Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Astros

 

For the first time since 2016, the Houston Astros failed to make the playoffs. What a great thing to say after all the hell they've put me through. Stealing signs, making it to the end every year, beating both my teams, not getting penalized enough. And this year, they finish 87-75, after being one of the best teams in the AL during the middle months, and are taken out in the final moments of the season by a Tigers win. They absolutely collapsed in August and September, and saw the Mariners overtake them for the division and go deeper than they could have. It was, in a word, satisfying.

Now, would this have happened if the big pieces hadn't gotten injured? Maybe. You also have to remember that Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman left, and more might be leaving this offseason. And knowing how the Astros handled Tucker's injury last year, by downplaying it to the point of inaccurately leading fans on, seeing them do it again this year with Yordan Alvarez just confirms how much of a sinking ship this team is now. Plugging Jose Altuve into left field while giving his position to Brendan Rodgers, then getting confused when that doesn't work, and then panicking when Cooper Hummel sucks in left as well and Jesus Sanchez hits .199 there. MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T PISS OFF YOUR LEFT FIELDER. He's gonna be making lots of money this offseason, as well Bregman, and if you'd have actually stayed on good terms with them it'd be for your team! Jeez!

Anyway, Yordan Alvarez only played 48 games this year, because he got hurt early, the injury was downplayed, he came back after the All-Star break and then got hurt again. So much is said about how well the Astros builds their organization, but not enough is said about how terribly they treat players once they're up. This could have been avoided, man. 

Alvy's year was...I mean I guess it was fine, for 48 games. Hit .273, 27 RBIs and only 6 homers. I reckon if he stays healthy and isn't screwed over by the team, they win that 88th game.

2026 Prediction: 2025 was the only full season of Alvarez's career that didn't give him over 30 homers. Next year will ensure this stays the case. An All-Star nod to follow.

Something else the Astros really don't like talking about is that since Yuli Gurriel left, they've had the absolute worst luck at 1st base. Similar to the Mariners' black hole at 2nd, the Astros have fired sure thing after sure thing into that position and they've all struggled. Trey Mancini gutter-balled, then Jose Abreu burned millions on a deal that could have gotten them the stars. And now it's Christian Walker's turn. The former Diamondback signed a pretty cool deal last offseason, for 3 years and 60 million, and the Astros must have forgotten the small detail that Walker was 33 when he signed it. This season was...certainly a season of baseball played by a 34-year-old. Despite barely missing any time, Walker was shockingly average, with the first under-average defensive work of his career, a negligible WAR figure and a career high 177 Ks. Granted, Walker also hit 27 homers and had 88 RBIs [the team leader in both!], but this was not his best work. He'd lost a dimension or so, and that's not what the Astros signed.

2026 Prediction: I'd like to think there's an improvement, but he'll be 35, and he's no Paul Goldschmidt. So there may be more of the same. The power numbers will be the same though.

After a phenomenal 2024, Ronel Blanco was one of several Houston starters, including Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers, Spencer Arrighetti, Luis Garcia, J.P. France and Hayden Wesneski, to miss copious amounts of playing time this year. I think of that group, Blanco had the best sample size, and quality, while he was healthy, with a 4.10 ERA and 48 Ks in 9 starts. Unfortunately, the injury came right after I picked him up in fantasy, and that was his season.

2026 Prediction: Um...something tells me Hunter Brown might not make all his starts. So I figure Blanco will at least be healthy enough to make up the work for him. A much better season, if not 2024-first-half levels.

For the second time with Houston, Mauricio Dubon won a gold glove as a utility infielder. For someone who struggled to find a place with both the Brewers and Giants, it's been very cool to see Dubon come into his own as a super-ute, and in a year with SO MANY INFIELD INJURIES, there was no shortage of playing time for the guy. And of course, Dubon was exceptional in the field, with a 17 fWAR figure, and the occasional contact moment as well. Even if so much is in disarray for this team, the Astros can still rely on Dubon, which is fantastic [I drafted this in early November]. 

2026 Prediction: WELL APPARENTLY THE ASTROS DON'T NEED HIM THAT BADLY ANYMORE. I honestly think Atlanta's a great place for him. He can play the infield on a daily basis or be a utility piece like in Houston. Plus, with all the injury turnaround they might need him a lot.

Victor Caratini has become one of the more respected backup catchers in the game, alongside Austin Hedges and Jacob Stallings. Unlike those guys, Caratini was able to hit this year. In 114 games, Caratini hit .259 with 46 RBIs and 12 homers, which, in this cursed year, was the 6th most on the Astros. Caratini's a very good guy to have around, and he's found a nice home in Houston.

2026 Prediction: Houston re-signs him, he becomes defacto starter midyear, does well.

So here's the story with Brandon Walter. Dude went to UDel, was drafted by the Sox, mostly minor league guy, gets a taste in 2023. Keeps kicking around, gets cut by the Sox, the Astros pick him up. This year, due to the lack of healthy options, Walter, at 28, gets a shot, and does well in a starting role. In 9 games, he has a 3.35 ERA, 52 Ks, and a 1.3 WAR. Then he gets hurt and is out for the rest of the year. Not sure who's unluckier, him or the Astros.

