2024's Biggest Ifs

 

I associate Pablo Sandoval with strong spring showings. In 2017 I caught a few Spring Training games, caught the Sox a few times and Pablo Sandoval looked incredible in those games, nailing home runs and looking better than he has in years. I thought it'd be the sign of a strong season, and even if it wasn't, seeing him looking confident again was a great feeling. He really fell off after his early 2010s run with the Giants, but he was able to drum up some magic in spurts during the rest of his career.

Imagine my surprise when I start hearing about the comeback attempt Sandoval was putting together. It was inexplicable. I thought Panda's career wrapped up after the Braves traded him to Cleveland and Cleveland promptly released him [which is just a thing they do now apparently]. But evidently Sandoval was not done, and was doing his damnedest to make the team with his old club, San Francisco, despite years of inactivity. To Sandoval's credit he's lost a lot of weight, and his slimmer and more conditioned frame does make for a more powerful overall ballplayer. 

Now, whether or not he makes the team is another thing entirely, as the Giants have Matt Chapman at third base and a lot of younger infield options. But there's always a chance he makes the team in a DH role. It's one of many interesting stories that have continued to perplex me as Spring Training winds down.

Here, I'll try and pick one player from the other 29 teams [or as many that I can] that has a fascinating story, and could find his way to the bigs this year.

Angels: Miguel Sano, who was a home run machine for the Twins then completely fell apart due to injuries and striking out too much. He's in camp with the Angels, and it's not likely that he'll make the team, but with the changing infield gameplan the Angels have it can't quite be counted out.

A's: More of a shoo-in than anything, but J.D. Davis won his arbitration hearing with the Giants and was suddenly cut. This is an issue that owes itself to the continued disparity between the owners and players, and is a bubbling issue that could lead to an even more volatile strike in the future. Davis was lucky to find a job on the other end of the bay, and now seeks to make his old team jealous with a great season in a small market.

Blue Jays: Well if I don't say Joey Votto here I guess I'm a terrible person. Guy spent his whole offseason waiting for someone to let him play, his hometown team picks him up. I really hope he makes the squad, Joey Votto needs Blue Jays cards.

Braves: Up until last year, David Fletcher was an infield standout for the Angels, but a cross between injuries and general inefficiency left him off the Angels' new gameplay. He's a long shot for playing time in Atlanta, but considering the Braves spent the whole offseason trading away in-house backup infielders, he still has a shot.

Brewers: Joe Ross is one of the unluckiest pitchers in baseball. He's been on the cusp of great seasons and gotten injured for long periods of time. He was having an incredible year for Washington a few years back and immediately got hurt. Now somehow he's figuring well enough into the Brewers' depth chart to potentially make the rotation over DL Hall and Jakob Junis. I hope it goes well for him.

Diamondbacks: Elvis Andrus has been in the league since 2009, and has been a sturdy infielder for all this time. His numbers have fallen off in recent years with Oakland and Chicago, but he has an outside chance of making camp with the D-Backs, a team that he'd look extremely weird representing. 

Guardians: Gotta be Deyvison De Los Santos, a former Arizona farmhand claimed by Cleveland, who's been annihilating the ball this spring. It's unclear whether he'll crack the club initially, as Will Brennan might have the last spot, but it's likely he'll make the team at some point this year. And when he does, look out.

Marlins: Despite a rough go of things in Chicago last year, Trey Mancini is still hanging on, and is gunning for a corner spot out of camp. With Josh Bell having 1st, it's not clear how likely Mancini is to get it, but if this is the end for the fan-favorite, at least it happened in a club he looks strange on.

Mets: I had no idea Jose Iglesias was still kicking around, but he's one of many odd NRI guys in Mets camp, alongside Ji-Man Choi, Luke Voit, Ben Gamel and Yolmer Sanchez. I know the infield is open in Ronny Mauricio's absence, but who knows if it'll be open enough to allow for Iglesias.

Nationals: Eddie Rosario spent the past few years on the pennant-contending Braves, and now he's not even much of a favorite to make the last-place Nats. Kind of insane. He still could crack the roster just because they need veterans, but does he still have his best material?

Orioles: Ronald Guzman is trying to make the Orioles, but not as a corner infield masher...as a relief pitcher! Granted, Charlie Culberson's switch to pitching hasn't gone very well, but Guzman could very well factor into things for Baltimore, especially if the bullpen is as flea-bitten as it seems.

Phillies: Spencer Turnbull really has an outside chance of being our fifth starter this year. Wild. Hope he stays healthy.

Pirates: Domingo German, if only because him making an MLB roster and Trevor Bauer not making one would be the funniest thing ever. 

Rangers: It probably won't lead to anything, but Danny Duffy, who hasn't pitched since the Dodgers traded for him midway through 2021, is in camp with the Rangers. It'd be kinda cool if he finds his way back to the bigs, even if the roster's pretty crowded in Arlington right now.

Red Sox: I would absolutely love Liam Hendriks to make this team, solely because the postscript 'he was never the same after the cancer treatments' is 100% not how I wanna tell this guy's story going forward.

Royals: Austin Nola, after being cut by the Padres, needs to prove he can actually hit at the MLB level again, and I can't believe this is the bar for him. 

Twins: Randy Dobnak is still in camp with the Twins. I don't think the intention is to ever promote him again, they just like having him in the organization. And that's a good enough story in itself. I just love that he got to start a playoff game.

White Sox; Mike Moustakas might make the team solely because of the lack of backup infield options, however if the Sox wanna carry more pitchers solely because none of them are trusted, that'll be his job sorted.

We'll see how some of these turn out. There's a lot of cool stories I'd love to see play out this year.