The Tampa Bay Seminoles have been one of the busier teams on the trade front this off season. If you told this reporter all of the trades the team was going to make, he would have called you crazy. The Seminoles have been very aggressive but the trades were designed to help the team continue to be competitive now and in the future. Let's look at a brief recap:
The first major trade of the off season was a three way block buster deal with Albuquerque Dukes and the Boston Beaneaters. The Seminoles sent Bernie Alvarez and Glenn Sabel to the Dukes while Boston received Phillip Parrish and Ricardo Arias and $5 mil in cash considerations while the Seminoles received Rafael Cruz, Daniel Brantley, Mariano Manzanillo, and Pablo Mota.
The second trade of the season was a bit of a surprise as the Seminoles traded away Steven Walsh to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Derek Swan. Walsh being traded was a surprise considering the Seminoles had just given him a $15 million 3 year contract extension at the end of the season.
The third trade of the season saw newly aquired Rafael Cruz and $800 moved to the Omaha Spikes for P Barney Blue.
The fourth trade of the season saw LF Mariano Guerrero get moved to the Jackson Senators for Javier Pineda, Adam Logan, and Timothy Battle.
The fifth trade of the season saw Tampa Bay send newly aquired P Barney Blue to the Montral Shamrocks for C Donald Jacquez and $5 million.
Confused yet fans? Well the team currently has two trades additional trades pending but are expected to go through. Those trades are:
Pending trade with Jackson Senators who are sending Glendon Lawrence, Chris Barrett, and Howard Brown while the Seminoles are sending Pablo Mota, Matt Hill and $1 million.
Pending trade with the St. Louis Maroons who are sending Chad Connelly and Von Norman while the Seminoles are sending Willie Guapo.
Needless to say how the team shakes out should be interesting and once we get the information we will give you the probable starting day line up.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Season in Review - Position Players
Though the Tampa Bay Seminoles season ended sooner than fans had hoped there is reason to believe the success can be duplicated next season.
The Catcher position saw split duty between two players, but overall was more productive than last season. Between Harrison and Fernandez the C position hit 26 HRs and had 114 RBIs. Fernandez hits for better average but Harrison provides more pop. Defensively the two players are about the same. There are no changes anticipated at this position for the coming season.
C - Sean Harrison - Hit 17 HRs, 67 RBIs and hit .245
C - Jimmie Fernandez - Hit 9 HRs, 47 RBIs and hit .353
The 1B position was once again manned by Willie Guapo. The second year pro didn't win the gold glove this season but only committed 4 errors during the course of the season. Guapo's numbers were comparable to last season and in most categories he improved. There are no changes anticipated at this position for the coming season. The thing to keep in mind is that Guapo is arbitration eligible this coming season.
1B - Willie Guapo - Hit 7 HRs, 72 RBIs, and hit .314
The 2B position was once again manned by Willie Sodowsky. Sodowsky was having a terrific season and was on pace to steal another 100 bases this season until he broke his leg late in the season. While Sodowsky made it back for part of the series with Durham in the play offs his long term health and recovery are question marks. The has caused Tampa Bay to take a wait and see approach before resigning the first year All-Start since he is a FA this coming season. This is a position that could change in the offseason.
2B - Willie Sodowsky - Hit .289, 89 Stolen Bases
The 3B position saw Glenn Sabel move over from short stop before the season started. He showed a marked improvement in fielding at 3B as he only committed 8 errors during the course of the season. Sabel saw his batting average drop almost 30 points between last season and this season. The question the front office has to ask themselves is whether or not Sabel is the future of this position. At this point Sabel will be back unless the front office comes up with an alternative via Free Agency or Trade.
3B - Glenn Sabel - Hit .256, 8 HR, 45 RBIs.
The SS position saw a last minute change when the Seminoles picked up Steven Walsh off the waiver wire before the season started. Walsh started off the season on fire at one point hitting over .350, which helped him make the All-Start team, before coming back down to Earth and finishing with a respectable .316 average due to a late season slump. The Seminoles gave Walsh a 3 year contract extension so there is no reason to think he will not be back next season as the starting SS. The one thing the team needs to ensure is that they have an able back up for the days Walsh needs to be rested.
SS - Steven Walsh - Hit .316, 8 HR, 44 RBIs.
The LF position saw Mariano Guerrero take over. The first year MLer played well in his first full season though he had the misfortune of hitting behind Pat Brantley but Guerrero provided great insurance for Brantley. Guerrero appears to be a fixture out in LF for years to come so we see no change at this position.
LF - Mariano Guerrero - Hit .283, 26 HRs, 71 RBIs, SLG% .515
The CF position was manned by Jose Martin, the man who keeps finding a way to be valuable to the team. This is the 2nd year in a row that Martin did not start out as the starter in CF but the team had enough faith in him to trade away the starter. Martin appears to be the front runner to start in CF this coming season though this is the last season of his contract so depending on his demands may determine if this is the last season we see him in a Seminoles uniform.
CF - Jose Martin - Hit .279, 23 HRs, 83 RBIs
The RF position was manned by Pat Brantley. If there was a franchise player, Brantley would be it. How he didn't make the All-Star team is still a mystery but that will only serve to fuel his fire to become an even better player. RF is not a position that the Seminoles will have to worry about for years. The only worry the front office has is whether or not to give him a long term contract this season or next season since he is arbitration eligible again this coming offseason.
