2015 Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Team Preview

Evan Longoria (TB - 3B)

Summary:   Semper Ubi Sub Ubi (SUSU) was a surprise contender last season as it suffered some down season from players that are capable of better numbers.  The team lacks power potential and features a fairly large gap in pitching.  If those problems are addressed, look for SUSU to continue its contending ways.

Offense:  SUSU's offense is led by the diminutive though productive 2B Jose Altuve.  Altuve was on the market during the last preseason but SUSU decided against trading him and that decision turned out to be a good one as Altuve managed 56 SB and .341 batting average and ranked as the 5th best player in the game in 2014.  After Altuve, things get a little more lackluster with the surprising OF JD Martinez and 3B Evan Longoria, who is consistent but hasn't up put star numbers.  Speedster outfielders Billy Hamilton and Bret Gardner represents some of the best speed potential in the game while super-utility man 2B/SS/OF Ben Zobrist remains a valuable asset despite finding himself on a new team this season.  Disappointments OF Jay Bruce as well as SS Jean Segura will need to rebound to 2013 numbers for SUSU to continue to be a contender and WS Champ Brandon Belt will need to get better in order to remain rosterable.  Youngsters C Mike Zunino, OF Domonic Brown and OF Jorge Soler remain impressively talented and will be counted to tap into that talent at some point this season.  Prospects OF Clint Frazier and OF Raimel Tapia had nice minor league seasons and are must holds moving forward.  SUSU will need more than most to go right in order to remain productive as it will be hard to count on a guy like Martinez while the the likes of Bruce and Segura squander. Speed is not an issue for this team though power may be as no player registered more than Longoria 91 RBIs last season.  Potentially finding some power potential and getting some insurance at 3B and potentially hedging its bets at catcher with someone like Christian Betancourt (Atl - C), JT Realmuto (Mia - C) or Kevin Plawecki (NYM - C) might be smart here.

Pitching:  Going into the season, no pitcher is hotter than ace and WS MVP Madison Bumgarner but after the lefty SUSU's next best starter was Danny Duffy last season.  The team's most likely next best pitcher is flamethrower Andrew Cashner but his injury history hampers that projection.  Starters Michael Wacha and Chris Archer would likely be the next arms in line though Wacha experienced a decent sophomore slump while Archer did improve his K/9 ratio.  Speaking of K/9 ratio, teammate Jake Odorizzi and his 9.3 K's per game cemented him as a keeper though youngsters Rubby De La Rosa and UK alum James Paxton will need to step it up in the new season.  SUSU possesses some of the best relievers in the game with closers Mark Melancon, Addison Reed and Kenley Jansen, who is now out 8 to 12 weeks as he recovers from foot surgery.  Prospect Tyler Glasnow is close to being big league ready and the lack of legit starters makes Rule-5 selection Kohl Stewart a likely must keep.  As previously mentioned, after Bumgarner the rest of SUSU's starters fail in comparison which doesn't bode well.  Finding high-caliber arms on contending teams or those on the cusp of production will be key to SUSU's future success or failure.

Draft:  SUSU often demonstrates the strategy of drafting the best player available (BPA) and tends to learn towards players that are close rather than those it might wait on to be big league ready.  With that being said, this team will likely still have to choose between addressed it apparent lack of power and its lack of pitching.  Look for SUSU to address the rare power player in that scenario and try its best to fill its pitching holes later through other avenues.

Prediction:
RD 1:  Steven Souza (TB - OF) - New starter is an intriguing power/speed combo at 6'4/225
RD 2:  Brett Cecil (Tor - RP) - Currently the potential Toronto closer
RD 3:  AJ Cole (Was - SP) - Proved to be ready for MLB, all he needs is an opportunity
RD 4:  Braxton Davidson (Atl - OF) - 2014 1st RD pick has highly projectable frame and bat
RD 5:  Kohl Stewart (Min - SP) - R5 Keeper
RD 6:  Raimel Tapia (Col - OF) - Keeper

Prospect Draft:
RD 1:  Renato Nunez (Oak - 3B) - Hit 29 HRs last season, arguably best 3B prospect available
RD 2:  Amed Rosario (NYM - SS) - Mets just waiting on him to progress before calling him up
RD 3:  Monte Harrison (Mil - OF) - 2014 draftee with true 5-tool ability as he matures

2015 Third Day Team Preview

Zack Wheeler (NYM - SP)

Summary:  A lot of things went wrong for Third Day's (TD) players last season but some surprising play from some unlikely sources will make this team fun to watch. On top of all that, if the youth of this team comes through then this team could really be something to see going forward.

