Michael Trzinski

James Jerry Hardy was born in Tucson, Arizona in August 1982. He was a three-time All-State player for Sabino (Tucson) HS and was also named to the USA Today All-American team as a senior. The Brewers chose Hardy in the second round of the 2001 MLB Amateur Draft, 56th overall. After prolonged contract talks, Hardy signed for $735,000 and made his professional debut in the Arizona Rookie League before finishing the year at Ogden (Utah) of the rookie Pioneer League. Hardy played in the All-Stars Futures Game in 2003, along with the US Olympic team in the qualifying tournament. The right-handed hitting shortstop started the 2004 season at Triple-A Indianapolis, only to see his campaign end with a torn labrum after 26 games. He won the starting SS job for the Brewers in 2005 and knocked in a pair of runs with his first major league hit in his first game of the year. He split time with Bill Hall, starting 104 games and slashing .247/.327/.384 with 22 doubles and nine home runs in 372 at-bats. Injury struck Hardy again in 2006, as he damaged a tendon in his right ankle in a play at home plate in mid-May and ended up having season-ending surgery in July. Hardy played in a career-low 35 games but started showing some power with five home runs in 128 at-bats. Hardy made the NL All-Star team in 2007, slashing .277/.323/.463 with an OPS+ of 101 and career-highs in runs scored, hits, and RBI. He also slammed 26 home runs in 592 at-bats. The following year was another solid year in which Hardy had career highs in OPS (.821) and OPS+ (115). He hit a career-high 31 doubles to go along with 24 homers. The 2009 season was not kind to Hardy as he was sent down to Triple-A Nashville in early August after a sub-par .229/.300/.367 batting line. He returned in September but played sparingly. After the season he was traded to the Minnesota Twins for Carlos Gómez. Hardy missed had two stints on the disabled list in May and June 2010 and played in only 101 games, although he slashed a respectable .268/.320/.394. Hardy was traded to Baltimore after the 2011 campaign and played the next seven years with the Orioles and enjoyed a career resurgence. He won three straight Gold Glove awards, a Silver Slugger award and made the AL All-Star team in 2013. Hardy ended his 13-year career after the 2017 season. His career slash line read .256/.305/.408 with 1,488 hits, 291 doubles, and 188 homers. He was inducted into the Milwaukee Brewers ‘Wall of Honor.’ View full player

I think the Cubs are the favorites and the other four will battle for runner-up. But, ya never know...