2026 Prediction: Even if he does come back, he's like ninth in the depth chart. I see him mostly as a triple-A guy.

So then after that, with little to no other healthy options, the Astros go with career swingman Jason Alexander, brother of Scott and not, as previously assumed, the star of 'Dunston Checks In'. Alexander began the year as a middle relief guy in Sacramento, and after one too many heckle of 'SERENITY NOW' from one of the dozens of people in attendance, he was cut and picked up by Houston. Where he soon found himself...starting games. In all honesty, for a while Alexander was one of the Astros' best players. From July 29th to September 15th, all of Alexander's starts culminated in wins, only allowing a high of three runs in any of them. Of course, then he got clobbered by Seattle, and there went the 1st place hopes, but Alexander still finished the year with a 4-2 record and a 3.66 ERA.

2026 Prediction: Well, he SHOULD be kept as a long man and relief piece, but with the injury turnover in Houston who even knows at this point? You know we're LIVING IN A SOCIETY.

Aside from nabbing Carlos Correa at the deadline, the Astros also tried to solve their left field issue by bringing in Jesus Sanchez, who'd been good, if not world-destroying, for Miami. Sanchez had some high highs, with 12 RBIs and 4 homers in 48 games, but the .199 average, despite some decent defense, made it more of a puzzling add. Sanchez is fundamentally a good player, but he couldn't meet this moment for the Astros.

2026 Prediction: I think he mellows out a produces a better full-season effort but he still has the potential to be a Dan-Vogelbach-sized thorn in the side of a fanbase who are expecting the world of him.

With Chas McCormick no longer an option and Jake Meyers oft-injured, the Astros brought up Zach Cole to potentially be the next great Astros outfielder. In 15 games, Cole hit .255 with 11 RBIs and 4 homers. He's got a high contact ceiling and hit over .300 with the Space Cowboys. Might be something here.

2026 Prediction: If the Astros don't deal him for Brendan Donovan or somebody like that, he makes his way up the depth chart and is the next Kyle Tucker, something the Astros desperately need.

And most surprisingly, the Astros brought in Craig Kimbrel after he proved he was useful, if low on options, for the Braves. Kimbrel is 37, and I think he just needs some seasons out of the spotlight, a lot like Aroldis Chapman, so he can find himself again. In 13 games, Kimbrel had a 2.45 ERA and 16 Ks. Not as poisonous as his Orioles or Phils numbers, and a lower key year. I'm not sure if this is the last we'll see of Kimbrel in the bigs, but at least if that's the case he doesn't go out completely undignified. 

2026 Prediction: I think he makes camp with somebody, has some middle relief appearances and one last save. And then hangs it up.

Coming Tomorrow- The A's didn't make the playoffs either, but at least I can see what direction they're headed.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2024: Orioles

 

For the second year in a row, the Baltimore Orioles had an incredible regular season effort, with several stars and integral players, and yet couldn't turn it into anything in the playoffs. Being lapped by the Royals, who had a worse record but better September momentum, may have been the painful loss the Orioles needed to truly improve. Like, if you're not getting production from Adley Rutschman during the second half, you're not gonna get anywhere. That's one of your crucial pieces, and he's just not gonna do anything for you.

Jorge Mateo's 2024 was one of the most indicative seasons on the team, because he first lost a position to Jackson Holliday, then...outplayed Holliday, and was off to a blistering May, with 13 steals, 44 hits and 18 RBIs in 68 games. Then he gets hurt, is out for the season, and now the team is without a set plan at 2nd again. Urias, Holliday and Coby Mayo tried to make it up, to no avail.

2025 Prediction: The thing is, with Holliday, Mayo and Westburg all here, Mateo doesn't have much to do in Baltimore. I think he'll have some cool moments as a bench piece, but I wouldn't be shocked if the O's trade him.

Similarly, Ramon Urias also found himself sort of obsolete on a team with young, talented middle infielders. He did the majority of the filling-in at 2nd after Mateo's injury, and I would call his season fine. He ended with a 1.5 WAR, a .254 average, 11 homers and 37 RBIs. When you have Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg on this team, that's not gonna cut it.

2025 Prediction: I actually think he's gonna hit a second wind next year. Age-30 season, last opportunity to prove himself? Yeah, he chases 25 homers.

Dean Kremer, like Urias, has been an auxiliary member of these Orioles teams left over from the old regime, and because the main attractions tend to get hurt easily on this team, Kremer's gotten a lot of playing time over the last few years. Kremer stays healthy and stays relatively consistent, and that's really the bar right now. In 24 starts, Kremer went 8-10 with a 4.10 ERA with 123 strikeouts. Not bad, and for a guy picking up slack from the true aces, certainly useful.

2025 Prediction: Burnes will be gone, Means will be gone, and who knows how much Trevor Rogers we'll get. Kremer will likely make the rotation Opening Day, though I'm not sure if he'll still be there by September.

Going into this season it was clear that Felix Bautista would be off the table, and the strong bullpen of 2023 would need to step up in his absence. That means breakout Yennier Cano, who made an All-Star team by being practically unhittable during the first half of 2023. Cano's 2024 was, understandably, a step down from the previous year, but he was the anchor of the bullpen and was rather trustworthy. Cano finished the season with a 3.15 ERA and 5 saves in 70 appearances.

2025 Prediction: I think he'll have some truly great stretches considering that the pressure will be off a little with Bautista returning and Dominguez in a similar role.

