Hey, we get to watch baseball again.
A new year and plenty new to go with it! Including a thrilling new update to my blog-editing tools since the last post, so there is really something for everyone to adjust to.
Its been a tough offseason - a slight understatement.
I'm not gonna pull any punches here. As a baseball fan it is really tough to keep coming back to watch the game being killed from above. MLB's take over of the minors, forcing change where none was wanted (even if it was needed) should not go unnoticed. Rule changes have been divisive as Manfred's remedy is worse than the illness it purports to cure. Red flags abound.
Baseball's top prospect now skips double-A and a second top guy from the 2020 "Super Team" was dealt - to the Red Sox of all places. Expanded rosters above mean the further watering of talent across the league.
At the park fans will be distanced from each other and from players, wise but the result is also a furthering in the gap between the public and the game, now in a physical sense.
On the history front, there wont be playoffs for a second consecutive season, severing the string to the past completely in minor league towns everywhere.
On a daily basis, wont be seeing extra inning dramas unfold without being forced and there certainly wont be strategic use of relievers. We won't see the Ted Williams shift. We wont see an All Star Game. It adds up to a whole pile of what we don't get and maybe never will again.
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| 1929 Southern League (defunct) Championship Banner |
Like we should somehow thank them for allowing us to pay to watch? Not an excuse I'm buying and it really doesn't sound like a fabulous business model.
To be fair, its not the Biscuits fault. Not at all. They, like every affiliated minor league team, were given an offer they couldn't refuse. Or even talk about. Nothing sketchy at all about that. But hey, we get to watch baseball again, right?
Well, sort of. We start the season on the road.
YOUR 2021 BISCUITS
Since we begin the year on the road and there is no Meet the Biscuits event, many fans are left wondering who the players are. For those fans, and indeed for myself as well, this quick reference guide may serve handy over the first week of the season.
Catchers
Rene Pinto - studly batterymate returns to montgomery
Chris Betts - this prospecty backstop skips high-A, lefty batting catcher hit 19 hr *last year*
Infield
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| Jim Haley |
Jim Haley - versatile corner infielder/outfielder returns to Montgomery
Kaleo Johnson - had amazing college season at MSU Billings, the city where Gary Redus set pro batting mark
Miles Mastrobuonni - switch hitting Miles returns to Montgomery, maybe not for long
Jake Palomaki - Georgia native, versatile switch hitting infielder w/high level HBP skills!
Dillon Paulson - first baseman from Cali gets a taste of southern living, part of Alvarado trade, bats left
Ford Proctor - spent 2020 with Perth Heat (Australian) and indie Eastern Tigres (but he was still rays property)
Seaver Whalen - corner infielder with pop played at Loyola
Moises Gomez - slugging Venezuelan has worked his way up from 16yr old in Summer League
Michael Smith - lefthanded speedy centerfielder from Texas
Cal Stevenson - speedy lefthanded centerfielder was part of the deal that sent Austin Pruitt to Astros, been drafted & traded twice!
Garrett Whitley - first round choice 2013, played for Perth (Aus) in 2017, has power/speed skills
Pitchers
Shane Baz - Texas righty was first round 2015 choice by pirates, part of Archer trade
Jordan Brink - waiver claim joins fourth org and has yet to pitch above low-A, two yrs of indie ball. Why is he here? one word: Analytics!... more later.
Faustino Carrera - lefthander offers excellent strikeout stuff
Jack Labosky - California righty had a nice career at Duke U., brings good control and strikeout ability
Easton McGee - Kentucky native skips high-A, starting pitcher with good numbers learning to limit the long ball
Tobias Myers - Florida righty part of the Beckham trade w/Orioles, starting pitcher who keeps the ball in the yard
Joel Pegero - Dominican righty pitched with Perth (Aus)2017, versatile innings eater
Ivan Pelaez - former Faulkner lefty pitcher returns to Montgomery for second season
Michael Plassmeyer - played in SEC with Mizzou, southpaw starting pitcher had excellent season with StoneCrabs *last year*
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| Tommy Romero |
Simon Rosenblum-Larson - righty pitched three seasons with Harvard, reliever with stonecrabs, from wisconsin but i have info that hes a cubs fan
Caleb Sampen - starting pitcher was dealt from LA for Jamie Schultz, offers good control and swing and miss stuff, son of MLB veteran Bill Sampen
Brian Shaffer - dashing reliever returns to Montgomery for another season
Alex Valverde - Miami native righty reliever with great K stuff, working on limiting the long ball
Nathan Witt - righthander was acquired in deal w/Dodgers, skips high-A,
SCORING AT HOME
If you are that type, the Dr correctly predicted 11 of the 14 players named on our January roster predictions list. Not bad!
Obviously there is little to go on at this point but there will be much to learn as the spring turns to summer. Like how to work with this new blog editing tool... grr!
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