RF - Pat Brantley - Hit .295, 30 HRs, 119 RBIs
Players to keep an eye on:
Chuck Wall - 1B AAA - the man can hit the ball a long way and hit a little over .300 but can he translate that success at the ML level? At 23 the Seminoles can afford to wait and see but don't be surprised when he's at Spring Training which could determine his future since the position is currently manned by Willie Guapo.
Anthony Hughes - RF AA - Hit an impressive .338 in lead off duty for the AA team club. He has all the tools to be an everyday RF but lacks the speed to be a consistently good lead off man at the ML level and doesn't have a lot of power. So as the team moves forward it will have to see what other positions he can play since Pat Brantley has the RF position locked up at the ML level.
Ralph Bravo - 2B High A - Hit .336 leading off for the High A club. The club is still considering whether or not he can play 2B well enough to play it at the ML level but he could be a viable replacement for Sodowsky down the road, assuming Sodowsky resigns wwith the team this coming offseason.
Pete Maddox - LF Low A - Only had 94 ABs at the Low A level but earned a promotion after hitting .327 in Rookie league. Maddox was the 1st round draft pick and the team has high hopes for Maddox. While he may be a few seasons away from playing at the ML level he does give the team some options going down the road.
The Catcher position saw split duty between two players, but overall was more productive than last season. Between Harrison and Fernandez the C position hit 26 HRs and had 114 RBIs. Fernandez hits for better average but Harrison provides more pop. Defensively the two players are about the same. There are no changes anticipated at this position for the coming season.
C - Sean Harrison - Hit 17 HRs, 67 RBIs and hit .245
C - Jimmie Fernandez - Hit 9 HRs, 47 RBIs and hit .353
The 1B position was once again manned by Willie Guapo. The second year pro didn't win the gold glove this season but only committed 4 errors during the course of the season. Guapo's numbers were comparable to last season and in most categories he improved. There are no changes anticipated at this position for the coming season. The thing to keep in mind is that Guapo is arbitration eligible this coming season.
1B - Willie Guapo - Hit 7 HRs, 72 RBIs, and hit .314
The 2B position was once again manned by Willie Sodowsky. Sodowsky was having a terrific season and was on pace to steal another 100 bases this season until he broke his leg late in the season. While Sodowsky made it back for part of the series with Durham in the play offs his long term health and recovery are question marks. The has caused Tampa Bay to take a wait and see approach before resigning the first year All-Start since he is a FA this coming season. This is a position that could change in the offseason.
2B - Willie Sodowsky - Hit .289, 89 Stolen Bases
The 3B position saw Glenn Sabel move over from short stop before the season started. He showed a marked improvement in fielding at 3B as he only committed 8 errors during the course of the season. Sabel saw his batting average drop almost 30 points between last season and this season. The question the front office has to ask themselves is whether or not Sabel is the future of this position. At this point Sabel will be back unless the front office comes up with an alternative via Free Agency or Trade.
3B - Glenn Sabel - Hit .256, 8 HR, 45 RBIs.
The SS position saw a last minute change when the Seminoles picked up Steven Walsh off the waiver wire before the season started. Walsh started off the season on fire at one point hitting over .350, which helped him make the All-Start team, before coming back down to Earth and finishing with a respectable .316 average due to a late season slump. The Seminoles gave Walsh a 3 year contract extension so there is no reason to think he will not be back next season as the starting SS. The one thing the team needs to ensure is that they have an able back up for the days Walsh needs to be rested.
SS - Steven Walsh - Hit .316, 8 HR, 44 RBIs.
The LF position saw Mariano Guerrero take over. The first year MLer played well in his first full season though he had the misfortune of hitting behind Pat Brantley but Guerrero provided great insurance for Brantley. Guerrero appears to be a fixture out in LF for years to come so we see no change at this position.
LF - Mariano Guerrero - Hit .283, 26 HRs, 71 RBIs, SLG% .515
The CF position was manned by Jose Martin, the man who keeps finding a way to be valuable to the team. This is the 2nd year in a row that Martin did not start out as the starter in CF but the team had enough faith in him to trade away the starter. Martin appears to be the front runner to start in CF this coming season though this is the last season of his contract so depending on his demands may determine if this is the last season we see him in a Seminoles uniform.
CF - Jose Martin - Hit .279, 23 HRs, 83 RBIs
The RF position was manned by Pat Brantley. If there was a franchise player, Brantley would be it. How he didn't make the All-Star team is still a mystery but that will only serve to fuel his fire to become an even better player. RF is not a position that the Seminoles will have to worry about for years. The only worry the front office has is whether or not to give him a long term contract this season or next season since he is arbitration eligible again this coming offseason.
RF - Pat Brantley - Hit .295, 30 HRs, 119 RBIs
Players to keep an eye on:
Chuck Wall - 1B AAA - the man can hit the ball a long way and hit a little over .300 but can he translate that success at the ML level? At 23 the Seminoles can afford to wait and see but don't be surprised when he's at Spring Training which could determine his future since the position is currently manned by Willie Guapo.