When the Orioles signed Craig Kimbrel, especially knowing how rough he was during the home stretch of the 2023 season, they knew the risks. Kimbrel, in this stage, has become as famous for blown saves as he is for the moments he locks it in. And thus, the numerous games that the Orioles seemed to have a lock on only for Kimbrel to let men on and wreck things...were ultimately their fault in a sense. This was Kimbrel's roughest year in a while, as he had a 5.33 ERA, his highest since 2019, a 23-6 record in terms of saves, and a -1.1 WAR. Kimbrel didn't make it to September, the O's went with Dominguez, and thus that aspect wasn't an issue. 

2025 Prediction: Well whatever he does, it has to be a step up from this year, right? I think somebody will still give him a chance, maybe not as closer immediately, but he surely has gotten things under control, I hope.

Kyle Bradish and John Means began the year near the top of the Orioles' depth chart, and combined they made 12 starts. Bradish's injury was downplayed but he didn't join the team til May. In 8 starts, he went 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA and 53 Ks, definitely par for the course. But that worsened his UCL, and thus he needed Tommy John surgery, meaning he'll be out for the majority of 2025. Means, meanwhile, rejoined the team in May as well, and made 4 starts, going 2-0 with a 2.61 ERA and 16 Ks...then HE landed on the IL, and needed Tommy John surgery, his second. So in case you're wondering why the Orioles felt the need to trade two excellent players to Miami for Trevor Rogers, that's why.

2025 Prediction: Bradish will actually be useful to Baltimore once he's activated in mid-August, and help them towards the postseason. Means will sign a contract with Boston or somebody, and probably won't appear til after it's too late.

It's hard to be underrated on a team with so many great homegrown players, but Heston Kjerstad has remained an under-the-radar utility OF guy. He's yet to really find a permanent role on this team, but he's useful as a backup. Kjerstad, in 39 games, hit .253 with 14 RBIs and 4 homers, and was very useful as this team headed to the finish line.

2025 Prediction: Okay, so Santander will likely be gone, which means there will be an opening in the outfield. Either the O's go with Kjerstad and he finally breaks out, or the O's go with a contract and Kjerstad remains an endearing bench bat.

The reason I'm so skeptical about the O's giving Kjerstad a shot is that despite not especially needing him, the team still traded for Eloy Jimenez last year. They were fine at DH thanks to Ryan O'Hearn, and fine in the outfield, but they felt they needed one more solid bat, and Jimenez fit the bill. Jimenez didn't have a TON of truly terrific moments as an Oriole, as he hit .232 in 33 games, with 7 RBIs and only 1 home run, but the fans seemed to like him. 

2025 Prediction: A replacement level season with a bottom-feeder.

And after Jordan Westburg's injury, the Orioles took a flyer on Emmanuel Rivera, who wasn't really cutting it with the Marlins. Rivera actually had a solid second half with the O's, hitting .313 with 14 RBIs and 4 homers. His defense isn't great, but he can still contact hit, and was one of the team's best September performers. 

2025 Prediction: Between Westburg, Coby Mayo and Urias, it's gonna be hard for Rivera to find much of a place in this team, so I say he winds up somewhere else in a similar role.

Coming Tomorrow- I'm honestly shocked at how few Padres I have left for this month, but that's a testament to how many great players I already customized from there.

Always Be Closing: Kimbrel After 400

 

Craig Kimbrel reached 186 saves within his first five years with Atlanta. Even if it took him 9 years to get the other 227, that's still an amazing stat. Being able to lead the league in saves for four years running, and finish the season with over 45 saves on three of those occasions is pretty incredible. There is the ugly truth that he has only topped 40 once since then, but he's still been a consistent ninth inning option for several more teams, and while he wasn't initially the answer there, Kimbrel has become a very nice closing option in Philadelphia. 

Like Kenley Jansen, what's stopping him from being immediately named as one of the all-time greats is the pile-ups of blown saves and inconsistent moments. Kimbrel's been piling more of those up recently, and just last night he blew a save against the Nationals, and broke a tie in the ninth. You also have years where it took him a while to find his footing, like 2019, where he was a late addition to the Cubs and never really found his stuff, taking til 2020 to really get the hang of things, only to struggle to adapt to the other side of Chicago. This season was initially a tricky one for Kimbrel, but once he got the hang of things he was incredible, made an All-Star team, and notched his 400th save. 

Kimbrel is currently rocking a 3.31 ERA, with 68 Ks and 19 saves. He is on pace to outdo totals from the last four seasons and have his best campaign since leaving the Red Sox. I used to make Rod Beck comparisons with Kimbrel, and while Beck petered off after a certain point and failed to really impact things in the majors again, Kimbrel learned to rebound, reestablished himself and has used this season in Philadelphia to raise his stock. I assume he'll be a free agent by the end of the season, and something tells me there'll be several teams lining up to have him in the ninth next year. There could even be a Boston reunion at this point, you never know.

All that remains is for Kimbrel to finish strong and hang onto his momentum with Philly, because this is a very cool Phils team he's on. As important as the big stars are, like Harper, Castellanos and Realmuto, a lot of the best moments are coming at the hands of people like Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh, Taijuan Walker and Johan Rojas. Now you have Weston Wilson coming in and impressing with his opening moments in the majors. This team has a surprising amount of depth, a lot of nice failsafes, and several pieces that are working super well. I'm relieved that Kimbrel is one of them, and I hope he keeps things up.

