Olivet Power Ranks 16-9

16. San Antonio Fire Ants

The Ants sold out last year for a run at the playoffs but came up short and now will have to start the rebuilding process nearly from scratch. Without a high enough draft pick to secure a solid 5 year guy the team traded out of the first round to select Josh Hamilton. Unfortunately I don’t think there will be enough of a supporting cast around him to be able to compete each week and especially in his division. Apparently Pablo Sandoval is already overweight but hopefully it isn’t as big of an issue as it was in 2010 because they’ll need every pound of the Panda Buffet Buster to be productive. Michael Young is as reliable as any wherever San Antonio decides to play him, but with the pick of David Espinosa in the 3rd round it won’t be 2nd base. Espinosa is a nice player but will have to avoid prolonged slumps. That’s where the positives truly end on the hitting side of things other than Maybin’s progress as a base stealer. Carlos Pena will help in power but will kill the batting average, Andre Ethier has had two straight run of the mill seasons, and Aubrey Huff is on the downside of his roller coaster career. I don’t foresee anyone else helping a whole hell of a lot otherwise.
The pitching staff could be better than projected, however they’ll need Tommy Hanson to be healthy and Ubaldo Jimenez to find his early 2010 form. Jaime Garcia is a solid middle of the rotation guy, and I am a big fan of Brandon McCarthy if he can stay healthy. Johan Santana is a wild card; he could serve as a useful 3rd or 4th man but will never find his glory days again. Javy Guerra is the only closer who will have to be stellar to hold onto his job with Jansen behind him. Tyler Clippard leads an above average relief core other wise.

15. Springfield Flying Squirrels

Much like the Ants, Springfield came into the winter meetings with a bare cupboard due to moving contracts for a run last season. They benefitted by staying in the 1st round selecting Robinson Cano who was once expected to be taken #1 overall in the draft. He’ll lead a pretty good infield, with a powerful Dan Uggla, consistent Jimmy Rollins, and up and comers Brett Lawrie and Freddie Freeman. Anson was definitely thinking about the future in this draft having drafted the young guns all early on. The outfield is well documented to be pretty bad. I won’t go into detail but maybe by the end of the season when Mike Trout is going 30/30 we’ll all see the genius of it all. Unfortunately those numbers are more likely to be in AAA than in MLB this season with the log jam the Angels have created on their roster. Colby Rasmus has a lot of untapped potential and could be decent if he gets his head screwed back on correctly. The rest of the OF on the roster are more like lineup plug-ins rather than regulars. There is some potential here but it’s extremely unlikely they all put it together this season.
The starting rotation isn’t too bad as long as Adam Wainwright comes back at 100%. Anibal Sanchez has had two straight healthy seasons and even if the K’s drop a little bit he’ll be a solid #2. Mat Latos is also a quality arm but will be curious to see the results after moving from San Diego to Cincinnati. The rest of the staff is highly suspect with young arms like Teheran and Duffy behind underperformers Myers and Billingsley. In the bullpen you have two closers that will likely drive up the alcohol AND Rolaids intake of the Squirrels front office. Marmol is a rollercoaster in the 9th unmatched by anyone but Todd Jones in his prime. Chris Perez is another lower tier option but has held the job for two straight seasons in Cleveland and as long as he doesn’t blow up completely he should hold it for another year. MR will be suspect without any of the guys on the roster pitching all of last year.