Anthony Hughes - RF AA - Hit an impressive .338 in lead off duty for the AA team club. He has all the tools to be an everyday RF but lacks the speed to be a consistently good lead off man at the ML level and doesn't have a lot of power. So as the team moves forward it will have to see what other positions he can play since Pat Brantley has the RF position locked up at the ML level.
Ralph Bravo - 2B High A - Hit .336 leading off for the High A club. The club is still considering whether or not he can play 2B well enough to play it at the ML level but he could be a viable replacement for Sodowsky down the road, assuming Sodowsky resigns wwith the team this coming offseason.
Pete Maddox - LF Low A - Only had 94 ABs at the Low A level but earned a promotion after hitting .327 in Rookie league. Maddox was the 1st round draft pick and the team has high hopes for Maddox. While he may be a few seasons away from playing at the ML level he does give the team some options going down the road.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Season Ends for Tampa Bay
The Seminoles lost 6-5 in a game that saw starting pitcher Ben Neal get hurt with what appeared to be a serious injury. In a game that went back and forth, the Seminoles came up short in their bid to try and knock off the Number 1 seeded team in the NL to move onto the NLCS. Management was quoted as saying
"We had a great season and accomplished our two main goals. The first goal was to improve on our record from last year, which we did by 5 games. Our second goal was to make the play offs which we did. Making the second round and taking Durham to game 5 is more than we could of asked for at the beginning of the season."
The one area of worry for the team is Ben Neal who looks to require surgery on his elbow. How he recovers from the injury could have a large impact on the pitching rotation next season. Neal was unavailable for comment after the game. The front office still has confidence in Neal and feels that his contract isn't prohibitive so should he fall off some he isn't a large burden on team finances.
Yet to be decided though is whether or not the team can get a contract worked out with Willie Sodowsky who hits the Free Agent market this coming off season. Rumors are that both sides are in serious talks but any new contract won't come till the winter meetings.
"We had a great season and accomplished our two main goals. The first goal was to improve on our record from last year, which we did by 5 games. Our second goal was to make the play offs which we did. Making the second round and taking Durham to game 5 is more than we could of asked for at the beginning of the season."
The one area of worry for the team is Ben Neal who looks to require surgery on his elbow. How he recovers from the injury could have a large impact on the pitching rotation next season. Neal was unavailable for comment after the game. The front office still has confidence in Neal and feels that his contract isn't prohibitive so should he fall off some he isn't a large burden on team finances.
Yet to be decided though is whether or not the team can get a contract worked out with Willie Sodowsky who hits the Free Agent market this coming off season. Rumors are that both sides are in serious talks but any new contract won't come till the winter meetings.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Tampa advances to 2nd Round
The Tampa Bay Seminoles beat Ottawa in a dramatic game 5 and will now take on division winner Durham, who won 119 games this season to lead the majors. Tampa Bay will continue to use their 3 pitcher starting rotation in hopes of trying to tame Durham's hitters. The biggest challenge facing the Seminoles is trying to put together enough hits to win the game against Durham's pitching line up.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Regular Season Ends
The Tampa Bay Seminoles regular season ended today as they beat Durham on the road. Tampa Bay won a record setting 92nd game in the process. The play off picture is now set and Tampa Bay will be taking on Ottawa in the first round of the play offs. Ottawa struggled to win their division and finished under .500 but the Seminoles are not taking their opponent lightly. Pat Brantley was asked and said "Ottawa played us tough during the regular season and in the play offs records mean nothing. The only records that count for anything are those in the series." The first round schedule has yet to be released but the first game will take place in Ottawa and either Sammy Campos or Bernie Alvarez appear to be the likely starters.
Of Note:
Ben Neal - Finished the 16-5 and is in the running for his first Cy Young Award. Neal is not the hands on favorite to win the award but said this "After finishing last season 8-10 with the Dukes I'm glad to be able to come to Tampa and turn it around and even be considered for the Award is reward enough." As fans may remember the front office was so impressed with Neal's efforts this season they gave him a contract extension and consider Neal a solid part of the future.
Willie Sodowsky - Came off the DL today even though he is listed as day to day. The front office is holding out hope that while he may not play in the first round of the play offs, he may be avialable in the second round assuming the Seminoles make it that far. Sodowsky is scheduled to be a free agent after this season and even though he prefers to stay and the front office would like him to stay his recovery will directly affect his contract status.
Erik Lawrence - was moved to the bull pen for the first round of the play offs. When asked about the move Lawrence said "I'll do what is best for the team and of late I haven't played especially well." The front office also noted that Ottawa is pitching 20 points higher against lefties than righties and Lawrence in his last outing completely imploded so they feel giving him some bullpen duty will help rebuild his confidence.
Pat Brantley - In his first full season with Tampa Brantley finished the season with 30 HRs and 119 RBIs. Last season Brantley was bounced between 3 teams and finished with an impressive 27 HRs and 100 RBIs. Brantely credited his ability to stay with the same team all season to his improved numbers. Brantley is arbitration eligible again this coming season and the front office said that will work hard to get a long term deal done but if not then the following season will get a long term contract completed with Brantely. "Pat Brantley is too valuable a player to not sign term but this coming offseason may not be the right time to do it. We have some contracts we need to get off the books and when we do that will give us a lot of flexibility to sign key players to long term contracts."