UPDATE: Okay, I wrote this post before 8 PM last night, so I didn't have time to make any mention of Michael Lorenzen or anything, but...can I just say how happy I've been with his material for my team? I'll elaborate later when I can get a custom together.

Coming Tonight- One of the many rookie pitchers keeping the lights on in Cleveland.

Always Be Closing: 400 Blows

 

As usual, I use the Always Be Closing tag as a way of highlighting specific developments and moments in the field of closing pitching, how things are different now, changing now, yada yada. And I think it's probably a good moment to talk about closing pitching, seeing as we have one longtime closer just passing the 400 saves mark, and another looking to pass that mark within his next few appearances. 

Kenley Jansen, after a decade's work in Los Angeles delivering season after season of consistent work, has mellowed into a decent option for teams willing to compete, but also willing to stomach the occasional dropped save. Basically, Jansen's 2010s made him look like Mariano Rivera, and his 2020s have made him look like Jose Mesa. Craig Kimbrel, who's still sitting at 398 saves, had a 2010s that made him look like Mariano Rivera, and a 2020s that has made him look like Rod Beck in the 2000s. As predicted. But Jansen, even in the last few years, has kept pounding out saves, led the league with 41 last year for the Braves, and has 9 saves already with Boston. Granted, he's been shaky since getting #400, but he's still reliable enough for a Sox team that only has so much to hold onto.

Kimbrel has been given some more ninth inning opportunities than he had earlier this season, thanks to an injury to Jose Alvarado, but he's not the closer he was. Even if he did deliver 22 saves last year for a team that didn't especially need even an okay closer, he's failed to really latch onto a team since leaving the Cubs. He was extremely rough starting out, but has been scoreless in his last four appearances, has picked up a save in the last week or so, and is beginning to look more comfortable in middle relief than he has in a while. I don't know if this means that Kimbrel is 'back' or anything, but it does make his goal of reaching 400 a little more attainable. 

Right now, there are two active closers in the all time top-10 saves list. The next closest active closer to the top 10 is #24. Unfortunately, it is Aroldis Chapman. Unless he somehow figures his shit out, I doubt he's passing Dennis Eckersley. The only other two active closers in the Top 50 all-time list are Mark Melancon, who is both injured and in his late 30s, and Edwin Diaz, who is juuust over the Top 50 line. The way closing careers are going, and the way teams are utilizing relievers, there have been less and less 'perennial' type closers, people that have been at this for 10 consecutive years or whatnot. Of the current designated closers, five of them, six if you count Kimbrel covering for Alvarado, have had careers as closers going back to before the pandemic; Jansen, Josh Hader, David Robertson, Will Smith and Ryan Pressly. If they weren't hurt this year, I'd add Melancon and Diaz. Two of the six names, Robertson and Smith, had years that stopped them from consistent runs of saves/9th inning work. 

I think it's gonna be harder going forward to get someone like Jansen or Kimbrel, or for there to be somebody who notches 40 saves multiple years in a row. Closing is very much a 'what have you done for me lately' thing, and a lot of current closers are just people who've relieved excellently and are first on the depth chart. That's how we have people like Carlos Estevez, Evan Phillips, Felix Bautista and Clay Holmes pressed into the role. While there are some young guys who could be at this for a while, like Alexis Diaz, Jhoan Duran, Camilo Doval and especially Emmanuel Clase, who's to say they won't struggle to hit consistent marks, like several other recent closers have?

I'm still happy for Kenley Jansen, and hopeful for Craig Kimbrel. All the while I'm not sure when another player will join them in the top 10, though.

Coming Tomorrow- The Padres farmed him, started him, then the moment he got injured they dealt him. And now he's making them regret it.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2022: Dodgers

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers of the 2020s have begun to resemble the Los Angeles Dodgers of the 70s and 80s. Some of the best teams of this stretch, always competitive, the stars are coming out and staying for a while...but there's only one ring to show for it. 

The Dodgers won 111 games this year. If the playoffs only had 4 teams advance, it'd be easier to hold onto that momentum. But a first round bye followed by a series against the red-hot Padres proved to be their undoing, meaning a team that had looked so unstoppable and so formidable all through the year had been stopped before they even got to the NLCS.

What's funnier is they had done this in 2019 already. 

The Dodgers had a ton of big pieces provide them with a successful season, and somehow I only have five extra ones. 

Chris Taylor has been an excellent extra man on this team since coming over in 2016. Since then, he's averaged about a 3 WAR per year in LA. All this being said, 2022 was Taylor's weakest year since joining the team. Thanks to both being a bench man and a brief injury, he only played 118 games, and hit .221 with 89 hits and 43 RBIs, all Dodgers full-season lows. The good news is the Dodgers have Taylor for another 3 years, and there are enough people that can ensure that if he continues his okay stuff from 2022, it won't sink the team.

2023 Prediction: A vast improvement. I also see him starting due to someone getting injured. 

Andrew Heaney is back, folks. We were all really worried 2021 would spell doom for the former Angels hurler, but truth be told he just wasn't a good fit for New York and that tanked his numbers. A year in LA, even if it was injury-shortened, went so much better, with a 3.10 ERA and 110 Ks in 16 games. With Buehler's injury, and short-term outages for Kershaw and Gonsolin, having an extra guy in Heaney come in and overperform was a definite perk for this team, and it's made Heaney much more of a valuable asset for teams. 