14. Charlotte Orios

The Orios moved out of the first round by taking a big chance that Adam Dunn will return to previous form. I don’t see why he wouldn’t other than the fact he spent all of last season either striking out or popping out to 2nd base. My theory is that his appendix was much like Samson’s hair in the bible. Once they cut it out, his power was gone. The infield has the possibility to be one of the better ones in the league but a lot has to go right here. Mauer, Wright and Utley are coming off of injuries, and Beltre usually ends up on the DL at least once a season. Yunel Escobar is a pretty nice option at SS. If one or more of these guys get hurt the Orios just don’t have anyone to plug in that will help much. The outfield will need bounce backs from Jayson Werth and Alex Rios (who happens to be on his “on season” if you check the history) Tabata has some promise and Quentin some power, but both of them are also coming off of injuries. John Mayberry is a light sleeper if he gets at bats but Bryce Harper is a real unknown. Even if he breaks came with Washington what can you expect from a 19 year old kid?
The starting rotation went from bad to worse after the team dealt Beckett away for Jonathan Sanchez and closer Joel Hanrahan. However, I know GM Broskey is feeling a lot better about AJ Burnett now that he’s out of New York and I would expect him to be fairly solid this year. Liriano and Sanchez are similarly volatile arms. Vargas and Guthrie are nothing more than innings eaters. This is probably the worst starting rotation in eMLB. The bullpen should be solid after trading for Joel Hanrahan. Sergio Santos was excellent after grabbing the job last season and Frank Francisco has been solid when healthy over the years. Charlotte made wise picks handcuffing his closers with their setup men. If the starting rotation were just average his bullpen would keep Charlotte in the hunt but I just don’t think he can compete with the group of pitchers he has.

13. Mid-Michigan

The Tigers will depend heavily on Miguel Cabrera in both the real world and in fantasy in 2012, however the MidMichigan Tigers will need him to have an epic season to make up for some of the holes in the lineup. Once he qualifies at 3b, Adam Lind can move over to 1b but that still leaves a hole at Utility. Howie Kendrick is a nice option at 2b and Brian McCann is a top tier C so there are some bright spots on the squad. With some luck Casey McGehee will win the 3b job in Pittsburgh and find some of his power stroke from 2009-10, otherwise he and Chris Johnson are likely to be space wasters on the bench all season. Mid-Michigan took Jay Bruce with their first round pick and will need him to become a more consistent hitter. Austin Jackson could be a high source of runs and steals if he can learn pitch selection but will have to take major strides forward this year. Torii Hunter is an unsung type of player, doesn’t do great in anything but doesn’t really hurt you either. Cody Ross and Brandon Belt will be the 4th OF depending on who is hitting well but neither has a great track record, at least not yet regarding Belt.
The starting rotation could be much better than advertised led by ace Gio Gonzalez. The move to the NL should make him a 2nd tier SP this season. Doug Fister was lights out after joining Detroit last summer but he’s never put together an entire season of dominance like that so I wouldn’t expect it. Colby Lewis and Jair Jurrjens will help the cause but its unclear what to expect out of either of them. Huston Street will take over for Heath Bell in San Diego but with his track record I assume he’ll manage to record less than 30 over the entire season. Somehow the Tigers managed to draft three of the more unlikable “closers” in the league. Gregg, Fuentes, and Lyon have all proved that they CAN close games when asked but in Gregg and Lyon’s cases they SHOULDN’T. None of them should be depended on but as long as they are getting the save at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter I suppose. Now I really doubt all 3 if any at all start the season with the job anyhow. Chad Qualls and Aroldis Chapman will round out the bullpen. Chapman was supposed to end up in the rotation for Cincinnati but got shutdown this winter.

12. Dallas Redbirds
The Redbirds have come up just short two straight seasons in the eMLB Championship Game but last year was probably the end of that run. The team traded for another 1st round pick and decided to build their team around power hitting 1b Mark Teixeira and speedy SS Jose Reyes. The formula has worked for GM Doyel the past few seasons and I am not one to scoff at it. The gig may be up, at least for this season though as there are many question marks in this lineup. Freese is coming off an epic postseason but has never played a full season while in the majors. Aviles is better suited as a good backup but will likely have to start for Dallas unless someone else comes along. Russell Martin is a decent option at catcher as long as he stays in a Yankee uniform. Apparently Doyel is a closet Twins fan, not only drafting Justin Morneau but also Alexi Casilla and Danny Valencia to join Denard Span. The outfield is led by Matt Holliday and Jacoby Ellsbury who are both top tier options at their position. Ellsbury is likely to regress some in the power department which is an area this team will be lacking. The rest of the outfield are guys even Springfield passed on, including Franklin Gutierrez, David DeJesus, and Gerardo Parra.
The rotation is as strong as ever with David Price leading the way. Greinke was moved in the winter meetings and will be replaced by Garza which is a step down but not a huge one. Pineda is coming off a stud first year in the bigs but it’s hard to say how he will fare in New York. He seemed to keep the ball in the park and will have to in order to be successful in Yankee Stadium. Madison Bumgarner and Ervin Santana complete the rotation that should be as solid as any across eMLB. The bullpen has one closer in Joe Nathan who is coming off a 2nd half of 2011 that proved he still has what it takes to close. Crain is a solid MR who will probably not get a chance to close even though he’s been the most consistent reliever of those in Chicago’s bullpen. Lindstrom is a guy to keep an eye on, the closer situation there isn’t a sure bet. OFlaherty and Sipp are solid holds guys even pitching two thirds of an inning a week. The pitching will keep Dallas around most weeks but in this day and age you have to have hitting to compete in this league.