Of Note:
Ben Neal - Finished the 16-5 and is in the running for his first Cy Young Award. Neal is not the hands on favorite to win the award but said this "After finishing last season 8-10 with the Dukes I'm glad to be able to come to Tampa and turn it around and even be considered for the Award is reward enough." As fans may remember the front office was so impressed with Neal's efforts this season they gave him a contract extension and consider Neal a solid part of the future.
Willie Sodowsky - Came off the DL today even though he is listed as day to day. The front office is holding out hope that while he may not play in the first round of the play offs, he may be avialable in the second round assuming the Seminoles make it that far. Sodowsky is scheduled to be a free agent after this season and even though he prefers to stay and the front office would like him to stay his recovery will directly affect his contract status.
Erik Lawrence - was moved to the bull pen for the first round of the play offs. When asked about the move Lawrence said "I'll do what is best for the team and of late I haven't played especially well." The front office also noted that Ottawa is pitching 20 points higher against lefties than righties and Lawrence in his last outing completely imploded so they feel giving him some bullpen duty will help rebuild his confidence.
Pat Brantley - In his first full season with Tampa Brantley finished the season with 30 HRs and 119 RBIs. Last season Brantley was bounced between 3 teams and finished with an impressive 27 HRs and 100 RBIs. Brantely credited his ability to stay with the same team all season to his improved numbers. Brantley is arbitration eligible again this coming season and the front office said that will work hard to get a long term deal done but if not then the following season will get a long term contract completed with Brantely. "Pat Brantley is too valuable a player to not sign term but this coming offseason may not be the right time to do it. We have some contracts we need to get off the books and when we do that will give us a lot of flexibility to sign key players to long term contracts."
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Seminoles Make Play Offs
Tampa Bay made the play offs tonight though not in the way they'd hoped. The Seminoles playing division rival Toledo lost tonight 5-3 but locked up a play off spot when Honolulu lost. While the Seminoles have made the play offs they are still fighting to see who they will play in the first round. This could prove pivotal as the top Wild Card team would play the winner of the NL North which would be either Chicago or Ottawa, two teams that at best will finish .500. So as the Seminoles take on Durham in the final series of the season they control their own fate.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Willie Sodowsky IInjured!
Tampa Bay Seminoles 2B Willie Sodowsky was injured during tonight's game. The exact extent of the injury is unknown but early speculation is that it is a leg fracture and will be out the rest of the regular season. Should the Tampa Bay Seminoles make the play offs it is expected that Sodowsky would probably miss the first round. The front office has not decided who will be promoted to fill the roster spot nor if it will be a fielder or another pitcher. The timing of Sodowsky's injury couldn't have come at a worse time with Tampa trying to make a push at the play offs and Sodowsky being a Free Agent at seasons end. Sodowsky was hitting .289 with 89 stolen bases and was on pace to once again swipe 100 or more stolen bases. We will keep you updated as we get more information.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Transaction Deadline Passes
The official transaction deadline passed last night and the Tampa Bay Seminoles made no moves. There were talks with several teams as the deadline approached but in the end the Seminoles appear content to play out the season with the team as it is. Most of the trade activity appeared to be centered around Steven Hollandsworth in AAA who the Seminoles value highly. Though several tempting offers came in, the front office in the end decided that the return wasn't worth giving up Hollandsworth who is the best pitcher in the Seminoles farm system.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Trade Deadline Approaching
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, will the Tampa Bay Seminoles get a deal done? The front office has been pretty tight lipped about what, if anything they are looking for. Rumor has it that Steven Hollandsworth in AAA might be available for the right package of players. The Seminoles could use another big bat since they settled the SP with the addition of Bernie Alvarez. Rumor has it that a trade with Louisville was in the works but appears to have broken down at the current moment.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Bernie Alvarez is now a Seminoles!
In a surprising move the Tampa Bay Seminoles have acquired Bernie Alvarez from Boston in a huge deal that sent CF Sexson and two minor league players to Boston. Alvarez has not been playing well in Boston with an 11-7 record and a 4.67 ERA. Seminoles management believed that the opportunity to acquire Alvarez was too good to pass up. So what does this mean for the Starting Pitching rotation? At the moment it appears that Mike Zerbe will be moved back to the bullpen for Long Relief. Losing Sexson was the hardest part of the deal for the front office as Sexson will be a future CF for many years to come. Sexson’s spot on the roster will not be replaced with another position player and taking over in CF will be Jose Martin who in 195 At Bats this season is hitting .272 with 9 HRs and 38 RBIs.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
All-Star Team Announced
Four Tampa Bay Seminoles will be appearing in the All-Star game this season doubling the number of All-Stars the team had last season. The following players will be representing the Seminoles:
Ben Neal - Coming fresh off his Pitcher of the Week Award, Neal is leading the team in wins. With an impressive 12-2 record, 2.61 ERA, OAV of .239, and a WHIP of 1.10, Neal has been sensational since joining the Seminoles. The front office has been so impressed with Neal they just gave him a 3 year $15 million dollar extension.
Scott Raines - As the full time closer this season Raines has converted 26 of 29 save opportunities. His 26 saves are best for 3rd in the ML. Recently Raines has seen his ERA climb to 4.13 but when asked the front office thinks it is simply due to him having to pitch in so many save situations and are not worried.