2023 Prediction: Another really strong, full season in Arlington. I don't wanna be ballsy and say he's gonna have a better season than DeGrom, but...he certainly could.

The Dodgers' most helpful relief asset this year was Evan Phillips, because anytime a middle relief specialist posts a WAR of a 2.8, higher than Max Muncy to be clear, you've gotta notice. Phillips has bounced around for ages, even being a main piece in the Kevin Gausman to Atlanta deal, but never pitched a full season in relief until now. In 64 games, Phillips shocked batters with a 1.14 ERA, 77 strikeouts and only 8 earned runs. Probably the best Dodger relief season in a while.

2023 Prediction: Well, with Graterol and Bickford and Ferguson, Phillips can have a more okay year without people taking note. I think next year will be a bit more normal for a reliever, but he'll still pitch a ton of innings and be relied upon going into the postseason.

Oh yeah, Craig Kimbrel was the Dodgers' closer this year. They uh...never needed him too often, considering that they had a penchant for pounding the shit out of opposing offenses. Kimbrel only saved 22 games for them, and otherwise he had a 3.75 ERA and a 6-7 record. So...back to my Rod Beck comparison from a few years ago, Kimbrel has reached the point in his career where he's lost a lot of what made him great and he is, more or less, a body for bullpens. Which is all well and good if he can at least work on his control. He figured it out in Chicago, hopefully he figures it out wherever he's going next.

2023 Prediction: He signs somewhere baffling. I fully expect to go 'whaaaat?' when I hear where he's going. 

I...I dunno what to make of this guy. Joey Gallo. Hit home runs with no average for most of his Texas career. Hits home runs with average for one year, Brian Cashman goes HIM, the Yankees trade for him, he, of course, stops hitting for average AND stops hitting home runs. So we get rid of him, trade him to, of all places, the Dodgers. What does he do in LA? He hits .162 with 23 RBIs and 7 homers. Just as anemic as he was in New York. This guy has completely shat away all of his mid-2021 goodwill. HOWEVER,

2023 Prediction: I still think he's gonna sign with a low market team and get something back once he's out of the spotlight and the pressure's off. I think he's just a guy who can't have the pressure on him, like Josh Hamilton. 

Tomorrow, a few members of a Giants team that couldn't live up to their 2021 expectations.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: White Sox

 

What really happened with the White Sox this year is that even if they had an incredibly strong start, and were a favorite of many people watching the AL postseason race, they just weren't as good as the Rays, Astros or Red Sox. It was something we all kinda knew was gonna happen, but didn't want to, cause they were the most likable team in the race. Just fun stories, great players, a hell of a youth movement, and a lot of great seasons, plus the whole 'defy LaRussa' thread. But alas, taken out by Houston easily. One wonders if the outcome would have been the same if a certain DH that took the league by storm in April were on the roster.

The real signal that this was a great season for the White Sox is the fact that Dylan Cease had such a great season and I'm just now getting to make a custom of him. Cease had the most starts of anyone in the Sox rotation, led the team in wins with 13 [tied with Carlos Rodon], and led the team in strikeouts with 226, 25 more than even Lucas Giolito! And at 25, he's prime for more even better years.

2022 Prediction: An All Star nomination, another 200+ strikeout year, and a big postseason moment.

A fun rookie that came onto the scene after, you know, Yermin got booted, was Andrew Vaughn, the outfield bat that had a pretty nice go at things, with 15 homers and 48 RBIs in 127 games. Though his defensive skills leave a bit to be desired, he's a strong force at the plate, and could be a big piece of future Sox teams.

2022 Prediction: Starting DH, 30 homers, Jim Thome comparisons.

With two different outfielders missing time with injuries, and the third, Adam Eaton, being booted after 58 games, the White Sox tried a ton of replacement plans in the interim. The sturdiest one was Adam Engel, who's still a great defensive outfielder, and hit .252 with 7 homers and 18 RBIs. Yes, Engel seems to have accepted his role as a backup outfielder, but he's still a nice upgrade when that happens.

2022 Prediction: A similar role, with possibly even more offensive upside to boost his case for free agency.

After getting cut by the Guardians, Billy Hamilton signed a minor league deal with the White Sox, and was called up once Jimenez and Robert were out. Hamilton had something of a comeback year, with 71 games, 28 hits and 9 steals. Not quite peak Hamilton, but it was nice to see him utilized fuller.

2022 Prediction: More bench/utility work.

Playing a bigger role in the outfield quest was Brian Goodwin, a year after splitting between the Angels and Reds. In 72 games, Goodwin hit .221 with 29 RBIs and 8 homers. Probably one of the more accomplished replacement options before Jimenez's return.

2022 Prediction: Minor league deal, maybe some brief majors time.

As for the deadline deals, the big one was Craig Kimbrel, switching sides of Chicago to setup Liam Hendriks. Kimbrel, as he was landing in Chicago a few years ago, had a shaky acclimation period, with a 5.09 ERA, despite 36 Ks and a save in 24 appearances. 

