[IBL] IBL 2017 Sand Crab Season Preview

[Doug Palmer]

With the draft winding down and the weather turning nice (60 degrees in
Detroit!!!) I figured what better time to sit down with the Sand Crabs of
2017 and figure out who they are this year.  So, without further adieu....


*2017 Baltimore Sand Crab Season Preview*


Welcome sports fans to yet another spring training with the Baltimore Sand
Crabs.  Excuse me, the AC West Division winning Baltimore Sand Crabs.
That’s right.  For the first time since their relocation to the Charm City,
the Sand Crabs played baseball AFTER game 162 (thank you George!....check
is in the mail).  And while the fans of the Crabs were ecstatic over
finally being competitive, it has only whetted the appetite of the hungry
Crabsters.  So let’s take a quick peek at what the 2017 might hold in store
for the once perennial cellar dwellars.


*Catchers*: OAK Norris, ARI Castillo

A winter trade just before the opening of camp gets the Crabs a seasoned
veteran to partner with Derek Norris behind the plate.  Wellington
Castillo, he of the .754 OPS last year, will handle the bulk of the
catching duties with Derek Norris picking up the slack.  Gone are BAL
Joseph and MIN Suzuki from last season, who provided decent, if not
spectacular defense.  Castillo batted .264 last year for the Diamondbacks,
and if he comes close to those numbers, it will be an improvement over the
catching spot last year.


*Infield* (starters): KC Hosmer, HOU Altuve, TEX Andrus, BAL Machado

*Infield* (back ups): KC Merrifield, SEA O’Malley, BAL Trumbo

The strength of the Crabs will come from this 4-some.  Some of the best in
the MLB last year, and all fairly young, this group will get the start
every game (pending injury).  Hosmer batted .274, Altuve was .338, Andrus
had a career year batting .302 and Manny was, well, he was Manny batting
.294 with 37 dingers.  Merrifield and O’Malley are young and can play
everywhere, so their versatility will come in handly.


*Outfield* (starters): CLE Davis, HOU Rasmus, ATL Markakis,

*Outifield* (back ups): BAL Rickard, SF Parker, BAL Trumbo

And where the infield is a strength, the outfield is a weakness.  Markakis,
who had been on the trade block, comes back to anchor the right field
position.  And while his bat isn’t what it once was, he’s got a strong arm
and can play 162 games.  Davis is a speedster who’s legs keep him in the
lineup while Colby Rasmus isn’t the young gun that he once was.  Trumbo
with his monster bat will get time in RF to get his AB’s in, which will
allow for the weak bat of Rasmus to sit on the pine.  “Joey Bats” comes in
from the FA draft and will also see time in LF, while SF Parker won’t have
his zoid-card this year, he still gets his time in SF and is only 28 years
old


*Designated Hitter*: KC Morales, BAL Trumbo

Morales gets the majority of starts due to the fact that he really can’t
play anywhere else.  Batted over 260 with 30 homers for the Royals last
year, he’s projected for the same with the Jays this year.  And Trumbo just
does what he does, and that’s hit them out of the park.  While the Crabs
aren’t expecting 47 homers this year, I’m sure that he will be near the top
of the HR category when the season is done.

*Pitching* (starters): CHN Arrieta, BOS Porcello, PIT Cole, BAL Gausman,
BAL Miley, ARI Bradley

A nice 1-2-3 punch in Arrieta, Porcello and Gausman.  The back end, while
not particularly impressive, aren’t the worst that I’ve seen (and the Crabs
have seen many dead arms start games in their history!).  Cole missed time
with the Pirates last year, so you just KNOW that he’s going to miss a good
12-20 starts.  So it will be up to the only lefty starter for the Crabs,
and Archie Bradley, to keep the #4 and #5 slots competitive.


*Pitching* (relievers): BAL Britton, CHA Robertson, WAS Kelley, BAL O’Day,
BAL Brach, BAL Givens, WAS Solis

Talk about a strong pen.  Lefties and righties coming out with great
stuff.  Britton and Robertson can close while Kelley (a throw in with the
Cole for Profar trade) has the leg up for the closer roll in Washington
thanks to his propensity to throw strikes.  The set up guys eat innings and
are some of the best in MLB.  Brach throw over 70 innings and his WHIP was
1.03.  So if the Crabs can get to the 6th inning clean, this combo should
get it done.



*Overview*: The AC West is arguably one of the toughest divisions in the
IBL.  Chris, Sean and George don’t give an inch and every series with them
is tight.  I’d love to see what a “down” year looks like for these guys.
They always say that they’re not expecting much from their teams and then
go out and win 80+ games!  But the Crabs should be there in the end, like
last year.  If not the division, a wildcard.  While it’s certainly tough to
build a contender year in and year out (how do you do it Rusty?), now that
the Crabs have tasted the post season, the next step is to win a series in
the post season.


Counting the days until opening day!!!!


D.Palmer

BAL

IBL
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