Steven Walsh - Making his first All-Star appearance, this selection is not a surprise considering he is leading all Short Stops in batting average at .342 and even though he bats seventh in the line up he still has 5 HRs and 28 RBIs. Walsh has also been impressive on the defensive side of the things with a .982 fielding percentage. Walsh was just recently signed to a 3 year, $15 million contract extension.
Willie Sodowsky - Sodowsky maks his first All-Star appearance as the back up 2B. Sodowsky is having another solid season as the lead off man for the Seminoles hitting .300 with 59 stolen bases. Sodowsky has already hit 14 doubles almost matching his total of 15 last season and has hit 5 triples almost matching his total of 6 last season. Sodowsky is in the final year of his contract and management is in negotiations on a possible contract extension considering Sodowsky stole 125 bases last season and is on pace to steal over 100 bases this season.
All-Star selections of note:
Vic Silva - now playing for the Atlanta Black Crackers, this former Seminoles is hitting .276 with 28 HRs and 66 RBIs.
Steven Doughtery - now playing for the Boston Beaneaters, this former Seminoles in his first full season in the ML is hitting .282 with 20 HRs and 63 RBIs.
Ben Neal - Coming fresh off his Pitcher of the Week Award, Neal is leading the team in wins. With an impressive 12-2 record, 2.61 ERA, OAV of .239, and a WHIP of 1.10, Neal has been sensational since joining the Seminoles. The front office has been so impressed with Neal they just gave him a 3 year $15 million dollar extension.
Scott Raines - As the full time closer this season Raines has converted 26 of 29 save opportunities. His 26 saves are best for 3rd in the ML. Recently Raines has seen his ERA climb to 4.13 but when asked the front office thinks it is simply due to him having to pitch in so many save situations and are not worried.
Steven Walsh - Making his first All-Star appearance, this selection is not a surprise considering he is leading all Short Stops in batting average at .342 and even though he bats seventh in the line up he still has 5 HRs and 28 RBIs. Walsh has also been impressive on the defensive side of the things with a .982 fielding percentage. Walsh was just recently signed to a 3 year, $15 million contract extension.
Willie Sodowsky - Sodowsky maks his first All-Star appearance as the back up 2B. Sodowsky is having another solid season as the lead off man for the Seminoles hitting .300 with 59 stolen bases. Sodowsky has already hit 14 doubles almost matching his total of 15 last season and has hit 5 triples almost matching his total of 6 last season. Sodowsky is in the final year of his contract and management is in negotiations on a possible contract extension considering Sodowsky stole 125 bases last season and is on pace to steal over 100 bases this season.
All-Star selections of note:
Vic Silva - now playing for the Atlanta Black Crackers, this former Seminoles is hitting .276 with 28 HRs and 66 RBIs.
Steven Doughtery - now playing for the Boston Beaneaters, this former Seminoles in his first full season in the ML is hitting .282 with 20 HRs and 63 RBIs.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Ben Neal Earns Pitcher of the Week
Tampa Bay Seminoles pitcher Sammy Campos earned a Pitch of the Week award (10/16/2008-10/23/2008). He gave up 4 earned run(s) in 22 innings for an ERA of 1.64. He went 4-0 over a span of 4 games. Neal struck out 15 while only walking 4.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Sammy Campos Earns Pitcher of the Week
Tampa Bay Seminoles pitcher Sammy Campos earned a Pitch of the Week award (9/30/2008-10/07/2008). He gave up 6 earned run(s) in 30 innings for an ERA of 1.80. He went 4-0 over a span of 4 games. Campos struck out 30 while only walking 7.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Seminoles stumble out of the blocks
The Tampa Bay Seminoles have started the season off playing below expectations. With the season being 21 games in, the Seminoles are only 11-10. So why are our beloved Seminoles playing .500 ball? The obvious answer is hitting. As team the Seminoles are only hitting .241, which is 5th worse in the Major Leagues. Leading the way in the hitting poorly section is Glenn Sabel who is hitting an abysmal .135 and when asked why he is hitting so poorly Sabel said "Right now every time I hit the ball it seems to find a defender. I'm getting no luck but I'm going to keep working at it and things should come around." The team has started to come around and the team batting average has actually improved if you can imagine that.
The bright spot so far has been the pitching. The team ERA is currently 3.44 and the starting pitching has been dynamite with the exception of Ray Hamelin who is 1-2 with a 5.85 ERA. Hamelin has been moved to the bullpen for now and the team is going with Zerbe as the 5th starter.
Is the front office worried? Early indications are they are not worried since the season is so young. The general feeling is that when the hitting comes around the team should be ok but they are keeping a close eye on the situation and will make moves if they deem it necessary.
The bright spot so far has been the pitching. The team ERA is currently 3.44 and the starting pitching has been dynamite with the exception of Ray Hamelin who is 1-2 with a 5.85 ERA. Hamelin has been moved to the bullpen for now and the team is going with Zerbe as the 5th starter.
Is the front office worried? Early indications are they are not worried since the season is so young. The general feeling is that when the hitting comes around the team should be ok but they are keeping a close eye on the situation and will make moves if they deem it necessary.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Position Players Preivew
Tampa Bay Seminoles retooled the offense this off season and we will break down the starter at each position.
Greg Wallace C
Hitting: Wallace was a late season acquisition and hit .231 in 156 AB. Wallace wasn't acquired for his bat and depending on how the team is playing may determine how many at bats Wallace sees.