2022 Prediction: Embracing middle relief, though the second Hendriks's magic wears off, you know he's jumping into the ninth.

And as an upgrade from Leury Garcia, the Sox traded for Cesar Hernandez, who at least gave them some good power numbers, 45 hits and 15 RBIs in 53 games. He's not quite the defender he was, and he's striking out a bit, but he was a cool little upgrade. Not quite a playoff-ready piece, though, though he did have some nice hits against the Astros.

2022 Prediction: A modest, quiet success in Washington. 

Tomorrow, finally, we take a look at some 2021 Yankees. 

Number Eight, or Number Seven if You're Being Technical

 

The painful thing about making this highlight custom is that it leaves out Zach Davies, Ryan Tepera and Andrew Chafin, the three Cubs pitchers who sailed through the first 8 innings without allowing a hit against the fearsome Los Angeles Dodgers, sporting three former MVPs among them [Pujols, Bellinger and Betts], and still climbing up the standings to fight in the NL West race. 

Kimbrel got the photo cause he finished it off, but Davies, Tepera and Chafin deserve equal credit. The Cubs' bullpen is an absolute beat right now, and once they let the 'pen have the game, I sort of figured the no-no would keep rolling. What, Tepera's been awesome this year, Chafin's been stellar, and Kimbrel's having a massive comeback year. So...it was likely.

I flipped on the game at the ninth inning, watched it down. It sucked that Pujols broke his career no-hitter-less streak [no team he's been on has ever been no-hit until now], but it felt good to see the Cubs pitching prevail, even on a road trip. 

Now. I did predict 2 no-hitters for the month of June, so we have 5 more days for another one to pop up. I really hope Manfred's substance meddling didn't ruin this one.

Always Be Closing: Don't Call it a Comeback

 

What do we make of a closer who loses a ninth inning gig and eventually comes back better than before? 

On one hand, it's a common trait for ballclubs ever since the delineation of the fireman position to award the ninth inning to the most consistently lights out of the relievers on-staff. Sometimes, that is not the journeyman 300-game closer. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's someone who's been a middle relief specialist for 10 years and now has no one blocking him. But it's less likely nowadays for someone to be a Mariano Rivera or a Kenley Jansen, or even a Rollie Fingers- almost no one is guaranteed the ninth inning job for the entirety of their career anymore. Because of the evolution of the reliever, there are so many more parts to play. 

But closing games like no time has passed despite years of other relief work separating the last 40-save season? That's something that's become sort of common.

This season, there are two major closing pitchers who are returning to the role, whole hog, after some troubles in past years. And they are Craig Kimbrel and Mark Melancon. It is very good to have them both back.

Kimbrel especially. His 2019 and 2020 seasons would be best forgotten if he had his way- from a late signing in 2019 to some frequent ERA issues to losing the closing gig to Jeremy Jeffress, it was not the best stretch of his career. But, regardless, Kimbrel is still the active saves leader with 351, and is still probably the best active closing pitcher of the class [if the Kenley Jansen fangirls come sliding into my comments again, I'm getting the hose]. What he's capable of in a ninth inning situation is bonkers, and the fact that he still has a career 2.15 ERA even despite the first two Cubs years says more than anything. 

Right now, despite the Cubs' inefficiency, Kimbrel has a lock on the closing gig and has 3 saves already with no runs, or HITS, allowed. While it's not out of the question for Kimbrel's previous woes to return, he's looking better than he's looked since Boston, and is probably gonna head back to his previous glory.

However, Melancon might have the edge on Kimbrel right now, solely because the Padres are a better team than the Cubs. And Melancon going in for save situations with a monster lineup like the Padres one is just as dominant as he was with the early 2010s Pirates. He's already notched 5 saves, and is looking for more as the Padres gain more ground with the return of Tatis.

I hope this means that Kimbrel and Melancon are back as prime closers now. It saddened me when Trevor Rosenthal returned last year and then immediately got injured this year. It would also be nice if a closer from this class had a HOF-worthy second act, and Kimbrel might be the closest to doing that. 

Coming Tomorrow- The Mariners have been batted down, and the Angels have the AL West. Which means this guy can be an ace for a 1st place team. How about that?

Topps Cards That Should Have Been: The Rod Beck Chronicles

I think we've been wasting time comparing Craig Kimbrel to Trevor Hoffman when we really should be comparing him to Rod Beck.

I mean, swap out Huntsville for Van Nuys, and a slightly lower average saves-per-season, and Rod Beck's first decade of MLB service looks quite similar to Kimbrel's. Both big-game closers with insane consistency and intimidation that peters off spontaneously. And right now, we're in the 'early 2000s in Boston' portion of Kimbrel's career. A great market [Chicago], a golden opportunity, and nothing's coming together. 

Rod Beck, though, had more drastic troubles, with less of a sharp cutoff. He was struggling in Chicago in 1999 before a trade to Boston gave him a crack at a ninth-inning gig, which he did much better with. In a full season for the Sox in 2000, he did much better, with a 3.10 ERA in 34 games. Only problem was he didn't have a chance at the closing gig- Derek Lowe, of all people, closed 41 games for the Sox that year, in Boston's attempt to fill the bullpen with starters [Wakefield also relieved that year] and fill the rotation with people like Pete Schourek and Ramon Martinez [note to self, he didn't have a 2000 Topps card with the Sox]. 

