23 SIDEARM REVIEW: #7 IRISH REBELS

                                          IRISH REBELS:  AN NL EAST SURPRISE ??

FRONT OFFICE 

This will be my second year in the SSL after a rookie 73-89 campaign.  I am still on a steep learning curve regarding how to bid at the yearly auction but at least I have scraped  together a starting rotation.  On to the numbers ....


ROTATION

Mikolas 640
Walker  663
Clevinger 716
M. Gonzales 779
Yarbrough 790

BULLPEN 

Z. Jackson 547
B. Abreu 570
Jh. Duran  571
S. Barlow 590
M. Thompson 612
B. Hand 654
Hoffman 741
Fleming 643 LH 

LINEUP 

Trevino c 671
Gurriel 1b 647
Donovan 2b 773
Adames ss 758
Riley 3b 878
Haggerty of 734
C. Taylor of 677
Azocar of 629
Estrada dh 722

BENCH 

Adrianza ut 543
Bradley of 524
Chavis if 654
Mercado of 614
M. Perez c 511
Rosario ut 670
Aquino of 609


ANALYSIS

Mikolas and Walker are second string playoff pitchers but serviceable for a rebuilding franchise.  M. Gonzales and Clevinger are disappointments so far and seem to have troubling futures.  Yarbrough is a classic long reliever.  Speaking of relievers,  the Irish have an excellent bullpen if I do say so myself.  Abreu, Barlow, Z. Jackson and Jh. Duran can shutdown any lineup.  Hand and Fleming are legit loogies while Thompson is a good setup man.  Hoffman is another long reliever/ spot starter.

The lineup is dreadful.  Riley is an All Star caliber third baseman, Adames is an above average hitting shortstop and Donovan is a rising utility star.  After that, I suffer from major depression when looking for hitters anywhere else.  The decision to draft Jh. Duran maybe a good idea in the long run but I sure  could have used another bat for this lineup. 

It looks like our high rating seems to be based on a serviceable rotation and a top shelf bullpen.  The key to winning is get a lead and hope the defense and bullpen can weather any counteroffensives.   The numbers say the Rebels will eek out a 1st place finish in the NL East.  Hope springs eternal...