Fielding: Wallace was acquired to help the pitching staff and is solid behind the plate and is known for his defensive prowess.
Consensus: Wallace has another season left on his contract and it is hard to imagine the Seminoles keeping him past that. Wallace is at best a stop gap until the team finds a catcher of the future but if you ask the front office they are more than happy to have Wallace on the team and aren't looking for a replacement.
Willie Guapo 1B
Hitting: Guapo finished last season batting .310 even after a late slump lowered his batting average almost 15 points. His greatest asset is his ability to draw walks as he was walked 86 times and only struck out 83 times.
Fielding: What more can you say after Gold Glove. Guapo committed a paltry 2 errors last season and is looking to improve on that figure to try and capture his second straight Gold Glove Award.
Consensus: Guapo is only 24 entering this season and should only improve as a hitter. The front office considers a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come. The only thing he needs to worry about is living up to his own expectations.
Willie Sodowsky 2B
Hitting: last season Sodowsky finished the season batting .284 as the Seminoles lead off man. His most impressive stat though was the 125 Stolen Bases he racked up during the course of a 162 games. The biggest knock on Sodowsky's hitting was he only had 16 doubles on the season but when you hear the front office talk that is not a concern to them. Sodowsky will once again be the lead off man for the Seminoles.
Fielding: Sodowsky finished the season with 14 errors last season for a .983 fielding percentage. At age 30 fans may wonder if his play is going to start diminishing as a fielder but the front office is confident he will play at the same high level he did last season.
Consensus: Sodowsky enters the final year of his contract and has expressed interest in wanting to stay with the Seminoles. The Seminoles would also like to keep him on the team but in order to justify the expected cash demands he will have to keep his production levels strong and prove his fielding isn't declining.
Glenn Sabel 3B
Hitting: Sabel hit .281 last season and was a solid contributor considering he hits in the bottom portion of the line up.
Fielding: Sabel was moved over to 3B after he committed 37 errors at SS last season. The front office felt that he was better suited for 3B and Sabel agreed saying he would do "Whatever is in the best interest of the team."
Consensus: Sabel's move to 3B was the only way many saw him being able to stay on the team. The move should also help his hitting since he seemed to bat poorly when he played poorly and at 24 he has plenty of room to grow into his new position.
Steven Walsh SS
Hitting: Walsh hit .270 while playing for the Dukes last season and was a late waiver wire pick up. He's not much of a power threat but should hit as well if not better than last season here in Tampa Bay and is a much needed Switch hitter.
Fielding: Walsh is a much improved defensive upgrade over Glenn Sabel (who moved to 3B) and turns a major weakness into a major strength for the Seminoles. Walsh has the potential to be a legitimate threat for a Gold Glove.
Consensus: Walsh might not bring a lot of excitement to the batting line up but he is a solid hitter. Hid fielding skills should help the pitching staff win more games and he is in the last year of his contract so if he doesn't work out the Seminoles do not lose much making Walsh a low risk, high reward player.
Mariano Guerrero LF
Hitting: The Seminoles were more than excited when they acquired Guerrero this offseason. He brings much needed pop to the line up and even though he is a rookie the front office has high hopes and he has big shoes to fill in replacing Fernandez.
Fielding: Guerro should be an adequate fielder and should not play any worse than Fernandez. Being a rookie he will have to learn how different parks play.
Consensus: The Seminoles showed a lot of faith in this 21 year old rookie and have high hopes he can become a cornerstone of the franchise. If his bat gets hot that will over shadow any fielding short comings that fans may see.
Jocko Sexson CF
Hitting: Sexson hit .358 in limited action last season with Colorado and when the front office of the Seminoles got a chance to get him from Montreal they took it because of the pop he could give the line up.
Fielding: Sexson has the tools to be a solid CF and while he may not be an upgrade over Jose Martin, he is not going to hurt the team either.
Consensus: Sexson appears to be the long term answer that the Seminoles were looking for at CF solidifying another position with a young player who as long as he can stay healthy should be around for a long time to come.
Pat Brantley RF
Hitting: Brantley spent time with three teams last season the last of which was Tampa Bay where he hit .326 in 135 AB with 10 HR and 27 RBIs. He should only improve this season now that he will be spending a full season here in Tampa Bay.
Fielding: Brantley is a solid fielder who committed no errors in his 33 games with Tampa Bay. Seeing how he plays over the course of a full season will tell the front office how consistent of a player he will be for the team.
Consensus: The Seminoles have another young solid player in Brantley to build around. Brantley has the potential to be an All Star and does not have to carry the burden of being the lone sole power hitter on the team. While the team chose to arbitrate Brantley this year they have plans to sign him long term once they get some other contracts off the books.
Greg Wallace C
Hitting: Wallace was a late season acquisition and hit .231 in 156 AB. Wallace wasn't acquired for his bat and depending on how the team is playing may determine how many at bats Wallace sees.
Fielding: Wallace was acquired to help the pitching staff and is solid behind the plate and is known for his defensive prowess.
Consensus: Wallace has another season left on his contract and it is hard to imagine the Seminoles keeping him past that. Wallace is at best a stop gap until the team finds a catcher of the future but if you ask the front office they are more than happy to have Wallace on the team and aren't looking for a replacement.