Beck wasn't the officially designated closer in 2001, and only notched 6 saves for the Sox, but he did have a fuller, more relied-upon season as a middle reliever, appeared in 68 games and had a 3.90 ERA with 63 Ks, which is a different season for the man who's usually responsible for 50 saves, but one that was more indicative of where relief pitching was going in the following seasons. 

In 2002, the year Topps actually decides to make a card of him, those numbskulls, Rod Beck required Tommy John surgery, and sat out the entire year. The Sox moved on, getting Ugueth Urbina to pitch the ninth, with 40 saves as well. Beck would be a free agent for 2003, and it would take a lot to get someone to sign him, even for a minor league deal.

One of Beck's former teams decided to bite, though. The Chicago Cubs, with whom Beck notched a career high 51 saves in 1998, took a chance on Shooter, signing him to a minor league deal. The Cubs went into Spring Training with both Joe Borowski and Antonio Alfonseca looking at the closing gig, so a rehabilitated Beck would be facing sharp competition. Despite some decent showings in March, Beck doesn't make the team, spends two months in Iowa living in a motor home and becoming friends with all the fans, and he's released in May. Topps doesn't make a card of this Cubs tenure, but if they had a mind, they would have made one for Series 1. 

So Beck is a free agent once again...but only for a few days, as another California team, much like the Giants whom he came up with, needed help in the ninth.

The San Diego Padres signed Rod Beck with the sole intention of giving him the ninth inning and letting him close again. They had no one willing to hold the job for more than 4 saves, Trevor Hoffman was out for the season, and Beck was a tested solution. In 36 games, Beck held a 1.78 ERA with 32 strikeouts and 20 saves. For a last place team, Beck was a steady constant with more than enough in the tank to keep them from completely falling apart. These were the last great numbers of Beck's career, and proof that he could still perform post-Tommy-John.

 The Padres re-signed Beck for the 2004 season, but things would be different. Trevor Hoffman would be healthy, and would deliver 41 saves. The bullpen itself was sturdier, with great performances from Scott Linebrink, Akinori Otsuka and Antonio Osuna. Rod Beck had much less of a place in this much better team, and in 26 games his ERA ballooned to 6.38, with more NL East offenses getting to him than ever before. It was a disappointing, heartbreaking finale to Beck's career, made even more heartbreaking by Beck's passing three years later.

The other stark difference between Rod Beck and Craig Kimbrel is that Topps has always been behind Kimbrel, no matter where he went and no matter how dire his ERA looked. It is a mindset that Topps had never previously adopted with relievers, even leaving late-career moves from Rich Gossage, John Franco and Jesse Orosco out of their sets entirely. I'm not sure if Kimbrel's going to bounce back, but because he'll be doing so in 2021, rather than 2003, maybe the card companies will be more there for him than they were for Beck back in the day. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Cubs (Part Two)

Earlier I presented Cubs customs from the opening lineup day and starting rotation. Here is everyone else, including bullpen pieces.

Craig Kimbrel is obviously not where he was two years ago. Either he never got together after a late start in 2019 or he just isn't right for Chicago. But this was still the second consecutive down year for the closer who was golden for every season from his rookie year until his World Series ring in 2018. He posted a 5.28 ERA, only got 2 saves, and felt merely perfunctory in this improved Cubs bullpen.

2021 Prediction: I really, really hope a 30-save season is in the cards for Kimbrel. If not, he's off this team by June.

The real star of the 2020 Cubs' bullpen was Jeremy Jeffress, without a doubt. Jeffress, after a down year in Milwaukee last year, came right back to life with 8 saves and a 1.54 ERA, giving him a 1.2 WAR on par with his peak years. Jeffress gave the Cubs some true bullpen power, and a lasting closing piece in the wake of Kimbrel's inefficiency.

2021 Prediction: The Brewers re-sign him and he gets another peak year out of it.

2020 was poised to be a huge rookie year for Nico Hoerner, the double-A prospect who was called upon late in the 2019 season and made the most of it. In response...he gave some double-A numbers in 2020, with a .222 average and 13 RBIs. So, in an inverse of last season, a healthy veteran had to take over 2nd base for him. His numbers did go up in September, but it was too little, too late.

2021 Prediction: If the minor leagues are up and running again, they will help Hoerner condition himself to not have a similar season to 2020. 

Speaking of people who would have been in the minor leagues in 2020, Adbert Alzolay made some starts in 2020, which was a long time coming for the Cubs minor league prospect. Alzolay did fairly well in his late-season comeup, with a 2.95 ERA in 6 games, including 29 strikeouts. Just the kind of young strength the Cubs needed down the stretch.

2021 Prediction: Huge presence in the Cubs rotation, lots of strikeouts, and 10+ wins.

Cameron Maybin has played for nine teams in six seasons. In that time, he has also batted .266 with 204 RBIs, 92 stolen bases and 511 hits. He has been consistent even if his uniform has not. And as good as he was with the Tigers to start the season, it was heartbreaking once the realization hit that he would likely not end the season there. Sure enough, the Cubs trade for him to fill Albert Almora's outfield spot, he'd hit .250 in 19 games with 13 hits and 5 steals. I am genuinely glad Maybin is as reliable as he always was.

