Without fanfare of excitement, the league calendar took a turn yesterday, which means a mad scramble to team development pages, wishing and praying for no damage or no regret for players already resigned, extended, or traded for. Your esteemed Graham Wexler, doing the work that no one else does, is saving you lots of clicks today in compiling a list of who got screwed the most as we head deeper into the offseason:
C/1B Dave Nilsson – Cincinnati
| Contact Potential decreased from 15 to 14 |
| Contact decreased from 15 to 14 |
| Contact vs R decreased from 16 to 15 |
| Contact vs L decreased from 14 to 13 |
| Gap Potential decreased from 14 to 13 |
| Gap decreased from 14 to 13 |
| Power Potential decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Power decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Eye vs R decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Eye vs L decreased from 11 to 10 |
| Avoid Ks Potential decreased from 14 to 13 |
| Avoid Ks decreased from 14 to 13 |
| Avoid Ks vs R decreased from 14 to 13 |
| Avoid Ks vs L decreased from 13 to 12 |
That’s a lot of red. No history of negative developments to potential ratings, so this raises some flags for Eric Deutsch and his franchise. Still very playable, but a player to watch as the offseason goes on – one time blip that will bounce back or the beginning of a decline?
C Mike Stanley – Boston
| Catcher Ability decreased from 6 to 5 |
| Catcher Arm decreased from 7 to 6 |
| C defense decreased from 4 to 2 |
Welp. At some point, probably this season, everyone’s favorite player will be unplayable at catcher. What happens from there? Bat isn’t good enough for first base or designated hitter, so it’s boom or bust here behind the plate. At least the contract is up after the 1997 season.
3B Scott Cooper – Chicago
| Contact Potential decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Contact decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Contact vs L decreased from 12 to 11 |
| Gap Potential decreased from 12 to 11 |
| Gap decreased from 12 to 11 |
| Eye Potential decreased from 10 to 9 |
| Eye decreased from 10 to 9 |
| Eye vs L decreased from 9 to 8 |
| Avoid Ks Potential decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Avoid Ks decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Avoid Ks vs L decreased from 12 to 11 |
Pretty much a drop in everything that matters. Cooper had his best season in a while in 1995, putting up 1.2 WAR. Given some of the rumors around the league, it sounds like the Chicago leadership hasn’t been banking on his continued success at the hot corner, so this may ramp up those efforts.
CL Trevor Hoffman – Minnesota
| Movement Potential decreased from 15 to 14 |
| Movement vs L decreased from 14 to 13 |
| Control Potential decreased from 16 to 15 |
| Control decreased from 16 to 15 |
| GB% decreased from 53% to 52% |
Could just be a blip, but when two different potential ratings drop like this, red flags get raised. Particularly when the team is in a somewhat precarious position with its cap space.
OF Rickey Henderson – Oakland
| Contact decreased from 16 to 15 |
| Power decreased from 10 to 9 |
| Power vs R decreased from 10 to 9 |
| Power vs L decreased from 10 to 9 |
| Outfield Error decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Outfield Arm decreased from 17 to 16 |
Oakland isn’t expecting to compete in 1996, so this won’t impact their chances one way or another. Rickey, on a franchise contract and perhaps, dare I say, the most prolific player in DBL history, is the continuation of showing his age. For original DBL owners, this one stings to watch.
P John Smoltz – Orlando
| Stuff Potential decreased from 16 to 15 |
| Stuff decreased from 16 to 15 |
| Control vs L increased from 15 to 16 |
| Fastball Pot decreased from 16 to 15 |
| Fastball decreased from 16 to 15 |
| Changeup Pot decreased from 9 to 8 |
| Changeup decreased from 9 to 8 |
Orlando is still recovering from its difficult 1995 season with eyes to compete this year. While the Ken Caminiti trade sent out talent, it brought in lots of pieces and provided some cap flexibility as he aims to fill out this roster. Smoltz is going to be a big part of their success, or lack thereof, in 1996, as he comes back from injury.
P Bill Swift – St. Louis
| Stuff decreased from 8 to 7 |
| Stuff vs L decreased from 8 to 7 |
| Velocity decreased from 90-92 mph to 89-91 mph |
| Sinker Pot decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Curveball decreased from 6 to 5 |
| Forkball Pot decreased from 10 to 9 |
| Forkball decreased from 9 to 8 |
Swift had a rough 1995 season. And Adam Rabel has not been shy talking to teams about him this offseason. This won’t help that trade value.
INF Cal Ripken, Jr. – Toronto
| Gap decreased from 12 to 11 |
| Gap vs R decreased from 12 to 11 |
| Gap vs L decreased from 12 to 11 |
| Infield Range decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Infield Error decreased from 17 to 16 |
| Infield Arm decreased from 16 to 15 |
| Turn Double Play decreased from 15 to 14 |
| SS defense decreased from 11 to 10 |
Woof. After putting up exactly 0.0 WAR last season (the fact that it wasn’t negative given his production is pretty damn impressive), fans wondered whether it was the beginning of the end or a blip on an otherwise stellar career. Well, these rating decreases may provide a clue. It’s quickly becoming obvious that Ripken may not be able to be counted upon in that lineup. Add this to the list of decisions that Jose Mata needs to make this offseason.
CL Lee Smith – Washington
| Stuff Potential decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Stuff decreased from 12 to 11 |
| Stuff vs R decreased from 12 to 11 |
| Stuff vs L decreased from 12 to 11 |
| Movement Potential decreased from 18 to 17 |
| Velocity decreased from 92-94 mph to 91-93 mph |
| GB% decreased from 54% to 52% |
| Fastball Pot decreased from 14 to 13 |
| Fastball decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Cutter decreased from 9 to 8 |
| Slider Pot decreased from 13 to 12 |
| Slider decreased from 12 to 11 |
Welcome to Washington Troy Percival! When team ownership was looking for an impact reliever, it was presumably with the understanding that it would join Lee Smith in the bullpen, not replace him. Showing his age at 37 years old, Smith may lose that top billing sooner rather than later.