Historically speaking, the St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most successful teams in major league history, having won 11 World Series in 19 tries, second only to the 27 titles of the New York Yankees. However, while the Cards played in the postseason each year from 2019-2022, they've come up short the last two seasons, finishing fifth in the NL Central in 2023 while grabbing a runner-up spot last year. What do they have in store in 2025? Image courtesy of Rick Scuteri/USA Today Last Year Although they weren’t terrible — playing above .500 ball in five of the six months of the 2024 season — the Cardinals just didn’t have enough horsepower to keep up in the division. St. Louis finished tied for second with the Chicago Cubs with an 83-79 record, 10 games behind Milwaukee for the NL Central title in 2024. However, closer Ryan Helsley not only led the National League with 49 saves, but he also posted an ERA+ of 206 and a 2.41 FIP. He was the only Cardinals All-Star and finished ninth in the NL Cy Young voting. Manager Oliver Marmol is beginning his fourth year at the helm at just 38 years old. Key Losses: 1B Paul Goldschmidt, INF Matt Carpenter, OF Dylan Carlson, OF Tommy Pham, and P’s Andrew Kittredge, Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn. Key Signings: P Nick Anderson, UTIL Michael Helman, P Roddery Muñoz, IF-OF José Barrero. Starting Pitching The Cardinals appear to be set in their rotation with four righties and one southpaw. Erick Fedde came over from the White Sox and had an ERA+ of 126 and a FIP of 3.86. Miles Mikolas had perhaps his worst season since arriving in St. Louis with an ERA+ of 78 and FIP of 4.24. Sonny Gray dropped off a bit from his dominant 2023 but won a team-high 13 games with an ERA+ of 109 and FIP of 3.12. Andre Pallante is the only projected starter younger than 30 years old at 26, but in his first year as a full-time starter posted an ERA+ of 111 and FIP of 3.71. Left-hander Steven Matz was limited to 12 appearances (seven starts) in 2024 due to a back injury but is healthy this spring and will be a back-end starter in the rotation. Michael McGreevy will challenge for a spot but will most likely start the season in Triple-A. Lefty Zack Thompson has a left lat injury and will most likely not be ready until late April/early May. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Erick Fedde 4.28 1.4 21.1 7.4 Miles Mikolas 4.47 1.1 16.1 4.7 Sonny Gray 3.48 2.9 25.5 6.7 Andre Pallante 3.98 1.4 17.0 9.2 Steven Matz (LH) 4.05 1.0 20.1 7.4 Michael McGreevy 4.13 1.8 16.7 6.3 Zack Thompson (LH) 4.33 0.8 22.3 10.8 Relief Pitching Ryan Helsley will once again be the closer after saving 49 games last season. Ryan Fernandez will see some high-leverage action after a 120 ERA+, 3.35 FIP season. Southpaws JoJo Romero (125 ERA+, 4.27 FIP), Matthew Liberatore (95, 4.11), and John King (148, 3.73) will all have prominent roles in the bullpen. Newcomer Nick Anderson (106, 5.07) should take over the role held by Kittredge last year, while Riley O’Brien (39, 7.04) and Kyle Leahy (104, 3.56) have a leg up for the final spots. Roddery Muñoz and Gordon Graceffo can start or relieve and will challenge for either spot, while Chris Roycroft and Ryan Loutos will fight for relief spots in the bullpen. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Ryan Helsley 2.86 1.0 30.6 9.0 Ryan Fernandez 3.66 0.4 23.3 8.9 JoJo Romero (LH) 3.73 0.3 23.9 7.8 Matthew Liberatore (LH) 4.17 0.8 21.2 8.7 Nick Anderson 4.33 0.0 20.4 8.6 John King (LH) 3.80 0.4 15.2 5.8 Riley O’Brien 4.59 0.1 22.6 11.9 Kyle Leahy 4.44 0.2 17.5 8.7 Roddery Muñoz 5.11 0.0 19.3 10.2 Gordon Graceffo 4.54 0.8 16.1 7.7 Ryan Loutos 4.10 0.1 19.1 8.9 Chris Roycroft 4.40 -0.1 18.8 10.6 Catcher Iván Herrera and Pedro Pagés will most likely split the time behind the dish, once the domain of Yadier Molina. Herrera is better with the bat (.301/.372/.428), but Pagés (.238/.281/.376) is better at throwing out runners (19% compared to seven percent). Willson Contreras will play