Uncustomed Heroes of 2022: Reds

 

It's not surprising that the Reds lost 100 games. With everything they gave up going into the season, and the emphasis on the rookies, it was bound to happen. What is surprising is how much of this team worked despite the tanking. Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft and Alexis Diaz, all rookie arms, ruled this team statistically, and kept it standing once Mahle, Castillo and Drury left. It's a decent foundation for future seasons, as Greene and Lodolo already looked MLB-ready despite some usual rookie misfires. 

With so many departures, including Mike Moustakas' recent DFAing, Nick Senzel is one of the nearest things to a veteran these Reds teams have. True, he hasn't quite lived up to the expectations set upon him once he was called up several years ago, but he was at least as present as he could be this season. Senzel played in 110 games, and hit .231 with 25 RBIs. 

2023 Prediction: Senzel is eventually gonna give the Reds one season that's something like what was promised, and I reckon it's gonna be next year. I also reckon the Reds are gonna get their hopes up too much because of it, or perhaps another team will.

SPEAKING OF GETTING ONE'S HOPES UP...Aristedes Aquino once again continued to shutter any fan hopes from 2019 that were still left. Yes, Aquino did hit 10 homers and 30 RBIs this year, and managed to still make a 1.4 WAR out of it, but his average was .197. For a lot of this season, the hopes and dreams of a fanbase were being put upon a guy hitting .197. That's not good at all.

2023 Prediction: Perhaps a slight upgrade overseas?

Mike Minor's career died and came back in the last 5 years, and it has sadly died again. The Royals flipped Minor to Cincinnati, and while he didn't become active til a few months into the season, Minor acted as a trusty innings-eater while posting a 6.06 ERA and a 4-12 record in 19 starts. I get they wanted him to train the kids, but he can just coach and do that.

2023 Prediction: I reckon he retires, but he might still try a minor league, heh, deal somewhere.

Along with Greene, Lodolo and Ashcraft, former Pirates prospect Connor Overton was another young arm in the mix for the Reds. Things were going great for him through his first 6 games, as he had a 2.73 ERA and a 0.970 WHIP. Then Overton got hurt and missed the rest of the season. Hence Mike Minor.

2023 Prediction: With Greene, Lodolo, Ashcraft and Vladimir Gutierrez looking at the first four rotation spots, Overton has a slight edge over Justin Dunn, and I think with a good spring he'll take the fifth spot.

Jake Fraley, coming off a great 2021, was a pretty big piece of the deal that robbed the Reds of Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker. While expectations were high for the outfielder, he spent the first 3 months of the season on the IL and only appeared in 68 games. Granted, he made up for it by hitting .259 with 12 homers and 28 RBIs, but some outfield misfires kept him from being a truly helpful presence.

2023 Prediction: An improvement, and possibly a big year given the lack of big stars to compete with.

I'd worried we'd seen the last of Donovan Solano after quietly leaving the Giants just a year removed from his ASG-caliber year in 2020. But alas, he signed a minor league deal with the Reds and became a fairly useful replacement player at 2nd, hitting .284 with 79 hits in 80 games, including 24 RBIs. Donnie Barrels is a fairly useful guy to have around, and I sincerely hope teams keep this in mind.

2023 Prediction: A nice backup role somewhere, I hope.

The big outfield piece the Reds have their eyes on for the future of this team, due to lack of other concrete options, is T.J. Friedl. This year was Friedl's big coming out party, and he hit .240 with 25 RBIs and 8 homers in 72 games. I think the Reds are priming him for a big role in the 2023 team, and I sincerely hope he lives up to expectations.

2023 Prediction: ...wouldn't it be funny if he has the better season than Senzel?

UPDATE: Not long after I posted this, I discovered I was the recipient of one of, ironically, Reds fan Chris at Nachos Grande's end of the year superlatives. In a category that was unbeknownst to me until I read the post, I was one of the finalists for the 'Best Under the Radar Blog' category, which is honestly a pretty perfect summation of what I go for. I thank whoever nominated me, and I thank all of you who've continued to read the blog over the years. May your Christmases be merry, bright, and warm. 

As usual, I'm leaving tomorrow blank for the holiday, but on Monday, a few extra players from the team I barely did any customs from this year. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Royals

 

The Royals came storming out after a fantastic Spring Training run, went 16-9 the first month of the season, and stacked themselves on great starts by Salvador Perez, Michael Taylor and Whit Merrifield.

