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The New Cairo Thread
- Thread starter NML
- Start date
NML
Well-Known Member
I took over Cairo about midway through the 2051 season. It was as barren as a team could be - last place in the league, next to last farm system. The finances were headed for disaster as they had one of the highest payrolls in the league. I immediately started making moves for the future:
Both of those players were pending free agents who weren't going to be brought back. Both also had negative WARs for us. Mwangata seemed to turn it around a bit for FB, turning in a decent year - though he wasn't brought back. Magana continues to underplay his ratings, with a simply awful season (-2.2 WAR). FB did elect to bring him back on a team friendly deal, however.
Graham Chave was a bit of a throw in - he's got great fielding stats for all of the infield. He's had decent batting numbers in A and AA, but it's tough to say if he will ever make the majors. The real prizes are the two first rounders, though both will inevitably be fairly late (I think the 2052 pick will be around 15th). Still, it was a solid haul for guys who I neither wanted to bring back nor pay them last season.
It's always risking for a team doing a rebuild to give up the 4th pick, but for me this was a value later vs value now situation. I didn't have time to set the budgets for the 2051 season with Cairo, so there was minimal in amateur scouting. I didn't want to risk such a valuable asset on lackluster information. I also felt like I got a solid return.
I love all the players I got - Snake and Gibbs are both within two or three years of joining the pros, and Snake may even hop on the 40-man for spring training. Randull is fringe, but his defense is solid and his power is above average. I don't know if the rest of his game will come around, but I'm hopeful. He's making the jump to AAA this year. Obviously I got a ton of picks too. The real prize is the 2053 first rounder, which could be top 5 if Yankee doesn't make as big of a jump as he's expecting this season. The 2nd rounder next season is 19th overall, so that's solid too.
Another example of a couple of guys who I wasn't going to bring back and wanted to dump their salary. Since it was mostly a dump, the return isn't too important, although Sal Lynch looks to be a really solid option at catcher moving forward and is currently my top prospect (according to OSA). Joe Weaver was a guy who's glove I loved, but after three below average seasons in A with the bat, was released this off-season. 3rd round pick is a flyer.
This was probably my worst trade of the year. I was shocked at how little of a market there was for Ping. He was later moved again closer to the deadline for, IMO, a better pitcher than what I got - so a nice bit of business by @Mr. Radpants. @Orlando also resigned him on a nice deal, and I bet he does well there. He wasn't happy with us so I doubt I could've resigned him, but I would've liked to have him for $3.5m this year.
Chevalier is another fringe prospect that you just hope develops.
Something of an "under the radar" move, but maybe my favorite. Gomez destroyed when he made the move to Cairo and I think he will continue to do so this year. I went ahead and, though somewhat risky, signed him to a 3-year deal to buy out the arb seasons. I just think he's going to do so well this season that I don't want to pay for it later. May very well be our closer in 2052.
The final move was another one where I thought I'd get better value in next year's draft when I allocate my budget better. I believe that second rounder is about 22nd so to get the extra fourth too is nice.
With these moves alone, we moved the farm from 17th to 14th, and set ourselves up very nicely to make a HUGE jump before next off-season, where we have 12 of the first 58 picks in the draft, including #2, #15, #19, #20, and #22
Our season also improved with some shuffling around, with our post all-star split being somewhat encouraging. I'll do a full season preview soon, but I do expect 2052 to be a step forward, not back.
Both of those players were pending free agents who weren't going to be brought back. Both also had negative WARs for us. Mwangata seemed to turn it around a bit for FB, turning in a decent year - though he wasn't brought back. Magana continues to underplay his ratings, with a simply awful season (-2.2 WAR). FB did elect to bring him back on a team friendly deal, however.
Graham Chave was a bit of a throw in - he's got great fielding stats for all of the infield. He's had decent batting numbers in A and AA, but it's tough to say if he will ever make the majors. The real prizes are the two first rounders, though both will inevitably be fairly late (I think the 2052 pick will be around 15th). Still, it was a solid haul for guys who I neither wanted to bring back nor pay them last season.
It's always risking for a team doing a rebuild to give up the 4th pick, but for me this was a value later vs value now situation. I didn't have time to set the budgets for the 2051 season with Cairo, so there was minimal in amateur scouting. I didn't want to risk such a valuable asset on lackluster information. I also felt like I got a solid return.
I love all the players I got - Snake and Gibbs are both within two or three years of joining the pros, and Snake may even hop on the 40-man for spring training. Randull is fringe, but his defense is solid and his power is above average. I don't know if the rest of his game will come around, but I'm hopeful. He's making the jump to AAA this year. Obviously I got a ton of picks too. The real prize is the 2053 first rounder, which could be top 5 if Yankee doesn't make as big of a jump as he's expecting this season. The 2nd rounder next season is 19th overall, so that's solid too.