mostly at first base but could catch if needed. Chance Sisco and Jimmy Crooks (the Cardinals' #4 prospect) are also in camp. First Base Alec Burleson will see plenty of time at first, as will Contreras. Burleson (.269/.314/.420) will also take turns as the designated hitter, along with Contreras and Luken Baker, who has nothing left to prove after hitting 112 home runs over the last four seasons at Double-A and Triple-A. Second Base Nolan Gorman is in his fourth year, and although he has had a negative DRS each year, he will be given every opportunity to get 600 at-bats this season. If Nolan Arenado is traded, Gorman would probably move to third. Brendan Donovan made 49 starts at second last year but will get most of his playing time in left field. Thomas Saggese and José Fermín can play second and short but are probably going back to the minors to start the campaign. Third Base Right now, the spot is Arenado’s, despite the desire of the Cardinals to trade him. Last year was the first time in 12 years that Arenado (.275/.325/.394) didn’t win a Gold Glove or make the All-Star team. Fermín and Donovan each played more than 50 innings at the hot corner last year. Shortstop Masyn Winn’s DRS of 14 was the best in the majors at short, and he also had 52 extra-base hits along with his slash line of .267/.314/.416 and 102 OPS+. He is a superstar in the making. José Barrero can play short and all three outfield spots and will be one of the last players on the bench. Left Field For now, Donovan (.278/.342/.417) is expected to get most of the starts in left, with Barrero serving as a back-up. Donovan is a solid defender and won a Gold Glove as a utility player in 2022. Center Field Lars Nootbaar is slated to play in center but will also play a few games in left field. The versatile Barrero can play all three spots but needs to regain his batting eye. Michael Siani slashed only .228/.285/.285 last year and led the team with 20 steals but will be relegated to defensive replacement and pinch-runner status. Right Field Jordan Walker was the #4 prospect in the game in 2023 but just hasn’t put it all together yet. He had a fine rookie season but regressed last year, playing only 51 games for the Cardinals, slashing .201/.253/.366. Expected to take over in right field this year, Walker has been slowed by a knee injury this spring but should be back in the lineup by the start of the season. Victor Scott II and Matt Koperniak are on the borderline of making the big league team. The London-born Koperniak has a career .834 OPS in the minors. Designated Hitter Ten returning players spent at least one game at DH last year. Expect more of the same as manager Marmol plays mix-and-match with whoever isn’t playing in the field. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name (L)= Lefthanded wRC+ OPS wOBA fWAR Iván Herrera 107 .724 .321 2.2 Pedro Pagés 76 .621 .275 1.3 Willson Contreras 117 .764 .336 2.9 Alec Burleson (L) 112 .759 .329 2.2 Nolan Gorman (L) 108 .748 .323 2.1 Brendan Donovan (L) 119 .769 .339 2.7 Luken Baker 94 .692 .301 0.2 Nolan Arenado 107 .744 .321 3.1 Masyn Winn 96 .699 .304 3.1 José Barrero 74 .617 .272 0.6 Lars Nootbaar (L) 118 .776 .337 2.5 Michael Siani (L) 65 .572 .258 0.3 Jordan Walker 101 .718 .312 0.8 Matt Koperniak 93 .681 .299 1.2 Victor Scott II (L) 70 .599 .266 0.9 Summary The Baseball Prospectus PECOTA projections have the Cardinals winning 77.8 games, which ranks fourth in the NL Central. The Brewers, Pirates, and Cardinals are rated less than two games apart, so it is just a matter of which team has their youngsters come through, which team can stay injury free, and which team has all the pieces come together. If you believe PECOTA (I don’t), the Cubs are the elite team in the Central with a projected win total of 91.5 games. Time will tell how this tightly bunched division will shake out come October. How do you think the Cardinals and the rest of the teams in the NL Central will fare this year? Please add your comments below. View full article