Then, of course, they returned to normal, and limped through the rest of the season thanks to some poor outings from their starters and some disappointing seasons from people they were expecting great things from. While they couldn't out-suck the Twins, they handed in a very disappointing 2021. 

Hunter Dozier, a few years after being an ASG backup at third, was moved predominantly to the outfield this season. Unfortunately, his defensive numbers in the outfield were even worse than his defensive numbers at third, and that added to a negative batting figure gave him a -2.5 WAR, enough to erase most of his 2019 season. 

2022 Prediction: By July he's gonna be a bench bat at best. I don't think he has anything left to show the Royals. Which sucks, cause last year I pulled a 1/1 of him. Better get to selling it.

Similarly, after being one of the pillars of the rotation in 2018 and 2019, Brad Keller is also now giving negative WAR. In 26 starts, 2nd most in the rotation, Keller went 8-12 with a 5.39 ERA and a 1.661 WHIP. 

2022 Prediction: Slightly better numbers, but as Lynch, Bubic, Singer and Kowar become better at pitching in the majors, he'll be either shifted to a pen arm or traded.

The Royals starter responsible for the most innings was Mike Minor, who has the Royals to thank for making him a force again before his Rangers deal. Minor also went 8-12, a 5.05 ERA, and a team-leading 149 Ks. 

2022 Prediction: A, heh, MINOR improvement, but like with Keller, the kids are gonna be running this rotation next year, and he may not play a huge role in the team. 

The Royals' chief utility infielder was former Baltimore seat-filler Hanser Alberto. Like the theme, nowhere near as strong as his 2019, but Alberto still hit .270 with 65 hits and decent defensive numbers in 105 games. 

2022 Prediction: Someone picks him up for a similar bench role, but I doubt he'll come near his O's numbers. 

This was a cool sight- a few seasons after flaming out of the leagues, Ervin Santana returned to Kansas City, where he had a decent 2013 before reinventing himself with Atlanta and Minnesota. In a relief-heavy role, Santana had a 4.68 ERA with 58 Ks in 38 appearances, something of a humble sendoff, I reckon.

2022 Prediction: Retirement.

And looking to the future, in 2021 the Royals brought up pitching prospect Daniel Lynch, and plugged him in alongside Brady Singer and Kris Bubic. In 15 games, Lynch went 4-6 with a 5.69 ERA and 55 Ks. Not a great deal, and your standard first-year shakiness, but the Royals are expecting big things from Lynch.

2022 Prediction: A slow build to establishing MLB dominance, ending with a sub-4 ERA and some impressive strikeout numbers.

Tomorrow, a few extras from the Detroit Tigers, before their push to compete in 2022.

2020 Topps Final Edition: Cards #127-135

 Bit of personal news as I post this one- I get my second vaccine today. Joyous moment, my social circles are beginning to open up there, and the goal is to get to at least one Philadelphia Phillies game this season, as they are the closest MLB team to me at roughly a half-hour from the house on a good day. I miss going to baseball games, I didn't go to enough in 2019, and I wanna get back to attending some this year.

Now, here are the next 9 cards in the ongoing 2020 Topps Final Edition series:

Card #127- Daniel Robertson, San Francisco Giants

After coming up as a replacement for Evan Longoria and slowly losing playing time to Matt Duffy and Yandy Diaz, Daniel Robertson found himself picked up by the Giants in 2020, only for him to reunite with the man he replaced in Tampa. While Longo still made the majority of the starts at third, Robertson was a useful backup infielder, hitting .333 in 13 games, with 7 hits and 2 RBIs. It was a showcase for other teams to sign him as a utility man in 2021, which the Brewers jumped at.

Card #128- Kyle Lewis ASG, Seattle Mariners

It should not especially surprise you that, if the 2020 season had resulted in an All Star Game, Kyle Lewis would have been the only Mariners nominee. With apologies to Marco Gonzalez, J.P. Crawford and Austin Nola, Lewis was the only piece of that lineup that felt indicative of the entirety of the AL- homer-busting, high-speed, good for baseball. And while Lewis' numbers dipped after August, he still left with 11 homers and 28 RBIs, definitely not a bad shake of things. While he's currently injured, he looks to be a huge piece of the Mariners lineup in 2021, especially with the return of Mitch Haniger.

