2058 In Review
91-72 Record; 4th in Atlantic
831 Runs Scored; 5th in Johnson League
723 Runs Allowed; 7th in Johnson League
$118 Million Payroll; 3rd highest in Johnson League
Projected Starters:
C: Ziaul-Haq bin Dhul Fiqar
1B: Jorge Bodzan
2B: Dallas Dixon/Elvan Masuki
3B: Banger Dan
SS: Robert Menzies
LF: Tadataka Yoshikawa
CF: Victor Frazier
RF: Fuad Demirel/Kyuichi Mori
DH: Jacquot Natta
The Charlotte offense has some very solid pieces, with a mixture of veterans and youth. Menzies and Dan may be the veterans on the block. Menzies continues to show that, when healthy, he's one of the best on-base players in the league. Not just as a shortstop but period. If he can stay healthy, he sets the table better than anyone else in the league. Dixon is another elite caliber player that can float between 1st and 2nd base depending on what sort of lineup Charlotte wants to run out there. He's coming off a team best 6.5 WAR season in 2058. Masuki can play elite defensive 2b if the Flyers want to shift Dixon over to 1B. Yoshikawa provides a big bat in the middle as does Natta who could be looking at making his rookie debut in 2059. The team could also shift Natta to the corner infield positions if they want to spell someone for a day and let them be the DH. The biggest loss to fill comes from the departed Manny Toledo who still sits in free agency despite posting 5.1 WAR over the last two seasons in Charlotte.
I think like most teams, Charlotte will be eyeing how some of the non-stud parts will handle the new shift in game versions. Do the guys that put up 1-2 WAR last year but are now ranked a 40-45 still perform? But the guys linked above will give Charlotte enough offensive pop to continue to compete in the race for a post-season spot in 2059. Overall though, this offense put up over 30 WAR a year ago and should be in very good shape this season.
Projected Rotation:
1. Jim Fleming
2. Buwono Mainaky
3. John Rasmussen III
4. Mauro Mendoza
5. Josh Clark
Mystery Man: Jacquot Natta
Currently in the Pen But Likely to Start: Andres Gonzalez
Closer: Alejandro Chavez
Is Natta our next crossover player? Is he our next hitter/pitcher in the league? I mean Faical Engeitado has the most triples in Portland's single season history and ranks 3rd all-time despite also being a pitcher for a good chunk of his career. Could Natta crack the rotation as the 5th guy and still hit? Interesting to see how this unfolds.
But on the flip side, Fleming and Mainaky over a pair of good arms atop the rotation. Fleming is coming off a 14 win season where he went 5-0 after coming over to Charlotte late last season. Mainaky was used primarily as a reliever last season but could also crack the rotation. He started 31 games in 2047 with decent results, going 9-11 overall. A big question for Charlotte will be how Mendoza performs. His 4.0 WAR last season was the 2nd best of his career and comes just 1 year after just posting a 0.3 WAR for Charm City. If he regresses, Charlotte will need someone to pick up the slack. If he matches last year, then the Flyers will be in very good shape. Keep an eye on Andres Gonzalez too if either Mendoza or Clark falter. He started all of his outings last year (22 total) and could be a guy that give starts to as well. He and Clark could flip flop as the season moves along. At the back end, Chavez looks to close down games. Splitting time in Jacksonville and Charlotte last year, he set a career high 47 saves. Not sure he's earned the nickname "Mr. October" yet though. One post-season save does not earn you that monicker.
Overall, the pitching probably isn't as strong as the offense but should still be competitive to make Charlotte a post-season contender.
Prospect to Watch:
Keep an eye on Ron Christian. We've mentioned Natta as a likely guy to make his debut this season but Christian could also find his way onto the roster as well. The 23 year old is currently listed as the team's #1 prospect and the #8 overall in the BBA.
Overall Prediction:
Charlotte looks pretty similar as last year's squad which should bode well for their chances. Seven Johnson League teams fought for the 6 spots last year and there was a big logjam. These 7 teams all finished between 90 and 96 wins. Did anyone else in the league jump up to steal some wins away from them? Did one of the 7 lose some pieces to drop back some? I'm banking some other teams took a hit this off-season that will allow this Charlotte squad to stay in the hunt and return back to the post-season. I'm going to give them a slight improvement and say 93-69 this season and a return trip to the post-season.
