those five pitching well the entire season. Bieber had a 3.28 ERA when he got hurt. Quantrill's ERA in his last ten starts is 2.07. McKenzie is at 1.85 in his last five starts. Civale has a 3.32 ERA in 15 starts. Plesac is bringing up the rear with a 4.53 ERA.

If we got approximately those levels of performance next season from those five, the Indians will be tough to beat.

And yeah, Kansas City is heavily dependent on aging players like Merrifield, Santana, and Salvador Perez to keep them going.
 
KC is going to be really tough in a couple years. Similar situation to the Indians, lot of AA/AAA bubbling on the cusp
Yeah..agree... beyond 2023.. if they don't shoot themselves in their collective feet again..
 
So speaking of corner OF's what do you guys think of Oscar Gonzales? At 23 he seems to have had a breakout type season

 
So speaking of corner OF's what do you guys think of Oscar Gonzales? At 23 he seems to have had a breakout type season

Oscar is counting the days until the DH is universal...

He has a good arm in the OF but lacks in other areas...
Yes he has power in the bat and this year he has made the best avg contact of his career. He also has posted a career high 20 walks taken.

He has already been passed over twice in the R5 draft (2019 & 2020). My guess is he is playing somewhere else in 2022 (via minor league free agency)
 
There is one thing that Minny, Detroit, and KC have not been able to do...turn promising young pitchers into a viable rotation.

To think that any one of them is going to put four or five of them in a rotation and compete over 162 games is...um...far fetched.

If you look at all of their young pitchers, which one would you trade Quantrill for to make us a better team next year? And Quantrill right now is our #4.
Not one single pitcher from the Twins, Tigers or Royals would be able to step in w/ the quality outings we've been seeing from Quantrill.. Not for the 2022 season.. not one.. although.. in time.. There are some arms that are worth considering:

Minn: Simeon Woods-Richardson.. although he's stumbled through the 2021 season... this is a quality arm that has some ability.. Blaine Enlow isn't a bad prospect either.. Both combined?.. sure, but only if Groshans or Moreno are part of a bigger deal..

Det: You have to like the way Tarik Skubal attacks the zone & is ready now.. but, he's not at Quantrill's level.. Joey Wentz and Matt Manning are also good arms.. but clearly not ready to replace Quantrill.. in a year of two.. Jackson Jobe.. could and may become their # 1 prospect.. If he stays healthy.. he could become a beast... especially if the sticky ball is imported from Japan..

KC has NO ONE.. not right right now.. Jackson Kowar is interesting.. but not much more than that.. Like Jackson Jobe with the Tigers.. Asa Lacy with the Royals has a chance to become someone special...very special indeed.. but not right now.. and not in 2022...

Good question...
 

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