11. Atlantic Surge

The Surge drafted probably the most talented young OF in the league all around in Justin Upton. Definitely a player to build around for many years as he turns into a 5 or 6 category guy. It’s going to be tough to compete otherwise though with an infield that lacks much punch. Ike Davis could be solid but is coming off a strange injury while the rest of the infield is just ok or below average. Chisenhall has yet to get feet wet in the bigs but will likely be the teams everyday 3b. Jemile Weeks, Ruben Tejada, Jason Bartlett, and Brent Morel leave a whole lot to desire to fill out the infield. None of them do anything above average except Weeks and Bartlett who have SB ability. Mark Trumbo could give the team the pop it needs but he will have to fight about 54 other 1b/Dh/OF in Anaheim for at bats. If he can get 3b eligibility and plays everyday it will be a major bonus. Miguel Olivo and Geovany Soto are essentially the same player, low avg decent pop, but that sounds like every other catcher now doesn’t it? Justin Upton is a stud and will lead a young but potentially solid outfield. BJ Upton will probably never live up to the hype surrounding him a few years ago but cant complain about what he doesn’t for a fantasy team. The BA could use some help but maybe having his brother in town will get his goose going. LoMo tweeted himself into AAA last year but will look to continue his improved slash lines. Allen Craig, Nijer Morgan, and Michael Brantley will fight for the final OF spot.
The pitching staff is stellar across the board led by American League MVP and Cy Young, Justin Verlander. Ian Kennedy was an NL Runnerup and along with Jordan Zimmerman and Daniel Hudson you have a 4 man punch rivaled by few in eMLB. Like Renner mentioned in his rankings though it’ll be tough for Kennedy and Verlander to match their 2011 but even a step back is better than the majority. The fifth spot will be filled by the combination of Neftali Feliz, John Danks, Matt Harrison, or Ivan Nova. Mike Pelfrey will get some courtesy starts due to the contract as well. The bullpen was built as one should be with two solid closers in Drew Storen and Brandon League and 3 setup men who are in great opportunities for holds in Mark Melancon, Glen Perkins, and Nick Masset. As for as bullpen goes this one is as solid as you’ll find overall. Much like Dallas, the hitting is the Achilles heel of this team and even a stud pitching staff won’t be able to keep the team afloat over the long haul.


