NATE
12-27-2006, 02:13 PM
Everyone seems to be reflecting back on 2006. I thought I would look forward to 2007.
Jordan Tata becomes the ace of the Toledo staff. Although there is some movement up and down I-75 this summer, Tata stays with Toledo until the last week in July when he is the centerpiece of a "prospects for veteran" trade that brings in the likes of Todd Helton or Andruw/Chipper Jones.
One of the reasons Tata is traded is the emergence of Jair Jurrjens. JJ continues his descent up the ladder and is called up at the end of the AAA season. His name gets in the mix for a starter in 2008.
Frankie Delacruz continues to be an enigma. Flashes of brilliance followed by getting lit up. He neither improves nor hurts his prospect status.
Virgil Vasquez becomes a solid starter for Toledo. Doesn't get much buzz because he doesn't throw hard.
Durbin/Tankersley. One is traded/released just before the end of ST. The other becomes a decent fifth starter for Toledo.
Chris Homer starts out as the closer but gets hit too hard and too often. Corey Hamman, who started a few games in April, is moved to closer in May.
Some nagging injuries give Hamman the opportunity to get promoted to the bigs and he does well.
All is not bright with the rest of the pen. No one really emerges as a valuable contributor in 2007. They finally give up on Larrison, who then signs with another club and gets some PT in the majors.
Mike Rabelo is solid if not spectacular. A minor injury to Pudge moves Wilson to the stating catcher for two weeks and Rabelo is called up. Not much PT but he does get one and only one hit but it helps the Tigers win a crucial game.
The infield at Toledo has familiar names who produce familiar results. Again, some minor injuries give Tony G another shot and either Hannahan, Maples or Kirkland is called up when Inge gets hurt but not enough to go on the DL.
Fortunately, Maggs and Sheff play relatively injury-free in 2007 so there is no need to call up an OF. Clevlen regains his prospect-status and is nearly called up when Casey goes down and the Tigers consider moving Sheff to first. However, Sheff, who has otherwise been a solid citizen, reminds the press that he is not playing first. The Tigers moved Guillen over to first and call up Tony G. Others hoped that Maybin was called up. However, Maybin's all-star year at Erie makes Clevlen expendable. Trading him at his peak value, Brent is packaged with Tata in the above-mentioned trade.
Thanks to some solid starting, Toledo again makes the playoffs. However, the loss of Clevlen and Tata and JJ's promotion results in the Mud Hens losing in the first round.
Jordan Tata becomes the ace of the Toledo staff. Although there is some movement up and down I-75 this summer, Tata stays with Toledo until the last week in July when he is the centerpiece of a "prospects for veteran" trade that brings in the likes of Todd Helton or Andruw/Chipper Jones.
One of the reasons Tata is traded is the emergence of Jair Jurrjens. JJ continues his descent up the ladder and is called up at the end of the AAA season. His name gets in the mix for a starter in 2008.
Frankie Delacruz continues to be an enigma. Flashes of brilliance followed by getting lit up. He neither improves nor hurts his prospect status.
Virgil Vasquez becomes a solid starter for Toledo. Doesn't get much buzz because he doesn't throw hard.
Durbin/Tankersley. One is traded/released just before the end of ST. The other becomes a decent fifth starter for Toledo.
Chris Homer starts out as the closer but gets hit too hard and too often. Corey Hamman, who started a few games in April, is moved to closer in May.
Some nagging injuries give Hamman the opportunity to get promoted to the bigs and he does well.
All is not bright with the rest of the pen. No one really emerges as a valuable contributor in 2007. They finally give up on Larrison, who then signs with another club and gets some PT in the majors.
Mike Rabelo is solid if not spectacular. A minor injury to Pudge moves Wilson to the stating catcher for two weeks and Rabelo is called up. Not much PT but he does get one and only one hit but it helps the Tigers win a crucial game.
The infield at Toledo has familiar names who produce familiar results. Again, some minor injuries give Tony G another shot and either Hannahan, Maples or Kirkland is called up when Inge gets hurt but not enough to go on the DL.
Fortunately, Maggs and Sheff play relatively injury-free in 2007 so there is no need to call up an OF. Clevlen regains his prospect-status and is nearly called up when Casey goes down and the Tigers consider moving Sheff to first. However, Sheff, who has otherwise been a solid citizen, reminds the press that he is not playing first. The Tigers moved Guillen over to first and call up Tony G. Others hoped that Maybin was called up. However, Maybin's all-star year at Erie makes Clevlen expendable. Trading him at his peak value, Brent is packaged with Tata in the above-mentioned trade.
Thanks to some solid starting, Toledo again makes the playoffs. However, the loss of Clevlen and Tata and JJ's promotion results in the Mud Hens losing in the first round.