Card #129- Mitch White, Los Angeles Dodgers

It's not every day that a rookie comes upon my radar thanks to a news segment. ABC Nightly News did a spotlight on Mitch White, whose aunt is an ABC Correspondent, and he's the descendant of immigrants and last year he finally made the bigs after years of climbing the ladder. It makes for a good story, and it makes for an intriguing MLB piece for the Champion Dodgers. He only pitched 2 games, but he was lights-out in relief with 2 strikeouts. White is likely gonna be used as a major relief option this season in LA. 

Card #130- Tyler Stephenson, Cincinnati Reds

Lost in the shuffle of the Reds' 2020 playoff run was the rookie splash made by Tyler Stephenson, their top catching prospect. Like Aristedes Aquino, Stephenson was doing his best to stay relevant in a lineup where there was no room for him. Curt Casali and Tucker Barnhart were viable options at catcher, and any opportunity to play Stephenson elsewhere was met with similar roadblockage. Which was a pity, since Stephenson was on fire at the plate whenever they brought him up, hitting .294 with 2 homers and 6 RBIs in only 8 games. Thankfully, with the departure of Curt Casali, Stephenson is getting more playing time, and will likely become a bigger player as Barnhart phases out. 

Card #131- Daz Cameron, Detroit Tigers

Daz Cameron holds the distinction, along with his father Mike Cameron, of being one of the few [and if not few, only] father-son duos to have both been traded for a Hall of Famer. Mike was famously traded to the Mariners in 2000 for Ken Griffey Jr., while Daz was a Houston prospect that was dealt to Detroit in exchange for Justin Verlander. I understand that Verlander isn't a Hall of Famer yet, but seeing as he's going to be in 7 years, you might as well just print the legend. Daz Cameron himself underwhelmed in his 2020 call-up, hitting .193 in 17 games thanks to being a part of a crowded youth movement. While Cameron is starting the 2021 season in the minors, I feel like he'll get his chance sooner or later...unless the Tigers feel the need to trade him for another Hall of Famer anytime soon. 

Card #132- Byron Buxton ASG, Minnesota Twins

Now hear this and hear it well- Byron Buxton would have been the starting centerfielder of the AL All-Star Team if last year's game had happened. Yes, somehow Mike Trout wouldn't make it, as the Minnesota centerfielder would win out on account of his numbers, and the bloodthirsty Twins fanbase. It would have been the culmination of another phenomenal year for Buxton, who's become a formidable leadership figure for the Twins, and has upped his offensive abilities in recent years. Hopefully he continues his fantastic work this year as well.

Card #133- Santiago Espinal, Toronto Blue Jays

As the Jays figured out their infield before switching things around in 2021, one of the people they tried out at shortstop [to help fill the void after Bichette's injury] was rookie Santiago Espinal. The 26-year-old rookie made a decent name for himself, hitting .267 with 16 hits in 26 games, and becoming a low-key fixture for the Jays in 2020. But as Semien arrived in Toronto, Espinal was moved back to the minors.

Card #134- William Contreras, Atlanta Braves

Long overshadowed by his older brother Willson in Chicago, William Contreras was an early roster piece for the Braves last year thanks to Tyler Flowers and Travis d'Arnaud both starting the season on the IL. Contreras played his role will, hitting .400 in 4 games with 4 hits and an RBI, but once the other catchers returned, it was back to the taxi squad for him. With Alex Jackson making the team over him, Contreras will have to prove himself in the minors before the eventual call-up.

Card #135- Mike Minor, Oakland Athletics

Mike Minor was primed to be one of the big stars of the Rangers rotation last year, but after Kluber got hurt, Lyles disappointed and Kolby Allard dissipated, the stakes dropped mightily. Minor struggled to get his ERA below 5 in a market with barely any run support, and was traded to a competitor, Oakland, in August. His luck didn't exactly change, pitching 5.48 in a rotation piece that doubled as a bullpen piece, and slightly boosting his stock by pitching 4 scoreless postseason innings against Houston. Thankfully, he seems to be working on a reclamation project in Kansas City this year.