Another example of a couple of guys who I wasn't going to bring back and wanted to dump their salary. Since it was mostly a dump, the return isn't too important, although Sal Lynch looks to be a really solid option at catcher moving forward and is currently my top prospect (according to OSA). Joe Weaver was a guy who's glove I loved, but after three below average seasons in A with the bat, was released this off-season. 3rd round pick is a flyer.
This was probably my worst trade of the year. I was shocked at how little of a market there was for Ping. He was later moved again closer to the deadline for, IMO, a better pitcher than what I got - so a nice bit of business by @Mr. Radpants. @Orlando also resigned him on a nice deal, and I bet he does well there. He wasn't happy with us so I doubt I could've resigned him, but I would've liked to have him for $3.5m this year.
Chevalier is another fringe prospect that you just hope develops.
Something of an "under the radar" move, but maybe my favorite. Gomez destroyed when he made the move to Cairo and I think he will continue to do so this year. I went ahead and, though somewhat risky, signed him to a 3-year deal to buy out the arb seasons. I just think he's going to do so well this season that I don't want to pay for it later. May very well be our closer in 2052.
The final move was another one where I thought I'd get better value in next year's draft when I allocate my budget better. I believe that second rounder is about 22nd so to get the extra fourth too is nice.
With these moves alone, we moved the farm from 17th to 14th, and set ourselves up very nicely to make a HUGE jump before next off-season, where we have 12 of the first 58 picks in the draft, including #2, #15, #19, #20, and #22
Our season also improved with some shuffling around, with our post all-star split being somewhat encouraging. I'll do a full season preview soon, but I do expect 2052 to be a step forward, not back.
NML
Well-Known Member
Improving our farm is certainly a fluid process. It was quite bare when I took over, and the only two players of note were both promoted almost immediately when I took over - 'Yard Man' Gilbert and Ricardo Morales. The only other player of note was Roger Reboul, who I'm not even a huge fan of.
But luckily, with my many moves, I've finally started getting some talent in. After the draft and IFAs, here's how I'd rank my top 10 prospects:
Pedro 'Hot Stuff' Garcia, 3B - probably the top IFA talent this off-season, it was a nice snag for us to grab him. Garcia is a very well rounded player. He should develop into a great defensive third baseman, a top contact bat, with plenty of pop too. He's got star potential, hopefully he develops. Only 16, he'll spend a couple seasons in the international complex before coming up to A.
Dennis 'Snake' Milton, SP - Milton coming our way was detailed above, but I'm excited to have him. He's another well rounded player, and fits the exact mold of what I look for in a pitcher. His minor league career has been a bit of a mixed bag. He was solid, if unspectacular, last year in AAA. He's going to join the team for spring training, and has an outside shot of making the team as a relief pitcher.
T.J. Gibbs, SP - He's only below Milton because of his 45 stamina. He may move to the pen in the future. Though he hasn't pitched an inning in AAA yet, he is, by both my scout and OSA's ratings, fully developed, and will also move to the 40-man for ST. He's got a shot as well, especially since I think his future is in relief.
Sal Lynch, C - OSA's favorite, Lynch has some holes in his game that our preventing him from being higher on the list. His eye is questionable, though he has historically walked at an average rate. He's had moments where he flashed a lower and higher number, but I think it will ultimately be around 45/50. With his above average contact, that works. He's got plenty of pop and finally showed it last year, hitting 19 homers in just 108 games in AA. Still not sure on the glove, though. He starts in AAA this year.
Elliot Ware, CF - Probably 4A and 4B with Lynch - another guy with some interesting skills, but also some holes in his game. Elite speed and defense, he also has plus power. He lacks discipline at the plate, and that's unfortunate with a guy with such speed. He needs to be on base as much as possible. A solid first year in the system in 2051, he stays in A-ball for this season (for now).
Marvin Randull, SS - Another player added in that deal for the 4th pick (third player listed now), Randull is a bit of a flyer. He's got a solid to above average glove in the middle infield spots, but will his bat develop? There's some pop, but everything else is below average. He's joining us for spring training to see what he can do.
Jose Chevalier, SP - Mentioned him a bit earlier. Does everything pretty good but nothing great. Lack of good stamina is discouraging, but his stats have never been anything but great. Had a good first season in AA, hopefully he has a repeat performance and then moves up next year, or later this season.