Tough crowd...lol

The Pittsburgh Pirates have not had a .500 season since 2018 and haven’t made a playoff appearance since 2015. The 1979 ‘We Are Family’ Pirates, led by Willie “Pops” Stargell, Dave “Cobra” Parker, and John “Candy Man” Candelaria won their last World Series. Can new stars like Paul Skenes, Bryan Reynolds, and Oneil Cruz do the heavy lifting along with old pro Andrew McCutcheon to get this team across the finish line in a ‘up for grabs’ NL Central in 2025, or will they once again walk the plank? Image courtesy of Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Last Year The Bucs finished dead last in the NL Central in 2024 with a mark of 76-86 under skipper Derek Shelton, 17 games behind the division-winning Brewers. They climbed as high as second in the standings on July 30, but lost 12 of 13 games to drop them out of the race. Their team OPS+ was 87, which ranked second-to-last in the NL, as did their 1,506 strikeouts. They have lots of work to do, but on the bright side, Paul Skenes won the NL Rookie of the Year award last year and Reynolds was an All-Star, so there is some potential there. Key Losses: Pitchers Aroldis Chapman and Luis Ortiz, 1B/OF Connor Joe, 1B Rowdy Tellez, OF Bryan De La Cruz, C Yasmani Grandal, OF Michael A. Taylor. Key Signings: Outfielders Tommy Pham and DJ Stewart, 1B Spencer Horwitz, IF-OF Adam Frazier, 2B Enmanuel Valdéz , pitchers Tim Mayza, Caleb Ferguson, and Tanner Rainey. Starting Pitching Any discussion of pitching in Pittsburgh starts with Skenes. Last year’s rookie season earned him the NL ROY award and a third-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting. His stat line showed an ERA+ of 214, 2.44 FIP, a strikeout rate of 33.1% and a walk rate of 6.2%. He will be the staff ace. Two pitchers that are certain to be in the rotation are right-handers Mitch Keller and Jared Jones. Keller was an All-Star in 2023, and Jones is said to have a fastball comparable to that of Skenes. Southpaw Bailey Falter rounds out the top four. Right-handers Mike Burrows, Bubba Chandler, and Johan Oviedo will compete for the final spot in the rotation. Burrows has some impressive minor league power numbers, while Chandler is #15 on the MLB Top Prospects list. Oviedo missed all of 2024 after Tommy John surgery. Right-handers Braxton Ashcraft and Thomas Harrington have potential as well. Update: Southpaw Andrew Heaney was signed to a free agent contract and will compete for a rotation spot. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Paul Skenes 3.17 3.7 28.9 6.9 Jared Jones 3.79 2.1 24.3 7.2 Mitch Keller 3.99 2.3 21.2 6.8 Bailey Falter 4.42 1.1 16.9 6.8 Mike Burrows 4.57 0.5 19.1 8.9 Bubba Chandler 4.58 0.8 19.8 9.0 Johan Oviedo 4.31 1.1 21.1 9.3 Braxton Ashcraft 3.88 1.2 19.2 5.2 Thomas Harrington 4.39 1.0 18.4 6.3 Relief Pitching Seven pitchers appear to have a spot in the bullpen when the Pirates’ season starts on March 27 in Miami. Right-handers David Bednar, Colin Holderman, Dennis Santana, Kyle Nicolas, and Carmen Mlodzinski should start the season as part of the relief crew, with Bednar and Santana handling the late-inning duties. Nicolas has perhaps the best pure stuff on the staff and will pitch in high-leverage situations. Lefties Tim Mayza and Caleb Ferguson will join in the mix. Five others that have a shot of making the Opening Day roster are righties Carson Fulmer, Peter Strzelecki, Hunter Stratton, and Chase Shugart. Southpaw Ryan Borucki hopes to rebound from an injury-plagued 2024. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% David Bednar 3.48 0.6 25.7 8.4 Colin Holderman 3.82 0.4 23.4 9.8 Dennis Santana 3.59 0.6 23.1 9.2 Kyle Nicolas 4.53 0.2 21.8 11.5 Carmen Mlodzinski 4.01 0.6 20.8 9.2 Tim Mayza 4.19 0.1 16.8 7.9 Caleb Ferguson 3.18 0.8 24.3 8.8 Carson Fulmer 4.60 0.2 18.7 11.2 Peter Strzelecki 4.32 0.0 21.1 9.4 Hunter Stratton 3.93 0.3 22.3 9.1 Chase Shugart 4.60 0.1 17.1 8.4 Ryan Borucki 4.58 -0.1 23.4 11.2 Catcher Joey Bart is the presumptive starter with the departure of Yasmani Grandal. In his first season in Pittsburgh, Bart hit 13 HRs in 253 ABs while leading the team with an OPS+ of 120. Henry Davis and Endy Rodríguez will also see playing time. First Base The recently acquired Spencer Horwitz was expected to be the starter but is out for 6-8 weeks after surgery on his right thumb. Utility player Jared Triolo might be next in line. Slick fielding Billy Cook should get some starts, along with outfielder Bryan Reynolds. Second Base Nick Gonzales slashed .270/.311/.398 over 359 ABs last year and is penciled in as the starter at the keystone. Triolo will get playing time at second, as will Adam Frazier and Enmanuel Valdéz. Third Base After missing the last seven weeks of 2024 with a back injury, Ke’Bryan Hayes appears to be healthy this spring and should start at the hot corner. Frazier and Valdéz will fill in as needed. Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa will be the everyday shortstop. Gonzales, Triolo, and Nick Yorke will be the back-ups. Outfield The only thing we know for sure is that Oneil Cruz will play center field. The 6-foot-7 shortstop-turned-outfielder has 30/30 potential and will be one of the next Pirates superstars. Tommy Pham might play left while Reynolds plays right. Others that will in the starting mix are Jack Suwinski, DJ Stewart, Yorke, Cook, Joshua Palacios, and Frazier. Designated Hitter Most likely, Pittsburgh fan favorite Andrew McCutcheon will be the DH… unless he is needed in the outfield, which would spell doom for the Pirates.. Then, it could be anyone. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name wRC+ OPS wOBA fWAR Joey Bart 98 .709 .313 1.3 Endy Rodríguez 91 .694 .303 1.9 Henry Davis 101 .725 .318 1.5 Spencer Horwitz 119 .783 .344 2.5 Jared Triolo 89 .675 .301 1.8 Nick Gonzales 105 .746 .323 2.6 Enmanuel Valdéz 91 .695 .302 0.9 Adam Frazier 82 .650 .289 0.5 Ke’Bryan Hayes 85 .670 .294 1.9 Isiah Kiner-Falefa 81 .654 .288 1.0 Tommy Pham 95 .699 .307 0.4 Bryan Reynolds 114 .779 .337 2.5 Oneil Cruz 112 .779 .334 3.0 Jack Suwinski 109 .765 .330 1.7 Nick Yorke 84 .665 .293 1.3 Billy Cook 87 .681 .297 0.9 Joshua Palacios 104 .739 .322 1.0 Andrew McCutcheon 95 .695 .309 0.0 DJ Stewart 84 .653 .292 -0.3 Summary The Pirates aren't anyone's definition of a favorite, and the PECOTA projections have them set to finish fourth in the division with a 78-84 record. A climb back to .500 would be a success for the downtrodden Buccos, who have lots of young talent percolating through the system but have done little to supplement it at the major league level. Expect Pittsburgh to be a thorn in everyone's side in 2025 while ultimately falling shy of a playoff spot. View full article

