Post by White Sox GM (Michael) on Jul 19, 2013 17:13:26 GMT -5
NL West: ondeckcircle.proboards.com/thread/4131/2013-franchise-reviews-nl-west
NL Central: ondeckcircle.proboards.com/thread/4513/2013-franchise-reviews-nl-central
Remember, these are not rankings. Teams appear in alphabetical order.
Atlanta Braves
Major League team: F
Minors and Draft: D
Salary Cap situation: D-
Management: F-
Current state: F
Future state: F
Unequivocally the worst franchise in On-Deck Circle, it is tough to begin analyzing the Atlanta Braves. Everything imaginable has gone wrong here, from an unbearably terrible major league roster to a salary cap situation that would be tough to untangle even for the most astute economist. The root of the problem has been ownership that has become infamous around the league. Luckily, old management has been displaced, and although it will be a huge task for any new owner to tackle this challenged franchise, ODC has witnessed quite a few rapid turnarounds with other horrific teams.
Miami Marlins
Major League team: B-
Minors and Draft: B-
Salary Cap situation: A
Management: B+
Current state: B
Future state: A-
The Miami Marlins: Always interesting, usually competitive. Overturn of superstars has been consistent throughout the team’s history, from Stanton to Braun to Cabrera to Harper, just naming a few. The pitching rotation is riddled with risky, pre-arbitration players, and the hitting is overall characterized by hitters with other-worldly potential. The abundance of youth in the organization has somewhat hampered the Marlins’ shot at a title, but the team remains competitive with a lot of cap room in the future. With a general manager that enjoys wheeling and dealing, the Marlins should enjoy sustained success for seasons to come.
New York Mets
Major League team: A
Minors and Draft: D
Salary Cap situation: D+
Management: A-
Current state: A
Future state: B-
The strength of the Mets’ organization lies in the Major League roster, and boy, it’s a strong one. The lineup has barely any holes, especially in the infield, and the pitching rotation is led by two of the best starters in the league. Unfortunately, many of the team’s star players have hefty, long-term contracts, though the team has begun to address the issue. The farm leaves something to be desired, but the Mets’ core will be with the team for a long time. For now, as long each of the team’s most important players is in his prime, the Mets will continue to dominate the National League in the near future.
Philadelphia Phillies
Major League team: C+
Minors and Draft: D
Salary Cap situation: A-
Management: B-
Current state: C
Future state: C-
The Phillies are a franchise that is somewhat “stuck” at the moment. The team is decent but not good enough to really compete. There are a few bright spots on the roster, but not many others make for valuable trade assets. The farm system doesn’t hold any impact players. This isn’t to say that the Phillies don’t have a foundation off of which they can build; with some active management, Philadelphia can potentially return to the playoffs, which the team made only a year ago.
Washington Nationals
Major League team: B-
Minors and Draft: D-
Salary Cap situation: D+
Management: C
Current state: B-
Future state: C-
When looking at the Nationals’ Major League roster, you are struck by one thing at first: the polarity of salaries. Many of the players on the roster are still under the arbitration scale, making relatively humble salaries. The majority of Washington’s financial issues (I’m not talking about politics here) is caused by the wages of just a few players. The amounts that the team is paying the likes of Pujols, Werth, Weeks, and others will continue to hinder the progression of the team in the future. The farm hardly contains noteworthy prospects, so the Nationals must continue to bring in cheap, young players from external sources in order to continue competing. With all that being said, Washington still has a nice team – it’s just that there are some looming issues with the team that will hurt them unless acted upon aggressively.
NL Central: ondeckcircle.proboards.com/thread/4513/2013-franchise-reviews-nl-central
Remember, these are not rankings. Teams appear in alphabetical order.
Atlanta Braves
Major League team: F
Minors and Draft: D
Salary Cap situation: D-
Management: F-
Current state: F
Future state: F
Unequivocally the worst franchise in On-Deck Circle, it is tough to begin analyzing the Atlanta Braves. Everything imaginable has gone wrong here, from an unbearably terrible major league roster to a salary cap situation that would be tough to untangle even for the most astute economist. The root of the problem has been ownership that has become infamous around the league. Luckily, old management has been displaced, and although it will be a huge task for any new owner to tackle this challenged franchise, ODC has witnessed quite a few rapid turnarounds with other horrific teams.
Miami Marlins
Major League team: B-
Minors and Draft: B-
Salary Cap situation: A
Management: B+
Current state: B
Future state: A-
The Miami Marlins: Always interesting, usually competitive. Overturn of superstars has been consistent throughout the team’s history, from Stanton to Braun to Cabrera to Harper, just naming a few. The pitching rotation is riddled with risky, pre-arbitration players, and the hitting is overall characterized by hitters with other-worldly potential. The abundance of youth in the organization has somewhat hampered the Marlins’ shot at a title, but the team remains competitive with a lot of cap room in the future. With a general manager that enjoys wheeling and dealing, the Marlins should enjoy sustained success for seasons to come.
New York Mets
Major League team: A
Minors and Draft: D
Salary Cap situation: D+
Management: A-
Current state: A
Future state: B-
The strength of the Mets’ organization lies in the Major League roster, and boy, it’s a strong one. The lineup has barely any holes, especially in the infield, and the pitching rotation is led by two of the best starters in the league. Unfortunately, many of the team’s star players have hefty, long-term contracts, though the team has begun to address the issue. The farm leaves something to be desired, but the Mets’ core will be with the team for a long time. For now, as long each of the team’s most important players is in his prime, the Mets will continue to dominate the National League in the near future.
Philadelphia Phillies
Major League team: C+
Minors and Draft: D
Salary Cap situation: A-
Management: B-
Current state: C
Future state: C-
The Phillies are a franchise that is somewhat “stuck” at the moment. The team is decent but not good enough to really compete. There are a few bright spots on the roster, but not many others make for valuable trade assets. The farm system doesn’t hold any impact players. This isn’t to say that the Phillies don’t have a foundation off of which they can build; with some active management, Philadelphia can potentially return to the playoffs, which the team made only a year ago.
Washington Nationals
Major League team: B-
Minors and Draft: D-
Salary Cap situation: D+
Management: C
Current state: B-
Future state: C-
When looking at the Nationals’ Major League roster, you are struck by one thing at first: the polarity of salaries. Many of the players on the roster are still under the arbitration scale, making relatively humble salaries. The majority of Washington’s financial issues (I’m not talking about politics here) is caused by the wages of just a few players. The amounts that the team is paying the likes of Pujols, Werth, Weeks, and others will continue to hinder the progression of the team in the future. The farm hardly contains noteworthy prospects, so the Nationals must continue to bring in cheap, young players from external sources in order to continue competing. With all that being said, Washington still has a nice team – it’s just that there are some looming issues with the team that will hurt them unless acted upon aggressively.
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