10. Juliana Javelina
GM Hoyle had a very fine draft and built a better team than what anyone could have expected going in. Adrian Gonzalez was a major gift at #5 and will be the face of this organization for the next 3 to 4 seasons. Hill is an ok option at 2b and should have a better season in Arizona but last year he was a poor mans Kelly Johnson for what THAT is worth. The key to the lineup will be the health of 3b Ryan Zimmerman. If healthy he could be a top tier option and will help this offense thrive. Aybar will provide solid runs and above average speed at SS for Javelina. The team seems to be pretty high on C Wilson Ramos but he will have to show what he can do over a longer period of time before I’ll trust him. Berkman is likely to regress back from his big 2011 but how much? He’ll be a solid contributor in 4 stats and will move back to 1b with Pujols out of town. Gordon was taken in the 2nd round and will look to build on his breakthrough campaign and could be a 5 category star. Ichiro and Crisp will provide the team with plenty of steals and I wouldn’t doubt if the former batting champ gets back over 300 again. Joyce should be solid after finally getting everyday at bats in 2011 and will be another contributor in a few categories. Vernon Wells should look to rebound but even if he doesn’t he’ll provide some pop off the bench when needed.
The pitching staff is led by ace Jared Weaver who is looking to build upon a strong 1st half to 2011 when he was on top of all Cy Young candidates until he was outdueled by Verlander mid summer. CJ Wilson is a very good 2nd option and should provide Juliana with a more than solid 1-2 punch at top of the rotation. Masterson finally put things together last year and with his groundball rate and rising K’s could be on the verge of becoming the guy Cleveland dealt VMart for a couple years ago. Holland had a solid year and should be a safe lower rotation option as long as he doesn’t succumb to the Ballpark in Arlington. Vance Worley had a very nice season but I am a bit skeptical of him. Wolf and Saunders shouldn’t hurt as replacements. Jorge De La Rosa will be out for a portion of the season but could be solid down the stretch. The bullpen is the weakest point of the team but has a few good arms. Peralta could benefit of being next in line behind Farnsworth but as a MR he’s been great for two straight seasons. Ramirez could be in a good situation for the Mets while Dunn and Lopez should find themselves getting cheap holds. Rafael Soriano is coming off a season where he lost his 8th inning spot to Robertson but he has proven he can pitch just as well in the 7th and Girardi has shown that he sticks to the plan, using his guys consistently.


9. Oviedo Knights
Having missed the championship playoffs for only the 2nd time in 10 years or whatever the time span has been, Oviedo got a chance at taking a 5 year guy and was rewarded with Andrew McCutchen. If he can improve his batting average he’ll be one of few true 6 category players. Miguel Montero and Paul Konerko pretty much fell in his lap in the draft and will be the leaders of his infield. Edwin Encarnacion is a bit of a wild card however I have always expected him to breakout which is why I’ve had him every year in eMLB at least for awhile since he came up with Cincinnati. If I were a previous owner I’d probably trade Jose Bautista for him later in the year for no good reason whatsoever. If he continues his underperformance 3b will be a hole to fill for the Knights. Neil Walker and Alexei Ramirez are quiet performers at their position but neither do anything especially well. Billy Butler will man the utility spot and put him his normal 300-18-90 stat line. The outfield is built around McCutchen and Corey Hart. Hart has proven to be solid but needs to stay in the lineup for a full season. Beltran might be the next in line for rejuvenation in St Louis but his knees are 37 years older than the rest of his body so hard to rely on him over the course of a season. Drew Stubbs took a step back last season but still has the potential for 20/40. The Knights are lacking runs and will likely struggle in batting average but the management is strong enough to make the moves necessary to fill voids. Altuve, Headley, Delmon Young, Grady Sizemore, and Johnny Damon add decent depth to the team, all having starting jobs. Young is a nice sleeper hitting behind Prince and Miggy.
The rotation got a boost by adding Josh Beckett recently, who will slide behind ace Cole Hamels in the Knights rotation. Beckett hasn’t always been the most consistent guy however so it’ll be interesting to see what kind of season he comes to the mound with this year. Brandon Morrow has shown flashes of brilliance and could be on the verge of becoming an upper tier starter in eMLB. Hiroki Kuroda and Jeremy Hellickson round out the rotation and will be solid contributors behind the top 3 guys. Both should help in ERA/WHIP while Kuroda is likely to get plenty of wins in NY. Bedard and Peavy were fliers later on that could be solid at times this year. I like Bedard more than Peavy to be honest here, he had a quietly productive season last year and if he’s healthy he’ll be a solid 4th or 5th guy. VALUE baby VALUE! The bullpen is going to be pretty decent but he did lose his best closer in Hanrahan. GM Reynolds is banking on Jansen taking over the job in Los Angelos probably because Walden isn’t a completely safe option down the road for the Angels and Matt Andy Capps is as volatile as they come. Benoit has proven to be a very safe option and should get plenty of hold opportunities for Detroit and Mujica will also get a decent amount down in Miami. This team will benefit from the ownership’s ability to swing deals and make moves when and where needed but “on paper” I think they have some work to do at this point.