Willie Guapo 1B
Hitting: Guapo finished last season batting .310 even after a late slump lowered his batting average almost 15 points. His greatest asset is his ability to draw walks as he was walked 86 times and only struck out 83 times.
Fielding: What more can you say after Gold Glove. Guapo committed a paltry 2 errors last season and is looking to improve on that figure to try and capture his second straight Gold Glove Award.
Consensus: Guapo is only 24 entering this season and should only improve as a hitter. The front office considers a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come. The only thing he needs to worry about is living up to his own expectations.
Willie Sodowsky 2B
Hitting: last season Sodowsky finished the season batting .284 as the Seminoles lead off man. His most impressive stat though was the 125 Stolen Bases he racked up during the course of a 162 games. The biggest knock on Sodowsky's hitting was he only had 16 doubles on the season but when you hear the front office talk that is not a concern to them. Sodowsky will once again be the lead off man for the Seminoles.
Fielding: Sodowsky finished the season with 14 errors last season for a .983 fielding percentage. At age 30 fans may wonder if his play is going to start diminishing as a fielder but the front office is confident he will play at the same high level he did last season.
Consensus: Sodowsky enters the final year of his contract and has expressed interest in wanting to stay with the Seminoles. The Seminoles would also like to keep him on the team but in order to justify the expected cash demands he will have to keep his production levels strong and prove his fielding isn't declining.
Glenn Sabel 3B
Hitting: Sabel hit .281 last season and was a solid contributor considering he hits in the bottom portion of the line up.
Fielding: Sabel was moved over to 3B after he committed 37 errors at SS last season. The front office felt that he was better suited for 3B and Sabel agreed saying he would do "Whatever is in the best interest of the team."
Consensus: Sabel's move to 3B was the only way many saw him being able to stay on the team. The move should also help his hitting since he seemed to bat poorly when he played poorly and at 24 he has plenty of room to grow into his new position.
Steven Walsh SS
Hitting: Walsh hit .270 while playing for the Dukes last season and was a late waiver wire pick up. He's not much of a power threat but should hit as well if not better than last season here in Tampa Bay and is a much needed Switch hitter.
Fielding: Walsh is a much improved defensive upgrade over Glenn Sabel (who moved to 3B) and turns a major weakness into a major strength for the Seminoles. Walsh has the potential to be a legitimate threat for a Gold Glove.
Consensus: Walsh might not bring a lot of excitement to the batting line up but he is a solid hitter. Hid fielding skills should help the pitching staff win more games and he is in the last year of his contract so if he doesn't work out the Seminoles do not lose much making Walsh a low risk, high reward player.
Mariano Guerrero LF
Hitting: The Seminoles were more than excited when they acquired Guerrero this offseason. He brings much needed pop to the line up and even though he is a rookie the front office has high hopes and he has big shoes to fill in replacing Fernandez.
Fielding: Guerro should be an adequate fielder and should not play any worse than Fernandez. Being a rookie he will have to learn how different parks play.
Consensus: The Seminoles showed a lot of faith in this 21 year old rookie and have high hopes he can become a cornerstone of the franchise. If his bat gets hot that will over shadow any fielding short comings that fans may see.
Jocko Sexson CF
Hitting: Sexson hit .358 in limited action last season with Colorado and when the front office of the Seminoles got a chance to get him from Montreal they took it because of the pop he could give the line up.
Fielding: Sexson has the tools to be a solid CF and while he may not be an upgrade over Jose Martin, he is not going to hurt the team either.
Consensus: Sexson appears to be the long term answer that the Seminoles were looking for at CF solidifying another position with a young player who as long as he can stay healthy should be around for a long time to come.
Pat Brantley RF
Hitting: Brantley spent time with three teams last season the last of which was Tampa Bay where he hit .326 in 135 AB with 10 HR and 27 RBIs. He should only improve this season now that he will be spending a full season here in Tampa Bay.
Fielding: Brantley is a solid fielder who committed no errors in his 33 games with Tampa Bay. Seeing how he plays over the course of a full season will tell the front office how consistent of a player he will be for the team.
Consensus: The Seminoles have another young solid player in Brantley to build around. Brantley has the potential to be an All Star and does not have to carry the burden of being the lone sole power hitter on the team. While the team chose to arbitrate Brantley this year they have plans to sign him long term once they get some other contracts off the books.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Seminoles retool Defense
In a surprising move the Tampa Bay Seminoles claimed off waivers SS Steven Walsh who played last season with the Dukes. Walsh is an excellent defensive SS who hit a solid .270 last. What made him so attractive to the font office is that he is in the last year of his contract and his play could determine if he will be back after this season or he will hit the Free Agent Market.
The move also allows the team to move players to more natural positions. Glenn Sabel has been moved from SS to 3B after committing a 37 errors last season at SS. Team officials feel that 3B is a more natural position for Glenn and should help improve his confidence that at times least season appeared to be shaky. Gold Glove winner Jose Martin, who was thought to be moving back into the in field, will stay in CF with the recent aquisition of Walsh.
The move also allows the team to move players to more natural positions. Glenn Sabel has been moved from SS to 3B after committing a 37 errors last season at SS. Team officials feel that 3B is a more natural position for Glenn and should help improve his confidence that at times least season appeared to be shaky. Gold Glove winner Jose Martin, who was thought to be moving back into the in field, will stay in CF with the recent aquisition of Walsh.