Roger Reboul, SP - He's such an interesting prospect. Can throw 95, but has 50 stuff? 65 movement, but only a 55% GB? So odd. Still, he's been a historically good statistical pitcher, even if he isn't my favorite type. He may be a HUNGER GAMES tribute next season.
Kwang-Sub Pak, 2B - It's hard to ignore this dude's production, even if the ratings don't match up. May be serviceable at second, but even that's iffy. And the ratings are so sub-par. Yet he was a AAA All-Star last season with a 1.022 OPS and 146 wRC+. We will see if he can repeat that production again in AAA.
Keith Gregory, RP - Not your typical relief pitcher, he can barely hit 90 on the radar gun. Still, he's always pitched well at every level and joins us this spring training to see if he's ready. He's only got one season of AAA under his belt, but I'm pretty desperate in the pen.
Really, only four are sure-things to contribute at a pro level at some point, and only one of those has star potential. Nature of the beast when you start with nothing. Somewhat encouraging (and possibly self-biased), is that six of the top seven prospects were added by me in the past 10 months. This draft will be a big one for us too in terms of rebuilding the farm system.
But luckily, with my many moves, I've finally started getting some talent in. After the draft and IFAs, here's how I'd rank my top 10 prospects:
Pedro 'Hot Stuff' Garcia, 3B - probably the top IFA talent this off-season, it was a nice snag for us to grab him. Garcia is a very well rounded player. He should develop into a great defensive third baseman, a top contact bat, with plenty of pop too. He's got star potential, hopefully he develops. Only 16, he'll spend a couple seasons in the international complex before coming up to A.
Dennis 'Snake' Milton, SP - Milton coming our way was detailed above, but I'm excited to have him. He's another well rounded player, and fits the exact mold of what I look for in a pitcher. His minor league career has been a bit of a mixed bag. He was solid, if unspectacular, last year in AAA. He's going to join the team for spring training, and has an outside shot of making the team as a relief pitcher.
T.J. Gibbs, SP - He's only below Milton because of his 45 stamina. He may move to the pen in the future. Though he hasn't pitched an inning in AAA yet, he is, by both my scout and OSA's ratings, fully developed, and will also move to the 40-man for ST. He's got a shot as well, especially since I think his future is in relief.
Sal Lynch, C - OSA's favorite, Lynch has some holes in his game that our preventing him from being higher on the list. His eye is questionable, though he has historically walked at an average rate. He's had moments where he flashed a lower and higher number, but I think it will ultimately be around 45/50. With his above average contact, that works. He's got plenty of pop and finally showed it last year, hitting 19 homers in just 108 games in AA. Still not sure on the glove, though. He starts in AAA this year.
Elliot Ware, CF - Probably 4A and 4B with Lynch - another guy with some interesting skills, but also some holes in his game. Elite speed and defense, he also has plus power. He lacks discipline at the plate, and that's unfortunate with a guy with such speed. He needs to be on base as much as possible. A solid first year in the system in 2051, he stays in A-ball for this season (for now).
Marvin Randull, SS - Another player added in that deal for the 4th pick (third player listed now), Randull is a bit of a flyer. He's got a solid to above average glove in the middle infield spots, but will his bat develop? There's some pop, but everything else is below average. He's joining us for spring training to see what he can do.
Jose Chevalier, SP - Mentioned him a bit earlier. Does everything pretty good but nothing great. Lack of good stamina is discouraging, but his stats have never been anything but great. Had a good first season in AA, hopefully he has a repeat performance and then moves up next year, or later this season.
Roger Reboul, SP - He's such an interesting prospect. Can throw 95, but has 50 stuff? 65 movement, but only a 55% GB? So odd. Still, he's been a historically good statistical pitcher, even if he isn't my favorite type. He may be a HUNGER GAMES tribute next season.
Kwang-Sub Pak, 2B - It's hard to ignore this dude's production, even if the ratings don't match up. May be serviceable at second, but even that's iffy. And the ratings are so sub-par. Yet he was a AAA All-Star last season with a 1.022 OPS and 146 wRC+. We will see if he can repeat that production again in AAA.
Keith Gregory, RP - Not your typical relief pitcher, he can barely hit 90 on the radar gun. Still, he's always pitched well at every level and joins us this spring training to see if he's ready. He's only got one season of AAA under his belt, but I'm pretty desperate in the pen.
Really, only four are sure-things to contribute at a pro level at some point, and only one of those has star potential. Nature of the beast when you start with nothing. Somewhat encouraging (and possibly self-biased), is that six of the top seven prospects were added by me in the past 10 months. This draft will be a big one for us too in terms of rebuilding the farm system.