The next 9 cards in the set premiere on friday. A few very strange cases in this post, along with a recently-injured rookie. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Athletics

At long last, the Oakland Athletics won a playoff series in 2020. Granted, they proceeded to lose one to a team that finished the season under .500, a team they had no trouble beating during the regular season, but...they beat the Chicago White Sox and won a playoff series. That alone is enough to hang onto for 2021.

But, there were a lot of minor successes across the entire squad this year. First of all, former low-tier DH Robbie Grossman had his best season in years this year, with a club-leading 12 doubles and 40 hits. Granted, he only hit .241, but he got a lot of stuff done in 50 games, and finished with a 1.0 WAR

2021 Prediction: Becomes a bench player for a competitive team, and gets some playoff time. 

In a season where some of the main pitching options were souring, Jesus Luzardo was a mostly efficient starting choice. In 9 starts, Luzardo had a 3.83 record with 3 wins and 59 strikeouts, second-most thanks to Frankie Montas squeaking out one more. Luzardo and Chris Bassitt were the only starters who finished the season with ERAs lower than 4, which is a good sign for the future, I guess.

2021 Prediction: A fuller picture of his abilities, a boost in July and a few Cy Young votes flung his way.

As Luzardo rose, the former Oakland ace, Mike Fiers, fell slightly. Despite a 6-3 record, the 35-year-old had a down year, with a 4.58 ERA and 37 strikeouts. Considering that Fiers already had two nice seasons as an Athletic, it's not the worst way to end a multi-year deal.

2021 Prediction: Mid-market team signs him, he starts 18 games and relieves a bunch more, and on the whole it's labeled an improvement. 

After the hazy, indistinct catching picture of 2019, Sean Murphy arose as the primary backstop for this year, and boy did he make his presence known. Murph hit .233 in 43 games, with 14 RBIs and 7 homers, and boosted the runs column towards a 1.0 WAR. Even if Vimael Machin provided some late competition, by the playoffs, Murphy was on fire, hitting .375 in the wild card series with 2 RBIs, and a helpful homer in the ALDC. 

2021 Prediction: He makes it to 25 home runs and cements himself as a member of this team's core during a killer playoff run.

After an impressive post-trade run in Oakland last year, Jake Diekman doubled down in 2020, with a 0.42 ERA and 31 strikeouts in an injury-shortened 21 games. Dude only allowed one earned run the whole year. At 33, he's probably had one of his strongest years. 

2021 Prediction: Healthier, but a statistical step back.

It took until September for Chad Pinder to arrive in Oakland, and once he did, he made them regret not activating him sooner. Pinder took on a reserve infielder role in the last month of the year, hit .232 with 8 RBIs, and was responsible for seven postseason RBIs, including some that kept the A's-Astros series going all the way to 5 games. Pinder's power kept the A's alive this year.

2021 Prediction: More bench work, slightly less starry, but I still predict some home runs coming late in the season from this guy.

After losing Jurickson Profar to the Padres, the A's decided to give 2nd base to former Astros outfielder Tony Kemp. An odd move, but one that made a bit more sense as the season went on, as Kemp was more of a defensive piece than an offensive one. Kemp only hit 247, but he was a quick defender at 2nd. However, once August ended, the A's had a few more infield options to work with, and Kemp got less and less playing time.

2021 Prediction: Won't stay in Oakland, or as a second baseman, for all of 2021.

On a whim, the A's trade Franklin Barreto for Tommy La Stella, and he does not disappoint in his month with the team. In 27 games he hits .289 with 11 RBIs and 28 hits, improving on Kemp's defensive play, and becoming the primary 2nd baseman going into the playoffs, where he hit .293 with 8 hits and 2 RBIs. For a career utilityman going into 2019, not bad at all.

2021 Prediction: Will be signed as a backup, get some playing time in May, and be traded once some rookie infielder completely takes over. I say Baltimore signs him.

The other veteran the A's went with at the deadline was Mike Minor, who was having a shaky year for the Rangers pre-trade. The A's used Minor both in relief and as a starter, and in both cases he displayed the same uneasy material, keeping a 5.48 ERA in September 27 strikeouts but 13 earned runs. In the postseason he was used primarily in relief, and was scoreless in 3.2 innings against the Astros.

2021 Prediction: He's gonna do well in Kansas City. That organization brought him back, and he'll have a nice return to form without COMPLETELY usurping his 2018-19 numbers.