Seminoles Trade for a C
The Seminoles continued to try and improve the team by trading for Boston C Rod Saunders. Saunders hit .270 last season and should provide an offensive improvement over Greg Wallace. Team officials indicated that Wallace and Saunders would likely share duties at Catcher unless a trade can be brokered. The odd man out appears to be Jimmy Fernandez a solid hitting catcher who most see as a better option at DH.
In other news and rumors, apparently the Seminoles were reportedly shopping around All Star, Silver Slugger Vic Fernandez. When asked about it, front office officials simply said they were exploring all options to improve the club and that they have had many discussions with many clubs regarding many players. So what does that mean in plain english? Your guess is as good as mine but it would appear that if the club received offers for Fernandez none were attractive enough for them to move him.
In other news and rumors, apparently the Seminoles were reportedly shopping around All Star, Silver Slugger Vic Fernandez. When asked about it, front office officials simply said they were exploring all options to improve the club and that they have had many discussions with many clubs regarding many players. So what does that mean in plain english? Your guess is as good as mine but it would appear that if the club received offers for Fernandez none were attractive enough for them to move him.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Major Trade Brokered!
The Tampa Bay front office has just confirmed that SP Mark Post and 3B Vic Silva have been traded to Atlanta for LF J.D. Krivda and minor league SP Steven Hollandsworth assuming that all players involved in the trade pass their physicals.
Fans may remember that Mark Post came over in a late season trade and went 6-5 with an ERA of 2.94 in 13 games with Tampa. Vic Silva played well last year with the Seminoles playing 160 games and during that time hit .269 and had 39 HR and 112 RBIs. The main question mark with Silva was his defense as he has a fielding percentage of .946 which many believe kept him out of the running for any player awards.
In picking up J.D. Krivda, the Seminoles addressed a pressing need in team speed. Last season Krivda hit .284 in 121 games. Minor league pitcher Steven Hollandsworth appears to be a season or two away from being ML ready. A team scout was quoted as saying "Hollandsworth is a rare talent and when you get a chance to get a pitcher like that you are foolish to pass on it."
When asked where Krivda was likely to play, team officals indicated that a position change is probably in order but will not confirm at this time where that might be to.
Fans may remember that Mark Post came over in a late season trade and went 6-5 with an ERA of 2.94 in 13 games with Tampa. Vic Silva played well last year with the Seminoles playing 160 games and during that time hit .269 and had 39 HR and 112 RBIs. The main question mark with Silva was his defense as he has a fielding percentage of .946 which many believe kept him out of the running for any player awards.
In picking up J.D. Krivda, the Seminoles addressed a pressing need in team speed. Last season Krivda hit .284 in 121 games. Minor league pitcher Steven Hollandsworth appears to be a season or two away from being ML ready. A team scout was quoted as saying "Hollandsworth is a rare talent and when you get a chance to get a pitcher like that you are foolish to pass on it."
When asked where Krivda was likely to play, team officals indicated that a position change is probably in order but will not confirm at this time where that might be to.
Rebuilding?
Sources within the Tampa Bay front office have said the team may be contemplating a rebuilding project. Apparently there is concern about the lack of talent in the minors and concern how far the team can go into the play offs. So the question becomes should the team trade off the talent they have and build for the future or should they play out the season and how things go? As we get more information we will keep fans updated.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
BREAKING NEWS - Julian Julio Traded
Sources in the Tampa Bay front offices have silently confirmed reports that Julian Julio has been traded to Louisville for three minor league players, pending all players passing physicals. The key component in the trade for Tampa Bay is minor league player Mariano Guerrero.
Fans may remember that last season was a contentious one with Julio as the slugger slumped late in the season. It was felt that a demotion to AAA might help him find his swing again. Julio at that time requested a trade saying that "management has no idea what they are doing with my kind of talent" and though he was brought back up later in the season he was not the same player. Julio ended up hitting an abysmal .236 but had 34 HRs and had 105 RBIs on the season.
Guerro looks to be a future star at LF which may prove a problem since All-Star and Silver Slugger Vic Fernandez currently mans that position. One front office manager was quoted as saying "Guerro has a rare combination of hitting skills and power that we were looking for."
The other two players involved in the trade deal are minor league players CF Murray Adcock and minor league P Jim Service.
Fans may remember that last season was a contentious one with Julio as the slugger slumped late in the season. It was felt that a demotion to AAA might help him find his swing again. Julio at that time requested a trade saying that "management has no idea what they are doing with my kind of talent" and though he was brought back up later in the season he was not the same player. Julio ended up hitting an abysmal .236 but had 34 HRs and had 105 RBIs on the season.
Guerro looks to be a future star at LF which may prove a problem since All-Star and Silver Slugger Vic Fernandez currently mans that position. One front office manager was quoted as saying "Guerro has a rare combination of hitting skills and power that we were looking for."
The other two players involved in the trade deal are minor league players CF Murray Adcock and minor league P Jim Service.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Offical Name Change
The Tampa Front Office is proud to announce that the Tampa Bay Alligators are now officially called the Tampa Bay Seminoles. The front office felt that "Seminoles" is a more classic name and is readily identifiable to the State of Florida.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