The Reds come into the 2025 season with high hopes and a new manager. Terry Francona takes over the reins and brings with him two World Series titles and a career winning record of .538 during a 23-year managing resume. Pitcher Brent Suter said of Francona, “Where’s the wall? I’ll run through it.” Enough said. Image courtesy of Albert Cesare/Cincinnati Enquirer Last Year The Reds have finished over .500 only three times in the last ten years, including last season’s 77-85 mark which ranked fourth in the NL Central, 16 games behind the Brewers. Cincinnati had four winning months during the year, but that was offset by a combined 21-35 in May and August. The good news is that the Reds placed third in the NL with 207 stolen bases. The bad news is they were third-to-last with an OPS+ of 88. Shortstop Elly De La Cruz led the NL with 67 stolen bases, but on the negative side, also led the league with 16 caught steals and 218 strikeouts. Pitcher Hunter Greene led all NL pitchers with a 6.3 bWAR, which also placed fifth overall in the league. Both De La Cruz and Greene made the All-Star team. The Baseball Prospectus PECOTA projection has the Reds finishing last in the division and winning 74 games in 2025, three games worse than last year. Key Losses: 2B Jonathan India, pitchers Ty France, Fernando Cruz, Buck Farmer, Justin Wilson. Key Signings: 2B Gavin Lux, P Taylor Rogers, OF Austin Hays, C Jose Trevino, P Brady Singer. Starting Pitching Greene is the ace of the staff and as good as he has been, the righty not come close to his ceiling. His ERA+ of 160 led the team and his FIP of 3.47 was second among starters. Could this be the year Greene breaks through and competes for the Cy Young award? Right-handers Nick Martinez (142 ERA+, 3.21 FIP) and Brady Singer (114, 3.93) will be in the rotation as well as left-hander Nick Lodolo (92, 3.95). The fifth spot is up for grabs with left-hander Andrew Abbott (118, 5.04) and righty Rhett Lowder (six starts) as the current favorites. Both Abbott and Lowder are rehabbing injuries and might be a bit behind the curve. Also competing for a spot are right-handers Graham Ashcraft and Carson Spiers. Veteran southpaw Wade Miley was signed as a free agent but won’t return from injury until late April/early May. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Hunter Greene 3.75 3.0 27.6 8.5 Nick Martinez 3.47 2.4 20.7 5.8 Brady Singer 4.33 2.1 22.5 7.1 Nick Lodolo (LH) 4.12 1.6 25.1 7.8 Andrew Abbott (LH) 4.50 1.6 22.1 8.6 Rhett Lowder 4.52 1.5 17.9 7.1 Graham Ashcraft 4.27 1.5 18.2 7.7 Carson Spiers 4.91 0.7 19.4 8.0 Wade Miley (LH) 5.00 0.5 14.0 8.5 Relief Pitching Seven of the projected eight bullpen spots are most likely locked up. Ex-Brewer funny man Brent Suter (140 OPS+, 4.31 FIP), Sam Moll (132, 3.46), and Taylor Rogers (161, 3.75) are the three left-handers in the mix. Emilio Pagán (98, 3.77), Tony Santillan (148, 2.73), and Scott Barlow (96, 4.02) are the right-handers that will man the ‘pen. The closer is expected to be Alexis Díaz, who was an All-Star in 2023 and has 65 saves the last two seasons. Fighting for the last spot will be Ashcraft and Spiers, if they do not make the starting rotation. Others include Yosver Zulueta, Connor Phillips, Lyon Richardson, and NRI Reds fan-favorite Ian Gibaut, all of whom are right-handers. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name FIP fWAR K% BB% Brent Suter (LH) 4.36 0.3 17.9 7.0 Sam Moll (LH) 4.14 0.2 23.4 10.2 Taylor Rogers (LH) 4.39 0.1 26.9 9.6 Emilio Pagán 4.60 0.1 24.2 7.6 Tony Santillan 4.26 0.3 26.7 11.1 Scott Barlow 3.68 0.4 27.9 10.9 Alexis Díaz 3.85 0.5 25.4 11.5 Yosver Zulueta 4.74 0.1 22.5 11.4 Connor Phillips 4.82 0.8 21.9 11.6 Lyon Richardson 5.22 0.3 19.8 11.5 Ian Gibaut 4.25 0.3 21.6 9.2 Catcher Tyler Stephenson started 112 games at catcher last year and will get the majority of the starts this year. Stephenson had an OPS of .782 and an OPS+ of 112. Newly acquired Jose Trevino brings a Gold Glove pedigree and is a solid backup. First Base One of many positions that will be a toss-up. The front-runners will be Spencer Steer or Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Steer played 158 games between LF and 1B last year but has a bum shoulder that might restrict him to the DH role. Encarnacion-Strand should see playing time when the season begins. Second Base Matt McLain missed all last year with a torn labrum in his left shoulder but is healthy this year. Newcomer Gavin Lux can play second and possibly left field and will be a utility guy. Santiago Espinal can play all over the infield. Third Base The hot corner is another spot where you can flip a coin to see who plays there. Jeimer Candelario will start if needed but he struggles defensively at third. Espinal can fill in but is not a full-time player at one position. If Noelvi Marte proves he can play at the big-league level, he might get a shot as well. Shortstop This is an easy one. Elly De La Cruz will be the everyday ‘6.’ The speedy, electric player should only get better as he matures. Espinal and McLain will be the back-ups. Left Field Austin Hays will for sure play against LHP, and has a career OPS of .719 against righties, which isn’t terrible. Will Benson, Stuart Fairchild, and Lux could get some playing time as well. Center Field TJ Friedl will be the main man in center field, part of the team's solid up-the-middle defense. Hays, Benson, and Fairchild can all play CF if needed. Right Field Another toss-up position, although Jake Fraley will probably get most starts against right-handers (career .786 OPS). Hays, Benson, and Fairchild could all slot in as reserves. Designated Hitter Get out that coin again! If Steer can’t throw, he will be at DH. If Candelario can’t play defense, he will get starts there as well. Add Lux and Encarnacion-Strand to the mix. 2025 FanGraphs ZiPS Projections Name wRC+ OPS wOBA fWAR Tyler Stephenson 107 .765 .333 2.6 Jose Trevino 83 .675 .297 2.0 Spencer Steer 109 .770 .336 1.9 C. Encarnacion-Strand 107 .774 .332 1.1 Matt McLain 114 .789 .342 3.6 Gavin Lux 100 .734 .322 1.6 Santiago Espinal 82 .670 .295 1.0 Jeimer Candelario 103 .757 .326 1.6 Noelvi Marte 78 .658 .289 -0.1 Elly De La Cruz 117 .807 .347 5.0 Austin Hays 102 .756 .326 1.1 Will Benson 92 .708 .311 0.7 Stuart Fairchild 94 .714 .313 0.7 TJ Friedl 97 .721 .317 1.6 Jake Fraley 95 .715 .314 0.7 Summary The Reds have two players that could (should) be All-Stars again this year: De La Cruz and Greene. If Tyler Stephenson, Spencer Steer, Matt McLain, or Nick Lodolo can replicate past success, one or more of them could join De La Cruz and Greene on the grass on July 15 at Atlanta’s Truist Park. Prognosticators have the Reds finishing fourth or last in the NL Central. But if the Pirates or Cardinals stumble, the Reds could climb into that third spot, with an eye on the final NL wild card. View full article