And then there's Jake Lamb.

Lamb, the once-hot Diamondbacks third baseman had become a burden at DH, and the D-Backs unloaded him before the end of August. The A's, reeling from an injury to Matt Chapman, picked him up and Lamb, like a fish in new water, regained his pop, hitting .267 with 9 RBIs and 3 home runs in 12 games. Lamb had 1 hit in 8 postseason at-bats, though. 

 2021 Prediction: This is the make or break year for Lamb. He's both triumphed and bellyflopped in 2020. Lamb needs a great season in 2021. Whoever signs him, however, is playing quite a risk.

Coming Tomorrow- The little AL East team that could.

Top 10 Trade Deadline Deals: 2020 Edition

I wasn't expecting much from this trade deadline, somehow, and yet in the last 24 hours things became absolutely insane. Stars flew across coasts, teams split up rotations, and a true competitive giant became clear. Somehow the biggest money-spending teams, like the Dodgers and Yankees, went largely without doing anything, which was a surprise, but far from the only one this deadline.

I have a Top 10 set up, as per usual, but first, several honorable mentions:

-Mychal Givens to Colorado, prospects to Baltimore

-Miguel Castro to Queens, prospect to Baltimore

-Jarrod Dyson to the White Sox, prospects to Pittsburgh

-Mitch Moreland to the Padres, prospects to Boston

-Cameron Maybin to the Cubs, prospects to Detroit

-Jose Martinez to the Cubs, prospects to Tampa

-Ross Stripling to the Blue Jays, prospects to the Dodgers

-Brian Goodwin to the Reds, prospect to Anaheim [this is one of the dumbest moves for me, as the Reds now seem like they're actively preventing Tyler Stephenson or Aristedes Aquino from having any playing time]

-Kevin Pillar to the Rockies, prospects to Boston

-Jason Castro to the Padres, prospects to Anaheim

-Taijuan Walker to the Blue Jays, prospects to Seattle

-Tommy Milone to Atlanta, prospects to the O's [this would have been #10 had he not gotten rocked last night]

AND NOW THE TOP TEN:

#10: Tommy La Stella to Oakland, Franklin Barreto and a prospect to Anaheim:

How it Benefits Oakland: I think the A's had run out of ways to placate Franklin Barreto, as they'd been relying on Tony Kemp at 2nd all year, but even then they needed a bit more flexibility, and this gives them that. La Stella could return to his role as bench-player-extraordinaire from 2018 as well as providing a solid infield bat and essentially being a return to the Jed Lowrie era of utility guys getting starts. Definitely a smart lineup-strengthening move for Beane and co.

#9: Todd Frazier to the Mets, prospects to Arlington:

How it benefits the Mets: Reunites them with a clubhouse presence that can help them advance AND be comfortable in the NY metropolitan area. Frazier's Mets years weren't his BIGGEST, but he still developed a sharp fan following, and became a solid producer for the team. As okay as he was in Texas, he could become even better in Queens and return to his former glory, which could benefit New York along with their other new additions of Miguel Castro and Robinson Chirinos. 

#8: Trevor Rosenthal to San Diego, prospects to Kansas City

How it benefits the Padres: One of many attempts to help the Friars' scattershot bullpen in the wake of injuries to Kirby Yates and some inflated ERAs, along with Taylor Williams and Dan Altavilla. Rosenthal is the most stark addition- the former St. Louis closer had a return to form in KC this year with 7 saves and 21 Ks, finally returning to the conversation. Now that he's a factor in the Padres' bullpen, he could either challenge Drew Pomeranz for the ninth inning job or join Williams and Altavilla in the middle-relief journey.

#7: Archie Bradley to the Reds, Josh Van Meter to the D-Backs

How it benefits the D-Backs: Van Meter's a sharp bench player, and he could definitely do well in a bigger role.

How it benefits the Reds: Well, the Reds are another team with bullpen injuries, and even Raisel Iglesias isn't doing as well as usual, so...all-star reliever and closer Archie Bradley will do just fine! The guy's having another fantastic season, he's versatile, and he'll bring a lot to the table alongside Amir Garrett in that bullpen. This move brings them slightly closer to competing in the NL Central.

