While the rotation is nowhere near ready to compete, I figure it's about time to pour water on the line-up too. Santana, Phillips, and Nottingham are far from guaranteed to be average players, let alone really good players. Sometimes it seems like we're playing fantasy baseball. Just plug this guy in here, another guy there. These are all talented players, but we all know how many really talented players never make it to MLB, let alone stick. So to compete in 2017/18 we basically need FOUR starting pitchers, 2-3 reliable bullpen arms, keep Braun (and he needs to stay healthy and continue to hit at this level), Carter hitting close to his current pace for 2 years and 5 months longer, Santana and Gennett panning out, and then Arcia, Phillips, and Nottingham all getting close to their ceilings, and doing it almost immediately in their MLB careers. I can be as glass half full as I want, but that's hard to swallow.