The Brewers front office probably wishes they could use Mr. Peabody’s Wayback Machine or travel back in time with Doc Brown and Marty McFly and head to March 28, 2018. That was the beginning of the best season of Rhys Hoskins' career, which included a career-best 38 doubles and 34 home runs. They could sure use those numbers in 2025. Hoskins came into his first season in Milwaukee as a question mark, as he had missed the entire 2023 campaign after surgery to repair the ACL in his right knee. Hoskins started out slowly in 2024 and had a hamstring injury in late May that cost him some playing time. He hit nine home runs and had an OPS of .813 before he went on the shelf. His final numbers showed a hitting line of .214/.303/.419 with 26 jacks and an OPS+ of 98 over 449 at-bats. Hoskins played 53% of the innings at first, while Jake Bauers covered 38%. Five others filled in the remaining time. BREWERS FIRST BASEMEN AT A GLANCE Starter: Rhys Hoskins Backup: Jake Bauers Depth: Mark Canha, Tyler Black, Oliver Dunn Prospects: Ernesto Martinez, Wes Clarke, Mike Boeve, Luke Adams, Blake Burke Brewers fWAR Ranking Last Year: 24th out of 30 Brewers fWAR Projection This Year: 27th out of 30 THE GOOD Hoskins is one more season removed from his knee surgery and hopefully he is fully (or close to it) recovered. A typical Hoskins season looks like this: .240/.350/.490 with 28-30 home runs and about 30 doubles. If he can stay on the field and make 120 starts at first base and another 20-30 games as the designated hitter, Brewers fans will probably be happy with the production coming from the 18-million-dollar man. The next wave of ‘First Baseman of the Future’ is a couple years away but for now, Hoskins is the best everyday option for manager Pat Murphy. So far this spring, Hoskins is hitting .500/.667/1.625 through eight at-bats with three homers and four walks. Yes, it IS a small sample size, but that is a heck of a lot better than an 0-for-8 start. Hopefully Hoskins can stay healthy and carry his early success through the season. He’ll never hit .300, but 30 HRs and 90-100 RBIs from one player at first base would be something Milwaukee fans haven’t seen for a few years. Bauers doesn’t hit for average, but he does draw walks (11.1% career BB rate), steals bases, and hits home runs. Other than the fact that he is only a .200 hitter, he does some things right. Speed and power are always pluses. That’s why the Brewers brought him back. Canha could get promoted from the ‘depth’ status to ‘back-up’ if Bauers falters. At age 36, Canha is a solid twice-a-week starter and hits LHP or RHP about the same (.762 OPS vs. LHP, .763 vs. RHP). The 10-year veteran can play in left or right field if needed, so that versatility is always a plus. Black and Dunn are both fighting for a roster spot and can fill in at first in a pinch, but for now, they are a bit farther down on the depth chart. The prospects are a couple years off, but the hope in the Milwaukee organization is that one (or more) of these guys can take their games to the major league level and give the Brewers a player that can be penciled in at the ‘3’ spot for the next 8-10 years. Right now, it appears that Boeve is the closest, possibly making an appearance in Milwaukee this year. Adams is perhaps a year behind that, and Burke maybe two years down the road. The good news is that Adams is only 20, Burke is 21, and Boeve is 22. Martinez has opened some eyes but at 25, is a little too old to be a ‘prospect.’ As is Clarke, who is also 25. THE BAD Hoskins’ health and his declining production in the ‘dog days’ last year are a definite concern. Can his surgically repaired knee stand up to the strain of playing in the field 4-5 times per week? Hoskins turns 32 on St. Patrick’s Day so he’s not getting any younger, but on the other hand he could be playing for his next contract and a nice season would go far in padding his bank account. Bauers’ batting line is not strong enough to make him a full-time starter, so the Brewers are hoping and praying that ‘Rhys Lightning’ stays healthy and performs as the Brewers expect him to. The bad news for Boeve, Adams, and Burke is that they are still playing in the minors and not at Am Fam Field (Uecker Park). They will be here soon enough, but that doesn’t help the Brewers in the short term. Martinez could help out and he might make the roster, but he has no big-league experience, so you never know what to expect. THE BOTTOM LINE All bets are on Hoskins, but my feeling is that if he stays healthy, he will produce as he has done in the past. Milwaukee fans were spoiled with Cecil Cooper and Prince Fielder, but will have to wait until one of the ‘kids’ comes up to see a first sacker who (hopefully) has a long tenure. But in Hoskins’ defense, Milwaukee did not expect a 35-homer guy with a .900 OPS. If Rhys can duplicate his Philadelphia performance and stay on the field, first base will be just fine. Share your thoughts on the first base outlook below and check out the rest of our Position Analysis series. View full article