#6: Robbie Ray to Toronto, prospect to Arizona

How it benefits the Jays: STRIKEOUT ARTIST ROBBIE RAY IS NOW YOUR #2 MAN, TORONTO. Granted, Ray has gotten into some trouble this year, and is struggling to keep opposing offenses at bay, but getting out of the NL West and away from the Rockies, Dodgers and Padres may be better for him. He's still doing a lot of strikeouts, and putting him next to Taijuan Walker, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Tanner Roark is a good look for the Jays. 

 #5: Mike Minor to the A's, prospects to the Rangers
How it benefits Oakland: Like the Ray deal, this one is a lot better in concept than it is numerically this season, hence the lower placing, so you have to put it into the perspective of 'Mike Minor was amazing last year, and hopefully he still has some of that power with him for the last month of the year'. Minor's been slumping so far, and hopefully it's an environmental thing rather than a loss of velocity or anything. Anyway, he'll be a good match for Mike Fiers in the A's rotation, and bring some much-needed experience to that mostly-young crew.

 #4: Jonathan Villar to the Blue Jays, prospects [JEFF CONINE'S SON] to the Marlins
How it benefits Toronto: Gives them a substantial, offensively-talented replacement for Bo Bichette and an eventual DH option once Bo returns. But also, Jonathan Villar in this lineup could make the Jays into the postseason contender this team definitely wants to be. Ray and Walker help, but Villar adds a legitimate star alongside Biggio and Grichuk to bulk the lineup, and this team's chances. It's not an outwardly OMG move like getting Price or Tulo, but it's a lower-key move for a lower-key Jays team. Which I can respect.

 #3: Austin Nola to the Padres, Taylor Trammell, Luis Torrens and Ty France to the Mariners
How it helps the Ms: Trammell, Lewis and Kelenic in the same outfield? Holy crap. France will fill the utility role Nola had been filling so far. Torrens will hopefully get the starting gig he's been waiting for.
How it benefits the Padres: As this lineup was turning out to be a monolith, the real weak point looked like it would be catcher, even as Torrens came in. Austin Nola is not only a decent catcher, but he's got that sort of lineup x-factor about him where he can get a lot done in a lot of roles, and would probably gain star power within another season or so in Seattle. Putting him in a competitive San Diego team that has a space for him and needs another bat like him is a wise move that, I imagine, is going to warrant me putting this at #3 over Mike Minor and Robbie Ray in a year's time [remember when I said last year that I'd come back to Zac Gallen in a year or so? D-Backs made a steal there]

 #2: Starling Marte to the Marlins, Caleb Smith, Humberto Mejia and a prospect to the D-Backs
How it Benefits Arizona- Their only real rotation loss was Robbie Ray, so adding Smith and Mejia to the Weaver-Gallen-Clarke-Young wheel is actually a pretty nice deal.
How it Benefits Miami: This was my biggest shock, because it was a reminder that the Marlins were still trying to compete, even after dealing Smith and Villar. It proved that all the Marlins needed was a big star in the lineup to remain in the conversation, and Starling Marte in that outfield with Magneuris Sierra and Corey Dickerson could be genuinely dangerous. Marte is still a league-caliber bat with some more damage to do this season, and even if the Marlins only make it a short while into the playoffs, having Marte could bring them a little more life than otherwise.

#1, of course: Mike Clevinger and Greg Allen to the Padres, Cal Quantrill, Austin Hedges and Josh Naylor to the Indians

How it Benefits Cleveland: Honestly, in a longer term scenario, the Indians might have gotten more out of this, because Josh Naylor is gonna replace Domingo Santana as DH, Austin Hedges will add another [sub-.200] catcher to the rolodex, and Cal Quantrill should be a steady replacement for Clevinger, at least in terms of likability.

How it Benefits San Diego: So, now the Padres' rotation is Clevinger-Paddack-Lamet-Davies-Richards. That's, uh...that's pretty good, especially for a team that now has a better bullpen, bench and lineup. Clevinger might be the cherry on top of all the other moves, because he gives the team a genuine ace, someone they might have had with Chris Paddack had he gotten off to a better start this year. Clevinger will lead this rotation into the playoffs, where they should be welcomed. Also, Greg Allen is another nice bench bat, along with Moreland. 

Huge deadline this year. Lots of odd moves and outcomes. Interested to see how the rest of the season rolls out now.