Offense:  To be honest, TD's offense probably should have been better last year as it is fairly
talented but was inconsistent.  Outfielder Adam Jones and 1B Victor Martinez were head and shoulders the best bats on the team with new Blue Jay three-bagger Josh Donaldson and 20/20 Brian Dozier, who continues to surprise, as likely the next best.  Martinez, the 7th best player overall in 2014, has since torn his meniscus and will miss 4 to 8 weeks, making him questionable for the start of the season. On top of that, Martinez loses catcher eligibility this season and is 36 year-old.  After those four, the next highest ranked bat is catcher Jonathan Lucroy at 104 overall, which isn't to say this team is lacking talent.  First baseman Billy Butler and  OF Jason Heyward find themselves on new teams though they and 2B Jason Kipnis failed to build on past potential while 1B/3B Chris Davis suffered an untimely suspension for Adderall use and the talented SS/2B Jurickson Profar missed last season opting against shoulder surgery but is now slated to have surgery and could miss all of 2015.  Amazingly, the versatile SS/OF Danny Santana 6th best offensive player last year while fellow Twin OF Oswaldo Arcia may of had a power breakout in 2014. Arismendy Alcantara looks more like a future utility guy while on the Cubs though 3B Jake Lamb may or not start the season in the majors but along with Raul Mondesi, Jr. and uber-prospect Byron Buxton remain very talented.  If Jones and Donaldson repeat, TD's offensive hopes seems to swing on the output of Heyward, Kipnis, Butler, Profar, and Davis while Martinez heals.  Dealing the aging and now hurt Martinez to a contender might be a smart move and a potential steal though the risk might outweigh the return.  Still, there is a lot to like here and age doesn't seem to be an issue, minus Martinez.

Pitching:  Like it's offense, the pieces are there for TD to have a successful staff if all goes right.  The dynamic Chris Sale remains amongst the top AL arms, NL ROY Jacob deGrom looks poised to avoid a sophomore slump while fellow Mets teammate Zack Wheeler has all the talent as long as he is healthy.  Pitcher Shelby Miller partly suffered the aforementioned sophomore slump last season but will look to correct that on the Braves.  The biggest bump in the road is Tyler Skaggs, who will be out all season and will have to face TJ surgery but that losses would be lightened if the likes of the underrated Henry Owens finds himself in Boston, top draft talent and TJ surgery healer Lucas Giolito debuts in Washington, and Arizona bound Archie Bradley find themselves pitching in the majors this season.  The gambles continue with TD's relievers Ken Giles and Kevin Quackenbush who are currently closers in waiting but are seemingly on the cusp of closing.  Getting some help from some quality MLB pitching while it waits on the great arms of Owens, Giolito, and Bradley would help this team, which makes Rule-5 pick Anibal Sanchez a fairly safe keep.  Also, the possible ascension of Giles and Quackenbush to 9th inning duties would surely help as well.

Draft:  With the 2nd overall pick in both drafts, it will be smart to presume TD goes high upside with many of its picks while some slight lean towards pitching.  Assuming Carlos Rodon is previously selected, the young Texas flamethrower Tyler Kolek would be a logical selection with the 2nd pick. If offense is the choice, OF Alex Jackson, SS Nick Gordon and Korean SS Jung-ho Kang as potential options.

Prediction:
RD 1:  Tyler Kolek (Mia - SP) - See above (Josh Beckett clone?), scored an 80 fastball from BA
RD 2:  Michael Taylor (Was - OF) - Many are calling him a big sleeper and is very projectable
RD 3:  Bradley Zimmer (Cle - OF) - Nice pedigree and college bat should move quickly
RD 4:  Jake Marisnick (Hou - OF) - Physical specimen came on late last year, nice ballpark
RD 5:  Anibal Sanchez (Det - SP) - R5 Keeper on good team will help solidify young staff
RD 6:  Henry Owens (Bos - SP) - Keeper

Prospect Draft:
RD 1: Nomar Mazara (Tex - OF) - Likely the best bat available and hard to pass on
RD 2: Gilbert Lara (Mil - 3B) - Projectable international signee with Juan Gonzalez comparisons
RD 3: Andy Ibanez (FA - 2B) - Cuban import may become the best 2B prospect in the game