I like Turang at 2B and Ortiz at SS. It would be nice to see someone 'win' the 3B job, head and shoulders above the other challengers...

Maybe he should do a Geico commercial...lol.

Not completely sold on Margot but he does have experience and wouldn't be the worst choice to make the 26-man. If Margot struggles this spring, either Hicklen or Collins deserve a shot, especially if they have a good spring. I think Canha will be the backup at 1B and get limited playing time out in 'the corn.'

Throwing a couple names out there. Would have to be trades... Spencer Gipson-Long, Detroit Gipson-Long had Tommy John surgery last April and then hip surgery in July. His rehab from the procedures appears to be coming along well, but the right-hander is not expected to return until around midseason. AJ Smith-Shawver, Atlanta In the running for the final spot in the Braves rotation. Make them an offer they can't refuse!

The 2025 version of Steve Dalkowski?? (Pic courtesy of SABR.)

Since Thanksgiving, we have been working on adding bios to the Players Project and with the three bios posted below, we now have over 100 player bios on Brewer Fanatic. The three bios tied into this front-page piece were not only catchers but played together in 2000-2002. Henry Blanco, Raúl Casanova, and Tyler Houston squatted behind the dish during the final days at County Stadium and the first two years at Miller Park. Blanco and Casanova were full-time catchers, while Houston only caught 23 games for Milwaukee but played at several other positions. Henry Blanco Blanco was primarily known as a ‘defensive’ catcher, but he did have some pop in his bat, hitting 72 home runs during his 16-year career. In just under 600 AB for the Brewers, he hit 13 homers but showed gap power with 42 doubles. Although his oWAR dragged him down, he did post a 1.7 and 1.0 dWAR in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Blanco threw out about 50% of runners in those two years, including an NL-best of 58.2% in 2000. Blanco split time with Casanova during those two seasons. Raúl Casanova Casanova hit a bit more for average than Blanco and showed some power, hitting 35 homers in nine big-league seasons. Casanova only threw out 23% of runners trying to steal while with Milwaukee, which was well below the league average of 32.5%. Casanova was released in September 2002 after only slashing .184/.273/.230 and was signed by Baltimore. After playing two games for the Orioles, he was released. He played in six organizations between 2003 and 2006, all in the minors. He played for the White Sox, Devil Rays, and Mets between 2005 and 2008. Tyler Houston The Las Vegas native was a rare player who was a better hitter in the majors than in the minors. His minor league OPS over 2,385 at-bats was .650, while his OPS in the majors was .735 over 1,805 at-bats. He was a catcher in high school and spent the first few years in the minors behind the plate, but he played primarily at third base in the big leagues. He also played at catcher and first base and played a few games at each other's positions except for center field. Houston batted at least .300 in over 100 at-bats in three seasons and was third on the Brewers in 2001 with an OPS+ of 111. View full article

I envy the writers that are so well informed about our future Milwaukee Brewers. I am good at writing about the past; you all are pretty damned good at writing about the future. I salute you!