2021 Prediction: Why break the streak. Shit, I'm gonna predict the exact ones and be really wrong. He, uh, starts the season with the Pirates and ends the season with the Rays. Even if the teams aren't exactly those ones, the formula stays the same.

Funnily enough, Billy Hamilton's career is following a similar formula, since he's played for 5 teams [4 really] since 2018 ended. He made camp with the Giants, then COVID happened, he was released and picked up by the Mets where he played some games and didn't get many hits, then he was released again and picked up by the Cubs. The shocking part is that he actually hit pretty well with Chicago, a .300 average in 14 games [used primarily as a defensive substitution, pinch runner or hitter], and he got 3 hits and 3 of his patented stolen bases out of the deal. 

2021 Prediction: He gets some stolen bases for SOMEONE next year, I just don't know for whom or whether he hits for average at all.

Coming Up Next: They came into this season with two Martes and Madison Bumgarner, and they left it with only one Marte and barely any Bumgarner. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Cubs

Bit of a step backward for our heroic Cubs.

This team...could not win away from home. They just couldn't. They were 33-48 on the road, and they couldn't keep this from stopping them. It was very sad, even if they made a lot of impressive steps forward.

Kyle Schwarber did his usual thing. He hit 38 home runs, a personal best, with a .250 average, another personal best, and 92 RBIs, also a high. But, he also struck out 156 times...which was ALSO a career high.
Why Him in 2019?: 38 home runs.
2020 Prediction: Hopefully he hits a bit more for average.

 Albert Almora was sent down to the minors this year, and I'm still not sure why. He had a reasonably strong year, and is still a great defender, despite his batting numbers taking a dip this year.
Why Him in 2019?: His call-down makes it possible for the Castellanos deal.
2020 Prediction: More playing time, and an improvement in terms of batting average.

 This was the year of Yu Darvish's comeback, where after a slow start he finally got back to his old tricks, with a 2.76 average and 118 strikeouts in the second half alone.
Why Him in 2019?: Might have been the only constant force of good in the Cubs rotation this year.
2020 Prediction: The ERA lowers even more, the wins rise, and the Cubs have themselves a Cy Young candidate. Like they wanted all along.

 The Cubs' backup catcher, Victor Caratini, became a bench force and lineup presence in the wake of Willson Contreras' injury. In 95 games, he hit .266 with 34 RBIs. Not bad at all.
Why Him in 2019?: Proves the Cubs have found a new backup catcher since losing Grandpa Rossy.
2020 Prediction: More concrete backup numbers, and an audition to start somewhere in 2021.

 Ben Zobrist's year was...tumultuous to say the least. He missed a ton of time due to his messy divorce proceedings, but once he returned, he was mostly his old self, hitting .284 in 21 games.
Why Him in 2019?: Comeback story of the year, even if it didn't involve cancer.
2020 Prediction: Either he winds up on a bench for a month, or he retires.

 One of the more important bullpen arms the Cubs had this year was Steve Cishek, far removed from his botched closing numbers after his breakout in Miami. Cishek became a great middle relief man, with a 2.95 ERA in 64 appearances.
Why Him in 2019?: Proved he can still be of use in relief.
2020 Prediction: A contender will sign him, and he will disappoint them.

 Speaking of disappointments, Craig Kimbrel in Chicago everybody. The closer everybody thought was indestructible finally had a human year after sitting out for a contract. The numbers he waited for? A 6.53 ERA with 13 saves in 23 appearances.
Why Him in 2019?: [plays Paramore's 'That's What You Get' faintly in the background]
2020 Prediction: Fuller year, better numbers. This will be a year more reminiscent of Kimbrel's heyday. You'll be hearing Stranglehold a lot in Wrigley this year.

 And...the big trade deadline acquisition. Nicholas Castellanos. Man, was this a smart pickup for the Cubs. Castellanos took off like a train, hitting .321 in 51 games, with 16 home runs and 36 RBIs (more than Almora in 130 games).
Why Him in 2019?: Might have been the biggest post-trade glow-up in the MLB this year.
2020 Prediction: Gets a juicy contract to play somewhere fancy for a few years. Will possibly touch his 2019 numbers once.

 Jonathan Lucroy's 2019 season was...odd. His Angels numbers were down from his usual averages, both offensively and defensively, and post-Cubs trade he performed...less-than-adequately, hitting .189 in 27 games, despite some early clutch RBIs.
Why Him in 2019?: Lucroy ends the decade in the same place he started it- with no expectations.
2020 Prediction: Dare I say it...backing someone up.

Nico Hoerner was my favorite feel-good story of the year for the Cubs. Addison Russell, Javier Baez and Daniel Descalso all get injured. The Cubs need a shortstop (Zo'll take 2nd), so they go into DOUBLE-A, to a guy who thought his season was over after an injury, and say 'Hey, Nico, you free to play short for a few games?'. So in comes Nico Hoerner, a year after being drafted, and he does amazingly, hitting .282 in 20 games, with 17 RBIs. The man is 22 and he's playing like a pro. I love to see it.
Why Him in 2019?: Proves that rookies can be ready at any time.
2020 Prediction: Will start in AAA, will probably get called up mid-year and continue what he started this year.

Coming Tomorrow- In between Card Show posts, some musings about a surprisingly impressive Diamondbacks team.