Tyler Sam Houston was born in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1971. Houston was drafted second overall behind pitcher Ben McDonald in the 1989 MLB Amateur Draft by the Atlanta Braves. It took Houston seven years to make his big-league debut. He opened the 1996 season with the Braves and played 33 games without a start. In late June, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. The lefty swinger had a great finish to the season, hitting .339/.382/.452 across 115 at-bats. Houston spent 1997 and 1998 with the Cubs, playing a total of 167 games. The following year Houston played 100 games with Chicago before being traded to Cleveland at the end of August. After playing 13 games in September for the Indians, he was given his release. The Brewers signed him in early 2000. Henry Blanco (32 starts), Raúl Casanova (16), and Houston (16) were a three-headed catching monster through mid-June, but after infielder Sean Berry was released, Houston played mostly at the corner infield spots. Houston caught on September 12 and would never don the ‘tools of ignorance’ again in his major league career. Houston hit a career-high 18 homers and 43 RBI while hitting .250/.292/.493 across 284 at-bats. In 2001, Houston was having a nice season, hitting .298/.347/.489 in mid-July when he went down with a stress fracture in his right foot and missed almost all the rest of the season. His final hitting line was .289/.343/.472 with 12 home runs across 235 at-bats. Houston got the vast majority of playing time at third base in 2002 and was hitting .302/.347/.459 in 76 games when he was traded to the Dodgers in late July in what essentially was a ‘salary dump’ for Milwaukee. Houston played 35 games for Los Angeles and was released after the season. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies and played just 54 games in an injury-riddled season. He retired from baseball with a hitting line of .265/.312/.423 across 1,805 at-bats with 84 doubles and 63 home runs. View full player

Raúl Casanova was born in Humacao, Puerto Rico in 1972. He was drafted by the New York Mets in the eighth round of the 1990 MLB Amateur Draft. The switch-hitting backstop played at the lower levels of the Mets chain for three years before being the PTBNL in a trade with the San Diego Padres in December 1992. Casanova stayed on the three-year plan, playing at Single-A and Double-A in the Padres organization before getting traded to the Detroit Tigers in March 1996. He made his major league debut with the Tigers on May 24 and went 0-for-4 as the DH. After going hitless in his next six at-bats, Casanova singled off Kansas City hurler Tim Belcher in his fourth game for his first big-league knock. In late June, Casanova broke a bone in his left wrist, requiring surgery. He returned in August and then was a September call-up for Detroit. Casanova no doubt impressed the Tigers brass, slashing .286/.375/.429 with one homer in 28 at-bats. Despite starting the following season in Triple-A Toledo, Casanova set career highs for games (101), at-bats (304), and hits (74) with the Tigers. Dogged by injuries in 1998, Casanova spent most of the year in the minors and only played 16 games for the Tigers. Casanova underwent surgery for a broken rib in 1999 and after playing just 50 games in the minors, was released after the season. The Rockies signed him as a free agent but released him in March before he played a game for them. The next day, the Brewers signed him as a free agent. Casanova started the season at Triple-A Indianapolis but was called up in mid-April when Henry Blanco went on the disabled list. Casanova was red-hot in late June, slashing .441/.486/.823 with three homers in 34 at-bats. He set career bests with 13 doubles, three triples, and 36 RBI. Casanova had a nice season in 2001 but missed the last six weeks of the season after knee surgery. He had a career-high 11 homers and an OPS+ of 102. The next season, Casanova struggled and was released at the end of the season. He played part of three seasons with the White Sox, Tampa Bay, and the Mets. Casanova played in the Mexican League and some winters leagues for three years and retired in 2011. View full player

Henry Ramón Blanco was born in 1971 in Caracas, Venezuela and was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers in November 1989. Blanco was a third baseman in his first six seasons as a Dodgers farmhand, playing 587 games at third base, along with 36 games at first. At the end of the 1995 season, Blanco appeared in one game at catcher for Double-A San Antonio. That was the genesis of his catching career. The stocky (5-foot-11, 220-pound) Blanco made his big-league debut on July 25, 1997 as a pinch-hitter and singled on the first pitch he saw from Philadelphia pitcher Scott Ruffcorn in an 8-1 Los Angeles win. Blanco hit his first big-league homer off Colorado’s John Thomson in the last game of the year. After recovering from shoulder surgery and later a broken hand, Blanco played only 55 games at two minor league stops in 1998 and was granted free agency after the season. After signing with Colorado, Blanco was the main catcher for the 1999 season before getting traded to Milwaukee in December in a three-way deal that included Jamey Wright, Jeff Cirillo, Scott Karl, Justin Miller, and Jimmy Haynes. Blanco split time with Raúl Casanova for two years, slashing a combined .222/.303/.368 with 42 doubles and 13 home runs across 598 at-bats. Known mostly as a defensive star, Blanco threw out 50% of 138 runners over two seasons, including the 2000 season in which he caught an NL-leading 58.2%. The Brewers traded Blanco to the Atlanta Braves during spring training 2002. The veteran backstop would go on to play 12 more seasons with nine teams. His career numbers include a slash line of .223/.288/.361 over 2,761 at-bats, including 145 two-base hits and 72 HRs. Blanco has been a part of the coaching staffs for the Diamondbacks, Cubs, and Nationals. He received a World Championship ring with the Cubs in 2016. View full player